Three to Six

This term the children continued from term two’s work based around invasion games and skill drills that would develop their level of skill in these types of games. These games work on developing the values of honesty, self-control, bravery, and persistence. Invasion sports involve an offensive team working to maintain possession of an object while attacking (or invading) a defensive team’s goal or target areas. Development of specific skills and skill combinations that involve passing, receiving, shooting, and defending are targeted learning outcomes. Four important skills utilised by participants in invasion games are speed, agility, reaction time and spatial awareness.

Kinder to Two

During term three the early childhood children explored the skills associated with large balls, both basketball and soccer. They explored the skills of throwing and catching, dribbling with both hands and feet, passing with their feet, and kicking. We then moved onto tennis balls and worked on throwing and catching underarm and overarm, rolling, fielding, and striking using tennis racquets.  

Swimming and Water Safety

Children in grades three to six participated in a ten-day swimming and water safety program.

Prior to this the children worked through a theory lesson in preparation. Topics covered were:

• Safe to least safe places to swim and what makes a body of water least safe.
• Aquacode – swim together, float and wave, reach to rescue
• Hyperthermia
• Conservation of heat and energy
• Use of lifejackets
• The most important person in a rescue being the rescuer
• Lifesaving strokes versus swimming strokes

With the campaign to follow, the practical skills of stroke development, water skills and water safety drills, are then developed to suit each individual’s stage of development.

5/6 Sports Day

In week three of term, all children in grades five and six participated in their sports day, with other schools from the area and could choose their sport from a list of ten on offer. Following on from this day, there were six children chosen from Somerset to represent the Darwin (Burnie) area and to play their chosen sport, against Devon (Devonport) teams. Following on from this day, two children from Somerset made it into the Northwest team to play in their sport against Launceston.