Last week we discussed the various parts and styles of
bows. This week we will be taking a look at arrows and the science and history
behind these nifty little projectiles; before we can get to all the fun and
games though... moreDefining the Arrow:
Last week we discussed the various parts and styles of
bows. This week we will be taking a look at arrows and the science and history
behind these nifty little projectiles; before we can get to all the fun and
games though we need to gain a fundamental understanding of vocabulary involved
when talking about arrows.
Vocabulary for the week
·
Arrow – a shaft sharpened at the front with
feathers at the back; shot from a bow as a weapon or for sport.
·
Arrowhead – the point of the arrow.
·
Shaft -
the long spine of an arrow.
·
Fletching – the feathers or vanes of an arrow.
The fletching is what creates drag. It is also what allows the arrow to spin
like a rifle bullet which provides stability and creates a more accurate
projectile. The fletching is normally made up of three feathers of two
different colors.
o Cock
– the fletching feather that is a different color then the other two feathers.
o Hen
– the two fletching feathers that are the same color.
·
Nock – The slotted pieces at the back of the arrow
that clips on to the string and holds the arrow in position. The nock will clip
on to the nocking part of the bowstring.
Assignments
Kindergarten – 2 nd Grade
·
Label the various parts of the arrow: arrowhead,
shaft, Fletching (cock), Fletching (hen), Nock.
·
Color in your picture
3 rd Grade – 5 th Grade
·
Label the various parts of an arrow: arrowhead,
shaft, Fletching (cock), Fletching (hen), Nock
·
Create a model of an arrow out of drink straw,
construction paper, and either tape or glue
6 th Grade – 8 th Grade
·
Label the various parts of an arrow: arrowhead,
Shaft, Fletching (cock), Fletching (hen), Nock
·
Create a model of an arrow using a piece of
drinking straw, construction paper and either tape or glue.
·
Write a one page essay discussing the various
elements of the arrow. There should be one paragraph per part of the arrow.
Bows can be broken down into three main groups: Long Bow,
Recurve Bow, and Compound Bow. Each style of bow has its strengths and
weaknesses and that is what we are going to discuss today.
Bows can be broken down into three main groups: Long Bow,
Recurve Bow, and Compound Bow. Each style of bow has its strengths and
weaknesses and that is what we are going to discuss today.
The Long Bow
The longbow is normally roughly the height of the archer;
the pull on the bowstring tends to be further then the pull of various other
bows. The archer must pull the bowstring back past the jawline. The limbs are
not curved back creating a D-shaped bow when the bow is strung. The average
arrow shaft for a long bow is about 30 inches,
Use of the longbow on the European continent dates back
to the Paleolithic and Bronze age; however the longbow was made famous during
the middle ages, especially by the 100 Years War between France and England.
The Recurve Bow
The recurve bow is very similar to the long bow, the
biggest difference being that the tips of the limbs are curved. The recurve is
the only bow where the bowstring touches a limb when strung. To operate the recurve the archer nooks the
arrow and again pulls back to the jawline. The recurve tends to be easier to
pull back then the longbow. The recurve
was the bow of choice for archers working in environments where one could not
stand straight; the recurve bow was the ultimate bow of choice for archers on
horseback.
Some places you can view and read about the recurve bow
in action today are in the movies Brave by Disney’s Pixar Films and Hunger
Games by Suzanne Collins.
The Compound Bow
This bow looks very different from the longbow or the
recurve bow; the compound bow utilizes a system of cables and pulleys to pull
back on the bow limbs. This system creates a more energy efficient launch
mechanism which allows this bow to create the same power of launch in a more
compact frame as the other two bows we have discussed. This bow also is able to use harder woods on
the limbs then either the longbow or recurve.
This bow is the current bow of choice for hunters and
sportsman alike.
Assignments:
Kinder – 2 nd Grade:
What are the three types of bows? Which bow do you like?
Why do you like this bow?
