Starters

Important Note: The following activities can also be used as 15 minute games as well. I usually use these activities after dress out, walk and talk activity. My goal is to follow the 80/20 rule where students are participating 80 percent and the teacher talks 20 percent or under within PE or Health. I want our students to be doers and active participants in every project/activity.

Agilities: This is our signature activity which we use two days a week. Students will be assigned a letter and number across the gym and perform the teacher led agiliity activity. The video showing agilities is posted below. This activity will last 5 to 10 min.

Numbers Game: One to two classes are lined up on the outer lines of the gym. The students will begin by jogging, teachers will wait about 30 seconds to call a specific number. Once the number is called those specific number of students will hurry to find a group and lock arms. If some are too late then those people who are out, will perform a set number of exercises and then sit down until the game is won. Games will last 1 to 1:15 seconds. Winners will advance to championship round!!!

Single and Double Noodle Tag: Same set up as Numbers Game. In Single Noodle Tag, classes will spread out throughout the gym. On the word "Go" students will try to tag each other with a pool noodle. A few rules: Student with noodles try to tag from foot to knee. If someone dives on the floor then student with noodle can tag anywhere. Double Noodle Tag is a little different but same set up. The only exception is two players are connected together by locking arms with two noodles. If one partner is tagged out by a pair, the tagged student will perform 10 reps of a teacher's choice exercise. The other partner will need to go another partner from another class. Those students have 5 seconds to rejoin the game. Games will last anywhere from 1 to 1:15. Can get all four classes finished within 2:30. Winners will advance to championship round!!!

Grocery Bag Grab: Same set up as numbers game. The teacher can have one class going at one time for 1 min. or two classes for 1:30. One player has two grocery bags tucked into their waistline on the sides. The object of the game is for the student to obtain as many grocery bags as possible within the specified amount of time. Basically this is every person for themselves. The player is trying to escape without getting their bags stolen and trying to accumualate as many bags as possible. The players will have the handles of their bags tucked into their waistline with the bottom sticking out. If a player steals a bag then that player will go to a safe zone and stick their bags in their waistline. The bags have to be seperated otherwise it will be easier for the opponnent to take two or three bags over one bag. The student cannot slap the opponents hands away. The student has to escape by twisting, turning, dodge to avoid getting their bag taken. Winners wil advance to championship round!!

Chicken in the Henhouse: This is a favorite game for many of our students. This can be used as a warm-up or game. We will have girls and boys playing at different times. One game takes around 10 to 15 minutes. If we play at the start of class then we would perform some agilties first with required running second. The video shows the movements and different classes participating. This is a partner game in which two people have to form a joint movement as follows: Monkey in a Tree, Wheelbarrow, Piggyback, Knight in Shining Armour, T-Pee, Boy on a bench, Girl on a bench, Chicken in the Henhouse, and others.

All of the following activities are courtesy of Don Puckett: PE teacher for many years

2:40 TORTURE TEST :As the music is playing the group will jog, hop, skip, or whatever the leader says clockwise, counter clockwise, or scrambled eggs (any direction). On the command of "Champions" the group will hold their hands high overhead with fists clenched as they are continuing to move. On the command "Training" the group will pretend they are jumping rope. On the command "Shadow Boxing" the group will pretend they are boxing and on "Dead Bug" everyone goes to their backs, waves their arms and legs in the air while yelling and then they quickly return to their feet.

The theme song from "Rocky" titled "Gonna Fly Now" by Bill Conti is the original version of this activity created by Rudy Benton. Most any upbeat song may be used successfully for this activity.

JUMP THE CREEK (Need two long jump ropes) Place the jump ropes on the floor or ground with two ends fairly close together and the opposite ends far enough apart to cause the students to get a running start to try and jump the widest part of the creek. The ropes forming the creek will look like the letter V lying on the floor or ground.

This formation of the ropes will allow each student to select the level of challenge for each jump. Let the students work in their own groups and enjoy the natural challenges of their skill levels.

"Jump the creek" provides excellent practice for jumping and landing and you should emphasize landing under control.

SWITCH AND ROTATE: This is an activity to enhance listening skills and teamwork. In groups of 3 or more, have the participants in single file lines facing the same direction. The leader is the first person in line and the group will follow whatever movement he/she does.

In the beginning, the instructor should call out how the group is to move such as jog, walk, skip, etc. The instructor will also do the commands of "Switch and Rotate".

On "Switch" the entire line does an about face and this makes the last person in line the new leader. On "Rotate" the first person moves to the end of the line making the second person the new leader. Make sure you thank group members for cooperating with one another, and as you get into the activity it is nice to add music and perhaps a ball for the leader to dribble.

DRIBBLE TAG : Ideally each player would have a ball. Players pair up and play a simple game of tag while dribbling the ball.

If players have to share a ball in groups of 2,3, or 4 the player who is it will dribble the ball and the players being chased will have to move by sliding sidewards. When a sliding player is tagged, he or she is given the ball and they must dribble 5 times before they can try to catch the other players.

This same concept can be adapted to use soccer dribbling for the player who is "it" and sliding for the players being chased. Each version requires limiting the playing area for each group.

KNOCKOUT: This is a basketball shooting game, but can be adapted to other sports. Players stand in a single file line. The first two players have a ball. The first shot by each player in the game is taken from a predetermined spot such as the free throw line. The second player must wait for the player in front of them to shoot before they can shoot.

If you miss your shot, you must rebound the ball and try to make a shot before the person behind you gets the ball into the goal. Any shot after the first miss can be taken from anywhere. If the player behind you gets the ball into the goal before you, you are knocked out and must wait for another game to begin.

