Author Archives: fjames@uoregon.edu

Football without footballs

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Football Warmup: 

Equipment and Setup:

  • Equipment: Sheet of paper for each player. Crumple up a piece of paper into a ball to simulate a football.

Move around the gym

  • Throw and catch with same hand, then opposite hand
  • Tap up with the palm of your hand as many times as you can
  • Tap up with the back of your hand
  • Throw ball up and catch with both hands
  • Run and dodge  like a football player

Partner Warmup and Game

  • One partner is the center, the other is the quarterback
  • Hike the ball and the center goes out for a pass
  • After catching the ball from the quarterback – switch roles

Game Rules

  • Hike the ball – Quarterback throws the ball
  • When partner catches the ball, then try to tag them.
  • When the music stops, switch roles and continue

Cooperative Blindfold Activities

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Blindfold Obstacle Course

Setup and Equipment:

  • Blindfolds for half of the class.
  • Soft throwing balls (yarn balls)
  • Form partners – one has a blindfold on.
  • Gym is set up with cones, hula hoops, dome cones, etc.
  • The other partner is the body guard.

Guidelines

  • The object of this activity is for the “body guard” to safely navigate their blindfolded partner through the obstacle course only using verbal commands.
  • After a short period of time, switch places so each partner has a turn being blindfolded.

Horsing Around

Setup and Equipment:

  • Blindfolds for half of the class.
  • Form partners: One is the horse, the other is the rider.

Activity

  • Teach your horse how to walk, slow trot, and gallop
  • The partner that wears the blindfold to start is the horse. They hold the middle of the rope in front of them.
  • The partner holds the reins (ends of jump rope) and uses verbal commands to move the horse around the gym
  • Teach the verbal and nonverbal commands:
    1. Use “Whoa” for Stop – Pull back on reins
    2. “Giddy Up” for Go – Loosen and shake reins.
    3. “Left”, “Right”  Tug on that side.
  • After a short time the partners should switch places.

Blindfold Tag

Setup and Equipment:

  • Blindfolds for half of the class.
  • Soft throwing balls (yarn balls).
  • Form partners – one has a blindfold on.
  • One soft throwing ball (yarn ball)for blindfolded partner.
  • The other partner is the body guard.
  • Start the game with balls spread around on the floor, so commands must be given to pick up a ball.

Guidelines

  • The object of the game is for the “body guard” to direct their partner to a ball, get them to pick it up and throw it at another blindfolded player. This can only be done with verbal directions.
  • The “bodyguard” is not able help their partner except with verbal directions. They may not block throws. (For safety reasons, body guards may intervene to prevent player from bumping into each other).
  • Partners switch roles when their player is tagged by a ball.

Pickle Tag

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Setup and Equipment:

  • One gym mat is set up in front of each wall – these are safe bases
  • 4 people are designated as “its” – they may throw (shoulders or below) or tag players.
  • Yarn balls are generally used in this game.

Rules:

  • The four “its” start the game in the center circle of the gym
  • The rest of the players stand on one of the mats to start the game
  • Players run from one mat to another and try not to get tagged
  • Players may rest on a mat for three seconds and then they must go to a new mat.
  • If they are tagged, they go to the pickle jar (center circle).
  • There are “free walkbacks” when a player is freed from the pickle jar. Players get out of the pickle jar when a player not in the pickle jar – hooks elbows with them and gets them to a mat without getting tagged. As long as the students are connected they can’t be tagged.
  • Play continues for 1:30 -2:00 minutes, or sometimes the length of a song. then new “its” are picked.
  • For all tag games, we play a game song for the duration of one turn, then transition music (i.e. Jeopardy Theme) is used to remind students to pick “new its” for a game.
  • When this song is played the students return  the yarn balls to the container and everyone sits at their gym homes”. The teacher may chose a team of students or just have the students raise their hands in the air if they want to be a new tagger.
  • The transition music is set for about forty seconds.
  • The “new its” go to the center circle to begin a new game.
  • The “old its” go to one of the mats on the floor to begin the next game.
  • After choosing the new taggers, everyone else will begin the game on one of the four mats.
  • One issue that arises when using mats as bases is that some students jump, flop, or just decide to sit on the mats. To eliminate this problem, students that exhibit unsafe behaviors shall be considered tagged and go to the center circle in the gym. This keeps students playing the game and solves the safety issue.

Note: You can shorten up games and allow more turns by ending one of the “game songs” early and jumping to the transition music.