3 rd – 5 th Grade:
Students will spend a week on this writing assignment:
Choose a famous bowman and give write a report about that
bowman. Make sure to answer the following questions in your report: Why is this
bowman famous/infamous? Why did you choose this bowman? What can we learn from
this bowman?
6 th – 8 th Grade:
Student will start work on a research project that will
be turned in at the end of the month. The
final project will consist of a five page double space typed report and a 5
minute oral presentation to the class or others presenting the students
research.
·
6 th Grade: Archery in the Ancient
World – Choose an ancient civilization: Paleolithic, Ancient Egypt, Ancient
Greece, or Ancient Japan. Research the
style of bow used and the importance of the bow in that culture.
·
7 th Grade: Archery during the Middle
Ages: Choose a middle ages culture: European (choose one country), Indian,
Japan, Middle Eastern and research bowmen from that culture; choose one bowman
and write a biography of that bowman. Make sure to answer the following two
questions: Why you choose that bowman and What made that bowman
famous/important?
·
8 th Grade: Archery in the United
States: Choose an American Indian tribe to research: Which style of bow did
this tribe use? What type of wood did they choose to make their bows out of?
What was the importance of the bow to the tribe? Name a famous bowman from the
tribe and explain the deeds or actions that made this bowman famous.
For the month of October we will be looking at the
marksmanship sport of archery. This is
an overview of the various topics that we will be discussing this month.
The Webster American English Dictionary defines... moreArchers Ready!
For the month of October we will be looking at the
marksmanship sport of archery. This is
an overview of the various topics that we will be discussing this month.
The Webster American English Dictionary defines archer as
the art, practice, or skill of shooting
with a bow and arrow.
Archery was originally used as a way to obtain food and
defend one’s group as firearms have become more prevalent archery has become
more of a competitive sport or leisure activity. Though there are many who
still use archery as a way to obtain food sources while out in the wild and
defend their homes from various intruders.
In future articles will be looking at how archery changed the world and
at some various archers.
Archery has two basic tools: The bow and the arrow. The
bow is normally constructed of the limbs and the bow string; while the arrow is
constructed of the arrow head, the shaft, and the fletching. In future articles we will be comparing and
contrasting the various tools available to archers (the long bow, the recurve
bow, and the compound bow).
Student Assignments:
Kinder – 2 nd Grade:
You will be creating an archer’s journal; throughout this
journal you will be tracking your assignments and what you are learning along
with your development of archery skills.
1. Create a KWL Chart (this a chart that tracks what you
KNOW, what you WANT to learn, what you have LEARNED). Once you have drawn out the chart write three
things you know about archery, and write three things you want to learn about
archery.
2. Create a cover for your journal make sure it includes
your name and a title.
3 rd Grade – 5 th Grade:
You will be creating an archer’s journal; throughout this
journal you will be tracking your assignments and what you are learning along
with your personal development of archery skills.
1. Create a KWL Chart (this a chart that tracks what you
KNOW, what you WANT to learn, and what you have LEARNED) Once you have drawn
out the chart write five things you already know about archer, and write five
things you want to learn about archery.
2. Create a cover for your archer’s journal make sure to
include your name and a title.
6 th Grade – 8 th Grade:
You will be creating an archer’s journal; throughout this
journal you will be tracking your assignments and what you are learning along
with your personal development of archery skills.
1. Create a KWL Chart (this a chart that tracks what you
KNOW, what you WANT to learn, and what you have LEARNED) Once you have drawn
out the chart write ten things you already know about archer, and write ten
things you want to learn about archery.
2. Create a cover for your archer’s journal make sure to
include your name and a title.
Resources and Notes:
The attached are various styles of KWL Charts one can
print out to create the first assignment:
Hearing is a one of our most precious senses and it must
be protected. Sounds are rated at
decibel (dB) levels, a unit used to measure the intensity of sound or digital
signal. The higher the decibel sound the louder the... moreDo you hear that?
