GRADE

TOPIC

UNIT

PreK

Striking with an Implement

Games

Equipment Needed

Balloons, yarn balls, rackets, foam bats, spots, cones, music and stereo

Content Standard Benchmarks or Common Core Standards

Learning Goals, Objectives, Expected Outcomes

Psychomotor

1. Hit the balloon with their implement at least two times consecutively.
2. Look at the balloon when they strike it with their implement.
3. Demonstrate the concept that in order to send the balloon up in the air it must be tapped on the bottom.

Cognitive

1. Discuss the concept that in order to send the balloon up in the air it must be tapped on the bottom.

Affective

1. Have Fun
2. Work safely among all the students and other equipment.

ACTIVITY

PROCEDURE AND TRANSITIONS WITH MODIFICATIONS AND OR ACCOMMODATIONS

SETUP DESCRIPTION OR DIAGRAM

Entrance Routine

Part 1

Warm-up/Review

Tap n’ Travel

• As you tap your balloon, travel inside our boundaries.  Look at where you are going and at the balloon while you travel and strike the balloon.
• Travel in different ways while striking the balloon.
• Walk, Run, Gallop, Slide, Jump and Hop.  High, Low and Medium.  Backwards, Forward and Sideways.
• Travel as fast as you can while striking it under control.
• Travel as slow as you can while striking it under control.
• Hit the balloon at different levels while you travel.  Travel in a low level, listen for me to call out a new level.
• Travel in a high level and tap your balloon when the music plays.  When the music stops, freeze and think of a different level to travel in and tap your balloon, when the music starts to play again.
•  Travel in different directions while you travel.  Travel in a forward direction, listen for me to call out a new direction.
• Travel in a sideways direction when the music plays.  When the music stops, freeze and think of a different direction to travel in when the music starts to play again.

Teaching Tips:

Allow the children to work for a few minutes on each task before moving onto the next.

As the children are working; point out the students who are working safely looking where they are going and demonstrating the skill or concept you are working on.

Transition

New skill or concept

[AT]

When I say go, get a balloon and find an own space.  When you get to your own space;

Show me how you can keep your balloon up in the air by tapping the balloon with your racket.

(Demonstrate tapping or show a video of the activity to aid your English Learners and you Visual Learners)

1. GD Question: What do you look at as you tap the balloon? (The Balloon)  Command:  Look at the balloon when you tap it. It’s just like catching, except you don’t hold on to the balloon, you tap it back up!
2. GD Question:  If you want the balloon to go straight up into the air, staying above         your own space, where should your hand hit on the balloon? (Bottom) Alternate: Hit your balloon on the top.  Where does the balloon go?  Right, Down to the ground.  Now hit on the bottom.  Where does the balloon go?  Yes, it travels up above your own space.  Now hit the balloon on the side. Where does it travel to?  That’s right, it goes away from your own space. Which one worked best for keeping it up in the air above your own space?  You bet, hitting it on the bottom! Command: Keep your balloon in your own working space by tapping it right on the bottom to send it straight up in the air. 
3. GD Question: How can you make your balloon float for a longer time? (Hit it harder, with more force so it goes higher up, taking it longer to come down.) Alternate: Try hitting your balloon really soft.  Does it go up very high?  Does it take very long to come back down?  Now hit your balloon really hard.  Does it go up higher?  Does it take longer to come down?  So if you hit your balloon harder, it goes up higher and takes longer to come down. Command: If you want your balloon to stay up in the air longer; swing your arm harder, and hit the balloon with more force or power.  It will make the balloon go higher up into the air, taking it longer to come down.

Transition

Part 3

Practice

Give the students time to work on each task before moving onto the next.

• Hit the balloon using both sides of the racket/different parts of the bat.  First hit it with one side, then when it comes back down, hit it back up with the other side of the racket.
• Alternate hitting the balloon with the racket/bat and then your hand!
• Put your body in a medium level and tap the balloon with your racket. (Try all three levels)
• Walk and tap your balloon with your racket.
• Hit the balloon against a wall repetitively.
• Hit it to the same spot each time.
• Hit it to a different spot each time.
• Hit the balloon into specific shapes or colors drawn or taped on the wall.
• Hit it against the floor repetitively.
• Hit the balloon into the hoops or on the poly spots (on the floor) as you travel around inside the boundaries.
• Tap your balloon up into the air, keep tapping it while you travel to the poly spots that match your balloon.  When you get there, tap your balloon down to the poly spot.
• Tap the balloon down to the poly spot 1 time, and then start tapping it up to the air while you travel to the next poly spot.  (Continue the activity, changing the number of taps down to the poly spots)

Transition

Part 4

Stretching & closure

Taking it Home

Choose 3 stretches to do with the class.

Review

What did you look at when you were tapping the balloon with your racket?  (Balloon)

What did you look at when you were traveling and tapping the balloon? (Looking for open spaces and the Balloon)

Closure

Encourage the children to play with their family and show them the new tricks they learned with the balloons!