Physical Education
The overall objective of the Physical Education program is to provide students with the skills, knowledge, and attitudes necessary to make active living a way of life. Cooperation, fair play, sportsmanship, communication, and respect are emphasized in all forms of our activities and sports.
Approach
Every year, we begin with Cooperative Games and Problem Solving Activities. In these activities, the group confronts a specific scenario or problem to solve (a sinking ship to escape, a poisonous or toxic swamp to cross, an electric fence to get over, or a minefield to get a blindfolded partner through safely). The focus of these activities is fostering cooperation, encouraging strategic and supportive dialogue, listening to a different opinion than your own, and having fun at the same time. Some groups spend just a few classes on cooperative activities, while others spend a lot more time and do a wider variety of them. This depends on what each group needs and how well they are working together. The activities also develop collaboration, communication, cooperation, respect, teamwork, and problem solving skills — all skills necessary for the success of any physical activity, game, or sport that involves more than one person.
Miquon`s campus provides countless opportunities to learn in unique spaces,
build curiosity and independence, and weave nature into the fabric of every child`s day.
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We have a new blog post up about the Kindergarten / 1st grade adventures in syrup-making! Click the link in our bio to take a look.
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Are you curious about what makes Miquon so special?
Join us on Wednesday, May 7th from 9:00 - 11:00 am for a chance to tour our beautiful campus, chat with our Head of School, teachers, and current families, and see firsthand from the creek to the classroom.
You can RSVP at the link in our bio. We’re excited to meet you!
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What happens when 5th and 6th grade P.E. and Science classes combine for a fun and practical group project?
Building fire pits!
From carrying rocks and gravel to effectively arranging the rocks in sturdy formations, this project challenged the children across many different areas: functional fitness, teamwork, communication, collaboration, cooperation, leadership, and problem-solving.
The two newly formed fire pits will be used to learn about and practice safe fire-building techniques as part of their Science class curriculum.
We hope our students enjoyed their hard-earned treat!
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Here are a few of the questions and observations K / 1 classes recently asked about the sugaring process (the process of boiling the maple tree sap and transforming it into syrup):
- Did it evaporate so it’s not watery?
- It smells like maple syrup. How does the tree make it?
- Why does it have those white bubbles?
- I see the temperature is very hot
- It’s turning a different color - caramelish brown
Truly, the children have spent the last few weeks deep in a learning process of observation, direct experience, inquiry, and research.
After the maple trees were tapped a few weeks ago, the children checked the buckets regularly and poured the available sap into jugs to begin the sugaring process.
Over time the children found that some days the trees produced more sap than others (they learned that the flow of sap is connected to changes in temperature!).
After two weeks of sugaring, it was time to take out the taps. The classes ended up with three totally different batches to observe and taste: a pale, yellowish, clear batch, a dark, maple sugar batch, and a smooth, medium brown batch!
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Recently students celebrated the 100th day of school!
The 3rd / 4th grade classes set up and ran the annual 100th day obstacle course - ten stations with ten fun repetitions (to equal 100). They helped guide each class through the course, taking care to assist and cheer on everyone from our oldest to youngest students.
Kindergarten / 1st grade children also had a morning filled with discussions: “what would you want 100 of?” “how are 100 grains of sand different than 100 skyscrapers?” “can we come up with 100 movements (grouped in 10s?)” Many squats soon followed. 🙂
Among other projects, students also made necklaces out of 100 cheerios, made ships and castles with exactly 100 pieces, and collaborated with a partner to make a 100-link paper chain.
The 2nd graders even learned to count to 100 (cien) in spanish!
Hard work, thoughtfulness, determination, and joy: all in the life of a Miquon kid.
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It was a big day at Miquon yesterday!
The K/1 classes tapped two maple trees on campus to begin collecting sap. They helped drill the holes, position the buckets, and everyone got a little taste.
"The sap from this tree tastes like water," one child observed. "The other tree is sweeter."
Stay tuned! The children will keep an eye on the buckets as the sap collects, and then begins the process of transforming sap to syrup.
#progressiveeducation #learningoutsidetheclassroom #learningoutside #LearningOutdoors #mapletreetapping #miquonschool #foreveramiquonkid #independentschools #proudtobemiquon #progressiveschool #phillyindependentschools
After the initial Cooperation and Problem Solving unit, we move onto eye-hand coordination skills and activities that combine the eye-hand coordination skills with cooperation. From there, activities that are in line with the Society of Health and Physical Educators National Standards Scope and Sequence are introduced to students as part of a larger lesson plan. For example, if the students are working on throwing at targets, we usually teach the skill cues first (e.g., jumping jack, muscle man, point, step, throw, follow through). Next, the children practice individually, throwing at targets (paper plates on walls or various objects to throw at). Then, we play a partnered game (“p-i-g” or “t-i-g-e-r” or whatever they decide) which is followed by a larger or whole group game.
PE Blog
Want to learn more about the latest happenings in Miquon’s Physical Education program? Check out pictures and teacher commentary posted to the PE Blog.
Curriculum Report
The curriculum report is the teachers’ review of the entire year, looking back and making observations after their plans, projects, problems, and revelations are long over. One of the distinguishing features of this report is the great extent to which each teacher’s style, focus, and personality come through in this retrospective narrative. Check out the PE Curriculum Report.
