Front Row Experience
"Innovative Movement Coordination Guidebooks and Materials" Catalog
Use these classroom-tested movement education activities to assess your students' motor strengths and weaknesses in preschool and early elementary grades or special education classes. The sequence of easily given activities, tasks, and tests requires minimal instruction time and your kids will find the activities to be interesting, challenging and fun! Each illustrated book is 8 1/2" x 11" size with the page count for each book running from 28 to 53 pages.
Book 1: Basic Movement Activities
This is the First in a series of Five motor development Activity Books in the Perceptual-Motor Development Series covering preschool and the primary grades. This book is divided into 2 Parts: Part 1--Perceptual-Motor Evaluation Scale; and Part 2--Basic Locomotor Activity Skills. The book consists of 28 pages and all the activities are sequenced according to difficulty.
Part 1 uses the Perceptual Motor Evaluation Scale to determine each student's level of motor proficiency in several areas. Administered before beginning your program in motor development (such as the beginning basic program suggested in Part 2 of this book and as suggested in the rest of the 5 book series), involves a series of easily given elemental tests or tasks which require little instruction time. The test results are recorded directly on the book's "Record Sheet" which is specially designed to be easily duplicated when you need more . The information which the "Record Sheet" provides will enable you to plan program activities, or to evaluate student progress and the effectiveness of an already existing program in motor development. The elemental tests or tasks given in the book and listed on the "Record Sheet" are: Task 1: Identify Body Parts; Task 2: Walking Board; Task 3: Hopping; Task 4: Jump and Land; Task 5: Obstacle Course; Task 6: Ball Catch; and Task 7: Optional Test.
Part 2 concentrates on the ability to transport the body through space with control and coordination which is fundamental to life itself. The movements used to transport the body from one point in space to another are called locomotor skills. Those Basic Locomotor Activity Skills as used here are: Partner Activities, General Locomotion Activities, Sliding Activities, Skipping Activities, Galloping Activities, Hopping Activities, Jumping Activities, Running Activities, Leaping Activities, and Walking Activities.
Book 2: Ball, Rope, Hoop Activities
This is the Second in a series of Five motor development activity books in the Perceptual-Motor Development Series covering preschool and the primary grades. This book is divided into 3 Parts: Part 1--Ball Activities; Part 2--Rope Activities; and Part 3--Hoop Activities. The book consists of 53 pages and all the activities are sequenced according to difficulty.
Part 1 introduces the students to Ball Activities which utilizes a ball which is a marvelous piece of equipment for children. It is the most commonly used equipment in physical education programs as well as in natural play experiences. Its versatility allows it to be manipulated in so many ways. It can be bounced, thrown, rolled, kicked, butted and socked. From infancy, children are eager to be challenged by that round elusive object--the ball. It promises excellent opportunities for developing hand-eye coordination and visual tracking skills necessary for general academic achievement. The ability to handle and control a ball is an important skill for all children. Children who do not have the opportunity to develop these competencies tend to perform poorly and as a result avoid participating in games and sport activities. By implementing a comprehensive program arranged by skill levels that progress from simple to difficult based on sound mechanical principles, the children have more opportunity to be successful. As the child matures, games and sport activities become increasingly popular and an integral part of regular play and recreation. The child's relationship with his peers and his basic self-image can be strongly influenced by his ability to successfully handle a ball. Basic ball skills insure the proper application of force, accuracy and balance. Children can participate in more advanced and demanding games if they first master basic skills.
Part 2 introduces the students to Rope Activities which, as traditionally used in the school physical education programs, serve a rather limited purpose. Their use is confined primarily to rope turning and jumping tasks. Using the rope in movement exploration and perceptual-motor programs affords children the opportunity to explore the physical properties of the rope. The tactile sensation of the rope enhances their language development. They are encouraged to feel the rope, to describe it and to discover what can be done with it. It provides maximum enjoyment and many opportunities for creative expression. Rope jumping is rhythmic and it takes courage and timing for success. Boys are often reluctant to participate. They need to be assured that boxers, football players, and tennis players use the rope to strengthen leg and wrist muscles. It helps increase coordination and flexibility of both the mind and the body. Less able students can achieve success and personal satisfaction by using the rope on the ground as an obstacle. As confidence and skill increase, the children can progress to the more difficult task of jump roping.