Castle Builder

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Castle Ball

The object of this game is to throw dodgeballs to knock over opposing team’s castles while simultaneously protecting your own team’s castle from being hit.

  • Separate class into four teams.
  • Divide the gym space into fourths, giving each team a quadrant to defend.
  • Provide each team with six hula hoops and have them create their team castle.
    • Build the castle by placing one hoop flat on the floor. Balance four hoops vertically and lean them toward the center. Secure the four hoops with the sixth hoop horizontally on top.
  • Place soft dodgeballs into the center of the quadrants for teams to collect.
  • The game begins when the music plays!

Agility:  Students will run back and forth in their quadrant keeping their eyes on dodgeballs threatening their castle.

Coordination:  Students will collect dodgeballs and throw them at opposing team’s castles. They will build hand-eye coordination by throwing and catching dodgeballs.

Balance:  Students will take turns being in charge of rebuilding their team’s hula hoop castle. Rebuilding the castle will require patience, balance, and focus before the students switch back to defense mode.

Variations:  You can play Castle Ball with designated offense and defense, assigning who will be throwing and who will be guarding and rebuilding the castle OR allowing all students to play all roles during game play.

 

Jack Frost Tag

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Setup and Equipment:

  •  K-2: Four stuffed animal taggers
  •  Four hula hoops for the Heat Meisters (Optional for primary grades)

Guidelines:

  • Students that are chosen as taggers (Jack Frost) may tag or throw the stuffed animal or ball.
  • When a student is tagged they are immediately frozen and they stand perfectly straight up and down
  • Students have one way to avoid being tagged. They can do three very slow jumping jacks to simulate a standing snow angel. After 3 seconds they must continue moving and trying not to be tagged by jack frost.
  • The three “heat meisters” carry a hula hoop which is the defroster for this game.
  • They must put the hoop over and down over the frozen player to defrost them.
  • The game continues for about 2 minutes, then new taggers and “heat meisters” are chosen.

 

 

Scramble (using a 4-square)

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Setup and Equipment

  • No equipment required
  • A minimum of 5 people to start a game. If there is more than five people there will need to be a line to enter the game (just like in four square).
  • One person stands in the corner of each of the four squares.
  • One person stands in the middle of the four square where all of the lines intersect. This person is the caller of the game.

Guidelines:

  • The object of the game is to move to another square corner before another player reaches it.
  • One person stands in the corner of each of the four squares.
  • When everyone is standing in a corner, the caller says, “Ready, Set, Scramble”.
  • At this point all of the players, including the caller, quickly move to another corner. There will be one person that doesn’t make it to a corner. That person will become the new caller. If there are more than five players, they will go to the end of the line and wait for their turn.

 

Variations:

  • Running:  Run in place at the start of the game and keep running in place throughout.
  • Basketball: Dribble a basketball and keep your head up while dribbling.

Week 1 Workout Partners

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  • Use Name tags
  • Edison Map
  • Review Class Expectations
  • Least Recommended/Most Recommended classroom management
  • Physical Literacy A,B,C’s
    • Agility: Ready position
    • Balance: On one foot
    • Coordination/Speed: Throw a ball like a pitcher in baseball
  • Least recommended way (works on a good day) to start an activity
  • Most recommended: Gym Homes

Track 1 Music: Chicken Dance

  • Assign gym homes
  • Most Recommended: Start at your gym homes. On the interlude do a specific locomotor skills, then return to your gym home.
  • Chicken Dance

Partner Workout

Track 2 Music: My Way

Workout Partners: Partners stand back to back, on teacher’s signal, they face each other and greet each other enthusiastically.

Skipping Music: Find a partner – Skipping

  • Do the Skip until music stops.
  • Look around make sure everyone has a partner. If they don’t enthusiastically  invite them to join your group.

Track 3 Music: Alive  – Skipping – Crazy Dance Partner: Stand back to back with a new partner. Greet your new partner. This is your crazy dance partner. Do a crazy dance together. Crazy Dance

Track 4 Music: No Roots 

Movement: Galloping – Logging Handshake Creating a thumb-on-thumb stack. You can do this one with many people.

Track 5 Music: Hot Steppin Zydeco  

Movement: Slide step Grapevine –  Happy Salmon This may appear to begin like a “normal” handshake but ends up hands to forearms with the hands flapping like tail fins on forearms

 Track 6 Music: Further On

Movement:  Like you’re playing your favorite sport – The Whipi Dip (Tea handshake) This one looks like two passing people, holding ice cream cones, will high five when passing. However, hands will pass by each other and continue down to shake the ankles.

