GRADE

TOPIC

UNIT

Kindergarten

Balance on ONE Body Part

Gymnastics

Equipment Needed

Control Cones, Stretching Station Cards, High/Medium/Low cards, Balancing Cards, Spots, PowerPoint: Weight Bearing on Large Body Parts – Week 10, 2×2 Mats, fun movement music, Music Player.

Content Standard Benchmarks or Common Core Standards

Learning Goals, Objectives, Expected Outcomes

Psychomotor

1. Travel using each of the three levels; Low, Medium and High
2. Demonstrate balances on one body part, safely on the mats

Cognitive

1. Choose one body part to balance on at least three times during part three.

Affective

1. Have Fun
2. Play Safe

ACTIVITY

PROCEDURE AND TRANSITIONS WITH MODIFICATIONS AND OR ACCOMMODATIONS

SETUP

DESCRIPTION OR DIAGRAM

Entrance Routine

Part 1

Warm-up/Review

15 minutes

Levels Hunt

“Underneath each mat is a card that shows you an example of one of the three levels.  The card also has the name of the level written next to the picture. When the music begins, you will look under the mat you are standing on.  Travel in that level to a new mat.  When you get to the new mat, look under it to see what your next level is you will use when you travel.  See if you can find out what is under every mat before the music stops. Keep going until the music stops.

 Inside a paper bag.

“How would you act if you were inside a paper bag?” Such a question can be more than enough of a reason to include an “Inside A Paper Bag” experience as a warm-up activity for primary children. Through the activity, the children will explore many ways to bend, stretch, twist, push, lift, and swing the body and body parts.

“What would it feel like to be inside a paper bag?” Encourage the students to respond with an explanation followed by a demonstration. Allow a few students to share ideas.

Create further interest and excitement by saying, “Lets pretend to be inside paper bags.”  Lead the class through a series of “Inside A Paper Bag” experiences. Continually move throughout the group to offer words of praise, assistance, and encouragement as you challenge the students with the following statements and questions. “It is dark inside the paper bag: stretch to reach in all directions as you try to feel for the inside walls of the paper bag.” “How high can you jump and stretch your arms as you try to touch the top of the paper bag?” “Swing your arms slowly then quickly from side to side…. for- ward and backward…. as you try to touch the inside walls of the paper bag.” “Can you pretend to place your hands on the paper bag and try to push your way through the bag?” “How small can you make your body as you pretend to be a rubber ball inside your paper bag?” “Can you make your rubber ball bounce up and down inside your paper bag?” Let the children know that it is all right to borrow and use an idea from a classmate. End the session by giving students opportunities to verbally and physically share their “Inside A Paper Bag” experiences. If possible, give students time to create some of the demonstrated movements. Praise all efforts and performances regardless of skill level or technique.

Transition

Part 2

New skill or concept

Balance on Single Body Parts

10-15 minutes

In this lesson your children will begin exploring the concept of Weight Bearing, specifically Balance.  This lesson focuses on balancing on large body parts, one at a time.  The children will, use individual squares, to balance on safe, single body parts. Including; Stomach, Back, Bottom, Hip, Knee & Foot.

(To the children:)

“Everyone stand up and take your weight onto your feet in a high level in your own space.”

“Look down at your feet, see how they touch the ground.  The only thing you are balancing on are your feet, because they are the only part of your body touching the ground.”

“Take your weight onto one foot.  Now you are balancing on one foot.  It’s not so easy on one foot!  You have to try to get your body to be equal over your foot. Today, you’re going to try some different balances on one body part.”

You will use the mats to balance on today.  So instead of the floor, you will balance on a mat.  You will each have your own mat, I do not want you to share mats with anyone.”

During part two, you can allow the students to move to new own spaces each time.  This will help keep them from being bored.

“When I say go, show me how you can balance on your bottom.  Your gluteus should be on the mat, and nothing else should be touching the ground or the mat!”

• “When I say go, find another mat and balance on your stomach.”
• “When I say go, find another mat and balance on your back.”
• “When I say go, find another mat and balance on your Hip.”
• “This time find another mat and balance on your foot.”

Once the students are balancing on one foot, ask them if it is easy?  Why would balancing on your foot be so easy, when it is so small?  (Because you have had a lot of practice balancing on your feet!)  To get good at balancing, you have to practice!

• “Go to a new mat and balance on one knee!”

Review the single balances by continuing to call out a body part to balance on, have your children move to a new mat each time you call out a body part to balance on.

Describe balance as holding body weight still over the base (or the body part you are balancing on). Encourage your children to hold their balances for Three to five seconds of stillness.  The base is made up of the body part(s) that are touching the mat/ground.  This is a good time to discuss that it is easier to balance on larger parts, like the back, than on smaller parts, like the knee because you have a bigger base to distribute, or spread your weight over.  You can also discuss how practice will help make balancing easier.  For example balancing on your foot, which is small, is easier than on your knee, because of practice. Provide a visual example of each of the next instructions. You can also talk about these things as the students are holding their balances waiting for the next task.

Teaching Tips:

If it is too distracting to change mats every time it’s ok to stay on the same mat for a couple balances.

Encourage the children to try to get their body evenly spread out over their base, if they feel like they are tipping one way, they need to move some of their weight, or a part of their body, away from the direction they are tipping, in order to gain balance.

Practice

10-15 Minutes

1. “When I say go, Travel to a new mat and pick one body part to balance on.  Count to five while you balance, and then you can relax” (Do this task at least three times, asking the students to pick a different body part to balance on each time.)
2. “When I say go, find a mat and pick one body part to balance on.  Count to five while you balance, after you hold it for 5 seconds, travel in a low level to another carpet square and choose another body part to balance on.  Hold that balance for 5 seconds and then sit down in your own space.” (Do this task two more times, changing the level they must travel in first using High level and then using Medium Level)
3. This time you will travel to three mats, each time you get to a mat, balance on a different single body part.  Each time you travel to a new mat, use a different level!
4. This time I want you to keep traveling and balancing until I call stop.  Each time you travel, choose a new way to travel.  Each time you balance, choose a different single body part to balance on. See if you can balance on each of the six different single body parts before I say stop!

Stretching & closure

Taking it Home

5 minutes

Choose 3 stretches to do with the class.

Review

1. What does it mean to Balance?  (Hold your body still over a base of support)
2. Name the body parts you balanced on today? (Back, Stomach, Seat, Foot, Knee, & Hip)

Turn to a person next to you and tell each other about a favorite balance you tried today.