Congratulations to Cool Spring Elementary students for raising for $24,000 for the

American Heart Association. 

February Family Fitness Challenge

The students have been jumping away over the month of February. This month's Family Fitness Challenge has to do with jumping rope. The students have been learning about their heart's function and how to keep it healthy by exercising 60 minutes a day. Jumping rope is a great way to increase your heart rate! 

Complete the challenge below and send in a picture. Each child that brings in a picture will be entered in a drawing for a prize. I will extend the deadline to March 11th since we got a late start with the snow. 

This challenge can be done as a group or against each other as a race. The object is to get all six tasks completed.

a die

a jump rope

a copy of the roll and jump task card

You will start by rolling the die and doing the corresponding activity. For example, if you roll a 3, you will do 10 basic jumps backward. Once you complete the task put a check next to the number. You will continue rolling the die and completing the corresponding activities until all the numbers have been checked off. The catch is, if you roll a number more than once you have to repeat the exercise each time you roll the number until you have rolled all six.

Have fun!

Also, don't forget to visit www.heart.org/jump to join the Cool Spring Elementary fundraising team. Students have already raised over 10,000 dollars which will go directly to the American Heart Association. WOW!!!

Happy Friday! Check out the January Family Fitness Challenge posted a couple of weeks ago. If you meet the challenge this weekend send in a picture. Any student who brings in their picture from the challenge will be entered in a drawing for a prize next Friday. Look out for February's Family Fitness Challenge which will be coming sometime next week. 

Check Tuesday folders for Jump Rope for Heart information! During the month of February students will be learning all about the heart and how to keep it healthy and strong as they complete their jump rope unit. 

WINTER WONDERLAND FUN

Need to get the kids out of the house? Tired of the same neighborhood sledding your kids have been partaking in all week? Check out the "Best Sledding Spots in Richmond." There is a small chance for more this weekend. Try not to get to excited. :)

"Best Sledding Spots in Richmond"

JANUARY FAMILY FITNESS CHALLENGE

BOWL FOR FITNESS

Cool Spring students had the wonderful opportunity to use 11 bowling sets. Each sets consists of 10 plastic pins and one rubber weighted bowling ball. 

The students learned about a three step approach where they start and finish on their opposite foot. 

This month's Family Fitness Challenge is to go bowling and use the Bowl For Fitness sheet. Each time your bowling turn is over count the number of pins you knocked down and do the corresponding activity. You can pick the number of repetitions to use. In class the students did 15. All of the exercises on the sheet can be done in a small amount of space with no equipment. You can also switch it up and count the number of pins left standing

Can't fit a trip to the bowling alley in your schedule? No problem. Have the kids make their own pins. Recycled water bottles are a great resource for this project. 

Send in a picture of your child or the family participating in this month's challenge and your child can find themselves on the Family Fitness Wall of Fame. 

Please write your child's name on the back and I will do my best to return the picture however please keep in mind that it may unfortunately get lost or damaged in the hallway. 

HAVE FUN!

Feel free to share your comments, and dont forget to subscribe to the blog. 

1. Did you enjoy the challenge?

2. What was your favorite exercise on the chart?

3. What was the hardest exercise on the chart?

4. Did you improve your technique?

New Year - New Ideas

Welcome to 2014! I am looking forward to being more involved in the blogging process this year and trying out some new ideas.  My goal is to post something at the end of each week.  I am also excited to introduce Monthly Family Fitness Challenges. I hope to tie these challenges in with what the students are learning in class. Stay tuned!

MY PLATE - A new look at nutrition

The students had blast learning about nutrition with the new My Plate model. This model replaced the old Food Pyramid.  The idea is to get students thinking about what each meal should look like. There is a big emphasis on having half the plate comprised of fruits and vegetables. 

Visit www.choosemyplate.gov to print out your own My Plate diagram to keep in your kitchen or classroom. Encourage your children to help with meal planning and checking to make sure all food groups are represented in appropriate amounts on your plate. 

The students also incorporated fitness into this activity my jogging along the nutrition speedway to collect a food card.  While the other students waited, each student had a chance to lead their group in an exercise of their choice. 

Teacher Tip: I bought these great My Plate banners with pockets from School Specialty but you can visit the website and ask for free colored posters. The cards are also awesome which are part of the Focused Fitness curriculum. This curriculum is new to our school this year and I LOVE it! You cold make your own if you are a real go getter!

The students raced to see which group could collect at least one card for each category. We also talked about things that are not found on the plate such as empty calories. In my class we call these sometimes foods. They are foods that add calories to your intake but offer no nutritional value. After cards were collected we created our own breakfast, lunch (that could be packed), and dinner as a class. 

 Here is an example of a packed lunch one class created. 

Questions: 

1. Does your plate typically match these recommendations?
2. Do you like the new model better than the old?
3. Do you see yourself incorporating this in your household or classroom?