PE During Distance Learning
A Note from PE Teacher Rick Boudreau:
PE is going to be different this year. We can’t all get together but we’re hoping we can all stay active.
It is recommended that students get an average of one hour of moderate to vigorous exercise each day.
To document student attendance and participation in PE, parents are asked fill out this form weekly. Note: This form is also used to report weekly art attendance and participation.
If you are on a sports team dance, martial arts class, etc., those counts toward your weekly physical activity. Moderate exercise can be going for a walk or bike ride or even cleaning up the yard. Keeping track of your activities with the weekly reporting form can help you make sure you’re getting enough physical exercise.
Each week we’ll also include some Florida Virtual lessons to help you understand and take care of your body as well as to provide some suggested activities. Because PE lessons will be sent out on Wednesdays, the PE week runs Wednesday to Wednesday. Please contact me with any questions at r.boudreau@fgcschool.org
PE is going to be different this year. We can’t all get together but we’re hoping we can all stay active.
It is recommended that students get an average of one hour of moderate to vigorous exercise each day.
To document student attendance and participation in PE, parents are asked fill out this form weekly. Note: This form is also used to report weekly art attendance and participation.
If you are on a sports team dance, martial arts class, etc., those counts toward your weekly physical activity. Moderate exercise can be going for a walk or bike ride or even cleaning up the yard. Keeping track of your activities with the weekly reporting form can help you make sure you’re getting enough physical exercise.
Each week we’ll also include some Florida Virtual lessons to help you understand and take care of your body as well as to provide some suggested activities. Because PE lessons will be sent out on Wednesdays, the PE week runs Wednesday to Wednesday. Please contact me with any questions at r.boudreau@fgcschool.org
Rick's Office Hours: 12-1 p.m. Wednesdays. Click here to join.
April 28
As the warm weather returns and restrictions are being lifted, we have a chance to get outside a lot more and exercise our legs. There are many leg exercises we can do at home to strengthen the different parts of our legs so that when we start running, playing soccer, kicking and riding bikes we can avoid injuring our legs.
Calf raises- These are simply exercises where you raise yourself on your toes to strengthen your calf muscles. You do this either by moving up and down on your toes repeatedly or by staying on your toes for an extended period of time. Try 25 calf raises or try staying on your toes for 2 minutes. You’ll feel the strain but it will strengthen your calf muscles which helps support the rest of your leg and feet.
Jumping jacks- Start with your feet together and arms at your sides. As you jump and spread your legs you bring your hands up above your head until they touch. 50 of these is a good workout.
Lunges- Stretch your arms in front of you and take a long step forward by bending your knee. Keep lunging forward until your back knee is almost touching the ground. Then do it with the other leg. It kind of looks like a goofy way to walk but it’ll exercise your upper leg muscles.
Wall squats- Lean against a wall and slide down with your back pressed against the wall and then slide down until your knees are bent at right angles to your thighs. Use the wall to support you and hold this position for a minute or even more. Personally, I find this exercise really hard but I know it’s good for my knees and thighs.
Step-Ups- You can use steps or a stool or any piece of furniture that’s not too high to step up onto. Alternate one leg with the other as you step up and then down. These exercises are easy but help your leg strength and flexibility. You can do 50 at a time or try to do them faster as you get stronger.
April 21
While many indoor physical activities are still closed, you can start thinking of what kinds of programs to join when we can go back indoors. Martial arts have become very popular over the past few years.
When people think of martial arts, they sometimes think they are just about fighting. However, martial arts are about exercise for the whole body, movement, discipline, balance and hand-eye co-ordination. With proper teachers and programs, it is very safe for all ages.
The two most popular martial arts are tae kwon do and karate. There are many clubs in Washington county if you are interested in learning these skills. Tae kwon do is a form of Korean martial arts. Compared to karate, tae kwon do uses more kicks and spins with the hands acting as backups. Karate is a martial art form from Japan that uses the hands for attacks with the legs as backup. At the Tokyo Olympics this summer, karate will join tae kwon do as an official Olympic sport. For beginners, these martial arts will improve your footwork, co-ordination and especially your balance. Learning these skills is a lot of hard work. They are both great workouts. Both tae kwon do and karate use a colored belt system to show you much you’ve improved. Beginners often start with a white belt and get different colored belts as they improve. Brown belts and black belts means you are an expert.
There are other martial arts that are becoming popular. Brazilian jiu-jitsu and judo are martial arts that involve more grappling and pinning, sort of like wrestling.
April 7/All Levels
Hello FGCS community members,
As the weather warms up, there are soccer programs opening up all over Washington county. Soccer is a great game involving teamwork and lots of running. A full-size soccer field is usually 110-120 yards long and 70-80 yards wide. That’s a lot of ground to cover! You don’t need a full-size field to practice different skills like passing and dribbling. You can set up a mini-soccer play area on your own on any field or even in your backyard. For practicing skills, you can set up cones to practice footwork and dribbling. You can practice passing with your friends by trying different patterns as well as short passing and long passing. You can set up your own goal and practice kicking. When you are in a smaller space , it’s better to use a smaller, softer ball as you have less time to avoid a ball coming too fast. You can practice stopping the ball with your legs or chest and learn skills like bouncing the ball on your knee or throwing the ball into play. - Rick
March 17/All Levels
Hello FGCS community,
I held off as long as I could but the time has come to talk about my favorite physical activity- tennis.
I’ve played tennis for over 50 years and still love it. The great thing about tennis is that you only need one other person to play with , although doubles is also fun. It’s a game you can play your whole life. There is even a championship in America for 90-and-over players!
For young players below the age of ten, it’s best to start with a beginners tennis kit, which are smaller, lighter rackets and softer, spongier balls. The balls are a bit bigger than regular tennis balls but are softer and not as hard on the arm. The ball moves a bit more slowly so it’s easier to make contact. This kit will help you learn to make contact consistently until you are ready to move on to regular rackets and balls. The goal is to return the ball back over the net before it bounces twice.
