WEEK 23: QUICK SWITCH TO JUMP ROPES

With "Jump Rope 4 Heart" approaching next Wednesday, we will do a jump rope challenge this week. 2nd through 5th grades will be doing a recorded challenge of four jump roping skills. Next Wednesday at the event, the classes that are the best in each skill will be recognized. Class is set up in a large cone circle with a jumprope between each set of cones. Students will work on their first two challenges as I walk around and mark them correct or give feedback and instruction. Those who get checked off on the challenge can practice any other tricks. The first challenge is jumping ten times without messing up and the second is 20 times without messing up. Students in 2nd through 5th grades must do the fast turning as two jumps between each turn will not count. The second challenge will be the "Criss Cross" jump. Students will be instructed on techniques and led through all parts of this jump. If students are successful they will be challenged to beat the school record for criss cross jumps in a row...25! Last will be the "Double Turn" jump where students have to do two turns on one jump. This is very hard and if students need to make up other jumps they missed, now is the time. Music will be played all during jumping.

Kindergarten and first grades are a little different. Students will be started like the higher grades but no challenges will exist. I will give students a quick example and they will begin to try jump roping to the music. Students will be identified and used as examples of good jump roping skills. At various time, the music will be stopped and small suggestions issued to the class like don't bend over, small circles with the hands, keeping the beat with your hands and feet. Sometimes we will review the correct swing by no jumping, just turning the rope and letting it slide under the feet, then stepping over it. I will also circulate and give specific help or advanced instructions to students. Different kinds of jumps will be done including, the one hop, two hop, the run in place, and the run around. We will end class with jump rope running races.