FIRST GRADE – STX Ball

EXPLORING RUNNING AND DODGING MOVEMENTS: This unit includes a sub unit of locomotion. You will explore the locomotor movements of Running, Dodging, Leaping, Skipping, Galloping and Sliding Sideways as well as other forms of traveling. In this lesson you will refine the skills of running and dodging. There are many activities in the book that you can use. There is a lesson in the book for exploring running and dodging movements. Part 1 – Warm up with a cooperative game of “Frozen Bean Bag”. Part 2 – Introduce the concept of running and dodging. Be sure to include a verbal description of them both. Explain the difference between walking and running. During this portion of the lesson, you should give your students tasks that will allow them to use running in a variety of directions and levels. Encourage your class to use the whole space as they move around general space. This is also a good time to reinforce traveling to open spaces. Part 3 – This portion of the lesson should allow your students to practice running and dodging. There are activities in the book, and there are games you can play that encourage dodging. You could even create a routine using dodging and running, incorporating the North, West, East, and South station cards.

EXPLORING SKIPPING GALLOPING AND SLIDING SIDEWAYS: Part 1 – Set up a game or activity that uses the cards North, West, East and South. This could even be a variation of Four Corners. Use your compass to accurately set the directions in place. Part 2 – There are activities in the book that work on these three skills. They are all very similar, and it is possible that your not all your students will be able to skip yet. Encourage them to all try, and later, be sure to give them an option of skipping or galloping when doing the part three. Part 3 – There are some creative activities in the sheet that covers exploring skipping, galloping and sidestepping. Allow your students to do some of the partner work as it is described in the activity.

EXPLORING LEAPING: Part 1 – Locomotor tag. The color that will be the callers will choose how the class must travel around the space. If the student’s flag is taken, they must go to a hoop on the side of the field and do a fitness exercise for a designated amount of time or repetitions. The taggers must travel the same way they have the players travel. After a couple of minutes, switch the color of the taggers and let them choose the new locomotor skill that will be used. Part 2 – Teach and refine the skill of leaping. There is an activity in the book as well as descriptions of the skill and activities that you can use to teach and refine the skill. There is an activity called “Leap Away” in the book. DO NOT USE THIS ACTIVITY. It has the students leaping over each other. Set this activity up so that the students leap over something else, not people. (FYI: Also, you should never divide your class or teams by gender.) Part 3 – There are some cool ideas in the book, you can set up stations or you can set up creative activities to have the students practice leaping.

LARGE PARACHUTE PLAY: Part 2/3 – Review parachute basics and safety with your class. There are various ways and activities that you can use to begin parachute activities. There is a video that you can watch to see basic activities and get an idea for set up. Any activities that ask the students to move ON the parachute should only be done in the grass or in the gym. DO NOT allow the students to move on top of the parachute while it is on the black top. Also NEVER carry or lift students on the parachute. There is music available with a narrator on the Rhythm and Moves, Movement CD #3. Begin talking about safety and how to handle the parachute. The Parachute Play skills introduce a couple skills per session. You can review some of the skills that you did with kindergarten this lesson

LARGE PARACHUTE PLAY: Part 2/3 – Review parachute basics and safety with your class. There are various ways and activities that you can use to begin parachute activities. There is a video that you can watch to see basic activities and get an idea for set up. Any activities that ask the students to move ON the parachute should only be done in the grass or in the gym. DO NOT allow the students to move on top of the parachute while it is on the black top. Also NEVER carry or lift students on the parachute. There is music available with a narrator on the Rhythm and Moves, Movement CD #3. Begin talking about safety and how to handle the parachute. The Parachute Play skills introduce a couple skills per session. You can review some of the skills that you did with kindergarten this lesson

THROWING TO THE AIR AND CATCHING, TO SELF: Part 1 – Bridge Tag. Part 2 – Throwing the beanbag to the air, and catching it. There is a lesson in the book in the kindergarten section. It is ok to use the same lesson for this activity. Part 3 – Practice throwing and catching to self, doing tricks before catching the ball.

THROWING AND CATCHING WITH THE SCOOPER: Part 1 – Clean up your backyard with scoopers and yarn balls and whiffle balls. Part 2 – Give each student a yarn ball and a scooper. Have the students start by throwing the ball into the air with their free hand, and then catch the ball with the scooper. Talk about the concept of protecting the ball with your free hand as it falls into the scooper. Part 3 – Set up at least six stations that you can practice throwing yarn balls, bean bags and whiffle balls with the scoopers at targets.

PARTNER WORK, THROW AND CATCH WITH SCOOPER: Part 1 – Stations that work on throwing with the scoopers. Part 2 – Practice throwing and catching with a partner. Be sure to review the points of catching and using two hands. Use whiffle balls, and explain the act of catching the ball on a bounce or a roll (in case the throw from the partner is not perfect!) Part 3 – Move and catch. Set up situations so that the partners will throw and catch on the run.