The “Death Star”

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The “Death Star”
 

State Standard: 1, 3, & 4
Equipment: Cageball (or Fitness Balls) and Playground Balls.  Grade: 3-5 (K-2 possibly)
Purpose of Event: Throwing at moving targets & Teamwork
Time: 18-25 minutes

 

Organization:  Divide the class into two teams and have them line up along their chosen sideline. Mark an area about 30 feet wide across the center of the playing area, with the cageball aka “Death Star” in the center.

Description: “Death Star”: The two teams are the Dark Side vs. The Force. In May, we play this game for “May the 4th Be With You.”  The game’s objective is to throw the playground balls at the Death Star (Darth Vador’s Spaceship), forcing it across the line in front of the opposing team.  Rules: Players may come up to the line but cannot move into the center area, and no one is allowed to touch the Death Star at any time. If balls become caught in the center, students can go retrieve a ball, but they must return to their throwing zone. If the Death Star crosses over to the opposing team’s side, that team wins. The game stops, and that particular team must perform an exercise. The game starts over with the Death Star starting back in the middle of the gym. 

Variations: We use the Yoga Balls with medium-sized gator-skin balls for K-2 students. For 3-5 grades we use the cageball with playground balls.

Instead of just one cageball/yoga ball have multiple (5-6). More opportunity for students throw at the Death Star.  
Concerns:

  • Be safe while throwing the balls. Students are not allowed to throw the balls at one another. Students need to be aware of the ricochet from the playground balls off the cageball.
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Pass Me The Spider (or Chicken)

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Pass Me The Spider (or Chicken)
 

State Standard: 1, 3, & 4
Equipment:  2 noodles, 2 stuffed spiders (chickens)
 Grade: K-2
Purpose of Event: Work on Catching, Throwing, Movement, Locomotor, Personal/General Space
Time: 10-25 minutes
Description:
Select 2 students to start with the noodles, they will be freezing people.  Two students will start with the spiders, the spiders will “thaw-out” frozen students and allow them to move again.  Spiders will be passes to someone who is frozen, so they will change hands often.  

If you are frozen, you must sit and say, “please pass me the spider” to a student with a spider.  The student with the spider will then pass it off.  Spiders should be moving to different people all the time so no one stays frozen for more than a few seconds.  If the spider is in your hands, you can not be frozen.  After about a minute, switch the students with the noodles.

Start the game by walking, and then change to different locomotor skills as the game progresses and they get the hang of it.
Concerns: Moving safely in general and personal space
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Battleship

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Battleship
 

State Standard: 1, 3
Equipment:  Several gator-skin balls, folding mats, 25-30 foam pins Grade: K-5 
Purpose of Event: Manipulation, Control, Team Play

Organization: Form two equal teams with each team starting in its half of the gym. Stand the folding mats up and put them on the half court line. One team on each side on the mats. Each side will setup 12 bowling pins on their side of the mat.

Battleship:

  1. Each side will throw dodgeballs over the mats trying to knock down the pins on the other side.
  2. If you catch a ball that is thrown over the mat, you get to leave your side of the mat and take a lap around the other side. You can throw the ball you caught at their pins (you only throw one ball). After you throw your ball continue running until you have made your half lap. If you catch another ball, run around to the other side and throw again.
  3.  The teams can guard their pins.
  4. When you only have one pin left…only 1 person can guard that pin.
  5. The team that knocks over all the other teams pins wins.
  6. Set up and play again.
Concerns:  Must be able to move in general space safely and while on the scooters. Be careful when trying to strike the hockey puck that nobody is around the shooter. 
This idea is from:  Kathy Wait (Sioux Falls, SD). Original Idea: Ben Prillio = Teach Physed. 

 

Hit The Ball

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Hit The Ball

State Standard: 2 & 3
Equipment: ball per student, (koosh ball and nerf ball per pair) lots of wall space Grade: K-5
Purpose of Event: Work on throwing under and over hand, Hand-eye coordination, Timing, Aiming, Team work
Time: 15-20 minutes
Description: 
One partner stands near the wall and tosses the nerf ball into the air. the other partner throw his/her koosh ball attempting to hit the tossed ball. Alternate who throw which ball, about every 5 tosses. Need to focus on team work.

