Students present team-building sessions to local educators

Six North Central College students studying physical and health education were invited to present at the DuPage Regional Office of Education County Institute Day held at Naperville North High School on March 1. The students presented to K-12 educators as part of the Physical Education, Health Education and Driver Education DuPage County Institute sessions.

Kristen Brandenburg ’13, Julie Farkas ’13 and Andrea Kovalsky (pursuing K-12 teaching certification) with Tammy Wynard, visiting instructor of health and physical education, co-presented two interactive sessions on the topic “Best Approaches in Using the Newly Released National Sexuality Education Standards.” The educator participants were given a brief overview about the new standards and how they are defined. Participants then moved through different stations, facilitated by Brandenburg, Farkas and Kovalsky, where they assessed the quality of sample lessons on sexuality education and how they aligned with new standards.

Brad Crackel ’13, Kathleen Stratton ’13 and Lindsay Owens (pursuing K-12 teaching certification) presented a session titled “My Fitness Plate,” under faculty guidance by North Central College’s Bill Wienke, visiting assistant professor of health and physical education, and Amy Drendel, lecturer in education.

Crackel and Owens created a team-building/cooperative game as part of their session. The educator participants had to communicate and work together with provided materials to complete tasks and a final challenge in the game, which took place on a basketball court. Participants were divided into teams and given a scooter, rope and two bean bags. The court served as an island, and the goal was to get all team members from one end of the court to the other, across an imaginary river and with the correct food types to survive on the island without starving.

Stratton’s game, titled Build Your Plate To Be Great, was based on a movement activity, requiring teams to gather different food items. Each of four teams was given a list of different healthy food items they needed to collect throughout the game. Teams were instructed to run to the center of a gymnasium where healthy food choices, including fats and sugars, were located. At the center were designated taggers who attempted to “tag” those trying to grab healthy items. Anyone who was tagged had to take more fats and sugars. At game’s end, calories were totaled to determine which team built the healthiest plate.