1. Lessons
2. Grades 6-8
3. Team and Cooperative Games
4. Lesson 3
Printer Friendly Version

Grades 6-8

Team and Cooperative Games

Lesson 3

WARM UP: Partner Hula Challenge

• Every player has a hoop.

• Give students a minute to experiment with their hoops and try various tricks.

• "Find a partner as fast as you can!"

• Now challenge your partner with your best hoop tricks.

• On every whistle blow it's the other person's turn to initiate the challenge.

• Allow 30 seconds per turn, then blow the whistle. Play for a few minutes.

Heart Rate Monitoring Methods

• Students will respond to the following prompt: "What methods can you use to monitor your heart rate?"

• Explain how to find your heart rate.

  • Isolate your pulse (either at the base of your thumb or the side of your neck) and count the number of beats in a 15-second period. To determine the heart rate in beats per minute, multiply the number of beats per 15 seconds by four. For example, if a 15-second pulse count were 20, then the heart rate would be 120 beats per minute (15x20=120).

• Students will record their resting heart rate then go for a jog to get their heart pumping!

• Students will record their heart rate again and compare the differences in their resting heart rate and active heart rate.

• Record heart rates after each of the following activities.

Hula Boola!

• Groups of 5-6 players.

• Players stand in a line, linking hands, with one hoop per player stacked at one end of their line.

• On "go" signal, the player closest to the hoops picks up ONE hoop and passes it over his/her body and on to the next player without releasing hands. Continue down the line and pile on the other side (Players will need to step through the hoop in order to pass it).

• After allowing some time for group practice, begin the relay.

• On "go" signal groups must pass all of the hoops - one at a time - to the other end of the line.

• The winning group is the one that gets the hoops all the way to one end of the line and BACK to the starting position the fastest, while meeting the following criteria.

  • EVERY HOOP must be placed on the ground and LET GO prior to having the hoops head back home.

  • Players may not let go of hands at any time.

  • In order to win, players continue to hold hands while forming a circle around their stack of hoops, and yell "HULA BOOLA!"

  • Players must have ALL hoops on the ground prior to beginning to form the circle.

Polly Python

• Groups of 5-6; joining hands.

• Spread hoops over a large playing area.

• Each team pretends to be a python, shedding skin.

• Teams run around & get as many hoops (skins) as possible.

• Can't let go of hands.

• 1st person gets hoop from ground, passes his/her body through the hoop on to the next person.

• Continue passing the hoop until last person passes through hoop.

• Last person (tail) holds hoop.

• Continue game until teams pick up all of the hoops.

• Snakes may only pick up one hoop at a time. The hoop must make it all the way to the tail before the snake travels to the next hoop.

• Team with most hoops wins.

"Mix-It-Up" Challenge Game

• The object of this game is to get into the correct position as quickly as possible. Play simply for the challenge, or if you must incorporate competition, the last player to get into position can do a dizzy spin (spin around in a circle 3 times... or any other fun movement task), then resume play. Do NOT play with elimination.
  POSITIONS:

• Fish out of Water: individual. Lay on tummy, lift arms and legs, and rock.

• Cockroach: individual. Lay on back, arms and legs in the air, wiggling frantically.

• Bench Blast: partners. Back to back, partners link arms and sit with backs against each other, forming benches with their legs.

• 3 in a Lifeboat: 3 people. 3 students sit in a row, like in a lifeboat and pretend to row as fast as they can.

• Monkey in a Tree: partners. The monkey hops onto the tree's back, piggy-back style.

• Octopus: groups of 4. Players sit back-to-back and link elbows, creating an 8-legged octopus.

• Bench Blast Challenge/Park Bench: turn it into an activity for groups of 4 in which each bench holds someone who gently sits on the bench OR "park bench" in which partners link side by side AND back to back forming groups of 4. Add bench sitters to form groups of 8.

• Bunk Beds: partners. One person lays on back on the ground - arms up. Partner gently places ankles into those extended hands and supports self in a plank position, holding onto the bottom partner's ankles - like bunk beds!

• Starfish: groups of 5. Players form a starfish by going head-to-head in a plank position (hands and feet on the ground, tummy facing down, body straight - no sag, no arch). Each player's legs are ONE of the starfish's arms.

COOL DOWN: Criss-Crossies

• Students standing.

• Cross legs.

• Cross arms.

• Clasp hands.

• Interlock fingers.

• Hook up hands towards chest.

• Put tongue on roof of mouths.

• Breathe deeply.

• Press tongue against roof.

• Relax and focus.

• Criss-Cross Challenge 1: try to sit down criss-cross style without unclasping hands, and stand back up.

• Criss-Cross Challenge 2: sit down criss-cross, roll onto back and back up to seated, and stand back up without releasing hands.

• DISCUSSION:

• Discuss which activities created the highest heart rates... the lowest heart rates... why?