When you move up to regular rackets, get a racket that is not too heavy with a grip that is not too slippery. There are rarely any injuries in tennis like you might get in football or basketball but you can get sore wrists, elbows and shoulders from playing too much or with a racket that is too heavy.
Tennis courts are often out in the open and exposed to sunlight and heat reflecting off the court surface so wear protection and bring water. Try not to hit the ball too hard when you are just beginning .Instead, hit the ball softly and see how many you get in the court. You’ll improve faster that way. If you want any more tennis tips, you know who to contact. - Rick Boudreau, PE Teacher
March 10/All Levels
Hello FGCS community members,
As you have heard, we will be having real PE for those families choosing to return to school in April. It will be different from the “ normal ” PE that we’ve had in the past but I think it’ll be fun to get outside, meet our classmates and get some exercise. We will have to wear masks and maintain social distancing as well as a few other rules that we’ll tell you about later. We will not be able to play games involving close contact or tagging such as soccer, tag, sharks and minnows and capture-the-flag. There are lots of other fun things we can do. I want you to think about games you’d like to play that are safe or ways we can change the rules to make some of our games safer. I’m really excited to get some fresh and sunshine and for us to see each other in person. Let me know your ideas and we can make PE as fun as possible.
March 3/All Levels
I’m suddenly seeing lots of bikes out there. Spring is coming, the streets and sidewalks are drier and it’s a great time to get out on our bikes. Biking is great exercise but also a fun way to explore your neighborhood and city. Here are a just a few safety tips when you are out on your bike.
> 1. Sidewalks are generally safer than streets, especially for children ten and under. Even on the sidewalk, you have to look out for cars suddenly pulling out of driveways.
> 2. Keep two hands on the handlebars. It helps control the bike if you hit a rock, a slippery spot or a crack in the sidewalk.
> 3. Your helmet should fit snugly on your head. It shouldn’t slip back from your forehead. Don’t wear a hat underneath the helmet. You can also have reflective material on your helmet to be seen better when it’s getting dark.
> 4. If you come to a busy intersection or crosswalk, you should get off the bike and walk across.
> 5. Loose long pants can get tangled in the bike or the pedals. Clip or bind your lower pant leg together if it is too loose.
> 6. Children should know the proper hand signals for turning.
> 7. Never wear headphones while biking . You need to be able to hear cars and people talking or calling out to you.
> 8. If you need to carry books or other things , put them in a backpack or basket. You need both your hands on the handlebar.
Feb. 24/All Levels
Just because it’s night time doesn’t mean you can’t play a few games. There are a whole bunch of flashlight games that are fun to play.
Flashlight Laser Tag - One person has the flashlight and tries to “tag” someone by shining the light in another persons’ eyes. When that happens, the person who has been “tagged” takes the flashlight and is now “it.” Players are allowed to move so the person who is “it” has to try to sneak up on someone in the dark to score a direct hit.
Firefly- One person has the flashlight in the dark. Every 30 seconds, they flash the light for a second. The other players try to find them and get the flashlight.
Flashlight Scavenger Hunt- One team hides a few objects while the other team uses flashlights to try and find them. Set a 5-minute time limit and your score is how many objects you find in that time. Then the other team gets a turn.
Flashlight Dance Party- This isn’t really a game - just a lot of fun. Turn out the lights, turn on some music and grab some flashlights. See how many cool strobe light patterns you can make.
Feb. 17/All Levels
You may think that organized sports have to be played in a gym with official equipment. Not true.!You can always play sports and practice your skills by yourself or with friends and family. Here are just two examples.
Volleyball- If you don’t have an official volleyball, you can use any light , inflatable ball. A small beach ball is a great way to practice volleyball. You can always set up your own net using string. The official height of a volleyball net is between 7’4” and 7’11” but you can set it up at any height you want as long as it’s higher than the tallest person. If you don’t want to play a game you can try two of the most common volleyball shots; the bump and the set. The bump is used when the ball falls below the level of the head. For the bump, hold out your two arms with palms facing up. Keep your forearms as close together as possible while holding them side-by-side. This is called your platform. Lift your arms toward the ball as it comes and bump it back up into the air. Try to bump the ball with the forearms , not the wrists or hands. The set is for balls above your head. Stand underneath the ball and raise your two hands to the top of your head. They should be close together but not touching. Use the fingers of both hands to push the ball back up in the air. Don’t let the ball touch the palms of your hands. Try to set it high in the air. The set is a pass to another player so hitting it high in the air gives them time to get under it.
Basketball- Did you know that the first games of basketball used peach baskets? Every time someone shot the ball in the basket, a man standing on a ladder next to the basket would retrieve the ball. Someone then got the bright idea to cut a hole in the bottom of the basket to speed up the game. Smart thinking! If you don’t have your own net, there are some around town at different parks . If you want to practice at home, you can work on your ball-handling skills. See how many times you can dribble without losing control. Try dribbling with both hands and switching back and forth. Try dribbling while running and also practice dribbling without looking at the ball. You can improve very quickly this way. With a friend, you can practice passing. Pass directly in the air to your partner or try a bounce pass where the ball bounces once on its way to your partner. Try passing while both players are running. You can try all sorts of fancy spin moves before passing.
Level 1
Feb. 10: If you are stuck inside, here are silly animal walks you can try.
Bear walk- Try and walk on both your hands and feet at the same time. Both should be flat on the floor. Your belly is facing the floor.
Crab walk- This is walking on hands and feet but with your belly looking up to the ceiling.
Frog hop- Knees are bent, hands are together between your legs. See your far you can hop. You can have a frog hop race.
Kangaroo jump- Hold your hands in front of you, bend your knees and see how high you can jump.
Snake slither- Lie on the floor and try to move as fast as you can without using your hands or feet.
Flamingo hop- Hold your back straight, lift one leg in the air upto your knees and see how long you can hop on one leg.
Feb. 3: If you want a quick but effective workout you can combine a few easy exercises that are popular with younger kids. These include push-ups, sit-ups, jumping jacks, squats with arms extended, wall squats, calf raises ( going up on your toes and holding it), leg kicks, running on the spot, lunges and arm and shoulder stretches. Don’t overdo it ! It’s better to do a few of each than to to too many of just one or two exercises.
