Trinity School

TRINITY SCHOOL'S FRANK JOHN -
REINVENTS GYM CLASS

January 6, 2016 - Baltimore Sun -

Next month, it's time for bobsledding at Trinity School in Elliott City. And cross-country skiing and speedskating and curling.

They're not what you might expect to find in a school gym, but physical education teacher Frank John created a three-week "Winter Olympics"-themed unit that engages students and builds their interest in fitness.
"It's something they're not used to doing," John says.  "And this gives some kids an opportunity who might not excel at other sports."


Winter OlympicsTrinity School

Representing countries like the U.S., Australia, Jamaica and even Kazakhstan, third- through eighth-graders at Trinity School kick off their Olympic unit each year with a flameless torch relay.

Then the events begin.

Inside the gymnasium, students participate in timed and untimed challenges using modified equipment. For "speedskating," students tie scrimmage vests over their shoes, making it easier for them to slide around the gym.

During "bobsledding," one of the most popular events, students sit on three plastic scooters tied together and use their legs to navigate a curvy, cone-marked course. While third- and fourth-grade students sled solo, fifth- through eighth-graders are two to a "sled," adding the challenge of teamwork.

The same is true for the cross-country skiing, where three to four students stand on 8-foot-long wooden boards with waist-level bungee cords attached. They must hold the cords and work together to move the "skis" forward, John says.
 
"The little guys go about 40 feet," he says. "The older ones go up and back again ... about 140 feet."
And just like the actual Olympics, winners in each event get "medals." Gold is a Rolo candy wrapped in gold foil, while silver is a Hershey Kiss and bronze is a Tootsie Roll.

Students say the unit is one of their favorites.
"It's not a sport you see in schools," says Daniel Furnary, a seventh-grader. "It's fun to try a new sport you don't see every day." 

Article by Allison Eatough for Howard Magazine
To read the full article Click Here 

About Trinity School

Trinity is an independent, Catholic, pre-school, primary and
middle school, located on a peaceful, wooded 48 acre campus
in Howard County, Maryland.  Coeducational and ethnically
diverse, the school is sponsored by the Sisters of Notre Dame de
Namur.  Trinity offers a broad and challenging educational program
at every level in a caring Christian environment.

More information available at www.trinityschoolmd.org