At Briar Glen Elementary School, physical education teacher Michael Casmer is using his basketball unit to develop skills well beyond dribbling and defense. Using the "sports-ed" model, Casmer's eight-week basketball unit has become one of the highlights of the year for students in the Wheaton, Illinois, school. Students learn the basics of basketball, but they don't just play scrimmages. The students are also referees, scorekeepers, fans, and coaches. Casmer leads the students through lessons on how to run a practice, then the kids organize drills for their classmates. They learn how to call fouls and track rebounds. The students work on fair play and good sportsmanship.
The unit is cross-curricular: it draws in skills from several subject areas. Students played music at halftime of the championship game. They also created their own team logos and introduction videos using library software.
In the end, Camser creates a unit that engages all students, builds leadership - and teaches basketball basics.
"Oftentimes as an educator, I think: how am I going to reach out to every kid?" Casmer said. "The best part about this unit is: everyone is involved, everyone finds something they like, and it's just truly enjoyable for every student, no matter where their ability level is."
Community Consolidated School District 89 serves nearly 2,300 preschool through middle school students from Glen Ellyn, Lombard, and Wheaton, Illinois. Dr. Emily K. Tammaru is the Superintendent for the District, which includes four elementary schools and one middle school.
To learn more about CCSD 89, go to www.ccsd89.org.
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