Hello families!

We’ve kicked off an exciting new unit in Physical Education—basketball! This week, our focus was entirely on one of the most important foundational skills in the game: dribbling. From Kindergarten through Grade 4, students rolled up their sleeves, grabbed their basketballs, and got right to work.

Each class began with a dribbling warm-up that introduced a variety of techniques:

  • Crossovers (dribbling the ball from one hand to the other)

  • Dribbling in circles (to build coordination and spatial awareness)

  • Using their off hand (to develop ambidextrous control)

  • High and low dribbles (to adapt to different game situations)

These warm-ups set the tone and helped build confidence through repetition and practice. It was wonderful to see the students so engaged—they practiced hard and were especially excited when they mastered a challenging skill or trick!

To make our learning extra fun and interactive, we also played two exciting dribbling games this week. In Ice Cream Cone Tag, which is similar to British Bulldog, students had to dribble their basketball while trying to avoid being tagged by “it”—all while staying in control of the ball! In another favorite, Islands, students worked on both offensive and defensive dribbling skills. They had to protect their own basketball from being swatted away while also trying to knock other students' basketballs out of play. Both games brought tons of energy and laughter while reinforcing key dribbling techniques in a playful way.

As the week progressed, we saw noticeable improvement, especially in our younger students. Many were able to sustain their dribbling for longer periods of time, showing growth in coordination, focus, and control. The determination and joy on their faces were inspiring!

We’re looking forward to building on these skills next week as we introduce passing, shooting and continue to grow our basketball abilities.

Thanks for your continued support,
Marc van Sluys
PE Teacher

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Sticks, Pucks, and Splashes! Dear Parents, We’ve had an action-packed week in the gym and pool, and I’m excited to share what our young athletes have been up to! Grade 1 & 2 – Floor Hockey Skills in Action This week, our grade 1 and 2 students returned to floor hockey, and it was wonderful to see how much they remembered from our unit back in February! Many students recalled key skills like how to properly hold the stick, which allowed us to jump right into gameplay with confidence and energy. We emphasized safe play throughout each class. Students were reminded to keep their sticks below waist height and to only make contact with their opponent’s blade—not the shaft. These rules helped keep the game fun, fair, and injury-free. It was a joy to watch the students work together, pass effectively, and celebrate each other's successes on the court. If you get a chance, ask your child: What do you remember most about playing floor hockey this week? How did you help keep ...
Read more
Building Badminton Skills! Over the past two weeks in Physical Education, our K–4 students have been diving into the exciting world of badminton ! It’s been wonderful to see their energy, determination, and growth as they learn new skills on the court. We’ve focused on two key skills: the backhand serve and practicing short rallies . At first, these were challenging for many students, but with consistent effort and enthusiasm, they’ve made fantastic progress. One of the biggest highlights has been rallying with the students myself—many of them have been so excited to see how many times we can keep the birdie going back and forth! The gym has been full of cheers and celebration as students have begun to rally with each other, reaching new personal bests and showing off their developing coordination. Through our badminton unit, students have noticeably improved their hand-eye coordination and footwork , which are foundational for many other sports and physical activities. Please t...
Read more

Games, Growth, and Big Wins in the Pool!

We had a fantastic week in PE, full of energy, teamwork, and some really inspiring moments that I’m excited to share with you! Grades 1-2: Our younger students were all about movement and strategy as we played some fun capture the flag -style games. These games helped the kids practice teamwork, communication, and spatial awareness—all while staying active and having a blast. It was great to see how they supported one another and worked together toward a common goal. Grades 3-4: This week marked the end of swimming lessons for our grade 3 and 4 students—and what a journey it has been! We saw so much progress in just a few short sessions. One of the most powerful parts of the experience was watching students who were initially hesitant around water make huge strides. Several students who wouldn’t put their heads under water at the beginning of the session were swimming confidently by the end—all thanks to the encouragement of their peers and the positive energy they shared in the p...
Read more