MY FAVORITE ACTIVITIES

TOP TEN

LEAD UP GAMES / ACTIVITIES:

INTERMEDIATE/MIDDLE SCHOOL GRADES

DYNAMITE - place a cage ball in the center of a square formation as this is the dynamite. Give each student some type of ball to throw at the dynnamite to force it over to another teams line. The cage ball can't be touched by any student as this results in a score , too. As a variation , place several objects in the center to impede the progress of the ball and for more throwing accuracy(cones , boxes, ropes , etc.)

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SQUARE HOCKEY - give ach student a hockey stick and wiffleball . Place an inflated ball in the center that must be hit with the appropriate shot to move it to another teams line. If the ball passes the line , is touched by a person or stick counts as a score. Utilize different type of hockey shots each time

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KNOCKOUT- place 3-4 students at each of six b-ball hoops.Start with two students opposite each other with one ball each. On command they dribble 3 times , hit b-balls and try to make a basket first. Anybody that wins three times in a row challenges the others who have done the same.

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NEVER OUT- make 2 or 3 games at once on the b-ball court that will be divide by cones . Make two bases(home-second) at each area. The "batter/kicker/.thrower must run only two bases. Any ball that is stopped by a fielder is thrown to a designated :pitcher: At that point he runner(s)must freeze. There are no outs and switch places every 3 minutes. Challenge other groups form the other two areas in around robin activity.

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BEAT THE CLOCK- pace 4-6 balls on a contac line about 20 feet away. Pre-design a circuit of activities to perform basic tumbling and challenge skills. Here are the circuit activities:

•   Log roll

•   Crawl through a series of hoops placed in traffic cones

•   Long jump into a series of hoops(4)

•   Jump on and off a vault buck

•   Jump to each side of a balnce beam

•   Crawl under a 3 foot bar and over a folded mat

Butthe first person runs to the ball and it must be returned and passed to each player and replaced on the deck ring. At this point , the students take off in all directions and perform one skill and return in the least amount of time. Chose a new leader each time.

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WALL BALL - make 10 -12 courts with traffic cones separating the area. Each student has a tennis ball that they bouce hard off the floor and against the wall. The receiving opponent must catch the ball before it hits the floor. The thrower must keep the ball in between the cones or it is an out. Any catch is an out and after 3 outs switch positions. Challenge other courts for more variety.

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FOUR NET VOLLEYBALL- set up the net plus attach two more to the center until the nets form a quadrant. The serve must go to an opposite section . The ball then can be returned into any of three sections for a score. As a start up the ball may be tossed first to insure proper technique and teamwork . OR , play two sepatate games at once with each team facing each other. Use beachballs , trianers or balzacs with adapted rules.(one bounce , innumberable hits , etc.)

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CAPTURE THE BALL - place two teams on each side of the midcourt line with rip tags for each player. Give out numbers 1,2,3 on each side. Place footballs on each endline(3-4). Call one number to run through the opposing area , take the ball and try to toss it back over the midline to a teammate for a score. The two numbers not called must try and rip off the runners. If ripped just go back to their own side and go again. Call a new number each time. First catch is the winner and any ball that is dropped stays out of play.

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VEST TAG- give a different colored vest for each of four teams. Call one number to tag any of the three other colors. If tagged , then wait in a holding cell for a high five from another teammate. Call a new color each time. As a variation keep track of the least amount of time to capture all of one color.

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DOUBLE LINE SOCCER - divide two teams with one each as goalies on either contact line and the remaining teammates on the midcourt line. The goalies are placed between two cones. The players meet with one ball between two opponents. On command , they will try to score any wayward ball throught he opponents goalies below head level. Switch places often .

