The lack of physical activity and abundance of screen time are two of the biggest obstacles to children’s health that we face. Sitting too much can be considered as dangerous of a risk factor for health as smoking, while excessive screen time is leading to a dramatic increase in nearsightedness. According to the Vision Impact Institute, physical activity can improve whole child health and vision.

Today’s students are less active than ever before. A recent study in Preventive Medicine showed that American 19 year-olds are as inactive as the average 60 year-old. This can lead to a wide variety of health problems such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and more. Regular physical activity and exercise is the best way to avoid these issues across the lifespan.  But inactivity isn’t the only problem.

Too much screen time can also have a detrimental effect on the overall physical health of our children. Today's children are spending more and more time in front of a screen, much of it in the name of learning. Between cell phones, tablets, computers and television, it’s no wonder that myopia (nearsightedness) is gaining attention all across the world.

In 2010, just over 28 percent of the world's population was affected by nearsightedness. Current trends indicate that this will rise to nearly 50 percent by 2050. According to All About Vision, computer vision syndrome is a real problem. Kids under age 8 now spend more than two hours a day viewing digital devices. Kids 8-10 years old are spending nearly six hours per day on screens awhile 11-14 year-olds jump to nearly nine hours per day. How much screen time is appropriate and safe for children?

• Children under 2 years old = no screen time
• Children 2-4 years old = one hour per day
• Children 5 and older = two hours per day

As a result of both inactivity and excessive screen time, childhood obesity is on the rise leading to conditions like diabetes, poor self-esteem, lack of socialization skills, and mental health problems as well as other physical problems like myopia. Here are some ways to decrease screen time and increase physical activity to improve overall health and vision:
 

• Find out how much screen time students get at school or daycare. In many cases, there are state laws that set daily limits.
• Set limits on screen time at home.
• Use the Media Use Plan and Calculator to calculate how much screen time is appropriate for each member of your family.
• Designate a few screen-free days each week.
• Encourage kids to play outside and take frequent breaks.
• Set screen-free zones in the bedroom or at the dinner table.
• Model behavior by limiting your own screen time.
• Make physical activity part of your family’s regular schedule.
• Challenge your family to participate in Screen-Free Week from April 29 - May 5.

Before you hand over that iPad, start that Netflix binge, or let your child play video games in their room, keep in mind that screen time is detrimental to whole child health. Setting healthy limits and getting regular physical activity improves whole health and vision for the whole family.

I'm so excited to be back with all of our returning students and all of our new students.  My name is Mrs. Rossi and I am your physical education teacher at Anna McDonald School.  You will receive physical education three times each week (provided we don't have a holiday or early dismissal).  Classes are 30 minutes in length.  Students must have a separate pair of gym shoes in their classroom (3rd/4th) or locker (5th).  Students may not wear the shoes that they wear to school for physical education class.  We need to ensure that our gym floor stays clean and free of debris, which causes the floor to become slippery and dangerous for all students.

Over the summer, I have been busy pouring over new activities for all of our 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students.  Activities like Funky Chicken, Happy Salmon, Hula Hoop Hop Down and so many more.  Our Instant Activity games have also grown in size to over 30+.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me by email: mrossi@manhattan14.org OR by phone 815/478-3310 ext. 3118.

I look forward to seeing everybody!

On November 16th and 17th I was excited to attend the 2017 IAHPERD Convention in St. Charles, Illinois.  This year's theme was IN THE ZONE!; the teaching zone, learning zone, advocacy zone and the leadership zone.  I attended numerous sessions that improved my knowledge and skills in all areas.

The convention planning committee worked for entire year on putting together an outstanding program.  There were many sessions with a wide range of topics.  There were sessions on assessments, using technology, physical education, health teaching strategies and activities, adventure/outdoor education, dance and many others.  They also had two Shape American 2017 National Teachers of the Year from Illinois.

The IAHPERD convention is one of the largest in the country.  It was a great place to network with colleagues, learn new teaching strategies and techniques, catch up on trending topics, and reconnect with old friends and colleagues.  It's one of my favorite times of the year, and I always leave with new ideas ready for implementation in my classes the following week.  It's like Christmas to me, with the students being the receivers of the new games and activities.

I'm looking forward to showing the students how to play Fitness Pyramid, Cone Wars, Triad, Fitness Ball, Name Game, Fitness 21 and Tic-Tac-Toe, just to name a few.