Hearing is a one of our most precious senses and it must
be protected. Sounds are rated at
decibel (dB) levels, a unit used to measure the intensity of sound or digital
signal. The higher the decibel sound the louder the sound and the more impact
it will have upon a person’s hearing. Hearing loss can begin at around 90dB if
the noise is constant, while pain begins at 125dB, and 140dB can cause damage
even for short exposures; and death of hearing tissue starts around 180dB.
A whisper is
normally rated around 30dB while a motor cycle engine is normally rated around
100dB. The normal sound of a 12 gauge shot gun is around 165dB, a 9 mm pistol
is around 159.8dB, and a .223 AR-15 is around 160-170dB.
Hearing protection is a must for anyone deciding to
participate in or watch marksmanship activities involving firearms. There are
various styles of hearing protection: ear muffs and ear plugs. One can even
combine the two together to create a personalized level of hearing protection.
Earplugs offer more protection then ear muffs; Earplugs are normally rated in
around the mid to upper 30dB range, while ear muffs are normally rated around the
high 20dB to low 30dB range.
Student Assignments:
Kinder – 2 nd Grade
Create a chart showing where different daily items fall
on the dB scale, use pictures from magazines to represent these items. Mark on
the chart where hearing loss might start to happen. Once the chart is complete
have students write a sentence about the importance of using hearing
protection.
3 rd grade – 5 th Grade
Create a chart demonstrating where different daily items
fall on the dB scale, use pictures from magazines to represent these items.
Mark on the chart where hearing loss might start to happen. Next to the various
items used write the dB level for the item when hearing protection is used.
Once the chart is complete have students write a one paragraph explanation on
the importance of using hearing protection.
6 th Grade – 8 th Grade
Create a chart demonstrating where different daily items
fall on the dB scale, create a comparison chart involving all three forms of
hearing protection, earplugs, ear muffs, and the combination of the two. Have
students write a one page report about their findings. In their conclusion have
them explain which type of hearing protection they would choose and why.
Charles Cherry
I was surprise to see that a .44 was louder than an AR having had to fire one inside a building. Speaking of environment, do these levels change when measure outdoors vs. indoors?
In
all forms of marksmanship one must take into consideration eye protection.
Between the combination of sending projectiles flying at high velocities of
speed and the debris associated with... moreSight
for Sore Eyes
In
all forms of marksmanship one must take into consideration eye protection.
Between the combination of sending projectiles flying at high velocities of
speed and the debris associated with a projectile hitting any foreign object
one must take into consideration the proper protection of the eyes. Safety glasses are not that expensive and if
bought correctly can last a person a life time. The proper safety glasses can
go from field training with firearms to work in laboratory type settings from
ER physician to aircraft mechanic to everything in between.
There are different styles of eye protection out there:
1.
Goggles – These are good for protecting the
whole eye from all angles. One can normally see these types of safety glasses
in chemical and biological laboratories. Some of the benefits for those
choosing this style of eye safety are: one can wear prescription glasses under
them; one can use these in all field work and all laboratory work; if one is
using them in a dedicated field bag then they are also good for working outside
in high winds.
2.
Glasses – These look like a pair of typical
glasses; they only protect from things coming in from the front; they offer no
protection from foreign objects coming in from above or below the eyes. Some of
the benefits of these are they come in various colors and styles; they pack
easily; they can be put on and taken off with ease. They are easier to find in sunglass styles
for outdoor marksmanship activities; they also sit closer to the eye allowing
one to be closer to sight tool on the marksmanship tool of choice.
For discussion speak with the students about the
importance of the eyes and how sensitive the eyes are to any foreign objects.
Student’s assignments
Kinder – 2 nd Grade
Students will create a college of various eye protections
and then on a cut out of a teddy bear students will place over the location of
the eyes a cut out of their favorite set of eye protection.
3 rd Grade – 5 th Grade
Students will create a college comparing the two forms of
protections; bellow their college students will write a paragraph explaining
the difference between the two types of eye protectors and in conclusion will
write a sentence about which set of eye protection they would choose for
themselves.
