JK Rowling: The fringe benefits of failure | Video on TED.com

JK Rowling: The fringe benefits of failure | Video on TED.com

Sprint Foundation Grant for Character Education

Through the Sprint Character Education Grant Program, the Sprint Foundation will award grants to school districts and individual schools to fund the purchase of resource materials, supplies, equipment and software that facilitates and encourages character education among K-12 students.

Deadline: February 05, 2010
Award: $5000-$25,000

Banning Balls Causes Bounce in Principal's Popularity

No balls at recess? Must be April 1.

In an elementary school in Ottawa, Canada it's no laughing matter. It seems the school principal banned balls saying they were dangerous and causing injury to students due to the snowy and icy conditions.

Students Moore and Lawlor have given the principal a copy of a petition to bring back balls at recess. Slater said she’ll talk with the students and their parents, but she said balls are still off limits for now.

“It’s really fun with the balls, and right now people are just standing around talking and not getting any exercise, and that’s the whole point of recess,” Moore said. Give this kid a microphone. Clearly he is an articulate and very bright student!

The principal could consider training playground supervisors on "Playground Supervision Techniques" which has been shown to decrease injuries significantly. Adminstrators can sign up to preview the online playground supervision course.

More on
Students fight rule banning balls in schoolyard

Join our Right to Recess Campaign and download the free toolkit to bring back recess.

Fiskars: Project Orange Thumb Grant

Fiskars garden tools and materials such as plants, seeds, mulch, etc. to eligible gardening groups. Maximum award: $1,000 in implements and materials. Eligibility: gardens and/or gardening projects geared toward community involvement, neighborhood beautification, horticultural education, and/or sustainable agriculture.

Deadline: February 19, 2010.
http://www.fiskars.com/content/garden_en_us/Garden/ProjectOrangeThumb/grantprogram

NY Campaign to Eliminate Sodas

Contributed by Andrea Bossenmeyer. Food/Nutrition Blogger


New York State has got a "Are You Putting On the Pounds" campaign to encourage their residents to stop drinking sugary drinks like sodas. In fact they share the statistic that drinking one can of soda every day can make you gain 10 lbs in one year. They even have a subway billboards and videos that take the fat concept literally, and are honestly quite gross to watch...See it HERE.

I'm a huge advocate for no one drinking a soda, EVER. Sodas are nutrient void ("High Fructose Corn Syrup as a sweetener in place of sugar, which provides a large number of calories yet is devoid of nutrients, and is considered to be more readily metabolized to fat than other sweeteners.) and diet sodas contain substitute sugars which are processed or modified. I personally believe modified foods aren't good for the body and there's tons of research coming out showing that thought process to be true.

Check out our nutrition feature articles:

Schools Teaching Organic Gardening

Healthy Food, Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds

School Recess before Lunch

Countdown to Good Health: 5-4-3-2-1 Go

Schools choosing FitnessGram over Presidental Fitness Test

More public schools are using FitnessGram tests to replace the Presidential Physical Fitness test, which they say can be embarrassing for some overweight or less-fit students and does little to motivate students to choose a healthier lifestyle.

FitnessGram tests were developed in 1982 by The Cooper Institute, a nonprofit health-research center. FitnessGram tracks individual students' progress toward fitness goals rather than compare students' fitness with that of their peers -- the basis of the presidential test.

FitnessGram is a health-related fitness assessment that uses criterion-referenced standards, called Healthy Fitness Zones, to determine students' fitness levels based on what is optimal for good health.

ING Unsung Heroes Grants

The ING Unsung Heroes Program Offers Grants for K-12 Educational Projects. Awards of up to $25,000 will be given to professionals working to improve student learning through new teaching methods and techniques.

Each year, 100 educators are selected to receive $2,000 to help fund their innovative class projects. Three of those are chosen to receive the top awards of an additional $5,000, $10,000 and $25,000

Applications are now available. How about an outdoor motor learning lab like Peaceful Playgrounds or Fundamental Movement?

Deadline: April 30, 2010

Don't forget to download our grant template for assistance in writing your grant or attend a free Grant Writing for Beginners Webinar.

Thursday, January 28, 2010 - 10:00 AM PST - Free registration for this date!
Thursday, February 18, 2010 - 10:00 AM PST - Free registration for this date!

Federal Panel Urges Obesity Screening for ages 6 and up.

Photo credit: Thomas Reis Edutopia Magazine

A federal panel of health experts has issued new recommendations encouraging U.S. doctors to screen children aged 6 and older for obesity, and to offer them a referral to intensive weight management programs when necessary.

Read more......]

The new recommendations was published in the February issue of Pediatrics, and are available online now at the Pediatrics Web site.

For more on the topic of childhood obesity read :http://www.edutopia.org/fighting-fitness.

You may also be interested in the Peaceful Playgrounds featured article: Healthy Food,
Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds
Peaceful Playgrounds champions the efforts of individuals and organizations who actively work towards creating healthy bodies and minds. One such person we’d like to spotlight as a health advocate is Alice Waters.

