Aims:

To offer a stand alone activity to individual pupils to help them achieve the ‘calm, alert’ state.

Objectives:

Offers the means for a pupil to positively expend excess energy. Can act as a positive ‘distracter’ in reducing pupil anxieties. Improves physical co-ordination Increases well being. Can help pupils to engage more positively in subsequent whole class activities.

Outcome:

Improves pupil confidence. Reduces pupil anxieties. Helps establish positive pupil / adult relationships. Creates pupil readiness for class activities.

Adults role:

To readily have available necessary equipment and ‘Communication Sheet’. To respond to pupil request to ‘Take a break’ or to establish as part of a regular time tabled activity e.g. First activity of the morning etc. Adult to teach pupil how to follow ‘Communication Sheet’ and fade support as soon as possible so pupil can independently follow ‘Communication Sheet’. Once routine established, to observe from a distance. To provide differentiation to task as pupil gains familiarity e.g. indicate how many star jumps you want the pupil to do / or depending on age of pupil – agree how many or for how long pupil is to do each chosen activity.

Equipment / Facilities:

Playground space or gym / hall space to be made available. Bucket / box readily available with:- Communication Sheet Feedback Sheet (Smiley faces / Emotional thermometer etc) Bean bags Skipping rope Mini cones Jump bar As well as any other equipment that is needed to follow the instructions of the Communication Sheet.

Guidance:

In summary the pupil will complete a number of physical activities, either outside or inside – but where there is enough space to allow a mini circuit to be set up. The circuit needs to be ‘set up’. The pupil can do this but initially may need the adult to teach. Make use of cones to indicate the ‘ task station’. The objective is for the pupil to start at the first cone, and do the physical task as shown on the communication sheet. When the first task is completed, the pupil runs to the next task station and carries out the next task on the communication sheet. This is an activity that a pupil can take ownership of. It offers a pupil the opportunity to be physically active in a positive manner.

For a competitive child – they can work towards improving last ‘score’ either in repetitions or time. The communication sheet can be ‘set up’ by either the adult or the pupil. It is a laminated sheet with a start and end task that are non negotiable. The first task = ‘Warm up’ – running on the spot The last task = ‘Cool down’ - with stretch and hold In between these two ‘fixed’ tasks are up to 6 other tasks.

There are extra velcro spaces where the selected tasks are placed – in any order. For example you may have selected two other tasks – this then equals 4 tasks in total for the pupil to complete. The communication sheet allows the pupil to work towards adding other tasks.

There is also space to write in how many times or for long to engage in the task. At the end of this activity, build in a routine for the pupil to evaluate activity and then to collect up any equipment and tidy away before transitioning to next timetabled activity.

All tasks have been selected on the basis that they can offer a level of proprioception activity that helps a pupil achieve a state of mind called ‘Calm, alert’. This is where the pupil reaches the optimum state to calmly engage and respond to adult direction. Suggestions are: Star jumps Squat thrusts (bunny jumps) Arm thrusts Hopping on the spot, alternative legs. Throwing bean bags into a bucket. Up and down squats Jumping over a bar with two feet together. Skipping Marching on spot etc