Challenge to nature
Our first one activity based on Summerhill School by Alexander S. Neill a progressive Scotish educator that worked in several schools but discontent with the pegagogy he founded Summerhill in 1921 a boarding school and an example of democratic compromise.
An outside circuit, which will be surrounded by the nature all the time. We called it “Challenge to nature”.
This activity will be focus on working in four different concepts: agility, flexibility, strength, velocity and resistance.
Here you have the map of the outside part of the school where we are going to work.
This activity will be focus on working in four different concepts: agility, flexibility, strength, velocity and resistance.
Here you have the map of the outside part of the school where we are going to work.
We are going to see deeply these parts of the circuit, which largely will help children to accept where their limit is.
- The part of agility consists in a circuit above the threes that they have to beat and overcome every obstacle. Children will have to make an effort to pass from one tree to another and go straight on without any problem. They will should to keep their eyes on the places they put their feet with the five senses on, too.
The main objective is not only they will have to pass all the circuit but they also should learn what the best movement would be appropriate in every situation and have in every moment their perceptions open.
- The part related with flexibility will be a spider web does by cords. They will be able to pass trough it without touching any cord, bending themselves, avoiding and dodging the cords which they constantly will find successfully.
In this part the main purpose is that the kids learn how their body is and how is their development in front of some obstacles. And in any case, what their own limitations are and how they could improve it.
- Another activity will be for working the strength. We consider that the best place for developing it would be in the river. We think that it can be a cooperative activity with a canoe, and the children should row against the water in order to pass the river.
Our main objective here is that they work as a united team, all together. Besides, get them awareness of the importance of the union makes the force and reach the success in some situations as well as get them to know that each child is important and can provide anything like individual into a group.
- Velocity part will be made up of a career with two parts. The first part will consist on run 300 meters in less than 40 seconds and the second part will be in couples they will have to tied their feet’s with cords and run 80 meters in less than 30 seconds.
They will see the difference and the importance between work in-group and by themselves.
- We consider that the last part should be resistance as it will be based on cycling from the wood to the school building (but it is up to the children decide it). This ridding will be around a beautiful landscape so they can appreciate the nature. Moreover, they will have the opportunity to understand what the term sacrifice means for themselves not just as something bored or painful but also as staying in physical contact all the time with nature looking a lot of things, learning and understanding that everything has a value and costs, but at the end it is satisfactory for our body, knowledge and healthy, too.
- The part of agility consists in a circuit above the threes that they have to beat and overcome every obstacle. Children will have to make an effort to pass from one tree to another and go straight on without any problem. They will should to keep their eyes on the places they put their feet with the five senses on, too.
The main objective is not only they will have to pass all the circuit but they also should learn what the best movement would be appropriate in every situation and have in every moment their perceptions open.
- The part related with flexibility will be a spider web does by cords. They will be able to pass trough it without touching any cord, bending themselves, avoiding and dodging the cords which they constantly will find successfully.
In this part the main purpose is that the kids learn how their body is and how is their development in front of some obstacles. And in any case, what their own limitations are and how they could improve it.
- Another activity will be for working the strength. We consider that the best place for developing it would be in the river. We think that it can be a cooperative activity with a canoe, and the children should row against the water in order to pass the river.
Our main objective here is that they work as a united team, all together. Besides, get them awareness of the importance of the union makes the force and reach the success in some situations as well as get them to know that each child is important and can provide anything like individual into a group.
- Velocity part will be made up of a career with two parts. The first part will consist on run 300 meters in less than 40 seconds and the second part will be in couples they will have to tied their feet’s with cords and run 80 meters in less than 30 seconds.
They will see the difference and the importance between work in-group and by themselves.
- We consider that the last part should be resistance as it will be based on cycling from the wood to the school building (but it is up to the children decide it). This ridding will be around a beautiful landscape so they can appreciate the nature. Moreover, they will have the opportunity to understand what the term sacrifice means for themselves not just as something bored or painful but also as staying in physical contact all the time with nature looking a lot of things, learning and understanding that everything has a value and costs, but at the end it is satisfactory for our body, knowledge and healthy, too.
As we see, all of these activities allow children to help the others due to the importance of the cooperation not just in sport but also in life, like Summerhill School. It is also important to say that they will be with a manager/teacher all the time in order to guarantee their security; they won’t do any activity alone but yes with autonomy.
In order to the kids finish the activity it would be better that they put in pairs. They will be exhausted so this will be the moment to work in the concept of happiness, making them realize that they have just made and effort that then makes their body feel better. This part will takes half and hour.
One of the couple will have to lie down on the floor while the other will have to go ahead touching with just one finger the main muscles of their college. Doing this, we will get that kids feel every part of their own body tired, relaxed and at the same time we make them aware of the good consequences of doing sport. We believe that this final activity could be working with background music and they can also try to control their own respiration feeling their selves relaxed and considering all the activities that they did and their satisfaction.
In any case, if they think that they don’t feel comfortable with this activity or they have not been able to overcome the difficulties, they have to options: they can purpose some other activities for doing or they can try to improve it throughout all the month.
Other side, if one kid has a lot of difficulties with some activities or with all of them and he/she is not capable we will adapt to the requirements of the child understanding her/his limitations and adapting some specific activities for the individual.
In order to the kids finish the activity it would be better that they put in pairs. They will be exhausted so this will be the moment to work in the concept of happiness, making them realize that they have just made and effort that then makes their body feel better. This part will takes half and hour.