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Click on this link for games 21-31 :

http://topten.blogspot.com

Earth ball: Place four groups on each of four lines in a square formation equipped with 4- 6 balls . In the center set up a Kin Ball that must be hit and forced over to another team or touch another student from that team. Any ball that is left in the center must be run back and thrown from the start line. For integration activities call the Kin Ball the earth and the ball , the meteors, to instill a program that uses core subject material.(GAME#32)

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Sun/moon: Line up the calss on the parallel lines made near the jump circle of the b-ball court. Make an object from a pizza box cardboard with foil on one side and black on the other. Flip the object in the air and when it lands the color constitutes who will be chased and who will tag. If it lands on the "moon" they must run away from the "sun". If tagged , they go into a designated box and must answer a question correctly to be free to play again. Repeat the process about 10 times .(#33)

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BOX BALL: Place four teams on each of the four lines in a square formation . Place a box of balls for each team at one end of the line and another at the other end that is empty. On a signal , the balls are takes from the box one at a time , and passed until all have ended up in the empty box. Repeat the process but changs the type of pass or position of the players(sit , lay down , etc.) or the ball movement(dribbling){#34}

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BEAN BAG TAG: Chose half the class to be equppied with bean bags . The other half must run away from the bean bag team. The bean bag team will chase after the other group and slam the bean bag on another teams foot. At this point , that person must place the bean bag on their foot and flip it up to catch it . If successful they return to the game. Make sure to have extra bean bags in a safe area or use the discarded ones after a successful try. Switch positions often.(#35)

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Monster ball: Place four teams at diagonal positions lined up one behind the other at each corner of the gym/b-ball court. Start with a bowling pin at the jump center circle and one b-ball each for an opposing team facing each other. The first person bowls the ball and tries to hit the bowling pin. If missed , their teammates waiting in the other corner will have a try. Go to the end of the line after each bowl. If the pin is hit , all members of that team will try to make as many b-ball shots as they can while the other team is still trying to knock over the pin. Place extra b-balls at each hoop for more participation. As a variation , the team that didn't hit the pin leaves their area and face each other at a designated foul area. They must bounce pass up and down the line and at that time , the shooters must stop. Count the number of baskets and repeat the process.(#36)

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FRISBBE TOSS: Place 6- 8 teams of students in the following order: Place one student(#1) with a hula hoop about 3-5 feet away from the starting line. The other student(#2) tries to toss the frisbee through the hoop. Student(#3) waits for the frisbee behind the hoop and tries to catch it. When caught the sudents switch positions until the frisebee travels the entire floor from endline to endline. Then repaet coming back to the starting line. The tosser exchanges with the hoop person , the hoop person becomes the catcher and the catcher becomes the thrower.(#37)

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BACK to BACK: Divide the class into partners with equal size on the center/midcourt line in a sitting position back to back. On a signal , each person will try to push the other to a designated line for a win. After each try match up winners abd the non-winners until all have had a turn with another person . Match up boys with boys , and vice-versa.(#38)

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MAT CRASH: Place tumbling mats on end throughout the area of the gym with a pinnie placed on top to differentiate the teams. Only one person may be placed at each mat to guard that area but the guard must be in a crab position . Make a "crease" area to keep opposing players out. The other players will be on scooters that will try to kick the Kin Ball or cage ball into the mat to try to knock it over. Change goalies often or use more than one ball .(#39)

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Corner exchange: Place the students in groups of three who must always be attached by holding hands or wrists. These players will start at each corner of the area. Chose a group of three to be "It" and the remaining players in an area to be ready to play.On the signal(5-4-3-2-1 blast off) all players must run to another corner before the "its" can. The group without the corner fgoes to the waiting line and the next three from the waiting area become the "its". (#40)

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TIRES: Place 8-10 tires(used) on the center line of the b-ball court. The tires should be reinforced at the inside edges with duct tape,etc. for safety. The object is to try to pull your opponent to a designated area. As a variation , use more than one player against each other and make it a partner challenge but try to maych up according to size and sexual pfreference. All winners will challenge and non-winners , too , so at one time the strudents will proably win at least once.(#41)

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Objective: To encourage a lifetime of fitness

To incorporate ideas and activities that not only can be utilized at school but also the entire family through skills , integration and PR

GERRY'S TOP TEN

GAME ONE - THREE:

BUMPER CARS- give each student a hula hoop in a scattered formation but if there aren't enough hoops then share a hoop with no more than two persons in a hoop. Establish three different colors to differentiate teams. Call one color to try and bump the other two colors while each student shuffles in their hoops. If bumped that student must wait for another teammate to bump them and return to the activity. Call a new color each time and repeat the process .