Track 7 Music: Horse Race

Movement: Driving a truck. Handshake:  One person is the cow and turns interlocks their fingers together with their thumbs pointing down. The other person is the dairy farmer who pulls the thumbs in a milking fashion. Then switch so everyone gets a turn at being a cow and a dairy farmer.

• Workout Buddy Formula: Eventually students will get three buddies during the first class period. Then, once a month, add new buddies. Later during the year, the teacher simply says “Crazy Dance Partner”.

Meet Me in the Middle:

• Hammer fists: Top hands touch bottom, then switch

• Jumping high 5 left, then high 5 right

• Jump and turn 360

• 3 jumping jacks in sync

• Elbow turn right, then left

• Create Your Own

Partner Tag – 3-6 Recess Activities 

• Do 3 jumping jacks, then your partner moves away

• Use the 2 finger peace tag.

Offense/Defense & Walking Tag

• Pickle Tag

• Knee Tag

Movement: Skip around the gym.

Parachute Activities

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  • Lay the parachute out on the groundparachute
  • Each color team finds the panels of the parachute that matches their color teams: Red, Blue, Yellow, Green
  • Roll the parachute under their fingers and grip firmly. No need to use the handles. This will spread the kids out and give you a simple way to move groups of kids by saying, “Those of you holding a (chose a color) panel, go under the parachute and find a different panel”.

Ocean Waves:  Shake the chute

  • Grip: Roll the chute under your fingers for a firm grip.
  • Big Waves: Students make big waves by shaking the chute.
  • Add balls and try to bounce them off

Color Panel Run: (Color Panel style)

  • Grip: Roll the chute under your fingers for a firm grip.
  • Cue: Shoe tops, Lift up as high as you can, pull back…
  • Leader calls out one of the four colors and the people holding that panel run underneath to the other side and take a different panel of the same color.
  • Keep calling out colors until everyone completes a turn.

Dome (Igloo) 

  • Grip: Roll the chute under your fingers for a firm grip.
  • Cue: Shoe tops, Lift up as high as you can, pull back…
  • When the teacher sees that the chute is high and pulled back well:
  • Teacher says, “Go under and immediately sit inside the chute, while keeping the chute stretched out tight”.
  • Once inside, the teacher can let the class scoot forward and the chute will get taller.
  • Optional Panel color exchange: When the teacher calls out a color, people sitting on that color can get up in the middle and exchange places with other people with the same color.

Climb the Bubble (Color panel style)

  • Teacher says, “Shoe tops, 1,2,3, lift up as high as you can, pull back..
  • SNAP the parachute down
  • Put their knees on top on the outside of the chute (You should have a giant bubble in the middle).
  • Teacher calls color teams one at a time and says to “Climb the bubble!” All of the students from that color team crawl on top  of the chute until the bubble is deflated. Then they hurry back to the outside, so every color team has a turn.
  • You will have to inflate the parachute again each time.

Merry Go Round Color Panel Run: (Color Panel style)

  • Everyone hold the panels with your left hand on your color panel.
  • Start walking (skipping?) and stretch the chute out
  • Call out a color, ie. “RED”
  • When their color is called, they let go of the parachute and run forward (the same way the chute is moving) and step into the next available color panel.
  • Continue walking and calling out the four different color until everyone has had a chance to move.

Shark Attack Spark Style:

  • Class stands holding the parachute waist high. Make ocean waves by moving the parachute up and down.
  • Chose one panel color to be the sharks. They go under the chute and place their hands above their head to simulate a shark’s fin above the water.
  • Shark should slide step or do the grapevine near the rim of the parachute  for one lap before they begin swimming and moving back and forth and underneath the parachute. They should be cruising around and looking for ankles to bite.
  • On the teacher’s signal, “Bite” The sharks grab the ankles of someone who is standing  while holding the parachute.  The sharks take their place and the bitten people become sharks. Once you’ve been bitten you are immune from a being attacked by a shark until everyone has had a turn.
  • Continue until everyone has a turn being a shark.

 Traditional Shark Attack:

  • Class sits with legs underneath parachute.
  • One panel color will be the lifeguards. They will stay outside of the parachute and try save
  • students that get pulled under by the sharks.
  • Another panel color will be the sharks under the parachute. Give each shark a frisbee to
  • hold above their head under the chute.
  • When someone is pulled under the parachute by the shark, they will exchange the frisbee
  • to the new shark.
  • The “old shark” will replace the person they pulled under on the outside of the chute.