**Could be a possible station activity for K-2 students.**
Concerns: Make sure the person throwing the koosh ball is throwing at a wall so it stays safe. Have lots of room between partners.
This idea is from: WOW Workshop

Hit The Spot

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Hit The Spot

State Standard: 1, 2 & 3
Equipment: Ball (nerf) and poly spot per pair of students Grade: K-5
Purpose of Event: Work on throwing under and over hand, Hand-eye coordination, Timing, Aiming, & Teamwork
Time: 15-20 minutes
Description:
Line up students in a double line about 10-15 feet apart, facing their partners. Place a poly spot between them. Objective is to throw the ball and have it hit the spot.

Each of these 5x’s and then continue to next, can also switch partners if you would like: Start by having the students standing and throw; then Jump up and throw while in the air; 3 steps and throw; 3 steps jump and throw. (Even with the steps, they should still be 10-15′ from the poly spot.) Increase distance as skill improves.

**Could be a possible station activity for K-2 students.**
Concerns: Have lots of space between pairs
This idea is from: WOW Workshop

Dare Ball

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Dare Ball 

State Standard: 1, 2
Equipment: Enough Polly spots for half the class, 3 soft balls Grade: 3-5
Purpose of Event: Throwing Skills and Cardiovascular Endurance.
Time: 15-20 minutes
Organization:
Divide the class into two teams. One half will go to an orange Polly spot and the other half will be divided into one of the 3 throwing lines. Once you have the 2 teams, give everyone on each team a number: 1, 2, or 3. This way when you switch, they will know which “running line” to go to.

Description: 
Each inning will consist of one team trying to score while the other team tries to get them out. When 3 “outs” are called, the two teams switch positions to finish the last half of the inning.
The fielding team is on a Polly spot. They can move off the spot to get a ball but must be ON THEIR SPOT TO THROW! If a runner is hit, it counts as an out. Players on the fielding team can toss to other fielding players, but again, both must be on their spot to throw. Once there are 3 “outs” the fielding players go to the runners and the runners become fielders
Runners: At the start of the inning, the first player in the line will throw the ball and then run in any direction to the opposite wall, touch the wall and run back to their row. Once they get back to their row without being hit by the ball from the fielding team, they slap the hand of the next person in their row and to the end of their line. They have just earned one run or point. They may run and score again before the there are out is called. If they are hit by the ball they are “out” and their run doesn’t count.
The balls are only thrown once at the start of the inning, after the first throw, it is the job of the fielders to keep the balls moving (to get runners out). One runner from each of the 3 running teams should be going all the time.
I blow the whistle when there are 3 outs and yell “switch”. Fielders go to runners and runners go to the field.
(X= ball)
(0= Polly spot)
O2 O3
1111 X O1 O3 O12222 X O1 O2
O2
3333 X O3 O1
Concerns: Move safely around the gym. Make sure students are NOT throwing the balls at each other!!!
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Alien Spaceships

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Alien Spaceships

State Standard: 1, 2, & 4
Equipment: Cageball, Exercise (stability) Ball , Poly Spots, & gator skin balls. Grade: K-3 
Purpose of Event: Throwing at a moving target, running, teamwork, & manipulation.
Time: 15-20 minutes
Organization:  Divide the class into two teams and have them line up on each side of the gym (horizontally). Spread out the cones on each side of the gym. This will act as the boundary line where the students are “safe” from the aliens.

Alien Spaceships: Start the game with several stability balls (SLIMO-Ball). Explain to the students the stability balls are the alien spaceships and the two teams must try and throw the gator-skin balls (asteroids) at the alien spaceships, forcing it the the teams side.  The two teams are trying make the alien spaceship roll over to the other teams side. No student is allowed to touch the alien spaceship otherwise they are captured by the alien. If a student comes into contact with an alien spaceship they must perform an exercise (i.e., mule kicks, ski-jumps, mountain climbers, & bell jumps) to get back in the game. 

Variations: Instead of having the students throw the asteroids they could roll it (bowling skills) and/or use some type of long-handled implement. 
Concerns: Move safely around the gym. Make sure students are NOT throwing the balls at each other!!!
This idea is from: My take on the @CoachPirillo activity: Space Invaders. 