Jan. 27: Try and take advantage of the snow while it’s here. It’s important to stay as dry as possible. Snow may not feel as wet as rain but when it lands on your clothes it quickly melts and you don’t want to get a chill. If you’re near a small hill and there’s enough snow, try sliding down the hill. If you don’t have a sled , you can use a smooth,hard piece of plastic or even a smooth,folded large box. Stay away from sidewalks or streets. You can also make something in the snow, maybe a snow person or a fort. It’s tempting to make snowballs but try and be careful and stay away from throwing at people’s heads. If they turn and get a snowball in the eye, that can cause an injury. You can try throwing snowballs at a target. Make sure when you make snowballs that you don’t accidentally pick up rocks or pieces of wood with the snow. Maybe you just want to get out and walk in the snow. Just make sure you feet are warm and your boots are waterproof. Snow doesn’t last long in Forest Grove so try and get out there as soon as possible.
Jan. 20: Down Down. In this game, the players toss the ball to each other, starting by standing up. Start about 5 feet away from each other. You can play with just 2 people or with as many as 6. When a player drops a ball, they have to go down one knee. If they miss again, they have to go down on the other knee. It gets harder and harder. Another miss, then down on one elbow then the other elbow, then one arm has to go behind the back, then the other. Finally, you have to catch it with your chin which is very difficult. If that doesn’t work, the player is out of the game until there is only one person left. Then you can start all over again. Whoever is throwing the ball should be fair and throw it nice and easy.
Jan. 13: Scavenger hunt. This can be inside or outside. Hide an object while your friends or family have their eyes closed. You can give them clues but don’t make it too easy. See who can find the object first. The winner gets to hide the object or you can all take turns.
Jan. 6: FV Module 04.02 pages 2-5 and 7-8. These activities help you practice balance and body control.
Dec. 16: Jump rope. If you don’t have a jump rope, they are very affordable. You don’t need a fancy one. You can even make one yourself. Jump rope is an intense aerobic exercise that also helps with balance and footwork. 10 minutes of jump rope is equal to 30 minutes of running. All you need is a room with a high enough ceiling to get jumping. Here are some tips to help you become skilled at jump rope.
1. Jump on the balls of your feet. It’s easier to get in the air and less stressful on your feet and heels.
2. Start slowly. Jump rope is an intense workout and you should build up your speed and effort level slowly.
3. Don’t jump too high. Just jump high enough for the rope to pass under your feet. Jumping too high or too fast will put extra stress on your feet, ankles and knees.
4. Hold the rope just above waist level. If the rope is too low, you have less control and the rope will become wobbly as it passes over your head.
Dec. 9: Level 1. Module 02.03. Pages 5,6,15. This will help you build strength.
Dec. 2: PE Module 04.02. Pages 2,4,5,8. These are tips and suggestions to work on our balance and body control.
Nov. 18: Florida Virtual Module 01.02 Flexibility. Pages 5,9,20. These stretching exercises can keep you loose and active indoors. You can set up your own stretching stations.
Nov. 11: Module 01.03 pages 7 & 10. You can try different ways of moving. You can even try some silly walks.
Level 2:
Feb. 10: If you are stuck inside, here are silly animal walks you can try.
Bear walk- Try and walk on both your hands and feet at the same time. Both should be flat on the floor. Your belly is facing the floor.
Crab walk- This is walking on hands and feet but with your belly looking up to the ceiling.
Frog hop- Knees are bent, hands are together between your legs. See your far you can hop. You can have a frog hop race.
Kangaroo jump- Hold your hands in front of you, bend your knees and see how high you can jump.
Snake slither- Lie on the floor and try to move as fast as you can without using your hands or feet.
Flamingo hop- Hold your back straight, lift one leg in the air upto your knees and see how long you can hop on one leg.
Feb. 3: If you want a quick but effective workout you can combine a few easy exercises that are popular with younger kids. These include push-ups, sit-ups, jumping jacks, squats with arms extended, wall squats, calf raises ( going up on your toes and holding it), leg kicks, running on the spot, lunges and arm and shoulder stretches. Don’t overdo it ! It’s better to do a few of each than to to too many of just one or two exercises.
Jan. 27: Try and take advantage of the snow while it’s here. It’s important to stay as dry as possible. Snow may not feel as wet as rain but when it lands on your clothes it quickly melts and you don’t want to get a chill. If you’re near a small hill and there’s enough snow, try sliding down the hill. If you don’t have a sled , you can use a smooth,hard piece of plastic or even a smooth,folded large box. Stay away from sidewalks or streets. You can also make something in the snow, maybe a snow person or a fort. It’s tempting to make snowballs but try and be careful and stay away from throwing at people’s heads. If they turn and get a snowball in the eye, that can cause an injury. You can try throwing snowballs at a target. Make sure when you make snowballs that you don’t accidentally pick up rocks or pieces of wood with the snow. Maybe you just want to get out and walk in the snow. Just make sure you feet are warm and your boots are waterproof. Snow doesn’t last long in Forest Grove so try and get out there as soon as possible.
Jan. 20: Tag Ball. Use a soft ball that can’t hurt anybody. The person who is it and has the ball, closes their eyes and counts to ten. The other players run away from the person who is “IT.” You can play in an open field or the backyard. Once the count reaches 10, the other players are frozen. The person who is it has three throws to tag someone with the ball. If someone is tagged before three throws, they become IT and start the game over. If not, start again but this time with only 5 seconds head start. You can change your body position to make it harder to be tagged but you have to keep your balance or you become IT. Once frozen, you can’t take any steps.
Jan. 13: Bowling. You can use water bottles as bowling pins. If the bottle falls over too easily, put some water in it to make it heavier. Just make sure the cap is on tight, so there is no spilling. You can have as few as six or as many as ten pins arranged in a triangle formation. Your bowling lane can be a hallway or a flat surface outside. Any type of ball can work. Keep score by recording how many pins you can knock down with each throw. Make it challenging by making the bowling lane at least ten feet long.