Additional Activities:

  • Picture Perfect: Start the same as igloo, but cover your head, so you can see everyone’s face while under the parachute.
  • Mushroom: Start the same as igloo, but this time everyone step forward and walk forward so the the parachute rises in the air.

Balloons

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Balloons

Move around the gym with music and try these patterns of tapping your balloon into the air with various body parts.

  • Foot – Hand – Finger – Elbow
  • Knee – Head – Shoulder – Thumb

Pattern A

  • Hand – Foot – Foot
  • Shoulder – Hand – Hand
  • Head – Thumb – Thumb – Knee – Finger -Finger

Pattern B

  • Hand – Foot – Foot
  • Shoulder – Hand – Hand
  • Head – Thumb – Thumb
  • Knee – Finger – Finger

Pattern C

  • Head – Shoulder – Hand
  • Hand – Knee – Foot
  • Thumb – Elbow – Foot
  • Finger – Knee – Foot

Patterns Right/Left

  • Hand – Hand
  • Foot – Foot
  • Fingers – Fingers
  • Knee – Knee

Balloon Finger Balance

  • Try balancing a balloon on the end of your finger.
  • Have a competition to see who can do it for the longest.
  • The balloon must not be held, only balanced, and it must not be tapped.
  • The finger must be in direct contact with the balloon at all times.

Balloon Juggle

  • Each team (6-8 per team) is given one balloon each with two additional ones.
  • They are to try and keep all of the balloons in the air.
  • Even more balloons may be added to increase the challenge.

Balloon Juggle Memory Game

  • Each team (6-8 per team) decide on the order by calling out the name of someone in their group (it’s best if it is not passed to the person next to them)
  • Balloons may be added to increase the challenge.

Balloon Partner Volleyball

  • Inflate to medium or medium-low pressure, so the balloon “floats” only a bit but not too much.
  • Stand facing a partner across a line on the floor of the gym.
  • One person serves the balloon by throwing the balloon in the air and hitting it with an open hand across the line. Try to use volleyball techniques, such as the  pass, set, kill, or serve to hit the balloon back and forth across the line
  • If someone allows the balloon to touch the floor on their side, the person on the other side of the net scores a point.
  • Play first person to 5 points, and then start again.
  • You are allowed to touch the balloon more than once on your side.

Balloon Tennis Skills  (Use foam paddles or badminton rackets)

  • Each person in class has a paddle or racket and a balloon.  Start at your individual gym home space.
  • Can you?
    • Starting with the balloon in front of you, can you tap the balloon with an underhand motion without moving your feet. How many taps.
    • Now put the balloon above your head and try tapping the balloon straight up.
    • Forehand, backhand,

Balloon Tennis Game

  • Stand facing a partner across a line on the floor of the gym.
  • One person serves the balloon by throwing the balloon in the air and tapping it with the racket. Try to use tennis techniques, such as the  forehand, backhand, and serve.
  • If someone allows the balloon to touch the floor on their side, the person on the other side of the net scores a point.
  • Play first person to 5 points, and then start again.
  • You are allowed to touch the balloon more than once on your side.

Balloon Over/Under Relay

  • The object of this game is to get your team to the opposite end of the gym by passing a balloon.
  • Teams line up in relay team formation.
  • The balloon is passed overhead to the person in back of them.
  • That person now passes the balloon through their legs to the next person who leans down and picks it up then passes it overhead to the person standing in back of them.
  • When the last pass  is made that person runs to the front of the line and passes the balloon overhead and the pattern continues.
  • The team will eventually move their whole team to the opposite end of the gym.

Balloon Tap Race

  • Equipment : Balloon for each team,
  • Six teams lined up in shuttle relay style. Half of each team is lined up at one end of the gym and the other half at the the starting line at the opposite end of the gym.
  • Each half of each team decides on an order so everyone touches the balloon when tapping the ballon in the air, so everyone has an equal turn.

Partner Balloon Tap Race

  • Equipment : Balloon for each team
  • Six teams lined up in shuttle relay style. First two people on each team line up facing each other with one balloon between them. You may want to require the slide step while doing this.
  • Tap the balloon back and forth between each other until your feet cross the center line reach the center line. Then return back to your line by passing.
  • Pass the balloon to the next two people in line and the relay continues until everyone has had at least one turn. You could also  set a limit of two to five minutes and see how many turns they can get.