Polar GoFit Day 1

Today was the first day that all the 6th graders wore the Polar heart rate monitors.  They participated in color tag as their fitness workout.  The goal for the students was to be in the target heart rate zone throughout class.  Below is a picture and video of the students in action.  Tomorrow they will receive their user name and password so that they can log-in to www.polargofit.com.  They will be using the heart rate monitors every fitness day throughout the school year.

Fitness Friday

Last Friday, our middle school students learned a new fitness tag game.  The game is called Levels and the students try to run past taggers in each "level" of the gym.  This was a fun way for students to work on their cardiovascular endurance.  By the end of class, a majority of the students faces were red and sweaty.  Below are some pictures of the students in action. 

Movement Monday

We all know that exercise helps us physically, but did you know that it acts as "Miracle Growth" for the brain?  Last week, the King Arts P.E. staff attended the IAPHERD convention and learned many new innovative ways to teach as well as the effects exercise has on the brain.  Below is a YouTube rap video that explains, in a nutshell, the benefits exercise has on the brain and body.  Get up and get moving if you want to grow brain cells!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dl5kuaU5kxQ#t=191

New Polar GoFit Test Run!

Today two 6th grade students did a trial run wearing the new Polar heart rate monitors.  We will be launching the new program soon to all the 6th grade students.  We are all very excited about this new program and the data we will be able to track for each student individually.  Below are some pictures of the Polar GoFit iPad app stats.  Both students who wore the heart rate straps during the workout were able to log-in to their personal account and see their results after the workout. This week, the P.E. Staff spent 3 hours in a virtual conference call training session with a Polar representative.

7 minute Workout App

Middle school students recently worked out in the gym while following the 7 minute workout app exercises.  Below is a video of the students in action.  This app works on some of the health-related fitness components, including cardiovascular endurance, muscular endurance, and muscular strength.

Thriller Dance on Fall Festival Day

During fall festival, all the elementary students enjoyed learning the Thriller dance.  All grades, K-4th, are featured in the Thriller video posted below.  A spooktacular time was had by all!

The Swag Store is now open!

Middle School students visited the school store for the grand opening.  Some students browsed and decided to save up stamps, while others bought small items.  The students earn stamps in class by being responsible, being respectful, and ready to learn.

New Polar GoFit technology coming soon...

I'm excited to announce that the physical education department will be implementing a new pilot program with 6th grade this year using the Polar GoFit heart rate monitor system.  A special thank you goes out to the PTA and Dr. Brown for providing the funding needed to purchase this state of the art fitness equipment.  Stay tuned for more information, pictures, and videos throughout the year of the students in action!  We are currently working on registering the equipment and attending training sessions before we roll out the program with students.

This week in P.E.

Fitness was in full swing this week at King Arts.  Both middle school and elementary exercised at various fitness stations outside.  Using the Ipad interval timer app, students workout, listen to music, and rotate to stations when they hear the bell signal.  This is a fun way for students to work on their fitness.  Below is a video of some of the middle school students in action as well as a picture of some elementary students doing exercises.  The students are all working on living the fit life!

Overhand Throwing with Elementary

The past two weeks, elementary students have been working on overhand throwing.  They are taught the key words, "T", "L", "Step", "Throw."  It is great to see the progression and improvement in each student.  It is important for them to continue practicing their skills at home.  Below are some students in action as they practice the cues together.

Unit day with middle school

Middle schoolers have been participating in various sports.  6th grade is playing soccer, 7th grade is playing ultimate frisbee, and 8th grade is playing flag football.  Today, the 8th grade girls did a great job of playing a game of flag football.  There was a lot of team camaraderie during the game and some great plays!  Here is a picture of the girls huddled up before a play.

2nd Grader doing a Morning Workout

A King Arts 2nd grader likes to workout by lifting weights in the mornings with his Mom.  Below are pictures of him in action.  Lifting light weights can help build muscles, strong bones, and help prevent injury.  How do you stay fit?  Send pictures to Ms. Hendricks of how you stay fit!  hendricksk@district65.net

Workout Wednesday Warm-Up Dance

Today the elementary students danced in the dark to the virtual screen in physical education class.  Kindergarten and first grade rocked out to the YMCA, 2nd and 3rd grade jammed out to Dynamite, while 4th grade grooved to #ThatPower song.  It was a fun way for them to warm-up their bodies before working on their fitness through a variety of exercises.  Below are a couple of pictures of the students in action.

