SJA Track and Field Day!

Hi Parents,

Tomorrow (Friday June 1) will be our Track and Field day, I will be posting on the blog at 9 am tomorrow if there will be a need for a rain day (which will be on MONDAY JUNE 4). 

Please do not forget for your child: 

1. Sunscreen
2. Hat
3. Water!!!
4. Gym Uniform. For those of you who need a quick reminder about the Gym Uniform it is below.
Gym Uniform 

SJA Shorts, SJA T-Shirt, Socks, Running Shoes!

Children will be participating in a house game relay race within their grade! Please feel free to wear your house shirt to support your house!

Any questions please feel free to email me at pberesford@stjudesacademy.com

Thanks!

Mr. Beresford

Humboldt Broncos

As you may be aware, there was a tragic accident that occurred in Saskatchewan on Friday evening. The Humboldt Broncos junior hockey team was involved in an accident while travelling by bus to one of their playoff games, claiming the lives of 15 people and injuring many others. Around the country and world, organizations have shown their support to these victims, their families, and the Humboldt community. Here at St. Jude’s Academy, we strive to have students apply the learner profile attributes and attitudes not only through their studies at school, but in their community. St. Jude’s would like to show our support for the victims and their families by sending our students to school on Thursday, April 12^th, wearing their favourite sports jersey to honour the Humboldt Broncos. The school will be holding a short assembly and a moment of silence on Thursday morning for Grades 3-12 to honour these players, coaches, and families. We are asking parents from JK – Grade 2 to have a home conversation with their child in regards to why their child will be wearing a jersey to school on Thursday.

Thank you for your support and cooperation in this matter,

SJA Teachers

March Break Camp

March Break Camp registration forms were sent home back in October. We have had many students sign up since then and especially over the last few days. If you are interested in registering your child for our March Break camp, please send in the completed registration form, along with the $20 one-time non-refundable deposit in order to secure your child's spot (this could be paid in cash or through fresh books). This year there are two options to chose from the first being lunch and two snacks provided or the second being send your own packed lunch and a discounted camp rate! We also have daily rates available. Please contact Ms. Smith bsmith@stjudesacademy.com for more details.

Teaching Games for Understanding

Our Cooperative Games unit has come to an end and we are now doing a Target Games unit, the first category of Teaching Games for Understanding. Teaching Games for Understanding (TGfU) is a great way to develop student's skill and love for games, sports, and being active. Below  is an explanation of the TGfU model, written a member of CIRA Ontario.

Teaching Games for Understanding (TGFU) is about teaching game concepts that can be used across many games. A give-and-go can be used in hockey, basketball, soccer, and a variety of other games. Rather than teach units on sports, particularly at the elementary school level, it is more beneficial for the students to learn game concepts, concepts that can be applied to a variety of similar game situations. The game concepts are divided into four categories of games from simplest to most complex. They are:

• Target--Hitting a stationary target
• Net/Wall--Throwing or hitting towards an open space
• Invasion--Moving and passing to an open space
• Striking/Fielding--Hitting targets; hitting towards open spaces; moving/passing/hitting fixed/open spaces

In addition, you may recall the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Goldilocks declines two bowls of porridge because they are too hot or cold, and consumes one bowl of porridge that is the correct temperature. But if she would have cooled the hot porridge and heated the cold porridge she could have had three bowls of porridge. The same is true for games. You may find some games are too hot for your students, then cool them down by slowing down the pace, using a larger or softer or more slowly moving ball. You may find some games are too cool for your students, then heat them up by adding to the complexity of the games, or adding speed of a ball, or the increasing the movement of players.

Permit one quick example of the above. Duck, Duck, Goose is a simple game sometimes played at the Kindergarten level. Children sit in a circle, one player walks around the circle touching each player on the head and saying, "Duck." When the circling player says, "Goose," those two players run around the circle, and the second player back to the open spot becomes the new player to walk around the circle... How do we heat this game up for older players. Rather than players sitting in a circle, players go in a plank position (laying forward in a push-up position, but resting on the player's forearms), and maintain that position till the circling player calls out, "Duck" (at which point the other players can lay down and take a break. A simple modification that makes Duck, Duck, Goose, and effective fitness activity for older participants.

We need to remember that we teach students first and content second. Keeping that in mind, we need to adjust all the games that we do to help students celebrate and enjoy their current levels of game play, and challenge them to move to new levels.

Cooperative Games

What a great week it was! Today we wrapped up our third week of a rigorous cooperative games unit. I have been challenging the student to working with different group and partners to complete the games or activities I have planned out for them. The students have responded in a big way! Although at times reminders are necessary, all students have shown they are capable of collaborating well in a group to complete an activity. Below are a few highlights from the week. I'm looking forward to what next week has to offer!

A few falls along the way but those are necessary for learning.

Halloween costumes can't stop us from having fun in PE class.

Very impressive!

  

Cross Country!

What a great day we had today! Beautiful weather and lots of running. All the students did a fantastic job. Tried to take a few pictures to capture the day. Great job to all those who ran!