Katie's+Page

=Field Study Presentation= The topic for my independent and field studies came from an article I found when I was researching for my literature review. The article I had found was about using a wiki in physical education class for students to create a game outside of class. I had always wanted to have my students create a game but I never wanted to take away their activity time. Once I had started using a wiki for the first time for our classes and I found this article it just seemed like a perfect opportunity!

For my independent study I started out researching the use of wikis in physical education and only found the same article I had found before. So then I broadened my search to look for the use of wikis with elementary students for self-guided learning. This turned up a few more articles but the information was certainly limited. With wikis being a fairly new piece of technology it was easy to see why I was having such a hard time finding any information. But, within all of the articles I found, the message was clear, wikis were a successful tool in encouraging students to collaborate and share out information.

I introduced how to use a wiki with my 6th grade students with some journaling assignments, health/fitness education assignments, and assignments to explore some different technology. The students picked up this information easily as I had expected. When I started to create the Invent-A-Game assignment for my students I thought I would try to enlist the help of the 2 6th grade classroom teachers. They both were happy to jump on board and thought it would lend itself nicely to a second expository writing piece. They finished their initial expository pieces at the very end of third quarter so it was perfect timing to start these projects in my class. Below is the attached assignment handout that I gave out to the students:



Of course the initial reaction of the students finding out that they have a new assignment was not the greatest coming from 6th graders but as soon as they heard more specifically what the project was there was a lot of excitement. Originally I was going to put the students into groups but then I realized that that could create more problems if the students were placed with others with conflicting interests in physical activities. So, the classroom teachers and I decided that we would allow the students to create their own groups but that we would have the final say if we did not think their groups would be successful. We ended up not having to change any groups that the students made because we felt they would work well.

On our classroom wiki pages, I created a Team Page for each group to place their final work on as well as a Shout Box to collaborate with their classmates. A Shout Box has the same capabilities as instant messaging so it created an easy way for the students to collaborate outside of class. Some students collaborated within the school day but there were quite a few that used the Shout Box and really seemed to enjoy it. The 6th grade teachers and I created some check points for the students to make sure that they were keeping on track. I had students coming to me during physical education class, during their lunch, and even using their Shout Box to ask me questions. Follow the link below to see what one of the team pages looked like. Feel free to type in your name on the Shout Box so that you can see the conversation that took place but please do not post anything. . . that might freak the students out!!

http://gators6m.wikispaces.com/Team+4

The students decided that they wanted to forfeit their softball/baseball unit to be able to present/play on game per day until the end of the year so we are still in the midst of the presentations. Please watch the videos of the games below to see some of the student’s creations:

media type="file" key="Dr. Ninja Dodgeball 3.AVI" width="300" height="300"

// Above is Dr. Ninja Dodgeball. The premise of the game is that if you get hit on one of your limbs (arm/leg) you cannot use that limb anymore. But if you get hit in the torso then you are out and you have to stand with your feet apart and your hands above your head so that the "nurse" can come and "save" you by crawling through your legs. //

media type="file" key="Base Runner 2.AVI" width="300" height="300"

// Base Runner is an actual game already but this group modified so that an entire class could play. The goal is to run the bases (in this game there were 4) and never have to be a tagger the entire game. // ***I wanted to add more videos of the games but they were too large to put on the page!** *

Some of the students had a hard time thinking all of the way through their game and even as much as I tried to lead them they did not listen. One group created a game called Human Hockey but they did not have enough rules in place to make the game work safely. They even said to me at the end "this sounded better on paper!" I had to agree with them but I have some ideas I might be able to use to get the game to work and I did discuss those options with the students after the game. As much of a struggle as this game was for them to present to the class I think that they learned a valuable lesson when creating/trying something new. . . always think through every possibility and be prepared to change/adjus the rules on the fly.