Jan. 6: FV Module 04.02 pages 4,5,6,9. These activities can help with balance and weight distribution to relive stress on your body when you exercise.
Dec. 16: Jump rope. If you don’t have a jump rope, they are very affordable. You don’t need a fancy one. You can even make one yourself. Jump rope is an intense aerobic exercise that also helps with balance and footwork. 10 minutes of jump rope is equal to 30 minutes of running. All you need is a room with a high enough ceiling to get jumping. Here are some tips to help you become skilled at jump rope.
1. Jump on the balls of your feet. It’s easier to get in the air and less stressful on your feet and heels.
2. Start slowly. Jump rope is an intense workout and you should build up your speed and effort level slowly.
3. Don’t jump too high. Just jump high enough for the rope to pass under your feet. Jumping too high or too fast will put extra stress on your feet, ankles and knees.
4. Hold the rope just above waist level. If the rope is too low, you have less control and the rope will become wobbly as it passes over your head.
Dec. 9: Module 04.05. Pages 2,4,5. These are some ways to get warmed up and vary your exercises.
Dec. 2: PE Module 04.02. Pages 4,5,9,10. These activities are an introduction to helping us achieve better balance and learn about basic gymnastics.
Nov. 18: Florida Virtual 01 Module 01.02 Flexibility.pages 3,8,9. These stretching exercises help us get to know and understand how our muscles work.
Nov. 11: Module 01.03 page 5. This activity will help improve your footwork and agility.
Levels 3 & 4
Feb. 10: Planks are really good strength exercises that help build your core strength. There are lots of different planks. Your goal should be to see how long you can hold your plank.
Basic plank- It is like a push-up position. Arms are straight, legs are straight and close together. See you long you can hold it. Only your hands and toes are touching the floor.
Forearm plank- This time you are on your forearms while holding the plank position.
Leg lift plank-Same as the forearm plank but you lift one of your legs in the air and hold. Then lift the other leg.
Side plank- Turn your body on its side. Support your body on one forearm with the other arm pointing straight towards the ceiling. You can do this with your legs together or try lifting one leg into the air.
Feb. 3: Try different running and walking styles to improve balance and leg strength. Hopping on one leg, walking or running backwards, skipping, hopping, walking or running with high leg kicks, running sideways and quick, short sprints ( wind sprints ) will work all your muscles and improve. Try to combine different styles as you move. You can set up a zig-zag running course to practice changing direction and pushing off. Also, you can practice running with short, choppy strides or long strides.
Jan. 27: When we do have snow in Forest Grove, it is fun to get out and play in the snow. Remember, though, that we have snow in Oregon almost all winter up in the mountains. Some of the activities you can do if you’re able to get up to Mt. Hood, Hoodoo or Bend include skiing, snowboarding or snowshoeing. This is a good time of year to get out there with your family. There is currently lots of snow up in the mountains. For those of you heading to FGHS next year, they have a snowboard club that you can join and they make a couple of trips a year to Mt. Hood. It’s colder up in the mountains, so check the temperature and weather conditions and dress warmly.
Jan. 20: DIY disc golf. If you have a disc like a Frisbee that’s great but if you don’t you can use a ball. Like golf, you set up different targets. You can use cones, baskets, hoops or other kinds of markers. The targets should be challenging and not easy to be reached on one throw. You can hide them behind obstacles, place them at different heights, or have them placed at different angles. You need a piece of paper and pencil to keep score. For each “hole” or target, you record how many throws you needed to reach the target. The fewer the throws needed , the better. Try to set up a 9 or 18 target course, just like real golf. Remember, lowest score wins!
Jan. 13: Dribbling. Dribbling a soccer ball with your feet or a basketball with your hands is about control not speed. Set up a course between two lines. You have to stay between the lines when you dribble. You have to alternate from one hand or one foot to another and stay between the lines. It’s harder than you think. If you lose control, start over. To make it harder, make the course narrower or longer. If you dribble with the same hand or foot twice in a row, you have to start over. Going slow and controlling the ball is more important than going fast and losing control.
Jan. 6: Students at these ages are going through important physical changes. That can sometime cause problems with balance. Here are a few simple balance and footwork activities you can do at home.
Crab Walk
Wheelbarrow Walk ( you need a partner for this one)
Hopscotch
Walking or hopping on a straight line
Walking with a book balanced on your head
One-legged or hopping races with friends.
Dec. 16: Hill climbing and running. The quadriceps are the muscles in the front of your thighs. Walking or running uphill or stairs is a great workout for quadriceps as well as a good aerobic workout. Going up and down stairs in your house is an easy way to start. You can also go the stadium steps at Pacific or FGHS. Any hill can also work. The steeper the hill , the more intense the workout. Here are a few tips to get started.
1. Take shorter steps as you go uphill especially if the hill is steep.
2. If you are doing repetition climbs, relax and recover on your way back down. Take it easy. The real work is going up not down.
3. For balance, it’s normal to lean forward as you go uphill. Try to lean with your ankles and avoid bending forward with your back as much as possible.
4. If you get comfortable walking uphill, try running. You can challenge yourself by increasing your repetitions and speed.
Dec. 9: Aerobic exercises are designed to increase your heart health by getting the heart pumping and taking in more oxygen. Low-to- moderate aerobic exercises include walking, cycling, swimming and rowing. High-intensity aerobic exercises include running and jumping rope. Increasing speed and duration should be done gradually over time. You should feel a faster heart rate and heavier breathing when doing these types of activities. If you are breathing so heavily that you can’t speak or feel light-headed ,you should stop or slow down. Do these kinds of activities at your own pace a few times a week and you’ll soon feel an improvement in your fitness and activity level.