The P.E. Staff at Morning Spin Class...

The physical education staff enjoyed a nice sweat together at 5:30am spin class.  We believe that fitness is important for good health and we practice what we preach!  It is a fun way for us to bond as we raise our heart rates, jam out to good music, and get fit together.  Here is a picture of us after an intense, but fun spin class.

Meet Mr. Metovic

Mr. Metovic will be the new P.E. teacher at King Arts!  This past year, he was a long-term sub at Chute Middle School and volunteered to coach volleyball, intramurals, and track.  He is an Evanston native and will fit right in at King Arts with the students and staff.

His fitness story will inspire you.  At the age of 20, he weighed over 320 pounds.  He stated that, "I had a hard time getting up without losing my breath or sweating."  Everyday was a struggle for him at that point in his life, but with self-discipline and a strong work ethic, he has since turned his health around. His transformation is incredible and jaw-dropping.  He set fitness goals for himself and worked every day to eat right and workout.  He proclaimed that, "It was me against myself everyday; the struggle, the pain, the cravings and all, but I fought through them and conquered those obstacles."  We would like to give Mr. Metovic a warm King Arts welcome to the 2014-2015 school year!  Below are pictures of his transformation.

Happy Birthday America!

I hope everyone had a Happy 4th of July weekend!  How did you stay active?  I went to my parent's house and did some yoga by the lake, went paddle boarding, swam with my nieces, and tubed behind my Dad's boat.  It was a blast!  Here are some pictures of the active 4th of July weekend.

-Ms. Hendricks

Park Workout: Fitness with a Friend

My friend and I went for a run the other day and decided to think of some creative ways to use playground equipment to do some exercises.  Have you ever thought of ways you can do exercises at the park?  Watch the video below to see some exercises we did.  Come up with your own ideas!  Be creative and make fitness fun!  Obstacle courses are also a great way to have fun at the park.  

How does Ms. Young stay fit in the summer?

Check out the video below on how Ms. Young stays fit over the summer.

Working out with friends makes fitness fun

Today my friend Ms. Wills and I did an interval run workout called PEAK 8.  We did 8 thirty second sprints with a minute and thirty second walk in between using the Interval Timer app.  It was an intense workout and was even more motivating to do it with a friend!  We also did some exercises by the lake.  Check the videos out below!

How is Ms. Ransom staying fit this summer?

Ms. Ransom explains how she is staying fit this summer in the video below.  Check back soon for more teacher videos from the King Arts staff!  Get out and play 60 minutes a day.  Stay fit.  Stay active.  Have fun.

Staying Active in Evanston

Hi everyone!  Today I went on a run along the lake and noticed all the fun ways to stay active in Evanston this summer.  First, the bike path is perfect for riding with friends or family.  There is a really fun park by the lake.  There are several sand volleyball courts at various beachs. Get some friends together and play!  Also, fitness stations are set up along the bike path as well.  In the next week, I will be doing a video blog demonstrating different exercises you can do at each station.  Get with a friend and get fit!  There are so many ways to stay active.  Enjoy everything that Evanston has to offer this summer, especially in this great warm weather!

Yours in fitness,

Miss Hendricks

Jump on this Sky High Sports Groupon

Jump on this Groupon deal for a fun way to exercise on a rainy day this summer!  If you haven't been yet, it's a blast!  There are foam pits, dodgeball games, and trampoline jumping fun!  Hurry up and get this Groupon before it expires.  It's fun for the whole family.  (I went to an airobics class last year and it was a great workout. I also played multiple dodgeball games and left exhausted, sweaty, and smiling!)  It's a great way to get your heart rate up while having fun.  Stay fit. Stay active. Have fun!  

Yours truly,

Miss Hendricks

P.s. Maybe I'll see you there!

Good Morning!

Good morning everyone!  This is my view this morning.  I'm up bright and early to head to the pool for a swim workout!  How are you staying active this summer?  Bike rides? Swimming at the beach? Hiking?  Stay active. Stay fit.  Have fun.

Hello from Washington D.C.