Below I have attached 2 different peer assessments that I used with the students in order to get some feedback from them according to how their groupmates felt they worked on this project within their group and how their classmates thought the game went. Peer assessment 1 is the assessment of themselves and their group members and peer assessment 2 is the one used after each presentation to grade the game.



Overall, the project went great and I think that the students had a wonderful time creating these games and even more fun presenting and playing them with their classmates. This was a very successful way to put literacy and technology into physical education. Not to mention, I now have a few new games that I can play with my students. I would love to hear any feedback that you might have and I thought I would have you try out the Shout Box inorder to do that. All you need to do is type your name into the Shout Box, hit enter, and then you can type your message, or messages. You do NOT need to be in "edit" mode for the wiki. Hope to hear from you!! = = = = =media type="custom" key="18769904"=

= = = = =What Matt & Katie Learned!= Here are the links we would like you to check out as well as the powerpoint presentation at the end. Have fun!

The following link has been of great help to Matt and I as we were doing our literature review. It not only has position statements for the National Association for Sport & Physical Education but a wealth of other information and links to use for physical education teachers. [] = = This link will take you Wisconsin's Model Academic Standards for physical education. These standards are put out by the DPI but in all honesty are not that helpful when trying to create a curriculum. Because the standards are so vague and really any activity can encompass them they don't help to narrow down the best way to teach/assess student performance and behavior in physical education. []

Below are the standards created by Wisconsin Health and Physical Education. This association advocates for physical education and health in all Wisconsin school districts as well as provide member with a yearly Convention to learn new activities, lessons, ideas, and equipment. I (Katie) have gone almost every year since I was in college and find it to be one of the best resources there is. You will notice that these standards are much more in depth and easier to create a curriculum from. The professionals that wrote this actually were physical education teachers at one point so that helps!

No matter what standards we use, technology is the big push in physical education (and elsewhere) since that is what interests students. Unfortunately, there is limited information out there since this has only started within the last 5-7 years or so. But, we seemed to have found enough information to keep us going and we will have to pioneer the rest! **Please enjoy the following PowerPoint presentation that gives you some insight into our literature review.......** ==

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =Online Class 03/21/2011= **A.** **Action Research Question:** // What happens when students are required to be physically active 5 out of the 7 days of the week? // **Secondary Questions:** // -Will this assignment motivate the students or create more lack of interest? // // -Would this homework increase student fitness scores? // // -Could this create a healthy habit that will be maintained throughout the summer? // // -Would students be more motivated if technology is used (pedometer, HR monitor, wiki)? //
 * Let me know if there were questions I missed that I was supposed to answer! Otherwise, I thought I would discuss what came to mind when I read through your slides. First of all, I'm really interested in your topic because I've always loved getting exercise and eating healthy. Under the slide __Growing Problem__ you discuss obesity. It is soooo sad how big some of my students have been! They have to wear clothes that don't fit them in anyway, it probably has to be tailored. They also get so out of breath from any type of physical activtiy, they really struggle at just 3/4 years old :( There are so many things that I notice about their lifestyles. For one, when my students are sent a bag lunch for a fieldtrip, many of the food choices are really poor. Also, the portions are ridiculous! I sometimes could not even finish their lunch if it were mine. I believe their parents should be models and show them what is appropriate to eat and what is not. (as well as the exercise portion) There are such small steps parents could take to make changes. For example, taking walks at night or using wheat bread instead of white. It makes me sad when I hear parents say that they don't have time to do certain things with their kids. I know some are single parents or working more than one job or second or third shift, but I would have to think that they would have a few minutes a few times a week or would educate the person that does. to give their children a better life. Under your slide New PE, it made me think of the variety of reading lessons in Lauras action research. It would have to spark their interest at some point when you are covering all options. **
 * I do think that you'll see students participating more on their own. It gives them a chance to be accountable and paired with some good information they may want to make a better life for themselves. (of course it depends on the age) I'm hoping parents want to get involved and make a change for their whole family! Sometimes parents need to be informed as well, they just simply were never taught any of this information. **** I started working out in 8th/9th grade and have done so ever since. Once you start, at least for me, it is completely intrinsic motivation that keeps me going, you feel so good after. Many of these kids aren't given the information and options at home. I think the family aspect has a big affect. My family does so much activity together. Just the other morning we went golfing then we got home and my mom and I went for a walk and my brothers went biking. If you do it all the time and as a group and choose the things you enjoy, it is fun and not work. -Kim **