As players make their shots, they retrieve the ball and cordially pass it to the next shooter in line and go to the back of the line. Players cannot play defense, knock balls away from other players, or intentionally shoot and hit the other ball during its flight to the goal. These actions should result in an automatic knock out.

This game may also be played by throwing a football through a hoop attached to a standard and by kicking a soccer ball at a target. See how creative you can be.

BASKETBALL DECATHLON:

Ten drills, each timed for one minute ( one point for each shot made)

1. Dominate hand lay-ups.

2. Non-dominate hand lay-ups. ( dominate hand behind your back)

3. Mikan lay-ups - shoot lay-ups alternating sides. Shoot left handed on the left side and right handed on the right side.

4. Cross lane shots - Dribble across the lane and shoot outside the lane. Alternate sides for each shot make or miss.

5. Side shots, bank shots - Shoot from the third rebounding spot and alternate sides for each shot. Shots must be banked in to count.

6. Dribble in lay-ups - Start at the free throw line, dribble in and shoot a lay-up. Rebound the ball, dribble back out , putting the ball and one foot past the free throw line, and dribble back in and shoot on the opposite side.(alternate dribbling hands and sides for shots)

7. Hustle lay-ups - Start under the basket and shoot a lay-up. Make or miss, run and touch the free throw line, retrieve the ball and shoot another lay-up. Continue to touch the free throw line after each shot. Lay-ups do not have to be from different sides or with different hands.

8. Dribbling 15 footers - Shoot from the free throw line, rebound, and dribble out of the lane and enter at the top of the circle for the next shot. Try to alternate the dribbling hand and side of the lane as you dribble the semicircle to reenter for the next shot.

9. Rapid fire at 15 - This drill uses three helpers and two balls. The shooter stands at the free throw line and just keeps shooting while two helpers rebound and get the balls back to the hander who gives them to the shooter.

10. Rapid fire 21 - This is the same drill as Rapid fire 15 except the shooter is at the top of the circle. Any mix of these are great skill builders and will challenge all participants to improve their concentration as well as physical skills.

SIDELINE BASKETBALL

This basketball activity emphasizes passing, moving to open areas to receive a pass, catching and shooting a basketball.

Teams can have as many as 30 to 40 members with 5 to 8 playing for their team at a time.

Players who are not inside the boundary lines of the court are lined up on the sidelines and can be used to move the ball down the court for a shot.

Each team has one sideline designated for their sideline players, who must stay in their position while on the sideline. Sideline players do not move up and down the court and they cannot shoot at the goal.

Each team has members playing for shots and moving the ball from end to end to get to their goal.

Players on the court may not dribble. The ball must be passed to advance it toward the goal.

The sideline players can be used to make passes to teammates who are on the court but no passes can go across the center line to a sideline player on the opposite end of the court.

Limiting games to 3 minutes and changing the on court players that often will keep everyone involved.

The team that is on the court comes off of the court and goes to the end of the sideline players closest to the goal where they are trying to score. The next 5 to 8 players on the opposite end of the sideline players becomes the next on court team.

Dribbling the ball is a turnover and is simply handed to the closest opponent. Playing cross court games works for large groups.

FIVE PASSES: Scatter numerous balls around the playing area. As player move around the area they pick up a ball get a partner's attention and complete five passes. Lay the ball on the floor or ground, move to another ball and get a new partner's attention and complete the same task. The instructor can designate the type of pass to be made, the speed at which to travel, how to travel, and stop the activity for demonstration and remediation at any time.

AEROBIC SCRABBLE Look on the front of a SCRABBLE board and it will list how many of each letter is used in the game. Make a set of letter cards just like the number cards described in AEROBIC NUMBERS. The group sizes should be about the same and the movement to get the letters will be as it is in AEROBIC NUMBERS. Place a mark under M, W, N, and Z so the players can tell them apart. Use flash cards with words to spell or tell the group they are to spell a word with a certain number of letters. When spelling words allow the group to have no more than 2 letters more than what you are looking for. Players may take one letter back at a time to change it for a new letter. Players must bring back the first letter they pick up. Traded and all other letters in the holding area should be face down.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=np3ZVENJJFY

AEROBIC NUMBERS

Make a set of cards approximately four inches square with number on them. Have four cards for each number such as four number ones. Divide the group into small groups of 3 or 4 and assign them a number that matches the cards you are using for the game. Place the number cards face down about 60 to 80 feet away from the small groups. On the signal one person from the group may come to the numbers, turn ONE up and look at it. If it matches the number of his/her group they take it back to their line. If it does not match they turn it face down and return to their line, and the next person takes a turn. This continues until the groups find all four of the number cards that match their number.

Having a point where the returning player crosses that allows the next person to start helps to speed up the activity and cuts down on just sitting and waiting. Keep you groups to 3 or 4. You can be creative and come up with some excellent math relays with these same cards. Make flash cards with problems on them and lines keep looking for the right digits to for the answers. Go for it!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHWb_LVn37c

LOWBALL

This game may be played with teams or as individual players against all others. If playing in teams, divide the group into two teams and use pinnies to designate the teams. The object of the game is to strike the foam balls with an open hand and make them hit players from the other team below the knees.

All players start inside the playing area and as they get hit they move to the sidelines that have been designated for their team. The sidelined players may hit balls that come to them on the sideline but they do not reenter the game.

Continue play until one team has eliminated the players from the other team. If you are playing as individuals, continue play until only one player is left. Once a player gets hit then that player needs to perform 4 reps and then get back into the game.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBX7rhXOH-Q

BEACH VOLLEYBALL

Beach Volleyball is played within the gym with a beach volleyball and regulation volleyball net. The numbers are limited to 30 or a full class size. Games are scored to five points so other teams have at least two chances of playing. The serving line is the free throw line on each side.