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DONKEY KONG- place the entire class into a large circle about hands distant apart. The teacher stands in the center with a rope abd jug or makeshift swinger that will pass under the students feet . Each student must jump over the jug and not accrue an established number of hits. Swing the jug in different directions and speeds for more variety. As a variation the students may line up in a spoke wheel formation and after each turn go to the end of the line and wait until the next turn .

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TRADES - place one team on a contact line to be chasers and the other team waits at the other line about 30 feet apart. Tell one group a trade or pantomine activity that the other group must guess in secret. That group comes down to the other contact line about 6-8 feet away. They then act out the skill or activity while the other team tries to guess what they are doing. If guessed , they chase after that whole group before the contact line has been passed. Exchange placed after 4-5 tries and repeat the process.

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GAME 4-6:

GIVE ME THE ASPRIN - the class is in ascattered formation with 3 different playballs . This is defined as the poison ball . Place an extra ball in the center of the gym as the (aspirin ball). The students with the playball will try to touch as many other runners as possible. Ig touched thatpersom must sit down. Another student must take the aspirin and roll it/bounce or toss the aspirin to that player. But that playe rmay not re-enter the activity until he/she passes to another tagged person. Change new taggers each time.

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PACMAN- place the students on all the lines made by the volleyball and b-ball court. Chose 2-3 pacmen to chase the others who all must stay on the lines. If tagged , that person must get off the line a few steps and wait for another "helper" to give them a high five before returning. Change the locomotor skills and/or add dribbling a ball for the pac-men for more variety.

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SPACE STATIONS- align the students into groups of three with one person inside a hula hoop and the other two outside. On the word "Blast off" each inside person must get to a new hoop(outside students lift hoop higher ). Chose 2-3 students without a hoop that must fill the inside of the hoop before the others. Switch places until all had a turn to be inside and out of the hoop.

GAME 7-10:

FREDDY KRUEGER - after a tumling unit practice- place 5-6 mats in a straight line or diagonal line. All students will be on a contact line waiting theur turn to run and jump from mat to mat without touching the gym floor. Chnage the distance after each turn but the fun is the story before the runs. At each bare spot on the floor is the weird man with the sharp claws and ugly face from the movie character. If the floor is touched they must go to Freddy's nightmare or (hospital) to have their recuperation. As a variation place cones on the mats(fire) , fold some matsdungeon steps) or place various objects on each mat(old bones, etc.)

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STORY TIME- after a tumbling unit and mimetic skills , the students must act out the skills in a story play. Place mats appropriately or perform skills that are safe on the gym floor. Such as this scenario:

Once aupon a time my(DOG) and I went for a walk in the woods. The eerie sounds of the (bullfrog) scared us until we tripped and rolled down the hill like a (log). As we looked up a big(bear) ran near our fall . As we ran away , the(snakes ) were no friends of ours. Running into the creek bed a (crab) pinched at our heels. We scurried to a musical sound of a nearby circus. We were glad to watch the (seals)trainer with a big whip.

We felt safe until the whopping(cranes) chased us near the (kangaroo) bin.....At this time , everybody do their favorite story character !!!

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NOVELTY TAG- this may be played at any time of the year by interchanging the cast of characters each season. Place the students in a square formation. Give each line a holiday name(turkeys, pumpkins, Indians, mashed potatoes, etc.) Call one group to tag in the center while the others are called one name at a time to run to the other side of the floor. If tagged return to the start line and if made stay on the other contact line. Call a new group each time until al had a turn.

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PARACHUTE PLAY- align the class around the parachute . Place a series of balls on the chute. The students try to pop off the balls while an assigned group waits behind the players who are popping off the playballs. The object is to catch the ball (s) before it bounces twice. Any ball left on th chute scores for the outside players. Repeat until all assigned groups had a turn off the chute.