Dec. 2: Try and set up an obstacle course to improve balance and footwork. It’s better to do it outside but if you don’t have a lot of room you can do it inside in any open space. Obstacle courses can use all sorts of objects. You can try different skills including walking in a straight line (forward, backward, one foot), balancing on a raised object , zig-zagging in and around objects, hopping from station to station and crawling or ducking under objects. You can set this course up and see you fast you can complete it without falling or losing your balance. Since you made the course, you can make it harder or easier or change the skill required. If it is too easy, try doing it on one foot or making the stations farther apart. This a good activity for practicing balance which will be very important when you get back to PE or play organized sports
Nov. 18: Think of a walking or running route in your neighborhood. It could be a longer route, going around the block a few times or trying one of the local tracks (Tom McCall, Fern Hill, Pacific). Do at least a 30-minute walk or combined run/walk 2 or 3 times next week. Bring a stopwatch or your phone clock watch and make note of your completion times. Keep a record of your times and see how much progress you are making. You can make it a math exercise by tracking your improvement in percentage terms. Take note of where and when you get tired or slow down. This will help you pace yourself.
Nov. 11: Module 01.04 page 2. Try these activities before and after you exercise. This lesson includes some tips and how to avoid injury and over-exertion.
As the warm weather returns and restrictions are being lifted, we have a chance to get outside a lot more and exercise our legs. There are many leg exercises we can do at home to strengthen the different parts of our legs so that when we start running, playing soccer, kicking and riding bikes we can avoid injuring our legs.
Calf raises- These are simply exercises where you raise yourself on your toes to strengthen your calf muscles. You do this either by moving up and down on your toes repeatedly or by staying on your toes for an extended period of time. Try 25 calf raises or try staying on your toes for 2 minutes. You’ll feel the strain but it will strengthen your calf muscles which helps support the rest of your leg and feet.
Jumping jacks- Start with your feet together and arms at your sides. As you jump and spread your legs you bring your hands up above your head until they touch. 50 of these is a good workout.
Lunges- Stretch your arms in front of you and take a long step forward by bending your knee. Keep lunging forward until your back knee is almost touching the ground. Then do it with the other leg. It kind of looks like a goofy way to walk but it’ll exercise your upper leg muscles.
Wall squats- Lean against a wall and slide down with your back pressed against the wall and then slide down until your knees are bent at right angles to your thighs. Use the wall to support you and hold this position for a minute or even more. Personally, I find this exercise really hard but I know it’s good for my knees and thighs.
Step-Ups- You can use steps or a stool or any piece of furniture that’s not too high to step up onto. Alternate one leg with the other as you step up and then down. These exercises are easy but help your leg strength and flexibility. You can do 50 at a time or try to do them faster as you get stronger.
April 21
While many indoor physical activities are still closed, you can start thinking of what kinds of programs to join when we can go back indoors. Martial arts have become very popular over the past few years.
When people think of martial arts, they sometimes think they are just about fighting. However, martial arts are about exercise for the whole body, movement, discipline, balance and hand-eye co-ordination. With proper teachers and programs, it is very safe for all ages.
The two most popular martial arts are tae kwon do and karate. There are many clubs in Washington county if you are interested in learning these skills. Tae kwon do is a form of Korean martial arts. Compared to karate, tae kwon do uses more kicks and spins with the hands acting as backups. Karate is a martial art form from Japan that uses the hands for attacks with the legs as backup. At the Tokyo Olympics this summer, karate will join tae kwon do as an official Olympic sport. For beginners, these martial arts will improve your footwork, co-ordination and especially your balance. Learning these skills is a lot of hard work. They are both great workouts. Both tae kwon do and karate use a colored belt system to show you much you’ve improved. Beginners often start with a white belt and get different colored belts as they improve. Brown belts and black belts means you are an expert.
There are other martial arts that are becoming popular. Brazilian jiu-jitsu and judo are martial arts that involve more grappling and pinning, sort of like wrestling.
April 7/All Levels
Hello FGCS community members,
As the weather warms up, there are soccer programs opening up all over Washington county. Soccer is a great game involving teamwork and lots of running. A full-size soccer field is usually 110-120 yards long and 70-80 yards wide. That’s a lot of ground to cover! You don’t need a full-size field to practice different skills like passing and dribbling. You can set up a mini-soccer play area on your own on any field or even in your backyard. For practicing skills, you can set up cones to practice footwork and dribbling. You can practice passing with your friends by trying different patterns as well as short passing and long passing. You can set up your own goal and practice kicking. When you are in a smaller space , it’s better to use a smaller, softer ball as you have less time to avoid a ball coming too fast. You can practice stopping the ball with your legs or chest and learn skills like bouncing the ball on your knee or throwing the ball into play. - Rick
March 17/All Levels
Hello FGCS community,
I held off as long as I could but the time has come to talk about my favorite physical activity- tennis.
I’ve played tennis for over 50 years and still love it. The great thing about tennis is that you only need one other person to play with , although doubles is also fun. It’s a game you can play your whole life. There is even a championship in America for 90-and-over players!
For young players below the age of ten, it’s best to start with a beginners tennis kit, which are smaller, lighter rackets and softer, spongier balls. The balls are a bit bigger than regular tennis balls but are softer and not as hard on the arm. The ball moves a bit more slowly so it’s easier to make contact. This kit will help you learn to make contact consistently until you are ready to move on to regular rackets and balls. The goal is to return the ball back over the net before it bounces twice.
When you move up to regular rackets, get a racket that is not too heavy with a grip that is not too slippery. There are rarely any injuries in tennis like you might get in football or basketball but you can get sore wrists, elbows and shoulders from playing too much or with a racket that is too heavy.
Tennis courts are often out in the open and exposed to sunlight and heat reflecting off the court surface so wear protection and bring water. Try not to hit the ball too hard when you are just beginning .Instead, hit the ball softly and see how many you get in the court. You’ll improve faster that way. If you want any more tennis tips, you know who to contact. - Rick Boudreau, PE Teacher
March 10/All Levels
Hello FGCS community members,
As you have heard, we will be having real PE for those families choosing to return to school in April. It will be different from the “ normal ” PE that we’ve had in the past but I think it’ll be fun to get outside, meet our classmates and get some exercise. We will have to wear masks and maintain social distancing as well as a few other rules that we’ll tell you about later. We will not be able to play games involving close contact or tagging such as soccer, tag, sharks and minnows and capture-the-flag. There are lots of other fun things we can do. I want you to think about games you’d like to play that are safe or ways we can change the rules to make some of our games safer. I’m really excited to get some fresh and sunshine and for us to see each other in person. Let me know your ideas and we can make PE as fun as possible.
