suggestions for cardio class for 6th graders

[laceyjane26]

Hi,
I was just wondering if anyone who teaches fitness classes has any ideas for teaching elementary school kids. I have never taught this kind of class before and I am a little nervous. Any input would be appreciated.

 

[Gayle]

I don't teach, but thought I'd contribute anyway.

How about agility and calisthenics drills/exercises? It's real meat and potatoes stuff that require little to no explanation - jumping, burpees, pushups, situps, sprints, relay type races...you get the idea.

Will you have access to any equipment?

 

[Jennifit]

I was a PE teacher for many years and my 6th grade girls loved to learn dance routines. (simple stuff) If you are doing both girls and boys, try things with stations - a jump rope station, a sit up station, and exercise ball station, etc. They love to rotate - kids need to keep rotating and moving. They all can do stretches (sun salutation in yoga), jumping jacks, planks, lunges...basic moves set to their kind of music works well.

Good luck! Kids are much easier than adults to teach, IMO!!!!

 

[jonahnah]

Basic kickboxing works too.

 

[janie1234]

I say set up one of those fun army boot camp drills, . .you know with tires, and jumping over ropes and stuff, . .sorta like the gladiator thing only safer, easier, and for kids. Time them to see who gets done the fastest. I think it would be super fun for them. Maybe break them into teams and do relay style.

 

[Gayle]

I say set up one of those fun army boot camp drills, . .you know with tires, and jumping over ropes and stuff, . .sorta like the gladiator thing only safer, easier, and for kids. Time them to see who gets done the fastest. I think it would be super fun for them. Maybe break them into teams and do relay style.

CrossFit Kids does stuff like that. It looks like blast!

 

[janie1234]

CrossFit Kids does stuff like that. It looks like blast!

Oh yeah, . . .great idea Gayle1 Cross Fit Kids is a really great resource. I think that the kids won't even know that they are working out because it is so much fun. By the way I'm glad to know that there is still fitness and PE during these economic times. Usually music, art, and sports are the first to go.

 

[jonahnah]

I say set up one of those fun army boot camp drills, . .you know with tires, and jumping over ropes and stuff, . .sorta like the gladiator thing only safer, easier, and for kids. Time them to see who gets done the fastest. I think it would be super fun for them. Maybe break them into teams and do relay style.

I like everything about this but the suggestion to time them to see who's the fastest. As the parent of a non-athletic child, I respectfully believe that PE should be about fitness not competition.

 

[janie1234]

I like everything about this but the suggestion to time them to see who's the fastest. As the parent of a non-athletic child, I respectfully believe that PE should be about fitness not competition.

You know I thought about that too I am the mom of a non athletic child 8 year old w/aspergers--oh there is some athleticisim in him that he inherited from his father but the ADHD tends to get in the way, . . in all honesty there is competition out there wether we like it or not. He comes home and talks about how he lost in the math competition because he couldn't write his answers down fast enough. I've taught him sportsmanship and that not everyone can win. Just have fun. The other day in little league he didn't hit one pitch but his best friend did and he was in the dug out cheering him on and giving him high 5's. The element of competition should be taught to increase the joy of fitness not hinder it. Heck I know this is a tough thing to teach. My 6 year old daughter is the most competitive being on earth, . . . unfortunately she got that from me, . . but she's had to learn how to lose gracefully. Hey we can't win them all.

 

[laceyjane26]

Thank you all for your ideas. I was originally thinking of doing a high impact move and then a recovery move but I love the bootcamp idea! I won't have access to any equipment but will probably do a cardio move and then a few strength moves like push-ups, lunges and crunches and keep repeating that concept with different moves. I also think I will incorperate some kickboxing moves...maybe for the warm-up. Oh and I am going to check out cross fit kids. Once again thank you for your ideas.

 

[cindi1]

I have two 6th graders - not particularly athletic but they are fit if that makes sense. They really enjoyed the jump rope unit in gym class. They tend to not like ball handling activities since they don't have those skills.

They also would enjoy what you describe - kickboxing, cardio, push ups, lunges, etc. Simple stuff anyone can do.

I think we have a great school program here - they have gym every day and at least two days a week are 'fitness' days where they wear HRM and are required to elevate their HR into a 'cardiac' zone for x number of minutes. Since each kid is different in terms of what it takes to get their HR into that zone, they aren't all expected to do the same thing. They have access to stationary bikes, eliptical machines, the track, etc. And the teacher plays some fun music for them too.

 

[morningstar]

I was a pretty chubby kid, and hated gym class (especially the change room), but I loved certain things, whether I was good at them or not - Aerobic routines (my, how times have changed!), weight lifting, gymnastics, swimming, rugby (I had a centre of gravity that was a sight to behold when I slammed someone!), badminton, basketball, and most of all, dodge ball.

For some reason, I was really good at dodge ball, even though I was really slow and pudgy. I was usually the last one standing, and the opposing team would be aiming 20 balls at me before I gave up the ghost. I hear they also call it murder ball, and I bet with that name, and the fact that it is so aggressive what with the throwing balls at little kids as hard as possible thing, that they have banned it from schools everywhere nowadays.

Sigh...

Surely if they can do kickboxing, they can do murder ball, right??? All that learning to kick and punch without the accompanying discipline of martial arts, seems just the thing for 11 year olds!


Ps. I am also really really good at air hockey - does that count? I have only lost one game ever at that!

 

[janie1234]

I was a pretty chubby kid, and hated gym class (especially the change room), but I loved certain things, whether I was good at them or not - Aerobic routines (my, how times have changed!), weight lifting, gymnastics, swimming, rugby (I had a centre of gravity that was a sight to behold when I slammed someone!), badminton, basketball, and most of all, dodge ball.

For some reason, I was really good at dodge ball, even though I was really slow and pudgy. I was usually the last one standing, and the opposing team would be aiming 20 balls at me before I gave up the ghost. I hear they also call it murder ball, and I bet with that name, and the fact that it is so aggressive what with the throwing balls at little kids as hard as possible thing, that they have banned it from schools everywhere nowadays.

Sigh...

Surely if they can do kickboxing, they can do murder ball, right??? All that learning to kick and punch without the accompanying discipline of martial arts, seems just the thing for 11 year olds!


Ps. I am also really really good at air hockey - does that count? I have only lost one game ever at that!

Dodge ball! What a great idea. My kids LOVE dodge ball. I used to love capture the flag, or steal the bacon, . . . I don't know what the official name is.