**B.** My action research would be conducted on the 5th grade students next year. I chose that grade because this is where I think the motivation to actively play starts to decrease. I will need to create activity requirements to give the students so they know what kinds of physical activities will be appropriate to add to their logs. If given an activity for homework, the students could keep activity logs that are handed in weekly or bi-weekly that is signed by their parents. I would like to get a few parents to comment on what they are seeing from their student at home and if they think it is helping to create a habit of if it just seems like one more assignment for their students to complete. I would complete a fitness pre-test in the fall and compare it to the results of the fitness post-test in spring. I would also like the students to journal weekly (possibly on a wiki) to different questions I pose to them or just to let me know how they are feeling. I will also be taking notes as to their participation and behavior in class to see if the homework changes their behavior in a negative or positive way. I would also be noting if I see any improvements in their fitness from observations.

I love your question! I'm such a fan of working out, I think it is important to get kids hooked and excited about it when they're younger so it becomes a lifelong habit. Do you think most of your parents will be proactive in making sure their kids are doing this? I'm sure there will be a wide range but I could picture some families really liking it and doing it together as an activity. Good idea! Kim

Katie- I also really like your question. Your secondary questions fit very nicely. I too, believe as the students get older, the lack of motivation to exercise occurs. I was very active when I was younger and know I can barely get myself on the treadmill now. For me it is time. I am trying though. I feel this is a great way to show students that this can be continued throughout the summer. Our district is pushing for our staff wellness program, but I think it starts with the kids. Questions about your activity log: I think it is a great idea fir students to be responsible. Would your activity log include the frequency, intensity and the time or duration of the activity? Is this supposed to be signed by the parents? Jessica

Katie, great question! My son's school has done an optional daily/recorded fitness program for years... they tie it into some goal, like: "tour Italy, or "Explore the Alps". Then they mark their individual progress with little markers on a huge "map." It's fun. My question for you would be: what will you do when you have non-compliant kids? Ones who just do nothing for it... don't turn in sheets, parents aren't involved, etc.. Is this part of their PE grade? ~Michelle

The question is good. We only see the kids three times a week and are they really getting into shape? A concern that may arise is with students and parents who do not want to go online. Some parents do not want their kids to have a username and password or put their name online. -Matt

Katie- I really like your questions, especially the technology component. i wonder if kids would blog to you or each other about their physical activities like Lindsey's students blog to her. Here is my "mom hat". Even though your idea is great I would caution you to be aware of how user-friendly it is. I think the more user friendly you can make it, the more successful it will be. This year my daughter's school did a fitness calendar through the Phy Ed Dept and DPI. It was a complicated system of formulas to know how much each activity counted for. Parents were expected to fill it out daily for all members of the family. At the same time the school did a school-wide read of //A Cricket In Times Square.// The reading activity had daily follow-up activities in the classroom. These were both in addition to the 30-60 minutes of homework my second grader gets. There just wasn't enough time to fit this all in smoothly and the Phy Ed component didn't get done at our house. I think part of what turned me off about it was that the parents were completely responsible, nothing was done in school. I think if you can come up with a simple to use plan that the kids, parents, and the phy ed dept can be involved in, it should be successful. Laura

