Physical Education
Maseru Prep School is fortunate to be able to utilize a climate and facilities conducive to the playing of sports and the teaching of P.E. There are playing fields, courts, a gym and a swimming pool.
Striking and fielding skills are taught throughout the school, progressing pupils to small games and major team sports. Swimming is considered important in a land locked country where there are many streams, lakes and waterfalls. Gymnastics and dance are taught so that pupils develop agility, coordination and strength, as well as learning how to express themselves creatively through physical movement. Older pupils are challenged by adventurous outdoor activities and field trips, linked to their PYP give opportunities to experience such pursuits as horse riding, abseiling, canoeing and hiking.
P.E. is taught in the timetable and through after school clubs for such activities as football, touch rugby, netball, basketball, volleyball, tennis, swimming, cricket and martial arts. There are annual Inter-House Galas, Cross Country and Athletics Sports Days.
PE involves human movement in relation to the physical environment. It is concerned with learning about physical activity and through physical activity. PE offers students the opportunity to discover the capabilities of their bodies and the variety of ways in which they are able to use their bodies to solve problems, address physical challenges, function as part of a group, manipulate equipment or apparatus, and express themselves in a range of situations.
Knowledge and skills in P.E.
The PE knowledge component in the PYP is arranged into six strands: health-related activities, body control and spatial awareness, athletic activities, games, movement to music and adventure challenge. Within each of these interconnected strands, a balance should be struck between students’ acquisition of knowledge and skills, and the development of conceptual understanding.
What do we want students to know? |
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|---|---|
| Health-related activities | Recognizing and appreciating the importance of physical activity and
maintaining a healthy lifestyle; aspects of nutrition
and exercise, together with a consideration of safety;
physical changes, both temporary and long term, caused
by physical activity. Related concepts: development, diversity, energy, growth, norms, opinion. |
| Body control and spatial awareness |
The human body’s capacity of movement; moving around and in between objects and other individuals safely; manipulating equipment or apparatus using various body parts. Related concepts: balance, body form, body parts, body tension, flow, movement, space. |
| Athletic activities | Basic motor skills and the body’s capacity for movement through manipulative, locomotor and balance exercises; the techniques, rules and purpose of a range of athletic activities (for example, track and field, gymnastics, swimming, skating, skiing); recognizing a
high level of achievement and how to make efforts to improve a performance. Related concepts: endurance, fitness, flexibility, levels, power, speed, strength. |
| Games | The rules, strategies, skills and techniques of a variety of games; problem solving, verbal and non-verbal communication, cooperative and self-management skills required. Related concepts: action/reaction, attack (offence), defence, goals, possession. |
| Movement to music | Moving in response to music, sounds or situations; conveying feelings or emotions through movement; recognizing different types and purposes of dance, different techniques, patterns and steps; watching and performing different forms of dance. Related concepts: flow, movement, patterns, sequences, shapes, tradition, weight transfer. |
| Adventure challenge | A variety of tasks requiring physical and critical thinking skills; challenges, some of which require apparatus, requiring groups to work together collaboratively in order to solve problems and accomplish a common goal. Related concepts: conflict, cooperation, equity, initiative, pride, teamwork, trust. |
| Related concepts: While the key concepts have been identified, related concepts could provide further links to the transdisciplinary programme of inquiry or further understanding of the subject area. | |
| PE Strands from ‘Primary Years Programme - Making it Happen’, International Baccalaureate Organization 2007 | |