6 th Grade – 8 th Grade
Students will write a one page essay comparing and
contrasting the two types of eye protectors and the various uses of the eye
protectors. The conclusion paragraph will be a discussion on which set they
would choose for themselves and why. less
In marksmanship there are various areas of the body that
needed to be protected depending on the sport.
During this week we will be exploring how to protect hearing, sight and
touch while practicing and learning about various marksmanship skills.
... moreIn marksmanship there are various areas of the body that
needed to be protected depending on the sport.
During this week we will be exploring how to protect hearing, sight and
touch while practicing and learning about various marksmanship skills.
In archery archers use an arm guard to protect the inside
of the forearm from “twang.” Twang is caused by the bow line hitting the inside
of the forearm and can cause a large very painful bruise or welt. The arm guard is normally a small piece of
leather that is tied around the arm to stay in place.
Those working with firearms need to use both hearing and
sight protection. They use sight
protection to protect their eyes from flying brass; and hearing protection to
protect the eardrum from the loud noises associated with the explosive nature
of gun powder.
We will be exploring all three types of protective gear
throughout this week.
Classroom Exploration:
Grades K – 2
Have students create a collage of various types of safety
equipment that should be used while participating in marksmanship activities.
Grades 3 – 5
Have students create a collage filling in the words
SAFETY FIRST with pictures of marksmanship safety equipment.
Grades 6 – 8
Have students create a collage in the shape of a human
using pictures of marksmanship safety equipment. less
The fourth rule of marksmanship is “Everyone is a safety
officer”.
What this means is that no matter whom you are if you see
something unsafe you need yell “CEASE FIRE!” It does not matter if you are two,
twenty-two, ninety-two, on the... moreThe fourth rule of marksmanship is “Everyone is a safety
officer”.
What this means is that no matter whom you are if you see
something unsafe you need yell “CEASE FIRE!” It does not matter if you are two,
twenty-two, ninety-two, on the firing line, in the audience, instructor,
student, or observer. If there is a safety violation you need to scream cease
fire; one does not simple say cease fire in a normal tone; it needs to be
yelled at the top of your voice for all to hear. Once all marksmanship tools
are secured correct tell the line boss what the problem is.
Classroom exploration:
The teacher will demonstrate different unsafe and safe
acts regarding normal classroom behavior.
These acts can be running with scissors, carrying
scissors upside down, picking up to many books, placing a beaker full of dirty
water next to a glass of clean drinking water, and going to take a sip of the
dirty water, etc…
At the end of this teacher will review all four rules of
marksmanship
1.
Treat all firearms as if they are loaded.
2.
Never let the muzzle cover anything you are not
willing to shoot.
3.
Keep your finger off the trigger until you are
ready to fire.
4.
Everyone is a safety officer.
Assignment
Kinder – Second Grade
Students will create a poster for each of the four safety
rules; The poster will have each rule written on it and picture demonstrating
the rule.
Third – Fifth Grade
Students will create a flier discussing the four rules of
marksmanship. On the flier students will create a pictorial representation of
each rule next to the rule. Once students have all finished their fliers the
teacher will call them up individually to display their flier to the class and
explain the importance behind one of the rules.
Sixth – Eighth Grade
Students will create a pamphlet explaining the four rules
of marksmanship. On this pamphlet students will include each rule, a pictorial
representation of the rule and three points behind the importance of each rule.
Upon completion the students will each take turns giving an oral presentation
of some part of their pamphlet. less
Third rule of marksmanship: Keep your finger off the
trigger until you are ready to fire.
This rule is worded different ways, but they all mean the
same thing. One’s finger should never enter the trigger guard area until your
sight is on the... moreThird rule of marksmanship: Keep your finger off the
trigger until you are ready to fire.
This rule is worded different ways, but they all mean the
same thing. One’s finger should never enter the trigger guard area until your
sight is on the target and you are ready to pull the trigger. In archery one can word this as do not pull
back on the string until you are ready to fire.