Katie-I love this concept. I think that you will only see positive results for your students when you implement this. I, like you, love being active and working out and I mostly do it to keep my sanity. I use physical activity as a way to unwind at the end of the day and a time to organize my thoughts, not simply the benefit of "being in shape." I think students often view being active as "work" rather then something that can be fun or something that can be a type of relaxation. I think it would be really interesting to see how those students with different levels of ADD/ADHD might benefit from this. For me it was always a time to release that built up energy and frustration--I bet it could work this way for many of your students as well. So many different possibilities! Good questions :) ::Lindsey::

C. **Audience Questions** · If I were explaining my action research project to a colleague that had a different philosophy than me I can immediately say they would ask the following questions: o Won’t this create more work for you? Yes it will create more work for me but the most important part is that the students are learning to stay physically active outside of organized classes. o Don’t children get enough homework? They do seem to get a lot of homework but many students are already involved in activities so if they are allowed to use those activities, recess, and PE class then they will only have to do an extra activity on the days they don’t have something already scheduled. o How will you find time to do this with all of the students we have to teach? I am concentrating on one grade in the school as a start and if successful I can work out any bugs in the assignment and use it for other grade levels too. o What are the parents going to say? I can never predict what all parents will say but I am hoping that they will be supportive. In fact, I am hoping that some parents will take the initiative to join their students in their activities and make it a family exercise plan. I plan to get a few parents to let me know how this is going in their homes and what they think the positives/negatives might be. o Why would you give students homework in PE class? I think that it is time to motivate students to be active outside of class and students that are already doing this will find it easy and the at risk/overweight student could seriously benefit from the activities. o How will you ensure that the students are actually doing the homework and not just lying on the logs? Well, if the student is actually doing the activities, then they should show some signs of increase in their fitness levels. Also, a parent signature is required to certify that the student has completed the activities listed. · If I explained this research plan to one of my students that will be involved in the plan I think they would have the following questions: o Why do we need to have homework for PE? Using physical activity as homework is going to help create a healthy habit that can be used throughout your life to stay healthy. o I am already active so why do I need to write it down? If you are already active, then writing this down will only take a few minutes and it will be an easy way to track your success through your different activities. It might also help you become more aware of your changes in fitness abilities. o What am I going to learn by charting my activity? You will learn that physical activity doesn’t just happen and that you have to plan for it and make time for it. If you don’t and you only participate when you “find time” you will end up following an unhealthy lifestyle. Starting now is the key to success as an adult. . . just like in math, science, English, etc. o Why does it matter if I am physically active? Being physically active not only makes your heart and muscles stronger but it keeps your mind healthy as well. Exercise decreases stress and produces healthy chemicals in your brain that help to make you happy. =Katie Mulloy =



All About Me:
 * I graduated high school from Waukesha North High School . . . lived in Waukesha my whole life.
 * I did my undergraduate degree at UW-Steven Point.
 * My husband, Chris, and I met while working at Pet World together. We started dating when I was 17 and have been together ever since. We got married in 2006.
 * I have 1 dog, named Buddy, and 2 cats, named Tucker and Moe. They were the precursor to actual children and are a huge part of our family.
 * I have a lot of my immediate family around me. In fact my parents, sister, brother, and their families all live within 5 miles of me. Our children are very close in age and spend a lot of time together. My dad is our daycare provider so "Gramps" is the hero to our children!
 * Likes:
 * Just about any physical activity (big surprise)
 * Reading (currently reading the 4th book of the Twilight series)
 * Scrapbooking
 * <span style="color: #0093ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Spending time as a family
 * <span style="color: #0093ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Brewer's games
 * <span style="color: #0093ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Cookouts
 * <span style="color: #0093ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Camping
 * <span style="color: #0093ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">the list could go on and on . . . I am usually happy as long as I am not sitting around! :)
 * <span style="color: #0093ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Favorite color is blue (all shades).
 * <span style="color: #0093ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Favorite food is a ponsaratta from Jimmy's Grotto, Waukesha
 * <span style="color: #0093ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">My favorite quote has always been the same thing even since high school, it just suits my personality and helps me to let things role off my back . . . pardon the language, S@#T Happens