An Up and Coming Lifetime Activity - Disc Golf

A lifetime activity that continues to grow within the state of Vermont, Disc Golf provides our middle school students with the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors here in Vermont. The activity is very similar to the game of golf. The object for this lifetime activity is to throw your disc, and continue to throw from the point at which your disc stops on the ground, until your disc is thrown and caught by the chained basket at the end of the hole. We are lucky enough to have a 12-hole disc golf course right here at the school. Students work towards making a backhand and forehand throw with a mature pattern. Next, we discuss proper disc golf etiquette and respecting others on the course. We apply these two learned skills as students play through our 12-hole disc golf course. A great way to spend a few days outside in the fall here in Vermont.

A Brand New Activity for our Middle School Students - Tchoukball

We have a brand new activity for our middle school students this year. The game is called Tchoukball. Can you take a guess at the pronunciation? The game is named after the noise that is made when the ball bounces off the net. We play this game with small sided teams to be sure there are more opportunities to catch and pass. The students work towards a mature pattern when they catch the ball. Our other goal is for students to work towards making the appropriate pass within the game based upon the movement concepts they are using. The goal of the game is to score a point by passing the ball to teammates, move across the court, and throw the ball off of the net. If the ball rebounds off the net and lands on the floor within the boundaries, your team has scored a point. If the opposing team can catch the ball before it hits the floor, the gameplay continues. An interesting aspect of this game is a lack of guarding or defense. It is not allowed. It is a self refereed game as well.

Sand Newcomb Volleyball

Sand Newcomb Volleyball is one of our first "Team" 5th - 8th grade units this year. Newcomb Volleyball combines the knowledge/rules of the game (boundary rules, touch rules, positioning, keeping score, rotations, hand-eye coordination) with throwing and catching. The main difference between sand volleyball and newcomb volleyball is the student's ability to catch and throw the ball over the net. Students do not use typical volleyball skills (set, forearm pass, bump, spike, etc.), but instead use the skills of catching and throwing to score points for their team. Sticking with our philosophy of small sided game play, students are broken up into match-ups of 3 v. 3 or 4 v. 4 to maximize skill building and activity time. 

Ultimate

Ultimate is a team game, which is quickly becoming more and more popular across the country. The object of the game is to pass a disc (many of you know them as Frisbees) with teammates as you travel across a field to score a "touchdown". A touchdown is scored when a member of your team has made a successful catch, with two feet, completely across the "touchdown" line. You are not allowed to move with the disc in your hands, so using a variety of throws as the passer, and moving/cutting/juking as a receiver will increase success. It is a fast paced game that allows for success at all skill levels. One of our PE department's favorite aspects to the game is "The Spirit of the Game". The game of Ultimate is self refereed, and players are always asked to play using "The Spirit of the game". By that I mean teams officiate themselves, and even at the highest level, the game is played without officials or referees.

We finally had snow, so we took advantage with some snowshoeing!

Well, the snow came to Vermont a little late this year. Thankfully we took advantage with a quick, three day snowshoeing unit towards the end of March. Three classes for each 3rd/4th grade student (spanning 1-2 weeks) was all the snow would allow before it began to melt. First, students were sized with their correct snowshoe. Next, Mrs. McClintock passed on here amazing snowshoe knowledge to the students, and to finish off the mini three day unit we had two days out in the snow. Students learned how to take on and off their snowshoes, how to stand up in snowshoes, how to run, how to walk backwards, how to ascend a hill, and finally how to descend a hill. What a great lifetime activity to learn when you live in the beautiful state of Vermont.