Part 3 introduces the students to Hoop Activities because the hoop is a highly adaptable teaching tool. It can be manipulated in a variety of challenging ways and has appeal to children of all ages. It is durable, inexpensive and safe. These characteristics make it one of the most popular pieces of equipment used in movement exploration and perceptual-motor programs. Hoops can be purchased commercially or constructed from rolls of plastic pipes or tubes found in many hardware stores. Homemade hoops are more economical and will generally outwear the commercial hoops. The commercial hoops do have the advantage of being available in bright colors. This adds a pleasing visual quality to the movement environment. Enough hoops should be available so that each member of the class has his own hoop. Throughout the tasks, the total involvement of each child is necessary for success.
Book 3: Balance Activities
This is the Third in a series of Five motor development activity books in the Perceptual-Motor Development Series covering preschool and the primary grades. This book is divided into 3 Parts: Part 1--Walking Board Activities; Part 2--Coordination Ladder Activities; and Part 3--Jump Box Activities. The book consists of 35 pages and all the activities are sequenced according to difficulty.
Part 1 introduces the student to Walking Board Activities because as soon as a child begins to walk, he spends a large part of his time learning to control his movements for the achievement of some objective. He learns to adapt to the environment and to integrate the use of his arms and legs as he moves through space. The Walking Board or Balance Beam is probably the most popular and effective piece of equipment for improving a child's balance. It is a valuable tool, not only for developing dynamic balance and improving visual motor skills, but also contributes to the learning of laterality and directionality. Balance is learned by imbalance. Placed in a situation of imbalance, the child adjusts his center of gravity to achieve total balance. Balance involves 4 senses: tactile, kinesthetic, visual and vestibular. It can be continuously improved by having children perform a variety of different balance activities that are progressively more difficult. The activities suggested in this manual are in a regular order of progression. Each new skill is based on a previous skill. It is recommended that you follow this sequence. Because children are fearful of new situations and new materials, it is important to move slowly. As children become more skillful, they also become more confident in their ability to control their bodies. Learning to control their movements encourages the safe participation of self and the safety of others, both on the playground and in the classroom.
Part 2 introduces the student to Coordination Ladder Activities because for children to become physically fit and skillful in a variety of situations necessitates increasing their coordination and flexibility of mind and body. Physical education contributes to the development of coordination and strength. A child's success in the performance of physical activities is basic to his total adjustment. The area is of vital importance to children because they tend to evaluate their peers in terms of their adequacy. The Coordination Ladder, being portable, provides the teacher with an innovative approach to movement experience. Regardless of age or grade level, the tasks are easily adapted to the ability level of all children. The tasks in this part offer the children a variety of movement challenges including activities that develop basic locomotor skills, balance skills and space awareness. Piaget offers evidence that the assimilation of mental operations begins with performance. Children do not learn from observation. They must actively participate. Physical activity transforms itself to mental activity which in turn transforms itself to physical activity. The activities listed in Par 2 are action tasks. Children are actively involved in doing, feeling, and thinking. "Over-under", "up-down", "between-on" are words that contain concepts that are difficult to master. These words require movements and images that become points of reference. The tasks provide experiences that enhance the acquisition of motor efficiency and physical control.
Part 3 introduces the student to Jump Box Activities because many traditional games are based on the success or failure principle and so many poorly skilled children never know the excitement and satisfaction of success. Movement exploration on the Jump Box allows each child to respond to physical activities in his own unique way. The Jump Box used in concert with the Incline Board (a ramp that allows easy access to the top of the Jump Box) provides a new dimension to movement exploration programs. The ability to jump from various heights and land without fear of falling or hurting oneself is a basic movement skill which all children should master during the early years. This activity is not taught through imitation or memory but rather through the active participation and involvement of each child. The Jump Box and its related equipment provides many opportunities for children to develop confidence and a positive self-concept. It assists in strengthening basic locomotor skills which are appropriate to his physical maturity and general readiness. Sturdy boxes or benches in various sizes can be used. However, in general, a height of approximately 20 inches is recommended.