March 3/All Levels
I’m suddenly seeing lots of bikes out there. Spring is coming, the streets and sidewalks are drier and it’s a great time to get out on our bikes. Biking is great exercise but also a fun way to explore your neighborhood and city. Here are a just a few safety tips when you are out on your bike.
> 1. Sidewalks are generally safer than streets, especially for children ten and under. Even on the sidewalk, you have to look out for cars suddenly pulling out of driveways.
> 2. Keep two hands on the handlebars. It helps control the bike if you hit a rock, a slippery spot or a crack in the sidewalk.
> 3. Your helmet should fit snugly on your head. It shouldn’t slip back from your forehead. Don’t wear a hat underneath the helmet. You can also have reflective material on your helmet to be seen better when it’s getting dark.
> 4. If you come to a busy intersection or crosswalk, you should get off the bike and walk across.
> 5. Loose long pants can get tangled in the bike or the pedals. Clip or bind your lower pant leg together if it is too loose.
> 6. Children should know the proper hand signals for turning.
> 7. Never wear headphones while biking . You need to be able to hear cars and people talking or calling out to you.
> 8. If you need to carry books or other things , put them in a backpack or basket. You need both your hands on the handlebar.
Feb. 24/All Levels
Just because it’s night time doesn’t mean you can’t play a few games. There are a whole bunch of flashlight games that are fun to play.
Flashlight Laser Tag - One person has the flashlight and tries to “tag” someone by shining the light in another persons’ eyes. When that happens, the person who has been “tagged” takes the flashlight and is now “it.” Players are allowed to move so the person who is “it” has to try to sneak up on someone in the dark to score a direct hit.
Firefly- One person has the flashlight in the dark. Every 30 seconds, they flash the light for a second. The other players try to find them and get the flashlight.
Flashlight Scavenger Hunt- One team hides a few objects while the other team uses flashlights to try and find them. Set a 5-minute time limit and your score is how many objects you find in that time. Then the other team gets a turn.
Flashlight Dance Party- This isn’t really a game - just a lot of fun. Turn out the lights, turn on some music and grab some flashlights. See how many cool strobe light patterns you can make.
Feb. 17/All Levels
You may think that organized sports have to be played in a gym with official equipment. Not true.!You can always play sports and practice your skills by yourself or with friends and family. Here are just two examples.
Volleyball- If you don’t have an official volleyball, you can use any light , inflatable ball. A small beach ball is a great way to practice volleyball. You can always set up your own net using string. The official height of a volleyball net is between 7’4” and 7’11” but you can set it up at any height you want as long as it’s higher than the tallest person. If you don’t want to play a game you can try two of the most common volleyball shots; the bump and the set. The bump is used when the ball falls below the level of the head. For the bump, hold out your two arms with palms facing up. Keep your forearms as close together as possible while holding them side-by-side. This is called your platform. Lift your arms toward the ball as it comes and bump it back up into the air. Try to bump the ball with the forearms , not the wrists or hands. The set is for balls above your head. Stand underneath the ball and raise your two hands to the top of your head. They should be close together but not touching. Use the fingers of both hands to push the ball back up in the air. Don’t let the ball touch the palms of your hands. Try to set it high in the air. The set is a pass to another player so hitting it high in the air gives them time to get under it.
Basketball- Did you know that the first games of basketball used peach baskets? Every time someone shot the ball in the basket, a man standing on a ladder next to the basket would retrieve the ball. Someone then got the bright idea to cut a hole in the bottom of the basket to speed up the game. Smart thinking! If you don’t have your own net, there are some around town at different parks . If you want to practice at home, you can work on your ball-handling skills. See how many times you can dribble without losing control. Try dribbling with both hands and switching back and forth. Try dribbling while running and also practice dribbling without looking at the ball. You can improve very quickly this way. With a friend, you can practice passing. Pass directly in the air to your partner or try a bounce pass where the ball bounces once on its way to your partner. Try passing while both players are running. You can try all sorts of fancy spin moves before passing.
Level 1
Feb. 10: If you are stuck inside, here are silly animal walks you can try.
Bear walk- Try and walk on both your hands and feet at the same time. Both should be flat on the floor. Your belly is facing the floor.
Crab walk- This is walking on hands and feet but with your belly looking up to the ceiling.
Frog hop- Knees are bent, hands are together between your legs. See your far you can hop. You can have a frog hop race.
Kangaroo jump- Hold your hands in front of you, bend your knees and see how high you can jump.
Snake slither- Lie on the floor and try to move as fast as you can without using your hands or feet.
Flamingo hop- Hold your back straight, lift one leg in the air upto your knees and see how long you can hop on one leg.
Feb. 3: If you want a quick but effective workout you can combine a few easy exercises that are popular with younger kids. These include push-ups, sit-ups, jumping jacks, squats with arms extended, wall squats, calf raises ( going up on your toes and holding it), leg kicks, running on the spot, lunges and arm and shoulder stretches. Don’t overdo it ! It’s better to do a few of each than to to too many of just one or two exercises.
Jan. 27: Try and take advantage of the snow while it’s here. It’s important to stay as dry as possible. Snow may not feel as wet as rain but when it lands on your clothes it quickly melts and you don’t want to get a chill. If you’re near a small hill and there’s enough snow, try sliding down the hill. If you don’t have a sled , you can use a smooth,hard piece of plastic or even a smooth,folded large box. Stay away from sidewalks or streets. You can also make something in the snow, maybe a snow person or a fort. It’s tempting to make snowballs but try and be careful and stay away from throwing at people’s heads. If they turn and get a snowball in the eye, that can cause an injury. You can try throwing snowballs at a target. Make sure when you make snowballs that you don’t accidentally pick up rocks or pieces of wood with the snow. Maybe you just want to get out and walk in the snow. Just make sure you feet are warm and your boots are waterproof. Snow doesn’t last long in Forest Grove so try and get out there as soon as possible.