 

Crazy Baseball

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Crazy Baseball
 

State Standard: 1, 2, 3, & 4
Equipment: 1 bat/racquet, ball set of bases for each pair of teams (I have enough room to have 3 games going on at once, so I need 3 of everything, my gym is about 70′ X 40″) I use Polly-spots for bases and Koosh balls/paddles
 Grade: 3-8
Purpose of Event: Work on baseball/softball skills, Throwing, striking, catching, running with minimal standing around
Time: 15-20 minutes
Description:

Divide into teams of  3 or 4.  One team goes to the field the other is up to bat.  I have 6 teams playing, so I always have 3 batting teams and 3 fielding teams. Remind the kids, they are only playing their batters, don’t worry about the other games going on beside you.  One fielding student needs to be at each base (if you have teams of 4, the fourth player starts at the pitching position, and after the ball is batted, covers home).  The batter pitches to them self, and then runs AROUND ALL of the bases.  (I stress running around, because I use Polly-spots as bases and their isn’t a lot of extra room.)  The runner runs around all the bases, everything is a home run.  They do not stop at any base. While the batter is running, the fielding team, gets the ball, throws it to first, then second, then third then home.  If the fielding team gets the ball “home” before the runner gets home, the batting team doesn’t get a point/run.  If the runner gets “home” before the ball, the batting team earns a point/run.  If the ball is caught, it is not an out, it has to be thrown to the bases in order, every time.  After all 3 or 4 batters have batted one time, they go to the field, and the fielding team bats.  If your teams only have 3 players, have the first base player cover home, AFTER they throw the ball to second.

I let them play for about 5 minutes and then switch the teams, so they are playing other teams.  This game rewards great throws and catches, and gets them running and moving.  The batters only are waiting for 2-3 other batters, so they aren’t in line forever and bat every inning.  Fielders always get the ball, and they all have to throw and catch.

I have also used scoops to catch with for that unit!  Really a challenge!  Have them do all of the catching/throwing/”batting” with the scoops and see how they do!
Concerns: Don’t throw the bat!  Make sure to have space between each field.  Don’t let teams purposely interfere with other games. Use soft balls, lots of action!
This idea is from: SHAPE America 2018 National Convention: Nashville, TN

 

Move The Mountain

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Move The Mountain

State Standard: 1, & 3
Equipment: Cageball or Omnikin Ball, Music, Lots of little balls
 Grade:  K-2
Purpose of Event:  Throwing & Aiming
Time: 20-25 minutes
Description:
Divide class into two groups, each team line up behind its starting line (each on one side of the gym).  The objective is to throw the smaller balls at the Earth Ball and hit it so that is moves past the other teams goal line.   
I use the volleyball court line, serving line (throw from); Mid-court line (place the Earth Ball here to start) and the 10′ Attack line (goal line).  One balls have been thrown, players may leave the restraining areas (serving line) to retrieve balls on their halves of the gym, but they must return to the restraining areas to throw.  When a team moves the ball across the goal line, it scores 1 point.
Concerns:  Use soft ball, Koosh work well or Dense foam balls.  Be cautious of throws.
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Snow Fort

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Snow Fort

State Standard: 1, 2, & 3
Equipment: 20+ Bowling Pins, 20-30 Foam Balls, 4-6 folding mats
 Grade:  K-2
Purpose of Event:  Throwing over hand, Opposite foot forward, Using correct throwing skills
Time: 20-25 minutes
Description:

Divide class into 2 groups; one group one each half of the gym.  Each area has a snow fort (mats) and 10-15 snowmen (bowling pins) scattered in front of each fort.  The object is for each team to throw “snowballs” and try to knock down the other team’s snowmen.  Players may leave the fort to get a ball but must throw from back on their fort.  Play until one team knocks down all of the other team’s snowmen, or 2-4 minutes. 

Move forts back or forth in playing area depending on the throwing ability of the group.  All snowmen should be placed in front of the forts.
Concerns:  Be cautious!  Use soft balls, keep the focus on throwing at the pins,
This idea is from: WOW Workshop