Jump Around Warm Up
Grade Level: K-2, 3-5, 6-8
Jump Around Warm Up Play the song “Jump Around” and have students follow what you’re doing. Do different jumping variations (frog jumps, hopping on left/right, squat jumps, jumping jacks, line jumps, etc). When the chorus of the song comes on, allow students to jump however they would like.
Pac Man Locomotion
Grade Level: K-2, 3-5
Arrange the class in a scattered formation on the lines of the gym floor which will include the jump circle, foul lines, out of bounds, sidelines and possibly volleyball court lines. Use the lines like a Pac Man “game”. But they can’t pass each other or touch each other and when they meet at the lines, one of them has to go the other way. Tell the class to do these locomotor skills: run, jog, skip, leap, jump, gallop, etc. Then later, you can have a few chasers that try to tag them with a soft object. When tagged that person steps off the line and to be set free another person must tap them on the shoulder to continue….
Food Pyramid Twister
Grade Level: 3-5
Create twister spinners that have representations for each of the parts of the food pyramid. Use poly spots to create a twister mat on top of the tumbling mats. Have students take turns being the spinner, and trying to maintain their balance while placing their hands and feet on the spots that represent the appropriate parts of the food pyramid.
Food Basket Ups
Grade Level: K-2
Arrange students in small groups of 3-4, and give each group a mat. Arrange mats in a circle formation. Practice egg rolls, bread stick rolls (log rolls), and butter churns. After a practice session where feedback is given, have players each choose a different kind of food roll, and huddle at the center of the mat. Then the teacher calls out one kind of food, and all players who have chosen that food roll out from the middle. If the teacher calls out “Food Basket Upset!” all of the players roll out.
Foursquare Volley
Grade Level: 6-8
Use tape to make the foursquare courts. The courts should consist of one large square (about 10×10 ft) that is then divided into four separate squares inside the large one. Each square will be designated a title: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Dessert. The object of the game is to progress from the breakfast square, to the lunch square, to the dinner square, and finally to the dessert square. Students should try to stay in the dessert square as long as possible by not getting “out”. Students will volley a ball to one another by bouncing it into another player’s square. That player must then volley the ball into another player’s square. If the player misses another player’s square, or if they allow the ball to bounce more than once in their square they are “out” and must move to the breakfast square. Each player would then rotate to the square one higher than them. If there is more than four players at a court, the remaining players will be the Chefs. The Chefs are responsible for making calls if there is a disagreement between players; they are the judge. They will rotate in at the breakfast square when someone gets “out”. The person at the Breakfast square is responsible for serving the ball by bouncing it once in their own square and then volleying it to another player’s square.
Ball Tag
Grade Level: 3-5, 6-8
Choose 4-5 players to be the taggers. Give each tagger a yarn ball. On the teacher’s signal, players try to avoid being tagged by a ball thrown by one of the taggers. If a player is tagged, they must go out of the game and throw and catch a yarn ball to themselves 10 times before re-entering. Change taggers and play again.
Alphabet Dribble
Grade Level: K-2, 3-5
Demonstrate good one-handed and two handed dribbling. Discuss cues for good performance such as dribbling with fingers, and keeping the ball at about waist height. Give students some practice time in their personal spaces. Place alphabet cards on the walls surrounding the playing area. Have students try to dribble to each card in alphabetical order. Have students begin at the letter of their first initial in order to prevent congestion.
Kick across
Grade Level: 3-5, 6-8
Two teams of players face each other across a wide area designated by lines or cones and approximately 20-30 yards across. On “Go!” players try to kick the balls across the other teams line. Players assume the roll of both goalie and forward as they kick and try to defend their goal lines. One point is given for each ball the crosses the line below the knees.
Volley Spud
Grade Level: 3-5, 6-8
Form small groups of students, and have each team form a circle. Each group has a ball, and each player is given a number. Teams must have each player volley the ball in the order of their numbers: i.e..; 1, 2, 3, 4, etc. For every successfully completed round the team gets a point.
Clear the Yard
Grade Level: K-2, 3-5, 6-8
Class will be divided into two equal groups · Object of the game is to throw the spherical objects from your side of the yard onto the opposing teams yard · After the set amount of time, teams will count up how many pieces of “trash” are on their side of the yard
Pathway Striking
Grade Level: 3-5
Remind students about the various pathways; straight, curvy, zigzag, and circular. Have each student use streamers to create a pathway on the floor, and the other students try to recreate (by pushing an object with a stick or wand) the same pathway next to the one on the floor.
Everybody Catch (or Roll)
Grade Level: K-2, 3-5
Place a large number of balls all around the playing area. Instruct players that they are to try to successfully roll and catch a ball with every other person in the class. If the students are excelling at rolling, then the task can be made more difficult by having the the students throw the ball underhand towards each other. Have players sit down when they think they are done. Set a time limit and play again.