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Adaptive PE

The Adapted Physical Education program at the elementary level provides a variety of activities that focus on the various gross motor areas: movement, body awareness, balance, range of motion, coordination, fitness, locomotor, mobility, ball skills, play skills and rhythms. In addition, recreational activities a student can do at home or in the community are included in the program: riding tricycles, walks outdoors, adaptive swimming.

BODY AWARENESS, FITNESS, & COORDINATION ACTIVITIES: Includes, but is not limited to: exercises to music, rhythms, movement exploration, "follow-the-leader" activities.

MOBILITY ACTIVITIES: Includes, but is not limited to: any activity wherein a student moves around the area in a purposeful way. LOCOMOTOR SKILLS: walk-forward, backward, sideways, run, jump, hop, slide gallop, skip, leap. Walks: developing the activity so that walks, especially outdoors, can become a fitness and leisure activity for students. Scooterboards provide a means of moving in addition to improving ones body strength (especially arms and legs). When needed, stair ascending and descending using alternate stepping is included. Tricycles and roller skates are excellent leisure time activities and at the same time they improve strength and coordination. PLAY SKILLS: include play alone properly, play along side of others, find a friend to play with; interact with others in a play situation, share equipment, take turns, tend to activity, follow simple directions and rules, remain in designated location; demonstrate social skills with peers, recognizes team/opposing team members, respond appropriately to winning or losing, returns equipment to proper place at the end of the activity.

 VESTIBULAR ACTIVITIES: Includes, but is not limited to: swings, therapy balls, vestibular board, segmental rolling, jumping and bouncing on designated equipment, balance board and beam, rocking boat, sit 'n spin, and ball bath activities. Activities that work on balance and coordination through movement can be considered vestibular.

SIMPLE AND LOW ORGANIZED GAMES: Includes, but is not limited to: relays, lead-up games to the team sports, following direction circle and line games and ball/object handling games.

BALL AND OBJECT MANIPULATION ACTIVITIES: Includes, but is not limited to eye contact with object, grasp/release, roll, toss (1 or 2 hands, underhand, overhand, chest pass), throw, push/pull, trap and then catch, transfer from on hand to the other, hitting with hand and bat, kicking.

Many of these activities are included in the Adapted Aquatics Program in addition to water adjustment, water safety and beginner level swimming activities.

ALL OF THE ABOVE ACTIVITIES ARE ADAPTED TO THE ABILITIES OF EACH STUDENT AND ASSISTANCE IS GIVEN AS NEEDED.

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