Westside Elementary’s fifth graders took over the school grounds to teach fourth graders new ways to stay active the morning of May 13.

With the supervision of teachers and family members, fourth grade students rotated through 16 lessons spread out over the Westside campus and its bordering park.

“Fencing is really a sport for flexible people,” fifth grader Karson Howe said.

He and his fellow teammate were demonstrating some rather aggressive side lunges that would help the fencer block an incoming attack from a blade, or in this case a bright pink pool noodle.

Other students practiced their golf and polo swings, while some searched for tranquility at the yoga station.

Fifth grader Wyatt Bost jokes that his favorite part about teaching yoga is “seeing if they’re better than me at it (yoga), because I’m not that good at it.”

Luke Robertson, Westside’s physical education teacher, has held the event since roughly 2014. The project is a collaborative effort between physical education and the computer lab. The collaboration emphasizes physical education, research skills and public speaking. It was originally developed by Robertson and former Westside librarian Jennisen Lucas.

In January all of Westside’s fifth grade students gathered in the gym to learn about the sports project and choose a sport. Students were split into groups of three or four and asked to make a list of sports they would most like to teach. In the past couple years students have been able to choose a sport within their top five to seven choices, said Robertson.

Students have been able to research and teach a sport they have some interest in. Students selected one of four roles: coach, slideshow designer, photographer and publicist.

This year students chose cricket, golf, track and field (high jump and long jump), field hockey, polo, fencing, bocce, lacrosse, rugby, pickleball, squash, table tennis, croquet, track and field (shot put, discus and javelin), and yoga.

The goal of the project is to help students develop research and communication skills, along with learning a sport they have not had much exposure to. From January until May students researched, developed lesson plans and presentations, and practiced their sports.

Students were also tasked with organizing a Google Slides presentation. Robertson says knowing how to put together a slide presentation will be beneficial for students later on in life.

The morning of the event students and family members crowded into the Westside gymnasium to support honorary coaches. Students spread out over Westside’s campus to teach the fourth graders while amused teachers and members of the community watched.

“It’s a little window for some of the community members to see what goes on in physical education class,” Robertson said.