Credits

Sample Learning Experiences

SAMPLE ONE:

Objective:

The learner will perform the movements of penguins found in Antarctica. 

They will compare and contrast the difference between human movement and penguin movements.

Learning Experience:

Penguins are fun animals to learn about and especially, to move like them.  Ask your students to move like a particular penguin.  Allow the students to be creative and require them to move at low, medium and high levels.  Discuss with them how they would move if they were looking for food and trying to protect themselves from being eaten.  Many times penguins look for food in the freezing water.  This is your chance to get the students swimming! Penquins swim in several motions, they porpoise, tabbogen and stream line.  These will create fast, medium and slow movements.  Ask the students to show you what the animal would look like if he or she were sleeping. 

Assessment:

Ask the student to point to the major muscle groups in the body that are required to be used by a penguin to walk and to swim.  Ask them how that is different from human movements.  Ask the students to verbally explain the similarities and differences between human and penguin swimming motions.

References:

Somme, L., Kalas, S. (1988). The Penguin Family Book. Salzburg: Verlag Neugebauer Press.

Ommanney, F. (1971). Animal Life in the Antarctic. Great Britian: McGraw-Hill Book Company.

SAMPLE TWO:

Objective:

The learner will perform penguin movements while participating in a penguin tag game.

Learning Experience:

Pick two students to be the sea lions and to be the "taggers."  (these students must wear pinnies)  All other students are penguins and want to stay away from the sea lions so they do not get eaten!  If a sea lion tags a penguin they must "swim" as fast as they can two laps around the gym in order to get back in the game.  Change the sea lions often!  And remember, penguins don't run, they waddle!  This will help avoid collisions!

Assessment:

At the end of class give the students pictures of sea lions, seals and penguins.  Ask them to color each picture and label the particular animal.

Reference:

Ommanney, F. (1971). Animal Life in the Antarctic. Great Britian: McGraw-Hill Book Company.

SAMPLE THREE:

The learner will climb over and under icebergs through an obstacle course
experience.

Many students don't realize that the majority of an iceberg is located beneath the surface of the water. Create an obstacle course with tunnels, mats, arrows and volleyball posts. Once the students arrive into the gym, explain to them that they are below sea level. They have special scuba gear and super warm wet suits so they are warm and can see and breath without discomfort. As they explore the gym describe the scene you have created. (Perhaps, color code the mats, blue being below sea level and red being above sea level). Allow them to explore the icebergs climbing over, under, and through tunnels and structures you have created. Add additional scooters to represent pieces of ice that are on the surface of the water and that will get them from one iceberg to the next. Some structures may be extremely high.  Many students may struggle to reach the top because of this.  Allow for them to get assistance from friends. Once the movement experience is over, show them a picture of an actual iceberg and ask them where the ice pieces (scooters) came from.

Ask the the students to describe what muscle groups were necessary to climb to the top of the iceburgs.  Ask them how they got from one iceberg to another.