With a limited amount of time for P.E. before Thanksgiving break (only 3 days of P.E. in 3 weeks) I wanted to think of a unit that would give the kids the most “bang for their buck”. I also wanted a unit that started with an “N” because of November…hence, Neuro-November!
Neuro-November incorporates brain gym and crossing-the-midline activities. Some of our activities include: cup stacking, dribbling, mirror games, criss-cross walk, brain gym movements and more. This will be a perfect lead into the December unit: Juggling.
The first day of the unit was Neuro-stations, 4 stations that consisted of a normal activity but with a twist. Everything the students did required them to cross the midline in order to complete the activity. The challenges caused them (and their brains) to stop and think of a way to execute the activity. If classes had free time, they got to participate in cup stack races.
The second class was focused more on partner activities and peer teaching. Students had the opportunity to mirror their partner the opposite way. It was a very challenging activity and I enjoyed playing the whole class! Facing them, if I moved to my right, they were to move to their right as well, not follow me to their left. It was great fun (and a great challenge) for everyone, including myself!
The students also had the opportunity to participate in “tape walks” on the ground. These consist of various patterns taped to the ground which require the students to walk or run on them. The patterns include:
-Criss-cross walk: Students need to follow a line, walking slowly, and criss-crossing each and every step.
-Grapevine/karaoke: This is a taped pattern of dots in which a student places their lead foot sideways then their trailing foot forward, lead foot sideways, trailing foot behind…and so on. Kids could easily follow along because the sideways steps were purple and the front and backwards steps were green.
-Lazy 8/figure 8- This is a technique used in Brian Gym. It is a large figure 8 that students follow with their feet. This can also be done by using the arms in the air.
Warm-ups were also modified for this unit, students did a criss-cross walk two times around the gym followed by finger figure 8’s, cross-crawls and reverse jumping jacks.
For more information about Brain Gym, click here!
Brain activities and games, click here!
Image may be NSFW.
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Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