Jan. 20: Down Down. In this game, the players toss the ball to each other, starting by standing up. Start about 5 feet away from each other. You can play with just 2 people or with as many as 6. When a player drops a ball, they have to go down one knee. If they miss again, they have to go down on the other knee. It gets harder and harder. Another miss, then down on one elbow then the other elbow, then one arm has to go behind the back, then the other. Finally, you have to catch it with your chin which is very difficult. If that doesn’t work, the player is out of the game until there is only one person left. Then you can start all over again. Whoever is throwing the ball should be fair and throw it nice and easy.
Jan. 13: Scavenger hunt. This can be inside or outside. Hide an object while your friends or family have their eyes closed. You can give them clues but don’t make it too easy. See who can find the object first. The winner gets to hide the object or you can all take turns.
Jan. 6: FV Module 04.02 pages 2-5 and 7-8. These activities help you practice balance and body control.
Dec. 16: Jump rope. If you don’t have a jump rope, they are very affordable. You don’t need a fancy one. You can even make one yourself. Jump rope is an intense aerobic exercise that also helps with balance and footwork. 10 minutes of jump rope is equal to 30 minutes of running. All you need is a room with a high enough ceiling to get jumping. Here are some tips to help you become skilled at jump rope.
1. Jump on the balls of your feet. It’s easier to get in the air and less stressful on your feet and heels.
2. Start slowly. Jump rope is an intense workout and you should build up your speed and effort level slowly.
3. Don’t jump too high. Just jump high enough for the rope to pass under your feet. Jumping too high or too fast will put extra stress on your feet, ankles and knees.
4. Hold the rope just above waist level. If the rope is too low, you have less control and the rope will become wobbly as it passes over your head.
Dec. 9: Level 1. Module 02.03. Pages 5,6,15. This will help you build strength.
Dec. 2: PE Module 04.02. Pages 2,4,5,8. These are tips and suggestions to work on our balance and body control.
Nov. 18: Florida Virtual Module 01.02 Flexibility. Pages 5,9,20. These stretching exercises can keep you loose and active indoors. You can set up your own stretching stations.
Nov. 11: Module 01.03 pages 7 & 10. You can try different ways of moving. You can even try some silly walks.
Level 2:
Feb. 10: If you are stuck inside, here are silly animal walks you can try.
Bear walk- Try and walk on both your hands and feet at the same time. Both should be flat on the floor. Your belly is facing the floor.
Crab walk- This is walking on hands and feet but with your belly looking up to the ceiling.
Frog hop- Knees are bent, hands are together between your legs. See your far you can hop. You can have a frog hop race.
Kangaroo jump- Hold your hands in front of you, bend your knees and see how high you can jump.
Snake slither- Lie on the floor and try to move as fast as you can without using your hands or feet.
Flamingo hop- Hold your back straight, lift one leg in the air upto your knees and see how long you can hop on one leg.
Feb. 3: If you want a quick but effective workout you can combine a few easy exercises that are popular with younger kids. These include push-ups, sit-ups, jumping jacks, squats with arms extended, wall squats, calf raises ( going up on your toes and holding it), leg kicks, running on the spot, lunges and arm and shoulder stretches. Don’t overdo it ! It’s better to do a few of each than to to too many of just one or two exercises.
Jan. 27: Try and take advantage of the snow while it’s here. It’s important to stay as dry as possible. Snow may not feel as wet as rain but when it lands on your clothes it quickly melts and you don’t want to get a chill. If you’re near a small hill and there’s enough snow, try sliding down the hill. If you don’t have a sled , you can use a smooth,hard piece of plastic or even a smooth,folded large box. Stay away from sidewalks or streets. You can also make something in the snow, maybe a snow person or a fort. It’s tempting to make snowballs but try and be careful and stay away from throwing at people’s heads. If they turn and get a snowball in the eye, that can cause an injury. You can try throwing snowballs at a target. Make sure when you make snowballs that you don’t accidentally pick up rocks or pieces of wood with the snow. Maybe you just want to get out and walk in the snow. Just make sure you feet are warm and your boots are waterproof. Snow doesn’t last long in Forest Grove so try and get out there as soon as possible.
Jan. 20: Tag Ball. Use a soft ball that can’t hurt anybody. The person who is it and has the ball, closes their eyes and counts to ten. The other players run away from the person who is “IT.” You can play in an open field or the backyard. Once the count reaches 10, the other players are frozen. The person who is it has three throws to tag someone with the ball. If someone is tagged before three throws, they become IT and start the game over. If not, start again but this time with only 5 seconds head start. You can change your body position to make it harder to be tagged but you have to keep your balance or you become IT. Once frozen, you can’t take any steps.
Jan. 13: Bowling. You can use water bottles as bowling pins. If the bottle falls over too easily, put some water in it to make it heavier. Just make sure the cap is on tight, so there is no spilling. You can have as few as six or as many as ten pins arranged in a triangle formation. Your bowling lane can be a hallway or a flat surface outside. Any type of ball can work. Keep score by recording how many pins you can knock down with each throw. Make it challenging by making the bowling lane at least ten feet long.
Jan. 6: FV Module 04.02 pages 4,5,6,9. These activities can help with balance and weight distribution to relive stress on your body when you exercise.
Dec. 16: Jump rope. If you don’t have a jump rope, they are very affordable. You don’t need a fancy one. You can even make one yourself. Jump rope is an intense aerobic exercise that also helps with balance and footwork. 10 minutes of jump rope is equal to 30 minutes of running. All you need is a room with a high enough ceiling to get jumping. Here are some tips to help you become skilled at jump rope.
1. Jump on the balls of your feet. It’s easier to get in the air and less stressful on your feet and heels.
2. Start slowly. Jump rope is an intense workout and you should build up your speed and effort level slowly.
3. Don’t jump too high. Just jump high enough for the rope to pass under your feet. Jumping too high or too fast will put extra stress on your feet, ankles and knees.