	•	Sharks- chose 2-3 students under the chute to try to tag the feet of the "swimmers". Chose 2-3 "lifeguards" to set the swimmers free if tagged. Switch placeds often.

	•	B-ball - place two hoops or old bile tires on the chute. Place two different colored balls(one for each team) that must land in the hoop for a score.

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Umbrella- Give each group an assigned number. That number must walk under the chute and freeze after 3 steps. The others will release the chute on signal and trap the others under the umbrella.

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SIGN GAME :

Arrange the students in a scattered formation and designate 2-3 taggers. On a given signal the taggers will try to tag as many students as possible. When tagged that student is given a locomotor skill to perform by using the given sign that was learned before the activity started. If another student sees the tagged student stopping and signing , then that student is touched , but, to continue in the game must perform a different locomotor skill during the prescribed time limit. After about a minute , chose new taggers and repeat the process. Here are the appropriate hand sign languages to be practiced :

FOR EXAMPLE : If a student is tagged , then they must perform the learned sign in place. When another student sees that , they touch them to free them to continue in the game. If the "tagee" was signing for (JUMP), then they would have to jump until that round of game ends. Try to encourage new locomotor/signs each time.

JUMP
The two fingers on the hand that is moving represents the legs of a person. The movement of the sign indicates a person jumping.
HOP
The V handshape represents the legs of a person. The movement of the sign indicates that someone is hopping
SKIP
The middle finger of the horizontal hand is held down. The index finger of the other hand strikes against it.
GALLOP
A combination of the sign HORSE and a sign to indicate a four-legged animal running. The forefinger and middle finger are extended downward and are bent as the hands move forward.
WALK
The 3 handshapes represents the feet. The action of the hands represents a person walking.
RUN AROUND
The forefingers circle one another as both hands move in a semicircle. This represents the concept of moving around.
BALL
The hands are holding onto a ball.(dribble a real basketball)
BALLOON
The hands outline a balloon that is being blown up.(volley a real balloon)
HAND
The hand is indicated.
Wiping action one on top
SORRY
The A handshape circles the heart to show that a person is feeling sorrow.

HERE ARE SOME DISCIPLINE TECHNIQUES:
PLAY
The Y handshapes are shook.
STOP
The edge of one hand comes down on the palm to represent something coming to a quick stop.
QUIET DOWN
The 5 handshapes move straight down and then are held for a moment to show that someone is not moving.<br>

TRASHBALL
Equipment needed – 1 soft sided Gator ball, 2 sets of jerseys, 2 large trash can Game – needs to be played in a gym Objective of the game – to pass the ball to teammates and to try to hit the other team’s trash can Rules – Start of the game or after every point there needs to be a jump ball in the middle of the gym. All members of your team have to be on their own side of the floor unit the ball has been tossed into the air. Once in possession of the ball you may only take one dribble, one step or hold the ball for three seconds before you have to throw the ball. No one can interfere with your arm while you are throwing the ball (Penalty shot) No physical or rough play (Penalty shot) If the ball lands on the floor either team may pick it up – no sliding or diving All players must stay out of the goalie box area If the trash can is hit in anyway shape or form with the ball then a point is awarded to the team (this includes bouncing it off of the wall or the ground) Penalty shot – as a result of physical/rough play a penalty shot will be awarded. This shot takes place from the ½ court line and must hit the trash can in the air (no bouncing or rolling the ball) NO GOALIE during the penalty shot. Goalie – There is a 10 x 10 square around the trash can that is called the goalie box. No one may enter, cross or reach into the goalie box except for the goalie. The goalie may not exit or reach out of the box and must try to defend the entire trash can (Very difficult to do). This has become a very fast paced exciting game that kids enjoy. It works very well in conjunction with team handball or activities where you are trying to teach passing and moving and incorporate different types of strategies.
Give it try! William Withrow Physical Education Teacher
Redoubt Elementary in Soldotna Alaska