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Winter Olympic fever hits Carson elementary

February 9, 2010

By Christopher Huber

Teachers could hear the joyful cheers echo down the hall as Rachel Carson Elementary students celebrated posting the fastest time of the morning.
Representing team Norway, they spent their half-hour PE class with teacher Pat Parnell racing around cones on four-wheel carts — on their stomachs — in the skeleton event. They were trying to beat the sixth-grade, Finland team. As Parnell called the students in to leave the gym, Jonathan Chang slid across the finish line.Sixth-grade skeleton racer Ayden Oh races toward the finish line as classmate and timer Bryce Bussiere encourages him in the Olympic Challenge Feb. 4 at Carson Elementary. Photo by Christopher Huber
13.49 seconds, a new best. Everyone shouted and congratulated Chang. He could have just won an Olympic event.
“It was exciting because it was just about to end,” Chang said as he headed to class.
That spirit was Parnell’s intent when he came up with the idea to hold the Carson Olympic Challenge throughout February. Students can win medals (made of paper) in PE class by winning events, but also for good behavior and leadership at lunchtime each day, he said. The festivities kicked off Feb. 3 with an all-school opening ceremonies event modeled after the real Olympics.
“I didn’t know it would be this exciting,” Parnell said.
Students participate in the games, including skeleton, bobsled, curling, biathlon and floor hockey, twice a week in PE class. Each class represents a different country, and competition divisions are broken up into kindergarten to second grade, third and fourth grade and fifth and sixth grade, Parnell said.
Sixth-graders Ayden Oh and Bryce Bussiere first set the record for Norway, with a time of 13.79 seconds, Feb. 4.
The most fun part was “that we got to beat the other team,” Oh said. “In the beginning we just pushed really hard.”
Not only do the students have fun competing and getting physical activity, but they also learn about the Olympics and the respective events. Before each class begins, Parnell explains the basics of the sport, including scoring and history.
For example, the skeleton was named such in 1892 and debuted in the 1928 Olympics. Drivers in a thin metal frame speed at 50-60 miles per hour down an icy, one-mile track.
The Carson Olympic Challenge has become somewhat of a collaborative effort among the school staff, he said.
“Education is tough because sometimes you gotta make the content engaging for them,” Parnell said. “The cool part for them … they’re wrapped around the Olympics … taking (ideas) back to the library …”
After the opening ceremonies, Parnell said, some students wrote about what they learned in class and gained a better appreciation for the sense of unity and community the Olympics promotes.
At the end of the February, the class with the most medals receives a free-choice PE period, Parnell said.
Reporter Christopher Huber can be reached at 392-6434, ext. 242, or chuber@isspress.com. Comment on this story at www.SammamishReview.com.

By Christopher Huber
Teachers could hear the joyful cheers echo down the hall as Rachel Carson Elementary students celebrated posting the fastest time of the morning. Representing team Norway, they spent their half-hour PE class with teacher Pat Parnell racing around cones on four-wheel carts — on their stomachs — in the skeleton event. They were trying to beat the sixth-grade, Finland team. As Parnell called the students in to leave the gym, Jonathan Chang slid across the finish line. 13.49 seconds, a new best. Everyone shouted and congratulated Chang. He could have just won an Olympic event.“It was exciting because it was just about to end,” Chang said as he headed to class.That spirit was Parnell’s intent when he came up with the idea to hold the Carson Olympic Challenge throughout February. Students can win medals (made of paper) in PE class by winning events, but also for good behavior and leadership at lunchtime each day, he said. The festivities kicked off Feb. 3 with an all-school opening ceremonies event modeled after the real Olympics.“I didn’t know it would be this exciting,” Parnell said. Students participate in the games, including skeleton, bobsled, curling, biathlon and floor hockey, twice a week in PE class. Each class represents a different country, and competition divisions are broken up into kindergarten to second grade, third and fourth grade and fifth and sixth grade, Parnell said. Sixth-graders Ayden Oh and Bryce Bussiere first set the record for Norway, with a time of 13.79 seconds, Feb. 4. The most fun part was “that we got to beat the other team,” Oh said. “In the beginning we just pushed really hard.”Not only do the students have fun competing and getting physical activity, but they also learn about the Olympics and the respective events. Before each class begins, Parnell explains the basics of the sport, including scoring and history.For example, the skeleton was named such in 1892 and debuted in the 1928 Olympics. Drivers in a thin metal frame speed at 50-60 miles per hour down an icy, one-mile track.The Carson Olympic Challenge has become somewhat of a collaborative effort among the school staff, he said.“Education is tough because sometimes you gotta make the content engaging for them,” Parnell said. “The cool part for them … they’re wrapped around the Olympics … taking (ideas) back to the library …”After the opening ceremonies, Parnell said, some students wrote about what they learned in class and gained a better appreciation for the sense of unity and community the Olympics promotes.At the end of the February, the class with the most medals receives a free-choice PE period, Parnell said.
Reporter Christopher Huber can be reached at 392-6434, ext. 242, or chuber@isspress.com. Comment on this story at www.SammamishReview.com.

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Written by Christopher Huber · Filed Under Schools 

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