WARMING UP & WARMING DOWN Introduction Physed Across the Curriculum for levels 1-4 All physical education lessons should start with warm ups to increase circulation, respiration and body temperature. It is also important to stretch muscles and tendons to reduce the risk of injury. Try the following sequences of easy stretches with your class for 3-5 minutes holding each position for 15 - 20 seconds. Remember in all examples (except 5) only one leg is shown being worked. Don't forget to work the other leg as well! Related Cross Curriculum Activities Language Jnr/Mliddle Have pupils brainstorm and list all the different ways that people can move their: hands, arms. feet, legs, head, toes, elbows, nose, and eyes Brainstorm and list ways that their bodies can movefrom one place to another, eg turn jump make a sound get bigger get smaller go upwards go down     Introduce descriptions (adverbs) to add further meaning to the words and have the children write short sentence captions, e.g. I can skip quickly, I can spin wildly. Make into a movement mobile. Have individuals or groups plan a movement sequence. Write it down first and then perform it to the class. Ask class members to watch carefully and describe the sequence. Mathematics… Estimate then try How many skips can I do in 30 seconds? Record it. How many skips in 1 minute? What will be the increase in my pulse rate after 1 minute of skipping? How many consecutive skips can I do without catching the rope? How long will it take me to do 100 skips? Try and record results. Discuss suitable methods of recording such as bar, pie, picto and line graphs. Record skipping progress for the .duration of the programme. Display. Art & Craft Have pupils design and paint large colourful posters promoting:: the importance of regular exercise Design and draw a 'magic'skipping rope that can carry you around the world. Health & Physical Education Invite a doctor, or member of your local Heart Foundation to the class room to talk to the children about: the need for regular exercise foods that care for the heart the work of the Heart Foundation Do you have a lesson you would like to share with other teachers? Simply email us an attached Word, Works or PDF file and we will add it to our library. Don't forget to include your name and school so we can acknowledge your work. Click on the email icon below.