The reason for this rule is to guard against accidental
discharges while preparing to fire a marksmanship tool. After explaining this
rule to the class have students work on an experiment regarding homemade
catapults and block towers.
1.
Have students build some towers out of blocks;
the blocks can be dominos, Cubix blocks, building blocks, pretty much any type
of block you have at your disposal.
2.
Between the towers place some sort of bean bag
target.
3.
Now it’s time for the fun: Students will make
catapults out of plastic spoons.
4.
Tell the students not to load their catapults
until they’re sights are on the target and they are ready to fire.
5.
Have students aim for the bean bag targets
between towers. The targets should be worth points and hitting a tower should
be negative points. Have students keep track of their points and hand out
awards for highest points collected.
During this experiment there will be some students who
inevitable cock their catapults and fire early accidently knocking over
towers. During the review of the
experiment talk with students regarding why some of the towers were accidently
knocked over. What was the marksman doing with his/her catapult that may have
led to the tower being knocked over.
Journal Time:
Kinder – 2 nd Grade
·
Have students draw a picture and write a
sentence or two regarding the importance of staying away from the trigger until
they are ready to fire.
3 rd – 5 th Grade
·
Have students write a paragraph on why it is
dangerous to prematurely place a finger inside a trigger guard until they are
ready to fire a marksmanship tool.
6 th – 8 th Grade
·
Have students write a one page essay on the
importance of trigger safety. In the essay they should address the reasons
behind why there is a trigger guard, why not to place any object inside the
trigger guard until ready to fire and within the conclusion some ideas on how
remember not to place any object with in the trigger guard until they are ready
to fire. less
There are four cardinal rules of marksmanship and I would
like to spend some time this week talking about how these rules apply to both
the field and the classroom.
Let’s begin by starting with the very first rule, the
golden rule, of... moreThere are four cardinal rules of marksmanship and I would
like to spend some time this week talking about how these rules apply to both
the field and the classroom.
Let’s begin by starting with the very first rule, the
golden rule, of marksmanship: Treat all
firearms as if they are loaded .
In the field those who work with the various tools of
marksmanship understand this to mean that one should approach any tools of the
trade as if they are loaded, and with extreme caution. To never just take
another’s word for the safety of the tool; and double and triple check all
safety precautions.
When it comes to the classroom this golden rule of
marksmanship can be applied to not only the tools of the marksman but also our
words and the use of daily items, i.e. pencils. Simple words to one individual
may mean nothing at all, while to someone else they can have a drastic effect
on the person. The words may be spoken or written; with little difference
between the two. As teachers and parents
we must calibrate our words when speaking to our students and children to make
sure that we do not unintentionally bring a loaded word in the environment.
Classroom Exploration:
After explaining and discussing the first rule of
marksmanship have everyone sit down as a group and write a journal entry…
Grades K – 2
Talking about a time someone used words that wounded them
deeply.
Grades 3 – 5
Talking about a time in which the words they used
accidently wounded a friend.
Grades 6 – 8
Explaining a time in which they accidently brought a
loaded word into a conversation and caused unintentional harm to another. less
Description:Our goal here on Marksmanship in the Classroom is to reintroduce marksmanship back into the traditional classroom setting. We produce and publish lesson plans that deal with the history and culture of marksmanship.
My son is a member of his high school shooting team, but, it's getting harder for the school to allow it....
· August 29, 2015
Well if he ever wants to post pics to FB about it send him over to Marksmanship in the Classroom; I try to encourage people to share pictures of their kids being involved with various aspects of marksmanship. Kind of getting tired of having to share... moreWell if he ever wants to post pics to FB about it send him over to Marksmanship in the Classroom; I try to encourage people to share pictures of their kids being involved with various aspects of marksmanship. Kind of getting tired of having to share videos from Russia; I prefer to show videos of American kids being involved with marksmanship in their daily lives.
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Mike Gordineer