October 2023 - School Physical Activity and Physical Literacy in BC

Using the project’s Linking Indigenous Cultural Sports and Activities to Physical Literacy card set, you can engage your students in cultural activities and reflection questions to support their physical literacy development.

When it comes to Indigenous knowledge, it is important to understand where students are in their traditional activity experiences. For various reasons, many Indigenous students do not have access to traditional activities. We encourage educators to lead group discussions to develop an understanding of where their students are in their traditional activity journey.

Play music, head outdoors if possible, and most importantly, have fun! Here are a few ways you could use the cards with your class:

Create Student-led Games: Allow students to lead the designing and conducting of physical activities inspired by the cultural activity card set. Encourage creativity and inclusive participation.
Mentorship and Guessing Game: Organize a mentorship role where students share their knowledge of a specific cultural activity with their peers.
Storytelling and Physical Literacy: Invite students to share personal stories of how physical literacy has impacted their lives. Encourage them to envision a future where physical literacy is central to their well-being.
Lessons from Ancestors: Reflect on the role of parents, grandparents, community members and Elders in physical literacy experiences. Encourage students to think about the lessons they would like to pass on to future generations.
Self-Reflection and Growth: Help students appreciate their progress in becoming physically literate individuals. Emphasize that learning takes time, and it’s okay to make mistakes along the way.

By integrating the First Peoples Principles of Learning, we celebrate diversity and foster a deeper connection with physical literacy. Let’s embark on this journey together, recognizing the importance of cultural heritage and the growth physical literacy can bring to our lives.

Access the Linking Indigenous Cultural Sports and Activities to Physical Literacy card set here.

I•SPARC would like to thank the hard work and commitment of the working group for this resource, composed of Indigenous leaders, educators and physical literacy experts.

As educators, we understand the significance of physical literacy in nurturing a lifelong passion for movement and overall well-being among our students. An exciting and effective way to achieve this is by introducing short movement breaks throughout the school day. These breaks foster physical literacy, improve focus, and enhance learning experiences.

To make these moments of movement even more engaging and accessible, we have a fantastic resource: The Movement Activity Cards!

Using the Movement Activity Cards

The movement activity cards are designed to be an accessible and engaging resource for educators. These cards feature diverse activities that promote physical literacy and can be seamlessly integrated into the classroom routine to create fun and dynamic learning experiences. Here are some ways educators can use movement activity cards to enhance physical literacy development:

Morning Energizer: Kickstart the day with a morning energizer using a movement activity card. Gather students in the gymnasium or outdoors and engage them in a quick, lively activity to invigorate their bodies and minds for the day ahead.
Brain Breaks: Use movement activity cards as brain breaks between lessons to help students transition smoothly and refresh their minds. Quick and enjoyable activities help release excess energy, making students more attentive and engaged in their studies.
Physical Education Lessons: Integrate movement activity cards into lessons to reinforce fundamental movement skills. These cards can be a starting point for creative games and activities promoting skill development and teamwork.
Hallway Movement Stations: Transform hallway transitions into opportunities for physical literacy development. Place movement activity cards on bulletin boards or walls along the hallway and encourage students to perform the activities as they move from one class to another.
Outdoor Classroom: Take learning beyond the four walls by incorporating movement activity cards into outdoor lessons. Conduct science experiments, math challenges, or creative writing exercises using the cards as prompts for movement-based activities in the schoolyard or nearby park.
Cross-Curricular Integration: Integrate movement activity cards into other subject areas, such as incorporating movement activities related to historical events, literature characters, or scientific concepts.
Reward System: Implement movement activity cards as a reward system for students who demonstrate positive behaviour. Allowing students to choose a card as a reward encourages active participation and fosters a positive classroom atmosphere.
Special Events and Assemblies: Make school events and assemblies more interactive by incorporating movement activity cards. During breaks or intermissions, have students participate in movement challenges or mini-games inspired by the cards.
Team-Building Activities: Use movement activity cards as a team-building tool during group projects or collaborative activities. Engage students in cooperative games that promote communication, trust, and teamwork while enhancing physical literacy.
Family Engagement: Encourage family involvement by sending students home with movement activity cards to share with their families. Create a fun challenge for students to complete activities with their parents or siblings, fostering physical literacy beyond the school day.

The activities from the movement activity cards are sourced from various project resources, including PLAYBuilder, project workshops, and downloadable materials on the School Physical Activity and Physical Literacy project website. Feel free to explore the project website for more fantastic class activities!

Incorporating movement activity cards into our classroom instruction opens doors to a world of active learning possibilities. As we cultivate physical competence, boost confidence in movement, and inspire a lifelong passion for staying active, we equip our students with invaluable skills for a healthier, happier, and more fulfilling journey through life. Let’s transform our classrooms into vibrant spaces where learning and movement converge and our students flourish.

Archive for month: October, 2023

Using the Movement Activity Cards