Students in the primary grades have been working on motor planning in physical education. Motor planning is the ability to sequence a series of movements and then hold those sequences in the memory, so the body and brain can remember what to do . Remember Hopscotch, a childhood favorite on many playgrounds during recess ? Well, Hopscotch serves as a means for allowing the body and brain to work together to sequence movements, practice the locomotor movements of hopping and jumping, and even practicing the underhand toss, which is needed to determine the hopping and jumping pattern of the hopscotch pattern.
During PE, six hopscotch centers were set up and students rotated through each one with a partner. Some centers used dot spots, some used large hula hoops, and some used small hula hoops. The patterns were intentionally set up different to challenge students to have to (motor) plan carefully in order to get through the center. Using a small beanbag that served as the "marker', students tossed the beanbag to a dot or hoop and where the beanbag landed identified where the student needed to hop and jump to.
Learning and refining motor skills should be and can be fun!! By using an activity and playing with a partner, help students move through a series of developmental skills in a way that allows them to move and learn at the same time, while acquiring skills that are all part of their development.