Book 4: Bean Bag, Rhythm Stick Activities
This is the Fourth in a series of Five motor development activity books in the Perceptual-Motor Development Series covering preschool and the primary grades. This book is divided into 2 Parts: Part 1--Bean Bags; and Part 2--Rhythm Sticks. The book consists of 28 pages and all the activities are sequenced according to difficulty
Part 1 introduces the student to Bean Bags, which when used effectively, can reinforce perceptual-motor abilities. Being soft and flat it has definite advantages over other manipulative instruments. Throwing and catching are tasks which require considerable practice. Because of its shape, the bean bag can easily be tracked by the eye. Eye muscle training and the development of eye-hand coordination are of prime importance. Although movement is concerned with body fitness, its ultimate aim is rather to develop the child's resources as fully as possible. The Bean Bag is flexible and can easily be manipulated, thereby strengthening those finger and arm muscles used in writing. As he handles and manipulates the Bean Bag he can talk about his actions, thereby developing expressive language in relationship to his environment. The Bean Bag does not sting the hands or bounce or roll away like the illusive ball, making it ideal to use and control. Its size and shape allows it to be easily balanced on various parts of the body. Everybody needs the opportunity to practice success. Because the Bean Bag can be controlled, the child is able to toss and catch it successfully, thereby developing confidence and an ability to manage his actions. Young children tend to engage in parallel play, involved with their own private world. Bean Bags can be used individually or as a total class activity. As the total class participates, children progress from playing individually to playing in groups. Group play extends these relationships and young children learn to live with others. They learn by actively participating in these activities.
Part 2 introduces the student to Rhythm Sticks because when we consider the creative imagination of young children, and their ready response to movement tasks, it is obvious that rhythm activities should play an important role in the curriculum. Movement is as natural to children as breathing itself. We need only hear the spontaneous chants and listen to the strong beat that goes with ritual games to know that children are inherently rhythmical. Rhythm Sticks can provide a valuable addition to any physical education program regardless of grade level. The "sticks" are sometimes referred to as "lummi sticks" which were originally used in a south sea island rhythm game played by moving the "lummi sticks" through various patterns in time to a chant. Exploring movement through Rhythm Sticks does not require a standard of achievement but encourages the child's own approach to the solution of the task. One of the goals of movement exploration is the development of a positive self-concept in each child. Progressing from individual to group participation protects the children from self consciousness and precociousness and yet gives them the opportunity to participate and enjoy the full sense of rhythm. The function of the teacher is to offer the children a wide variety of movement challenges moving from general challenges to the more refined skills of rhythm, coordination, dexterity, and balance. A child's success in physical skills is basic to his total adjustment. In fact, children who are lacking in physical skills tend to withdraw socially from the group. Rhythm Sticks assure success. They are easy to manipulate and contribute physically to the development of coordination and strength. Rhythm Sticks offer many opportunities for young children to exercise their growing muscles and integrate a wide variety of sensory and motor stimuli. The children themselves, when allowed to explore, quickly discover and create other movement tasks. These activities give, even the least able children, tremendous confidence and satisfaction for they soon learn to handle the "sticks" with skill and control.
Book 5: Tire, Parachute Activities
This is the Fifth and final book in a series of Five motor development activity books in the Perceptual-Motor Development Series covering preschool and the primary grades. This book is divided into 2 Parts: Part 1--Tire Activities; and Part 2--Parachute Activities. The book consists of 36 pages and all the activities are sequenced according to difficulty.
