JK students played hopscotch. Hopping and jumping were the focus of this exercise with tossing acting as a secondary skill.
This week, students in grades kindergarten through four worked on lacrosse (LAX).
For most of the kindergarten and 1st grade students it was the first time they had ever held a lacrosse stick so making sure they had the correct grip was the first step. Dominant hand palm up. Place the stick with the head open face up in the hand. Other hand face down grabbing the bottom end of the stick. When the stick is turned upright pointing both thumbs along the stick is a quick test. If both point up, the hands are in the correct position. Students then worked on scooping balls off the ground while stationary and moving. Getting the back end of the stick low and bending the knees were key cues to learning this skill.
2nd grade students revisited how to hold the stick properly and the scooping cues mentioned above. They practiced self-catching in personal space with the stick out in front of the body. For the students who picked this up quickly they practiced catching a self-tossed ball above the shoulder on the stick side. Throwing into open space was the last skill addressed.
3rd graders reviewed grip, scooping, and throwing. They were introduced to catching a bouncing ball from a partner and a ball passed in the air. They practiced shooting at a target as well.
4th grade students worked on 1v1 scooping challenges, cradling, passing to moving targets, catching balls on the stick-side and backhand side. They participated in a small game similar to ultimate football that emphasized passing and catching. Loose balls required students to use the 1v1 scooping skills worked on earlier in the week.