One of the couple will have to lie down on the floor while the other will have to go ahead touching with just one finger the main muscles of their college. Doing this, we will get that kids feel every part of their own body tired, relaxed and at the same time we make them aware of the good consequences of doing sport. We believe that this final activity could be working with background music and they can also try to control their own respiration feeling their selves relaxed and considering all the activities that they did and their satisfaction.
In any case, if they think that they don’t feel comfortable with this activity or they have not been able to overcome the difficulties, they have to options: they can purpose some other activities for doing or they can try to improve it throughout all the month.
Other side, if one kid has a lot of difficulties with some activities or with all of them and he/she is not capable we will adapt to the requirements of the child understanding her/his limitations and adapting some specific activities for the individual.
Objectives :
The main objective of this activity is to work in concepts which Summerhill School believes like the freedom, the responsibility and the happiness meanwhile they are learning how to do sport in order to have a healthy and sportive lifestyle enjoying their own body as well as the environment and nature that exist around. So, our objectives for doing this activity will be absolutely related to Summerhill objectives. These are:
- To promote healthy kids development.
- To learn in a practical way, differently from P.E in the usual school (we will do this activity outside).
- To educate not only intellectually but also emotionally.
- To strengthen the respect each other.
- To encourage teamwork and cooperation to overcome obstacles.
- To awaken children interest of their body and knowing what they physic capacities are.
- To make understand that everyone has equal rights.
- To show children that education should be a preparation of live.
- To develop their own skills.
- To make understand the importance that has doing sport and having a healthy lifestyle.
- To accept and also know what their limit of effort is.
Materials:
The materials that we will use in this activity will be some cords to put up in to the threes with harness as well as zip-lines for security (ability and flexibility). We also will need bicycles (resistance), canoes, canoes paddles and live-vest/jacket (strength).
Methods:
Class distribution
There will be some different points to start (3), thus they will have to pass through four parts in which they will have some specific activities to do individually or in-group. So, the kids will have the freedom to choose in what place they want to start the circuit. Thereby, the distribution of the kids and their organization will be flexible. For instance, for the canoes activity they could put together in groups of 6, the part of agility and flexibility they should doing individually and the resistance part would be completely free (if they decided going in groups, they can as well as if they decided doing this part alone) and the part of velocity will be in pairs and also alone because it has two different parts. The relaxing time we think that it would be better if we will do it in couples, as we said it before but it is their choice.
Time and space
The length of this activity will be totally during one month. It goes one about 3 hours and the time limit for doing the circuit will be 2 hours 30 minutes. The last half and our will be dedicated to rest and relax their bodies.
We also will repeat this activity once a week, altering some other type of activities, which will be related at the same time with it, but some differently. We have decided doing this little change in order to make it funnier and break the monotony. We think that somehow replaying this activity but in other ways once a week will probably help kids to develop their skills as far as they could improve after a short while. To the extent possible, the children will become familiar with the difficulties and ways to overcome the activity (that will be more or less the same every week) and at this way they can reach themselves achievements.
The place where this activity will be developed is mainly outside. It is supposed that the school will be located surrounded by nature and totally outdoors, in the outside part of the school.
This way, kids will be getting used to the environment and they also have more freedom and space to develop not only themselves and relationships but also their creativity and skills.
The only part that could be in the school is the last, when we doing the relaxation and reflection time. But we consider that it will be great if we develop it next to river, make the most of this peacefully place.
There will be some different points to start (3), thus they will have to pass through four parts in which they will have some specific activities to do individually or in-group. So, the kids will have the freedom to choose in what place they want to start the circuit. Thereby, the distribution of the kids and their organization will be flexible. For instance, for the canoes activity they could put together in groups of 6, the part of agility and flexibility they should doing individually and the resistance part would be completely free (if they decided going in groups, they can as well as if they decided doing this part alone) and the part of velocity will be in pairs and also alone because it has two different parts. The relaxing time we think that it would be better if we will do it in couples, as we said it before but it is their choice.
Time and space
The length of this activity will be totally during one month. It goes one about 3 hours and the time limit for doing the circuit will be 2 hours 30 minutes. The last half and our will be dedicated to rest and relax their bodies.
We also will repeat this activity once a week, altering some other type of activities, which will be related at the same time with it, but some differently. We have decided doing this little change in order to make it funnier and break the monotony. We think that somehow replaying this activity but in other ways once a week will probably help kids to develop their skills as far as they could improve after a short while. To the extent possible, the children will become familiar with the difficulties and ways to overcome the activity (that will be more or less the same every week) and at this way they can reach themselves achievements.
The place where this activity will be developed is mainly outside. It is supposed that the school will be located surrounded by nature and totally outdoors, in the outside part of the school.
This way, kids will be getting used to the environment and they also have more freedom and space to develop not only themselves and relationships but also their creativity and skills.
The only part that could be in the school is the last, when we doing the relaxation and reflection time. But we consider that it will be great if we develop it next to river, make the most of this peacefully place.
Evaluation:
We think that this activity is a personal challenge. So, we consider that the children would choose the best evaluation. If they decide that they want to be evaluated with a mark, then we do it. But if not, they can only doing it for overcome their fears, improve it, learn and knowing their bodies and their feelings more.
In fact, one of the purposes of the activity is to put the knowledge of the children into practice and encourage them of knowing how to develop these skills when you are really doing the activities as well as make awareness of what is the importance of having a healthy and sportive lifestyle.
In fact, one of the purposes of the activity is to put the knowledge of the children into practice and encourage them of knowing how to develop these skills when you are really doing the activities as well as make awareness of what is the importance of having a healthy and sportive lifestyle.