One of the things I enjoyed about PE today was the way we went outside. We walked in a long line, holding each other’s shoulders. It was a great idea, because it transformed the simple action of traveling out of the gym into an activity in its own right, with a fun sense of movement and rhythm. It is definitely a great strategy we can use in our schools!

Another aspect I found interesting was that we were told before the game the way we would be assessed. I found it useful to know this ahead of time, as it clarified the expectations for the activity and provided me with a tool to assess my learning during the game. I found the assessment in groups also an interesting experience. It gave us an opportunity to reflect on how we played the apple game, and I felt that it fostered encouragement and appreciation between group members. It was, however, quite hard to decide on a category to assign to ourselves and others, because the “good” category did not include a positive attitude, which we felt we demonstrated. I wondered if an assessment with more criteria and more possible answers would be easier or harder to use for a group of children. I also wondered what are some other ways that kids can assess each other in a group setting.

Lastly, I thought the apple game was a good activity because it gave each player a lot of practice catching and hitting the “apple”; there was very little time waiting and being inactive. The only suggestion I have is to remind students to take turns being the catchers and the trees. Thank you for a great PE session!