Movement

Movement is a central aspect of our class.

Here is one of the movement sequences we practice every day:

The morning sun slowly rises (Laying on stomachs, Arch backs like a cobra)
Out squiggle snakes of all sizes 
Wiggling squiggling by the brook (Wiggle on ground)
Hush be still (Finger on mouth)
take a look (hand over eyes)
a lizard  (plank push up position)
scurries beneath a log (Scoot backwards)
rib­bet, rib­bet out hop the frogs (two foot leap into squat, then frog jump reaching high)
widdling waddlng to and fro
out come the ducks all in a row (duck walk)
around the meadow the swift deer run (Run in lemniscate)
under a golden shining sun (arms over head in a circle)
On the branch closest to the sky (reach high, arms together, on tiptoes)
an eagle leaps (jump up and land on one foot, arms stretched wide)
and begin to fly (jump and land on other foot, stand on one foot, arms wide)
then lightly touches down (both feet down)
without a sound (arms down at sides and quiet)

(There are many movement sequences we practice throughout the day, this is just a sample.)

and these are some of the skills I'm observing and working with in each child's development throughout the year (let this be a guide, never a cause for worry):   

GRADE 1 MOVEMENT DEVELOPMENT SKILLS

Sense of touch

Is comfortable being hugged, tickled, getting dirty or messy

Doesn’t mind different kinds of clothing

Has beginning sense of social boundaries

Sense of life

Not unduly restless or lethargic

Uses limbs vigorously and actively 

Enjoys moving furniture and heavy objects

Is willing and engages in movement activities for 15-20 minutes w/o fatiguing

Sense of self-movement or Proprioception 

(Body position as experienced through tension in joints and muscles)

Maintains physical boundaries (i.e., doesn’t bump into people or things) 

Stands upright during verse and speech work

Sits upright at desk

Sense of Balance or Vestibular Function 

Walks a beam, log, or line forwards looking straight ahead

Bunny hops (both feet together)

Balances on one foot with eyes closed

Hops on either foot

Stands on one leg

Beginning to skip and gallop

Jump rope: pass through front door; w/one beat of rope; w/specific number of jumps then out; jump to ‘Teddy Bear’; run through w/partner; jump w/partner; jump over stationary rope getting increasingly higher; pass under rope to 10” from ground. 

Rolls, leaps dodges, and runs smoothly

Sits on chair without rocking back and with feet on floor

Comes to quiet stillness physically and maintains that posture for 2 minutes. 

These lower senses build three capacities in the child – 

Sensory integration (of four lower senses)

Demonstrates normal amount of movement, wiggling, tipping, bumping, touching, and squeezing (showing that an average amount of sensation is sufficient for his sensory systems)

Participates fully in movement activities

After a required and reasonable time is given to rehearsal, is able to execute these movements with ease and coordination 

Accomplishes two tasks simultaneously, such as claps and says rhyme  

Beginning abilities with working, sequential, short-term memory skills as seen in mental arithmetic and dictation  

Stays on task and quiet for a period of 15-20 minutes

Visual-spatial processing and orientation 

Knows and moves easily on the above/below and front/back spatial planes to build an internal map of what is where in their body and in their world

Identifies and copies simple geometric drawings while exhibiting proper pencil grip. 

Climbs easily and with confidence

Knows left from right

Shifts gaze from one object to another, from blackboard to paper

Head stays steady when reading

Tracks moving object with eyes without jumps 

Visual-motor integration 

With increasing focus and concentration

Executes simple geometric form drawings

Writes letters and numbers as taught

Demonstrates smooth eye tracking when following a finger with eyes only 

Kicks a medium-sized ball accurately

Throws a ball or bean bag to each other

Throws and catches bean bag/ball with one hand

Bounces ball 

Aims and precisely throws bean bag into basket from 2’ away.

Does not distract or need inordinate amounts of help or redirection

Bi-Lateral Coordination and Dominance

Crawls correctly

Has good body awareness and good gross motor skills

Crosses vertical midline shown through executing hand clapping or feet jumping games with crossing 

Has established hand preference 

Body geography 

Homolateral movement of the body, uses right hand to touch body parts on the right side of the body to the middle 

Fine motor  

Use fingers dexterously (sew, finger knit, finger games, cuts with scissors, ties shoelaces, buttons, zips)

Opposes all fingers to thumb precisely with eyes open or shut

Shakes hands w/ thumb separated from fingers

Has appropriate pencil grip

Auditory motor 

Sings and moves at the same time

Says rhymes and chants with clapping rhythms

Auditory or Language processing

Identifies separate sounds

Able to pay attention to one voice or sound

Attends to, understands and remembers stories he has heard or read

Follows sequence of 2-3 directions

Responds to others’ questions, stays on topic

Creates rhymes and sings on tune