I hope everyone is enjoying their summer so far.  I'm in D.C. right now walking around the monuments and exploring the museums.  I went to the American history museum, the Natural History museum, and the Air and Space museum.  I walked over 6 miles the last two days!  How are you staying active?

7-Minute Workout

This year, the middle school students worked on their fitness by doing the 7-minute workout during class.  New research suggests that "High Intensity Interval Training" done for a short period of time can have long-term fitness benefits.  This is a great way to stay active over the summer and only requires seven minutes.  JUST 7 MINUTES!  Who doesn't have 7 minutes in their day?  Try it out!  It's available on smart phones and tablets.  You can also do the workout at www.7-min.com.  Check it out and feel free to post comments on your thoughts!  Happy summer!  Stay active.  Stay fit.  Have fun!

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/05/09/the-scientific-7-minute-workout/

Happy First Day of Summer!

I hope everyone is enjoying their summer so far.  In honor of Workout Wednesday, below is a video of students two weeks ago doing a station rotation workout.  (Note: videos do not work on iphones or ipads)  Keep active and fit this summer!  

Last Day of School: Tribute to Mr. Green.

Today is the last day of school!  Mr. Green will be missed next year with all of his fun games and humor.  In honor of him, this post is dedicated to Mr. Green.  He has been teaching in District 65 for over 20 years!  He is hanging up his Adidas shoes (or using them to play golf, bike, hike, ref, and walk while in retirement).  He has been a big part of the King Arts P.E. department and has helped run Jump Rope for Heart, SkateTime week, and the District 65 track meet, among many other things.  Thank you so much for your years of teaching!  You will be missed.  Best of luck in your retirement.  Below are some pictures and videos from this year of Mr. Green in action.

Nutrition Talk with 2nd graders

Last month, elementary students learned about nutrition in the fitness center.  They learned about GO foods: healthy foods. Slow foods: foods we should eat with caution.  WOAH! foods: junk food that we need to STOP and think about and only eat in moderation.

Below are videos of students giving examples of GO foods and WOAH! foods.

Thriller Thursday!

Today is Thriller Thursday!  Check out the 3rd graders doing the Thriller dance outside in the video below:

Student vs. Staff Volleyball Game

The entire school attended the staff vs. 8th grade volleyball game today.  There was trash talking from the 8th graders thinking they would beat us, but the staff won in dominating fashion.  Before the game, a very talented 8th grader sang the National Anthem.  It was a great day to be a Mustang!  The students began chanting and enjoyed watching the 8th graders and staff play.  Below are some videos and pictures from the event.

Move Your Body Monday

Today is Move Your Body Monday at King Arts.  This year, the entire school learned the Beyonce "Move Your Body" dance for the dance-a-thon.  Here are some of the eighth graders practicing their moves during activity time in a fitness day.

District 65 Track Meet

Today 4th-8th graders at King Arts participated in the annual district track meet.  Students competed in field and running events.  It was the perfect day for a track meet with sunny skies and 80 degree weather.  We are proud of our students and their efforts in the events!

Flashback Friday: Jump Rope for Heart Week

Today is Flashback Friday at King Arts.  In March, students participated in Jump Rope for Heart week.  This year, the students raised over $5,000 for the American Heart Association.

Middle school students participated in short jump rope, long jump rope, and weighted jump rope competitions.  They also raced while jumping over hurdles and measured their vertical.  The boys enjoyed perfecting their dunks on a lowered rim.  Below is a video of a student doing a 360 dunk!

Elementary students learned and practiced using short and long jump ropes.  They also bounced on fitness balls, played hop-a-scotch, and many other jumping activities!

Field Day!

Today was field day for elementary.  What a blast!  The students participated in various activities.  Students played flag tag and steal the bacon. They did the three-legged race, water relay, and hurdles.  Some students had fun jumping rope and hula hopping, while others played four-square and danced.  The fan favorite was the inflatable obstacle course race!  It was a perfect day for it with sunny skies and 60 degree weather. Our very own professional parent DJ kept the event rocking with the latest tunes.  A special thank you to all the parent helpers and the 7th graders who did a fabulous job running the stations and setting up the equipment.  What a great day!!

Workout Wednesday

Today, elementary worked on their fitness and skills during Workout Wednesday's station rotation.  Below is a picture of the students in action!