Legislators Weigh in on Mandated PE

Ohio legislators this week are discussing mandating Physical Education for all students.

Senator McCarthy and Kent State University professor Steve Mitchell said increased physical activity helps students to focus more on their studies, demonstrate better school attendance, increased test scores and have fewer disciplinary issues, during a press conference at the Ohio Statehouse Jan. 13.

And Mitchell downplayed criticism that the legislation would increase school costs.

"We can't afford not to [do this]," Mitchell said. "The long-term financial costs to the health care system in Ohio far outweigh the short-term costs of implementing the policies ... "

Advocates cite state-backed studies to support the legislation, stating that some 17 percent of Ohio third-graders are obese and one-third of today's children will develop diabetes during their lifetime.

Blogs on the same topic:
Can Physical Education Make You Smarter?

Case Study Could Shape Physical Education Across Nation

It's complicated: Online Learning Students Out Perform classroom peers

This was a blog posting by my friend Bonnie of Bonnie's Fitware.

Online Learning Study Looks at Research

By Bonnie

Online learning is one of the fastest growing trends in educational uses of technology, according to the recently-released report Evaluation of Evidence-Based Practices in Online Learning: A Meta-Analysis and Review of Online Learning Studies from the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Planning, Evaluation, and Policy Development (www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/opepd/ppss/reports.html).

The impetus for the analysis was the need to develop research-based insights into online learning for K–12 students. A broader set of fields was studied to assemble sufficient empirical research for meta-analysis.

The research literature (1996 to July 2008) found more than 1,000 empirical studies of online learning. On average, students of online learning performed better than those with face-to-face instruction.

Teaching with Poverty in Mind Podcast

Great podcast on the ASCD Blog. The topic is Eric Jensen's new book, Teaching with Poverty in Mind: What Being Poor Does to Kids' Brains and What Schools Can Do About It.

I met Eric more than 20 years ago when I picked him up at the airport for a conference in which I was on the planning committee. He was the keynote speaker at the California's State Summer PE Conference. Listening to him talk about brain research is a rare treat only surpassed by his ability to apply it to everyday teaching situations. Physical Education teachers will relate to his podcast.

Download the podcast today.

And while you're there don't forget to subscribe to the Whole Child Blog.

Here's some Physical Education resources for teachers.

America to win 26 medals in Vancouver Olympics

Pardon my slight deviation from our typical topics...... I must confess I'm the ultimate Olympic Fan. I watch about 14 hours a day of Olympic coverage. No kidding. When I worked the 1984 Olympics in LA they were even better than I imagined. So here's a story on Vancouver games which start in exactly 20 days. But who's counting?

Economist Daniel Johnson is remarkably accurate at making Olympic medal predictions. As a matter of fact, over the past five Olympics, Johnson has been right 94% of the time between predicted and actual national medal counts. The chart shows his predictions for Vancouver. For more on Johnson's strategy and success record click here.

Here's a sneak peek at the possible medal outcomes in the 2010 Winter Olympics.

Jump Rope Rhymes from 1951

My sister (a Peaceful Playgrounds grant writer) sent me these jumprope rhymes from the May 1951 magazine saved by my grandmother. Enjoy.

Little Orphan Annie
Went to buy some candy,
In she went, out she went,
Little Orphan Annie.
How many pieces did she get?
1-2-3-4

Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, go upstairs.
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, say your prayers.
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, tun off the light.
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, say good night.

I'm a little Dutch girl, dressed in blue.
These are the things I used to do:
Salute the captain,
Bow to the king,
Turn my back on the wicked old queen.
And out you go......
10-20-30 - PEPPER.

Down in the meadow where the green grass blows,
There sat Linda as sweet as a rose.
She sang and she sang and sang so sweet.
Along came Tommy and kissed her on the cheek.
How many kisses did she get?
1-2-3-4........ (use playmates names)

CAHPERD JUMP IN WORLD RECORD EVENT PLANNED

Jamba Juice Company and The California Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (CAHPERD) announced today its shared mission to keep California's children healthy and active with the 2010 Jamba Jump Day(TM) event -- a mass attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the "Most People Jumping/Skipping Rope at the Same Time". On Monday, February 1, 2010, at 9am, CAHPERD and Jamba Juice will lead Californians in schools, nonprofit organizations, businesses, service organizations and clubs statewide as they jump rope simultaneously for 10 minutes -- getting participant's hearts pumping and encouraging heart-healthy living.

Download a flyer and join in.

JOSEPH HERZOG: Ways to get our children more active

Common sense tells us that a communitiy that cannot sustain the physical health of its citizens places their long-term existence at serious risk.

Opinion- Valley Voices- Fresno, CA

Retired Physical Education teacher and advocate Joe Herzog's opinion in his local newspaper. Go Joe. You make us proud.

Children struggle to learn in school, work place performance suffers and as we've seen in recent years, the military rejects almost as many applicants as it admits. With the prodding of The Bee [Jan. 2 editorial] the work of Fresno Metro Ministry, CCROPP and others, our time for finding solutions seems to be at hand.

