When planning for my cooperative games unit, i always like to include these 4 activities: 1) BLIND SQUARE Equipment: Length of rope; blindfolds for everyone. Concepts: Handicap awareness; teamwork; cooperation and communication. Objective: To form a geometric shape with a 50 foot loop of rope. Task: Gather the group into a large circle. Place the loop of rope on the ground inside of the circle at the feet of all the students. Tell the group to put their blindfolds, then pick up the rope. When the group is ready tell them to form a perfect square with the rope. When they think they have succeeded have them remove their blindfolds. Rules: Each student must hold onto the rope with at least one hand at all times, blindfolds are to remain in place until they feel they have completed the figure. Questions: - What did the group think the purpose of this activity was? - How did being blind make you feel? - Ask them to describe what happened, how well did the person perform? Why? - How could the activity be improved? 2) MINUTE MEASURE Equipment: A watch with a second hand or a stopwatch. Concepts: Problem-solving, self-esteem. Objective: To develop an awareness of the duration of a minute and to practice estimating time spans. Task: Ask the group to find a comfortable spot and sit down, Explain that they are going to estimate three minutes. Have them close their eyes and keep them closed. They begin timing on a signal from the teacher. At the end of one minute, each one should raise their hand with one finger up. At the end of two minutes, they should raise another finger. At the end of three minutes, they should open their eyes and put down their hand. Everyone should remain silent until everyone is finished. Rules: Everyone keeps their eyes closed until they are finished timing, everyone remains silent until the end of the activity. Questions: - How did you estimate the time? - For those who finished first. how did you feel? - What did you learn about yourself? - Are there other ways to tell time? - What are wyas people use to estimate time? - If you did it again, what would you do differently? - Did you care if you were close or not? - Would you like to do this again to see if you could improve? - Did the time spend waiting seem to take longer? 3) ORDER OUT OF CHAOS Equipment: Blindfolds Concepts: Communication, problem solving, leadership, teamwork. Objective: Develop nonverbal communication in carrying out a task, try with blindfolds. Task: The group is blindfolded. Each member is assigned a number. Once the numbers are given out, the members must line up in proper numerical order without talking. Rules: No talking is allowed, blindfolds should remain in place until the task is completed. Questions: - What did you think is the purpose of this activity? = What ways did you see to solve the problem? - How did you try to communicate this solution? - How did you deal with any frustration? - What kind of leadership came out of the group? - What did you like about how the group made decisions? 4) GROUP JUGGLING Equipment: 1 ball per person (5-8 in a group) Concepts: Cooperation, passing and catching skills. Objective: To pass the ball to all participants once, eventually add a ball per person. Have everyone stand in a circle. First a pattern/throwing routine must be established. The first one throws the object to another person (not the one next to him/her). Then that person throws the object to another person. Once the pattern is made you must remember who you throw it to and who throws to you. The next step is to increase a ball with each pattern repetition.
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A PE fitness activity, in and of itself, is neither good nor bad. Instead, how fitness activities are taught influences how students feel about making fitness a part of their lifestyles. Physical educators should keep in mind that the majority of youth (unless it is a class designed for athletes) are more interested in good health than high levels of skill-related fitness. 1. Individualise Fitness Workloads Students who often find difficulty during fitness activities, are less likely to develop a positive attitude towards physical activity. Strategy: Use time rather than repetitions and distance as the lesson objective and encourage students to do the best they can within the time limit. 2. Present a Variety of Fitness Routines & Exercises Teaching a wide variety of fitness activities decreases the monotony of doing the same routines week after week and increases the likelihood that students will find their fitness experiences enjoyable. Strategy: Frequently change PE fitness activities by changing the design, music, equipment and exercises. 3. Provide Meaningful Feedback Teacher feedback is instrumental in the way students perceive fitness activities. Immediate, accurate, and specific feedback regarding performance encourages continued participation. Strategy: Provide feedback in a positive manner, this feedback can stimulate youths to extend their participation habits outside the PE class. Reinforce everybody, not just those who perform at high levels. All students need feedback and reinforcement, even if they are incapable of performing at an elite level. 4. Teach Physical Skills and Fitness Physical education programs teach skill development and fitness. Some states mandate fitness testing, which may make teachers worry that their students “will not pass.” This concern can lead to the skill development portion of physical education being sacrificed in order to increase the emphasis on teaching fitness. Strategy: Teaching various skill-based activities such as tennis, badminton, swimming, golf, basketball, aerobics, cycling, and the like will give students the tools needed to maintain fitness. People have a much greater tendency to participate as adults if they feel competent in an activity. Skills and physical activity go hand in hand for an active lifestyle. 5. Be a Positive Role Model Appearance, attitude, and actions speak loudly about teachers and their values regarding fitness. Teachers who display physical vitality, take pride in being active, participate in fitness activities with students, and are physically fit positively influence young people to maintain an active lifestyle. Strategy: “Walk the Talk”. It is unreasonable to expect teachers to complete a fitness routine each period, 5 days a week. However, teachers must exercise with a class periodically to assure students they are willing to do what they ask them to do. 6. Foster the Attitudes of Students Attitudes dictate whether youths choose to participate in activity. Teachers and parents sometimes take the approach of forcing fitness on students in order to “make them all fit.” This can lead to resentment and insensitivity to the feelings of students. Training does not equate to lifetime fitness. When students are trained without concern for their feelings, it is possible the result will be fit students who dislike physical activity. Once a negative attitude is developed, it is difficult to change. This does not mean that young people should avoid fitness activity. It means that PE fitness participation must be a positive and success-based experience. Strategy: The fitness experience must be a challenge rather than a threat. A challenge is an experience that participants feel they can accomplish. In contrast, a threat appears to be an impossible undertaking—one where there is no use trying. As a final note, remember that whether activity is a challenge or a threat depends on the perceptions of the learner, not the instructor. Listen to students express their concerns. Don’t tell them to “do it for your own good.” 7. Start Easy and Progress Slowly Fitness development is a journey, not a destination. No teacher wants students to get fit in school only to become inactive adults. Strategy: A rule of thumb is to allow students to start at a level they can accomplish. This means offering the option of self-directed workloads within a specified time frame. Don’t force students into heavy workloads too soon. It is impossible to start a PE fitness program at a level that is too easy. Start with success and gradually increase the workload to avoid the discouragement of failure and excessive muscle soreness. When students successfully accomplish activities, they learn a system of self-talk that expresses exercise behaviour in a positive light. This avoids the common practice of self-criticism when students fail to live up to their own or others’ standards. 8. Encourage Activities that are Positively Addicting Teachers want students to exercise throughout adulthood. Certain activities may be more likely to stimulate exercise outside of school. Glasser, (1985) in his bookPositive Addiction suggests that if the following activity conditions are met, exercise will become positively addicting and a necessary part of one’s life. These steps imply that many individual activities, including walking, jogging, hiking, biking, and the like, are activities students might regularly use for fitness during adulthood. Strategy: The following strategies will help students “get hooked” into physical activities: The activity must be noncompetitive; the student chooses and wants to do it
By Maria Corte, Gopher PE blog. |
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February 2021
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