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Active Schools
Active Breaks and Active Learning
In Scoil Mhuire Junior we find lots of ways to be active during the day. We love movement breaks and use a variety of activities such as dancing, ‘GoNoodle’, running breaks, classroom exercises, cosmic yoga, walking and active games. We also love active lessons and find lots of creative ways to get the children moving while they learn!
Have a look at this maths lesson and this phonics lesson which were taught through movement.
Here are some of our Junior Infants enjoying a classroom movement break.
And some of our classes out for a run on the SCMJ running track.
And finally look at this video of the WHOLE SCHOOL dancing together at assembly!
We share lots of our daily activities on Twitter so please have a look to see more!
Physical Literacy and Fundamental Movement Skills
We have been running a Physical Literacy initiative in the school for the past 2 years. Two of our teachers attended PDST training and shared the knowledge and skills learned with the rest of the teaching staff. We all agreed that it should be a school priority to teach the pupils the full range of fundamental movement skills that they need to acquire. These skills include everyday skills such as running, jumping and throwing but they are skills that the children may not have acquired correctly or at all! They need to be taught explicitly so that they are done right. As such we launched an initiative where these skills are incorporated into our whole school PE policy, into our longterm and short-term planning and into our daily activities. All classes work at the same time on one fundamental movement skill (eg. throwing) and this skill is developed through PE lessons, warm-up games and class activities. We focus on one skill a month. The learning is supported further by resource manuals, posters and a display board in the PE hall. The display board is used to reinforce for the pupils the key points for each skill with visual cues and descriptions. Finally we have supported this skill development further through active homework and yard activities. The initiative has been a huge success and we have seen a marked improvement in the children’s skill levels.
More information about Fundamental Movement Skills can be seen here.
Senior Infants working on throwing:
Click here to view a video of one of our Junior Infant classes working on the skill of running!
Active Week 2018
We had a fantastic week of fun, games and activity for Active Week 2018. What a week we had!
We kicked it off with an assembly to launch the week with special guest, Kildare Senior footballer James Murray. He spoke to the children about the importance of sport and being active and encouraged them to keep practising and to get involved in local clubs.
Some of the highlights of Active Week included competing in the running challenge ‘Run for Fun’, beanbag golf, a walk to the local yarn bomb, soccer skills with Newbridge Town FC, football with Sarsfields GAA, dance music on the yard, bubble parties, yoga lessons, dance classes, gymnastics a QR-code hunt and of course the annual Fun Day! Fun Day was one of the best ever with obstacle courses, novelty races, bouncy castles, parachute games, a magic show, a disco and a visit to the ice-cream van!
We can’t wait for Active Week 2019 with lots of exciting things planned!
Active Week 2017
Our traditional fun day has turned into a whole week of activity in recent years. 2017’s Active Week was a phenomenal success with non-stop fun and activities throughout the week. The video says it all!
2nd Class Football Blitz
Well done to all the 2nd Class children who took part in the football blitz last week. Lots of great skills were on display and huge fun was had. A big thank you to Ms O’Riordan, Ms Moran and all the teachers involved. And of course huge thanks to Alan Courtney and Phillie Wolfe from Moorefield GAA for their continued work coaching our footballers!
