We moved our imaginary trip in Physical Education to Indianapolis, Indiana, to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, which was designated a historic landmark in 1987. Students are learning about the distance of the race (500 miles) and number of laps (200), length of the track (2.5 miles), type of car driven (Indy car), speed of the Indy cars (200+ mph), what the different color flags mean, what the pit is, the significance of the bricks at the start/finish line, and the kissing of the bricks and drinking of the milk by the winner at the end of the race.
In Physical Education we did an activity called "Indy 500." Cones were used to designate a track in the gym and the center circle was the pit. Students used hula hoops as cars and jogged around the track. When a problem with the car was shouted out (like "out of gas"), students came to the pit where an exercise card was chosen for the group. Everyone had to perform the exercise before returning to their car and continuing the race. Throughout the running, I put out different color of flags to designate what was happening on the track (green = go, red = stop, yellow = caution, white = one more lap, checkered = winner) and students had to follow the rules of the flag. This activity kept students very busy but they had fun.
Students used hula hoops as race cars to jog around the track.
The circle served as the pit stop where an exercise card was chosen for the group to do.
This class does 5 blast offs before returning to the track.
This student takes the checkered flag at his class' Indy 500.
This student follows the tradition of "kissing the bricks" after an Indy 500 win.
The winner of the Indy 500 drinks a bottle of milk.
Lots of times the winner pours the milk over his/her head.
This class claps for the winner of their Indy 500.
