• why warm up • changes in the body • exercises • stretching
P.E lessons start with warming up our bodies. You can play simple games, like these ideas here, but it's also important to focus on exercising specific body parts, to help your students get ready for an exciting lesson!
You should take around 5-7 minutes of a 1-hour session, and use it as an opportunity to educate your kids about the different muscles being used in various movements, and help bring awareness of their bodies. Use the exercises below in the demonstration videos from me, and get your class moving out there!
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You can also download these FREE warm up games resources below ›››
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When you strike, run, bounce, throw and kick, the muscles you use need energy to pull in different directions. The energy is supplied by your blood, and the oxygen you breathe in. Warming up gets the supply moving with what is needed to do more:
Imagine a stick of gum. You unwrap it out of the pack and straight away try to pull it apart and stretch it. What will happen? The stick of gum will SNAP and rip.
Instead, before you pull it apart, chew it for a few minutes first... Now, when you try to pull it apart, it won't rip! The gum has been 'warmed up', and now it can stretch further and further without tearing! This is just like your muscles...
...and when your muscles are ready, they become stronger, meaning you'll be able to:
Use the warm-up time to educate about the effects you notice as you begin to exercise...
Your heart needs to pump faster and harder to give your muscles what they need to work harder
You'll be needing more oxygen, so breathing faster and deeper will get more air into your lungs
As your body works harder, it gets hotter. Sweating through your skin helps cool you down
Your muscles will feel warmer, because they begin to give off heat from all the work they've been doing
• In this video I take you through 11 easy-to-follow exercises to choose from, great for out on the field or in the sports hall
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• Students simply work in their own space as the teacher demonstrates the different tasks
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• You the teacher can pick and choose as many as you like, I'd recommend at least 4-5 different exercises
• These 12 activities are more dynamic. Set up end zones at opposite sides of the playing area. Students travel from one side of the playing area to the other, using a variation of creative body-movements
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• Have the students become more aware of their bodies as they take note of changes in their heart rate and breathing
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• I also introduce the various muscles involved
• Here students again work in their own space, doing each task for around 5-10 seconds
• This time there is more of a focus on exercises to develop flexibility and balance
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• Again it's a fantastic educational opportunity to learn the muscles involved around the body
• Here's 5 individual warm ups and 5 stretching tasks - just a
small sample of the 41 activities I've put together in my 'elementary warming up & stretching task card's pack..
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• In this follow-along clip I take you through a 5 minute warm up routine for your kids to follow along to, to help warm up your muscles, focussing on and learning the different leg muscles in the body.
• You can perform each activity for 30 seconds, and your muscles will be ready to go for the PE lesson!
• In this next follow-along warm up clip I you through a routine to warm up your glutes (butt muscles).
• Again, each activity can be performed for 30 seconds, and your muscles will be ready to go for the PE lesson!
• This warmup-fitness session focussed on a routine to develop your balance using simple exercises - your muscles and mind will be ready to go for the PE lesson!
Now that you and the class are warmed-up and ready for PE, have a look at some of my lesson plans I've put together for grades K-6, there's a huge selection of fundamental skills, games and sports specific activities to choose from ›››
Stretching is the last part of the PE lesson structure. Use this time (around 5 minutes) to reduce the risk of injury, and help your muscles to become stronger, and more flexible. By doing so, you'll be able to ›››
Below are some simple stretches you can go through with your class. Have students take around 10-15 seconds for each arm/leg, while again educating them about the muscles involved...
Now check out these reference posters I've put together on the warm up information, they're a great tool to help your and your class with understanding on the benefits of warming up. Available for download below ›››
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click to view
...and for more video lesson ideas, subscribe to my channel where you'll get access to HEAPS of different PE tips, games and skills - I demonstrate exactly what your students need to know - So teaching PE has never been easier!