Easter at St. Mary's

This visit to St. Mary's was the Monday before Easter, so our theme was Easter. All of our games were mostly based on throwing and catching "Easter Eggs" because the skills we were assessing were the overhand throw and catching. I came up with a simple game that allowed for the kids to be very active, and also to practice these skills. I called my game Scrambled Eggs. I set the game up with balls and poly spots, and only had enough balls for half of the class to get one. I had music playing, and during the music the kids had to perform a certain movement such as skipping, hopping, running, leaping, etc. When the music stopped they had to get a ball, and who ever got a ball ran to one line of poly spots, and who ever did not get a ball ran to the other line. Each person was lined up facing someone with a ball, and on my cue they threw the balls to their partner. To make sure each student was able to throw and catch I had them throw the balls back a forth a few times to get them to do both skills, and to also allow for practicing of the skills. I think that this was my favorite lab so far, and it is due mostly in part that my game was so successful. The kids were totally out of breath and sweaty, and they told me that they liked playing my game. This was such a simple game, however it worked perfectly to show the throwing and catching skills, and the kids loved playing it. One of the other groups decorated a giant cross and wrote Happy Easter across the top in celebration of the holiday, and the kids loved this too. The pre-k students were able to color in some Easter pictures to help decorate the cross, and it came out looking pretty good.

I hope that next lab goes as smoothly for me as this one did, and I am looking forward to going. The theme is Toy Story 3, and the skills assessed will be basketball dribbling and kicking. I am interested to see what kinds of games our class comes up with and I think that it will be another great lab.