Today, students in physical education classes at Anna McDonald School will participate in the World Speed Stack Association's Stack Up Day.  Students will stack with people from around the globe to help break a Guinness World Record!  Last year's record was 622,809 stackers.

Sport stacking (also known as cup stacking or speed stacking) is an individual and team sport that involves stacking plastic cups in specific sequences in as little time as possible. The cups are specially designed to allow for faster times. Participants of sport stacking stack cups in pre-determined sequences, by aligning the inside left lateral adjunct of each cup with that of the next. Sequences are usually pyramids of 3, 6, or 10 cups. Players compete against the clock or another player.

Proponents of the sport say participants learn cooperation, ambidexterity and hand–eye coordination.

The 4th and 5th grade classes worked the first several weeks on activities that could be played outside during recess or after school.  These activities included four-square, knock-out and tetherball.

During the month of September, the 4th and 5th graders participated in another activity called Maze Craze.  This activity can be taken out to recess as well.  Two teams competed against each other.  The "running team starts the game by kicking a ball out into the field.  As soon as the kick is made, the first person in each line runs, in any directions, around the base cone and returns to their line.  As soon as the first person returns, the second player runs.  The fielding team tries to get the ball and throw it at the runners.  When a runner is hit/tagged, an out is recorded.  Three outs and teams switch.  Fielding players may not travel with the ball (encourages passing) and the fielding team has 3 seconds in which to throw the ball.

October brought football activities!  Punt-Return-Tag focused on punting the football, receiving (catching) the football and running the ball for a touchdown!  The following week the students participated in Scramble.  Here the focus was on throwing the footballs, receiving the footballs and running them back for a touchdown.

Students are always asked to participate to the best of their ability, each and every physical education class.  If a parent wants his/her child to sit out of physical education class, he/she must write a note to excuse the child from class.  That note is only good for one day.  Students who need to be excused from class for more than one day, will require a note from his/her physician.  If a student has a note from a physician, which excuses the child "until further notice," that child will not be allowed to participate in p.e. class until we have a note from the physician, reinstating the student back into p.e. class.

I CAN...
Wear my gym shoes to class.
Walk into the gym, sit in my squad and wait quietly for the teacher to begin.
Keep food and drinks out of the gym.
Stop--Drop--Listen when the whistle blows.
Keep my hands and feet to myself.
Arrive on time.
Choose kind.

FitnessGram® is the most widely used youth physical fitness assessment, education and reporting tool in the world. Based on Healthy Fitness Zone® standards, created by the FitnessGram Scientific Advisory Board, FitnessGram uses criterion-based standards, carefully established for each age and gender.
People come in all shapes and sizes, but everyone can benefit from regular physical activity and healthy levels of physical fitness. FitnessGram evaluates the five components of health-related fitness: Aerobic Capacity, Muscular Strength, Muscular Endurance, Flexibility, and Body Composition.
FitnessGram uses scientifically determined standards that are based on how fit children should be for good health. Most children can achieve the health-related fitness standards if they perform sufficient amounts of physical activity on a regular basis. The standards are set specifically for boys and girls and take into account changes with age.
The FitnessGram assessment is based not on athletic ability, but levels of fitness needed for good overall health. No matter what your children grow up to become, they will live happier, more productive lives if they are healthy--and physical fitness is vital to overall health. FitnessGram provides valid and reliable information about your child's level of fitness. The FitnessGram test (and report) includes a number of different assessments since health-related fitness has multiple components. Some children may score high on muscular strength but need to improve their aerobic capacity score. By having a complete report, you (and your child) will know more about their overall level fitness and how it can be improved.

All students (3-4-5) at Anna McDonald School will participate in the FitnessGram assessments.  We will finish up our last test, the week we return from Spring Break. 

Why must students be tested and districts submit data?
Students shall be tested in an effort to meet State Goal 20, where students achieve and maintain a health-enhancing level of physical fitness. Based upon continual self-assessment, fitness testing can help students identify their fitness levels and set goals for improvement. Gathering this data also enables parents and schools to better understand the health trends within their region and encourage enhancements in a school’s physical education program.

Does the data reported to ISBE contain individual student data?
The fitness data reported to ISBE will not contain any individual student name or assessment results. Only a school’s aggregate data of those tested by grade and gender will be reported.
For example, if a school had four sections of fifth grade, the data submitted to ISBE would only include the total number of students tested by gender in the fifth grade at that school identified as achieving healthy fitness zone or needing improvement.