The Bee made a number of suggestions that we should take to heart. Without question, parents bear the immediate responsibility for the health of their children. It's the one-two punch of proper diet and adequate exercise.

Kids need all the exercise they can get. Exercise burns calories, builds strength and promotes the development of both fine and gross motor skills.

In addition, as a wealth of research shows, it also grows more brain cells and more complex nerve networks, washes the brain in blood, oxygen and glucose (the brain's only fuel), promotes language development and acquisition, promotes emotional health and, essentially, is responsible for the overall well-being and function of the organ that makes us "human."

Ways to make our children more active......

Peaceful Playgrounds Jan. Grants Newsletter Released

The January Peaceful Playgrounds Grants Newsletter is now available for download. Grant ideas include:

Shade Structure Program
Starbucks Shared Planet Youth Action Grants
The Sprint Foundation - Sprint Character Education Grant Program
State Recycle Tire Playground Grant Programs
Lowe's Toolbox for Education
Peaceful Playgrounds "Learn to Play" U.S. Map Stencil Giveaway

Playground Best Practices

11 Steps to a Successful Playgrounds - Monty Christiansen, CPSI

If you are building, maintaining or strive to keep all kids safe on a playground then you will find the 11 steps to a successful Playground helpful.

1. Strive to purchase equipment with high "play value"
2. Make sure your playground meets appropriate play standards
3. Have your equipment installed by a qualified installer.
4. Install and maintain sufficient safety surfacing
5. Require CPSI verification of standards compliance prior to first use
6. Establish and use an effective playground maintenance program
7. Perform annual in-dept safety and maintenance inspections
8. Perform frequent primary issues safety and maintenance inspections
9. Have a procedure for effectively taking broken equipment out of service
10. Practice good health and sanitation procedures
11. Strongly encourage competent supervision of users, based upon age and activity

Saving Free Play at Recess

With mounting lawsuits and tight budgets recess is again on the chopping block at some districts despite evidence of its importance.

Free play or free form play is a type of play that we support here at Peaceful Playgrounds. People often misinterpret the organization that we provide with our many game markings and choices as "structuring" recess and incorrectly assume that we recommend that schools require participation in one of our games and activities. Nothing can be further from the truth. We believe that children should be free to choose to self select any game or activity of their choice or are free to choose to do "nothing at all".

Here's a link to an article on Free Form Play which we believe should be the right of each and every child at recess.

Win-Win fundraiser benefits business and schools.

In an Alabama community, financially strapped schools are holding a unique fundraiser......they are working with Play It Again Sports who will be purchasing sporting goods donations from school students. The money will be placed in a fund to replace old exercise and fitness equipment, upgrade playgrounds and support athletic programs in the Dothan City Schools.

Read more on Sports equipment trade to benefit schools.

STUDY: PE Teacher leaves lasting negative impression of physical activity

Last month in my blog entitled, "PE Teacher leaves lasting impression decades later" I spoke of the positive effect that a physical education had on students lives. Well here's a story about the long lasting effects of a "bad" PE teacher. It seems that a negative experience early on can result in a lifetime of inactivity according to a study released this week.

The study was published in research was recently published in Qualitative Research in Sport and Exercise.

Play Information Center

Play enthusiasts check out the Children's Play Information Service(CPIS).

(CPIS) is a specialist information resource providing information on all aspects of children’s play, focusing on school-age children. CPIS is funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and the Big Lottery Fund through Play England.

Even small districts find some challenges too big to change.

A small group of parents met with a group of district administrators outside of Chicago to express concerns over the school lunch menu. What they learned about bringing change to a district-wide lunch menu was a big change even for a small district.

But a Tribune examination of school food in Illinois' 10 largest districts found small positive changes are possible. Several districts serve only fruit for dessert four days of the week; some restrict nachos entrees to once a week; one has done away with breakfast Pop-Tarts; and some offer daily cold bars full of sliced fruits and vegetables.

More..... School lunches: Push for healthier foods faces barriers

Check out our featured articles on school lunch programs and nutrition.

Schools Teaching Organic Gardening: “Do what I say and do”

Healthy Food, Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds

School Recess before Lunch

Nutrition in Schools - Childhood Obesity

January Play Nice Newsletter

This month's Play Nice newsletter provides information on the following topics:


Grant Writing Tips

A study: Smart Kids are Fit Kids

The Benefits of Outdoor Play

The recent release of the Play for Change Report

Our partnership with the Alliance for a Healthier Generation

Peaceful Playgrounds News Article.

Ten Tips for Getting Your Grant Funded

January Featured Article

A grant is a monetary award given by a government agency, foundation, corporation, or other entity to another body in order to plan, implement or operate a particular program or fund a particular project.

This month's feature article is called: Ten Tips for Getting Your Grant Funded. It includes:

General Mills Champions for Healthy Kids and Lowes Toolbox for Education grant application templates which upon request, can be sent directly to your email box. These templates contain all the tips and information you will need to ensure your success in applying for these grants for your school.

Fund your new playground program with a free grant and start with our templates!