Give your kids more opportunities to move no matter where they are with PLAY: Interactive Arcade.
Watch Crash Course in Action
Jump to the correct answer while dodging the obstacles.
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See all the courses below
The Story Behind Crash Course
These activities can get kids more opportunities to move when they're used by classroom teachers. They also show schools that the PE teacher is a huge part of the team when they're getting kids to master other skills during PE.
I'll be real with you all. When I was first introduced to the idea of incorporating math, reading, or any other subject area into PE, I hated it. It all came down to the delivery of the message. I spent several years teaching in a school that made my life miserable and they soured me on the idea.
The messaging was clear: What you teach isn't important. I'm convinced they would have been happy for me to pull desks into the gym and just teach math and reading and call it PE so kids could get their required state minutes.
Thankfully after taking a year off teaching, I found an amazing school where I've been able to grow and take charge of my professional development. A huge part of my growth has been my friendship with my buddy Brandon, another local PE teacher and friendships I've made with other amazing PE teachers on Twitter.
It's funny how the stars can sometimes align and push you into territory you never dreamed. Some friends from Twitter were presenting at the North Carolina Virtual SHAPE conference and got me interested. So I signed up and watched some sessions. Notably, the keynote speaker Mike Martinez talked a little about how he started incorporating other subjects into his PE program to defy the stereotype of dumb jock around his school. Then he started to see how helpful it was for the other teachers.
Then Brandon texted me a few days later asking if I could make an obstacle game that incorporated math. My response, jokingly, was "and go back on everything I believe in??!? Never" but he had a point. So I reached out to classroom teachers at my school and found some skills they would want their students to get tons of practice with. And I came up with Crash Course.
I love it for a couple reasons. First, and most importantly, it creates more opportunities for kids to move and be physically active during a school day. Now, classroom teachers can use the games in their classrooms. Secondly, classroom teachers LOVE it. So as the PE teacher, I get to present activities to the students and staff that help them reach their goals. Our Fourth Grade teacher has been using Level 1 of Multiplication with her class and challenged them to get 80% mastery before moving to Level 2. Within a week, they moved to Level 2 and kids started showing up to their virtual math session with water bottles, ready to sweat.
I've also used it in my own home. My three year old is pretty good with knowing some of his colors but could use some help with other ones. So I made the Colors Crash Course.
The Courses
So far, I have the following courses:
- Addition I see above
- Addition II play for free now on the PLAY: Interactive Arcade home page
- Multiplication I available for members of the PLAY: Interactive Arcade
- Multiplication II available for members of the PLAY: Interactive Arcade
- Spanish Food I (foods in the Spanish language) available for members of the PLAY: Interactive Arcade
- Spanish Food II available for members of the PLAY: Interactive Arcade
- Colors available for members of the PLAY: Interactive Arcade
- Spanish Colors (colors in the Spanish language) available for members of the PLAY: Interactive Arcade
- + more on the way!
Other Cross-Curricular Games
I've started loving the additional challenges that come with adding other subjects to games, so I added some fun spins to the Vegas Road virtual runner. Here's the Kindergarten Sight Word version.
Dodge the rolling balls, duck under the dice. Solve the problems by grabbing at the right answer.
Make it Less Challenging: Just reach to the correct answer
Make it More Challenging: Get into the correct lane and crouch to pick up the low answers, jump to pick up the high answers.
Here's the current lineup of Vegas Road Cross-Curricular courses:
- Kindergarten Sight Words see above
- Early Childhood Shapes available for members of the PLAY: Interactive Arcade
- Multiplication x7 available for members of the PLAY: Interactive Arcade
- Multiplication x8 available for members of the PLAY: Interactive Arcade
- + more on the way!
More Amazing Ways to Get Moving
Flip Decks are amazing, interactive games. Pick a card then do the activity that comes up. Play here
The Ghosts and the Goblins - Jump with the Ghosts and Goblins • Punch the monsters • Smash the Pumpkins • and more
The Graveyard Twist - Twist your body and your mind. Match your hands/feet to the ones on the screen. Watch out for scarecrows, mummies and Frankenstein’s monster
Rock Paper Scissors - A modern, interactive take on the classic
The River and the Bank - An interactive jumping game where the screen tries to trick you.
Unlock My Phone - Race to tap the codes before you run out of time.
Paper Ball Knock Out - The most fun you can have with two paper balls and a cup
Treat yourself or your favorite PE teacher to the finest Phys Ed tee shirts this side of the Mississippi (both sides, really)