Part 1 introduces the student to Tire Activities that consists of bicycle tires which are among the most versatile, inexpensive, indestructible and easily obtained teacher tools available for use in the physical education program. They are safe, easy to handle and their shape makes them convenient for storage. Bicycle tires, being lightweight, are more practical than automobile tires thereby allowing for a greater variety of uses. The tires can be painted in a variety of colors and when used with colored bean bags, children can toss the red bean bag into a red tire, blue bean bag into a blue tire, etc. Matching objects that are the same color develops visual perception in your children and reinforces the same skills that are used in a reading readiness program. By using color labels, children can match the word to the appropriate colored tire, thereby helping to build and strengthen the bridge between cognition and language. (Note that, of course, if necessary, due to your particular circumstances, plastic hoops could be substituted for the rubber bicycle tires. However, within this series of 5 books, plastic hoops are already used in their own activities in Book 2. Varying the use of different equipment items keeps the children interested and engaged. Using new equipment items will keep the children from getting bored with the same old items and signal brand new motor development activities and more fun!)
Part 2 introduces the student to Parachute Activities that utilize the parachute which represents an exciting catalyst for movement in the physical education program. Movement means life. It means freedom, pleasure, communication and sensuous enjoyment. Inflating the canopy requires teamwork and cooperation. A child learns first hand the meaning of total involvement and so moving through space he gains an understanding of his physical relationship to the real world. The games and exercises develop and strengthen arm and shoulder muscle development and at the same time strengthens wrist and finger muscles. There are wide variations in interests and abilities within a given group, however, all students, regardless of skill and strength, can participate successfully and non-competively in parachute activities. A child must be aware of himself. With this knowledge he is better able to know where he is in space and how he can control his movements. This self-discovery is unique to each child as he explores the infinite number of alternatives in working out a challenge. And as he discovers himself, he will become more accepting of classroom challenges. These parachute activities assist him in improving his sense of rhythm, his basic motor skills and his self-confidence; qualities which have a direct relationship to his physical maturity and his academic performance. The teacher might also want to give the class a brief historical background about the parachute. This could prove stimulating to the children and perhaps would encourage the students to pursue the subject further. The parachute lends itself to both indoor and outdoor use. Space permitting, it is a marvelous activity for rainy days. Each child achieves immediate success and gratification. The removal of competition and the risk of failure, creates a positive attitude toward learning both in and out of the classroom.
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Book 1: Basic Movement Activities |
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Book 2: Ball, Rope, Hoop Activities |
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Book 3: Balance Activities |
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Book 5: Tire, Parachute Activities |
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Once you've assessed your students' motor strengths & weaknesses in the Perceptual-Motor Development Series books, you'll want to challenge your children with an intensive 25 week program of carefully sequenced activities as given in Jack Capon's Level-1 & Level-2 books of Perceptual-Motor Lesson Plans.
Perceptual-Motor Lesson Plans Level-1
by Jack Capon
It's an intensive beginning program of perceptual-motor activities for ALL your preschool to 1st grade students AND your special education classes. Like the Level-2 book below, it is fully illustrated, covers a 25 week period, contains program background setup information, evaluation scale, performance objectives, equipment construction diagrams, plus activities kids can do at home, special Perception Games the teacher can use to go along with the programed activities, and especially helpful sample letters to parents and organizational forms and information in setting up your own Perceptual-Motor Program. Each week is made up of 3 activity stations and is sequenced according to difficulty.
This is a wire bound 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" oblong 216 page book with one activity station per page. To do an activity, simply turn to the specific one you want and flip the others out of the way. Or activity pages can be easily detached, laminated, and used as individual activity cards!
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Perceptual-Motor Lesson Plans, Level-1 |
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Perceptual-Motor Lesson Plans Level-2
by Jack Capon
It's an intensive program of perceptual-motor activities for ALL your 2nd to 3rd grade students AND your special education classes. It contains 25 weeks of higher level activity stations organized in the same manner as the Level-1 book above and has the added features of an extra 4th activity station and special sections on Movement Exploration activities and Game activities for each and every week! This specially formatted edition is fully illustrated with 25 weeks of activity stations sequenced according to difficulty including evaluation scale, performance objectives, program background information, and equipment construction diagrams.
It is a wire bound 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" oblong 236 page book with one activity station per page. To do an activity, simply turn to the specific one you want and flip the others out of the way. Or activity pages can be easily detached, laminated, and used as individual activity cards!
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Perceptual-Motor Lesson Plans, Level-2 |
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Front Row Experience
"Innovative Movement Coordination Guidebooks and Materials" Catalog