Newfield Elementary School - Physical Education & Health - GRADES 3, 4 & 5

Dear Third, Fourth and Fifth Grade Families,

Please make sure your child is choosing healthy foods and eating a rainbow of colors. Remember, give fruits or vegetables per day, 60 minutes of exercise per day, and water is the best beverage. Get plenty of rest, and wash your hands with soap and water to keep your body healthy.

Please have your child choose three of the following activities to complete as their P.E. requirement on a weekly basis. Remember to wear sneakers that zip, tie or Velcro when exercising. Please help your child to find a safe space in your home to perform these exercises. Remember to check your heart rate by using your fingerpads. Ask a grown up to help time you for six seconds as you count the beats that you feel under your fingers. Take whatever number you get and multiply it by 10 (remember - just add a zero). You now have your heart rate. Check your heart rate before, during and after each activity to see how it changes. Notice which activities help to work your heart out, and which ones cool your body down. Listen to your body, take breaks, and drink lots of water.

• Practice your sit & reach stretch (hug one knee ...up & down 1, up & down 2, up & down hold). Hold for 20 seconds, switch legs. Remember: keep your leg straight, toe to the ceiling.
• Jog in place. Challenge someone in your home to see who can jog the longest. Remember to keep a good pace so that you can sustain your jog and maintain stamina.
• Challenge yourself by performing the "fire feet" exercise (running in place as fast as you can, while maintaining high knees).
• Do some mountain climbers: start in push-up position and bend one knee. The other knee is straight with that leg behind you. Jump and switch so that the bent knee is straight and the straight knee is bent. Keep switching to get your heart rate up.
• Practice your push-ups and curl-ups. If you have access to the internet, use the following link to remind yourself of the proper form and cadence. Curl-up and Push-up Cadence 
• Practice your planking. Challenge someone in your home to a planking contest. Reminder: You can do push-up planks (hold your body in the "up" push-up position with your hands directly under your shoulders and your elbows bent at a 90 degree angle, and toes on the floor). You can even do traditional planks (fist-fist-elbow-elbow-toes. Remember to keep your stomach up and bottom down). Stop if you feel your body is not straight.
• For core strengthening, practice Elbow Touches: sit on the floor with knees bent, slightly lift feet off of the floor, twist your torso and gently touch your elbows side to side on the floor. Floor Bicycle: bend your knees and ride an imaginary bicycle keeping your back on the floor. Remember to make small circular motions.
• If you have a jump rope at home, practice jumping rope in good personal space. If you don't have a jump rope at home, do invisible jump rope. Challenge yourself and see how long you can jump without stopping. Remember the jumping cues we have learned: straight body (like a lollipop), low jumps, and soft landing (like you're landing on a cloud).
• If you have a soft ball at your home, and your grown up allows, have a catch with a family member within your home. Every time you catch the ball, name a "GO" food. You have 3 seconds to name a "GO" food. If you cannot think of one or it's in the wrong category, the other person gets a point. Repeat with "SLOW" and "WHOA" foods. Reminder: "GO" foods come from the earth, real food, no processing (i.e.: banana, potato, apple, carrot, tomato, etc.). "SLOW" foods have ingredients that you can pronounce (i.e.: peanut butter, 100% fruit juice, 2% low-fat milk). "WHOA" foods have more than 8 grams of sugar, are high in fat, sugar and/or salt, with ingredients that you cannot pronounce or have in your pantry (i.e.: pizza, ice cream, soda). You can also play this game by naming the different food groups (Fruits, Vegetables, Grains, Proteins, and Dairy).
• If you have access to the internet, go to Go Noodle and challenge yourself to some dances. Put on some music and dance.

Looking forward to seeing everyone again soon!

Mrs. Spinner & Mrs. Iacono