Locomotor Skills — Module 7 Notes

Learning Objectives

  • Define locomotor skills as fundamental movement skills that involve moving the body from one location to another, and recognize their importance in physical development and overall health.
  • Demonstrate proper form and technique for various locomotor skills, such as walking, running, jumping, hopping, skipping, and galloping, with a focus on balance, coordination, and control.

What is Locomotor Movement

  • Locomotor refers to the ability or action of moving or traveling from one place to another.
  • Reiterate: LOCOMOTOR MOVEMENT (conceptual emphasis on moving the body through space)

Importance of Locomotor Movements

  • Locomotor movements support multiple dimensions of health and development beyond isolated skills.

Physical Fitness

  • Locomotor skills such as walking, running, jumping, and hopping require the use of large muscle groups and help to improve cardiovascular endurance, strength, and stamina.
  • Related implication: contributes to overall daily energy expenditure and fitness levels.

Motor Skills Development

  • Locomotor skills are fundamental gross motor skills that form the foundation for more complex movements.
  • They build coordination, body awareness, spatial orientation, and control required for advanced activities.

Sports and Recreational Activities

  • Locomotor skills are often the building blocks for participation in sports and recreational activities.
  • Examples: Running, jumping, and hopping are common movements used in many sports, such as soccer, basketball, track and field, and gymnastics.

Daily Life Functionality

  • Locomotor skills are essential for functional mobility in everyday life.
  • Walking, running, and other forms of physical movement are necessary for navigating the environment, performing daily tasks, and participating in social and recreational activities.

Fun and Play

  • Locomotor skills are often associated with play and can provide opportunities for children and adults to engage in enjoyable physical activity.
  • Playful engagement in locomotor movements can promote creativity, imagination, social interaction, and overall well-being.

Varied Locomotor Movements (Examples)

  • Locomotor movements involve moving from one place to another; examples include walking, running, jumping, skipping, hopping, galloping, and crawling.

Walking

  • Walking is a basic and natural form of locomotor movement that can be done at different speeds and intensities.

Running

  • Running is a more vigorous form of locomotor movement that involves faster and more dynamic strides.

Jumping

  • Jumping includes movements such as jumping jacks, box jumps, or burpees, which involve explosive movements requiring coordinated use of the legs, arms, and core.

Skipping

  • Skipping is a playful and dynamic locomotor movement that involves alternating hops on one foot while moving forward.

Hopping

  • Hopping includes single-leg hops or lateral hops, involving propelling the body off one foot and landing on the same foot or another foot.

Galloping

  • Galloping is a form of locomotor movement that involves a combination of a step and a leap, often used in sports like basketball or soccer.

Crawling

  • Crawling includes bear crawls or crab walks, involving moving on hands and feet while keeping the body close to the ground.

Lesson Wrap-Up

  • Locomotor skills are fundamental movements essential for physical activity and promote physical literacy.
  • They can be taught using various strategies, progressed in a sequential manner, and should be practiced in a safe and inclusive environment.
  • By mastering locomotor skills, students can develop their physical abilities, coordination, and movement repertoire, laying the foundation for a physically active and healthy lifestyle.

Connections to Foundational Principles

  • Builds physical literacy: knowledge, confidence, and motivation to engage in physical activity across lifespan.
  • Establishes movement repertoire that supports participation in diverse activities and sports.
  • Encourages safe, inclusive participation and equitable access to active opportunities.
  • Links to overall health outcomes: cardiovascular fitness, motor development, social-emotional well-being through play.

Ethical, Philosophical, and Practical Implications

  • Safe and inclusive environment ensures all students can participate regardless of ability.
  • Emphasis on play and enjoyment supports long-term engagement in physical activity.
  • Practical application: locomotor skills underpin daily mobility and independence (e.g., navigating environments, transportation, recreational activities).

Check Activity: Week 7

  • Instructions: Go to classroom.google.com and log in using your PHINMAED account.
  • Open our class. (Look for your section code.)
  • Find and click on “Check Activity : Week 7.”
  • Submit your work by clicking “Turn in.”

Rubrics

  • Creativity & Originality — 20% (equivalently 0.200.20 of total)
  • Execution of Locomotor Movements — 20% (equivalently 0.200.20 of total)
  • Expression & Timing — 20% (equivalently 0.200.20 of total)
  • Overall Presentation — 60% (equivalently 0.600.60 of total)

Thank You for Listening