Chapter 10 notes -- Facilities, Equipment, and Supplies
Physical Education facilities classified as outdoor or indoor.
Outdoor facilities should include:
Grass is the most usable field surface.
Safety on the Playground
The type of surface under the equipment is a major factor affecting the severity of injuries associated with falls from apparatus.
Slides offer a high potential for accidents.
Roughhousing, improper usage, and slipping are the most prominent causes of accidents.
Continuous and correct maintenance is as important as the election of the proper materials.
Outdoor Apparatus
Each piece of equipment should minimize the potential for injury. If equipment has moving parts, its potential for injury is increased.
Outdoor equipment should stimulate children's creative drives and the desire to move.
Equipment for upper body development:
- Large telephone cable spools fastened securely so thaey willnot move or tip over.
- Climbing poles placed next to platforms that children can reach by climbing the poles.
- Logs and clean railroad ties with handholds or handles placed in strategic locations for climbing.
- Climbing ropes attached to tracks.
- Tires attached to telephone poles or logs for climbing through and around.
- Jungle gyms that are attached securely.
- Horizontal ladders in a variety of combinations and forms.
- Logs anchored vertically with handholds provided for climbing.
Equipment of lower body development:
- Large spaces, which encourage free movement and running games.
- Railroad ties anchored vertically at varying heights and distances.
- Used automobile tires fastened on the ground in different patterns.
- Stairways and platforms for climbing on and jumping off.
- Stepping stones to encourage movement patterns.
- Miniature challenge courses that contain tires to move over and through, sand pits to run or jump into, and poles or cones arranged for moving around and dodging.
Equipment for Balance
- Balance beams make of 4-by-4 beams.
- Logs, anchored securely, can be used as balanced beams.
- Include balance beams that start with a wide width and progress in difficulty.
- Wooden ladders secured 6 inches above the ground.
Equipment for sport skills
- Basketball Goals
- Volleyball Standards
- Softball Backstops
- Tetherball Courts
- Track and Field Equipment
Indoor Facilities
The gymnasium should be located in a separate wing connected to the classroom by a covered corridor.
Only after basic physical education needs have been met should the needs of spectators be considered.
Markings and boundaries should be put on the floor to outline convenient areas for the more common activities.
Walls should have a smooth surface for a distance of 8 to 10 feet up from the floor.
Adequate storage space must be given careful thought.
For the physical education specialist, an office-dressing room is desirable. The office should contain a toilet and a shower.
Equipment and Supplies
Equipment refers to items of a more or less fixed nature.
Supplies are those nondurable items that have a limited use life.
Equipment constructed by the school staff and homemade equipment should be considered. Quality must NOT be sacrificed.
Purchasing Policies
The safety of the children who will use the equipment is of vital concern.
One individual within a school should be made responsible for the physical education supplies.
The policy of some purchasing agents of selecting low-cost items with little regard for quality is financially unsound.
Indoor Equipment
A reasonable variety and amount of equipment should be available to keep children active.
- Mats for tumbling and safety
Light, folding mats are preferable because they are easy to handle and store and stack well and can be moved on carts.- Individual mats
can be 20 by 40 inches or 24 by 48 inches- Tape/CD player
- Balance-beam benches
can serve as regular benches for many types of bench activity, and, when turned over, can be used for balance-beam activities.- Balance beams
A wide beam (4 inches) is recommended for kindergarten and first grade.- Chinning bar
Portable chinning bar for the doorway is acceptable.- Climbing ropes
Climbing rope sets on tracks are most efficient to handle.- Volleyball standards
Should be set to various heights for different grade levels and games.- Supply cart
A cart to hold supplies is desirable.- Jumping Boxes
These extend the opportunities to work on basic movement skills- Horizontal ladder sets
Horizontal ladders that fold against the wall make an excellent indoor equipment addition.- Other indoor items
- portable chalkboard
- stand for projectors with electrical outlets
- rebound nets for throwing and kicking
- substitute goals for basketball and related games
Equipment and Supplies for Physical Education
Figure 10.5 (pages 192-193) identifies the equipment and supplies needed to teach a quality physical education program.
Listed equipment is available from The Robert Widen Company, P.O. Box 2075, Prescott, AZ 86302.
For a current catalog or more information, call toll free (800)862-0761 or fax to (602)776-8742.
Storage Plans
The supplies should not be used for games played during recess or for free play periods.
A system should be established for the storage of equipment and supplies.
Bins, shelves, and other assigned areas where supplies and equipment are to be kept should be labeled.
Care, Repair, and Marking
A system should be developed for repairing supplies and equipment.
An area should be established for equipment needing repair, so that all articles to be repaired are evident at a glance.
Balls must be inflated to proper pressures.
Children should kick only balls made specifically for kicking.
Softball bats and wooden paddles should not be used to hit rocks, stones, or other hard materials.
Broken bats should be discarded.
A place where mats can be stacked properly must be provided.
Small wire or plastic baskets make good storage containers.
All equipment and supplies should be marked.
Constructing Equipment and Supplies
Hopefully your school district will value physical education enough to get the teacher the proper equipment and supplies for student success. However, if you cannot get equipment the text lists several methods of obtaining or building equipment on pages 194 - 205. Examples of this equipment are as follows:
- Balls can be augmented with tennis balls or sponge balls.
- Beanbags can be made.
- White shoe polish has numerous marking uses.
- Three-pound coffee cans can be used as targets.
- Old bowling pins can be obtained from most bowling alleys free of charge.
- Equipment that can be built (Safety standards should apply to all school-constructed equipment):
- Balance Beam
- Balance-Beam Bench
- Balance Boards
- Batting Tee
- Blocks and Cones
- Conduit Hurdles
- Footsies
- Gym Scooters
- Hoops
- Individual Mats
- Jumping Standards
- Ladder
- Lummi Sticks
- Magic Ropes
- Outdoor Bases
- Paddles
- Paddle Tennis Net Supports
- Partner Tug-of-War Ropes
- Plastic Markers and Scoops
- Ring Toss Target
- Sit-and-Reach Box
- Tire Stands
- Track Starter
- Yarn Balls