4. Hold the rope just above waist level. If the rope is too low, you have less control and the rope will become wobbly as it passes over your head.
Dec. 9: Module 04.05. Pages 2,4,5. These are some ways to get warmed up and vary your exercises.
Dec. 2: PE Module 04.02. Pages 4,5,9,10. These activities are an introduction to helping us achieve better balance and learn about basic gymnastics.
Nov. 18: Florida Virtual 01 Module 01.02 Flexibility.pages 3,8,9. These stretching exercises help us get to know and understand how our muscles work.
Nov. 11: Module 01.03 page 5. This activity will help improve your footwork and agility.
Levels 3 & 4
Feb. 10: Planks are really good strength exercises that help build your core strength. There are lots of different planks. Your goal should be to see how long you can hold your plank.
Basic plank- It is like a push-up position. Arms are straight, legs are straight and close together. See you long you can hold it. Only your hands and toes are touching the floor.
Forearm plank- This time you are on your forearms while holding the plank position.
Leg lift plank-Same as the forearm plank but you lift one of your legs in the air and hold. Then lift the other leg.
Side plank- Turn your body on its side. Support your body on one forearm with the other arm pointing straight towards the ceiling. You can do this with your legs together or try lifting one leg into the air.
Feb. 3: Try different running and walking styles to improve balance and leg strength. Hopping on one leg, walking or running backwards, skipping, hopping, walking or running with high leg kicks, running sideways and quick, short sprints ( wind sprints ) will work all your muscles and improve. Try to combine different styles as you move. You can set up a zig-zag running course to practice changing direction and pushing off. Also, you can practice running with short, choppy strides or long strides.
Jan. 27: When we do have snow in Forest Grove, it is fun to get out and play in the snow. Remember, though, that we have snow in Oregon almost all winter up in the mountains. Some of the activities you can do if you’re able to get up to Mt. Hood, Hoodoo or Bend include skiing, snowboarding or snowshoeing. This is a good time of year to get out there with your family. There is currently lots of snow up in the mountains. For those of you heading to FGHS next year, they have a snowboard club that you can join and they make a couple of trips a year to Mt. Hood. It’s colder up in the mountains, so check the temperature and weather conditions and dress warmly.
Jan. 20: DIY disc golf. If you have a disc like a Frisbee that’s great but if you don’t you can use a ball. Like golf, you set up different targets. You can use cones, baskets, hoops or other kinds of markers. The targets should be challenging and not easy to be reached on one throw. You can hide them behind obstacles, place them at different heights, or have them placed at different angles. You need a piece of paper and pencil to keep score. For each “hole” or target, you record how many throws you needed to reach the target. The fewer the throws needed , the better. Try to set up a 9 or 18 target course, just like real golf. Remember, lowest score wins!
Jan. 13: Dribbling. Dribbling a soccer ball with your feet or a basketball with your hands is about control not speed. Set up a course between two lines. You have to stay between the lines when you dribble. You have to alternate from one hand or one foot to another and stay between the lines. It’s harder than you think. If you lose control, start over. To make it harder, make the course narrower or longer. If you dribble with the same hand or foot twice in a row, you have to start over. Going slow and controlling the ball is more important than going fast and losing control.
Jan. 6: Students at these ages are going through important physical changes. That can sometime cause problems with balance. Here are a few simple balance and footwork activities you can do at home.
Crab Walk
Wheelbarrow Walk ( you need a partner for this one)
Hopscotch
Walking or hopping on a straight line
Walking with a book balanced on your head
One-legged or hopping races with friends.
Dec. 16: Hill climbing and running. The quadriceps are the muscles in the front of your thighs. Walking or running uphill or stairs is a great workout for quadriceps as well as a good aerobic workout. Going up and down stairs in your house is an easy way to start. You can also go the stadium steps at Pacific or FGHS. Any hill can also work. The steeper the hill , the more intense the workout. Here are a few tips to get started.
1. Take shorter steps as you go uphill especially if the hill is steep.
2. If you are doing repetition climbs, relax and recover on your way back down. Take it easy. The real work is going up not down.
3. For balance, it’s normal to lean forward as you go uphill. Try to lean with your ankles and avoid bending forward with your back as much as possible.
4. If you get comfortable walking uphill, try running. You can challenge yourself by increasing your repetitions and speed.
Dec. 9: Aerobic exercises are designed to increase your heart health by getting the heart pumping and taking in more oxygen. Low-to- moderate aerobic exercises include walking, cycling, swimming and rowing. High-intensity aerobic exercises include running and jumping rope. Increasing speed and duration should be done gradually over time. You should feel a faster heart rate and heavier breathing when doing these types of activities. If you are breathing so heavily that you can’t speak or feel light-headed ,you should stop or slow down. Do these kinds of activities at your own pace a few times a week and you’ll soon feel an improvement in your fitness and activity level.
Dec. 2: Try and set up an obstacle course to improve balance and footwork. It’s better to do it outside but if you don’t have a lot of room you can do it inside in any open space. Obstacle courses can use all sorts of objects. You can try different skills including walking in a straight line (forward, backward, one foot), balancing on a raised object , zig-zagging in and around objects, hopping from station to station and crawling or ducking under objects. You can set this course up and see you fast you can complete it without falling or losing your balance. Since you made the course, you can make it harder or easier or change the skill required. If it is too easy, try doing it on one foot or making the stations farther apart. This a good activity for practicing balance which will be very important when you get back to PE or play organized sports
Nov. 18: Think of a walking or running route in your neighborhood. It could be a longer route, going around the block a few times or trying one of the local tracks (Tom McCall, Fern Hill, Pacific). Do at least a 30-minute walk or combined run/walk 2 or 3 times next week. Bring a stopwatch or your phone clock watch and make note of your completion times. Keep a record of your times and see how much progress you are making. You can make it a math exercise by tracking your improvement in percentage terms. Take note of where and when you get tired or slow down. This will help you pace yourself.
Nov. 11: Module 01.04 page 2. Try these activities before and after you exercise. This lesson includes some tips and how to avoid injury and over-exertion.