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2. Grades K-2
3. Movement Exploration
4. Lesson 7
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Grades K-2

Movement Exploration

Lesson 7

WARM UP: Jog and Jack in Place / Stretch

• Jog and do jumping jacks in place, switching the moves on whistle cue.

• Do it 'till they're warm!

• Why warm up first? (warm muscles are more stretchy and pliable - like taffy!)

• Stretching:

• Take some time to outline the RULES FOR STRETCHING:

  • 1) Hold for 30 seconds,

  • 2) No bouncing,

  • 3) Only stretch as far as it is pain-free,

  • 4) Relax and breathe.

• What is the purpose of stretching? (to improve flexibility)

• Why is it important to be flexible? (to reduce injury and increase your range of motion)

• Neck Stretch: Beginning in the upright position, slowly tilt your head to right until the stretch is felt on the left side of your neck. Hold and then return your head to the upright position. Repeat to the left side, and then to the front. Turn and look over the right shoulder, hold, look over left shoulder, hold.

• Side Bend: With your feet shoulder-width apart, place your hands on your waist and slowly bend to one side. Hold and then relax. Repeat on other side. Twist around and look as far as you can behind you, hold. Repeat in other direction.

• Arm Circles: Hold arms straight out with to the side with your palms facing up. Start moving your arms slowly in small circles and gradually make larger and larger circles. Come back to starting position and reverse the direction of your arm swing.

• Thigh Stretch: Keep your body upright and with your right hand, place the ankle of your right leg behind your body close to your buttocks until you feel stretch in the front of your thigh (quadriceps). Hold the stretch and then repeat with the other leg. It's OK to do a little forward lean with this one, but be sure not to arch the back.

• Hamstring Stretch: One foot out in front, toes up. With back straight, lean forward until you feel the stretch in the back of your thigh (hamstring). Hold. Repeat with other leg.

• Calf Stretch: Gently move into a comfortable lunge, with one knee bent slightly in front of your body while your other leg is extended backward until your foot is placed on the floor. "Imagine your heel is nailed to the floor. Do you feel a stretch in your calf?" Hold and then repeat with the other leg.

Hoop Tunnels

• Groups of 4 with one hoop. All groups lined up at the designated starting line.

• Two players hold the hoop perpendicular to the ground while the other two players climb through and stand next to them.

• The first set of players hand them the hoop, then climb through themselves and stand next to them.

• Continue progressing down the field.

• Players must be able to hand off the hoop - they cannot throw the hoop to the partners - as they travel down the field.

• OPTIONAL ENDINGS: When the group crosses the endline, they drop the hoop, then skip around the hoop three full times.

• After the third skip-around the players ALL stand inside the hoop and yell "Hoop it up!" or a different pre-designated chant.

• MORE OPTIONS: have teams come up with different ideas for ending team challenges and chants.

• Great cooperation game. Players must figure out how to cooperate and get through that hoop without getting tangled up and cutting each other off.

All the Horses Run

• Set up hoops so that they form a large circle with one hoop per player.

• Players move around outside of the circle of hoops.

• Teacher uses a drum or upbeat music.

• When music stops, all players jump into a hoop as quickly as possible - they may have to scramble or run around the outside to find the open hoop.

• Students perform different motor skills such as: walk as wide as you can…skip…hop on one foot…walk on toes…racecar drivers…step in each hoop...vary the tempo fast to slow... etc.

Peanut-Butter and Jelly Sandwich Tag

• Groups of four.

• Three of the members hold hands, all facing to the center forming a triangle. This is the sandwich. Two players are the bread, and the third player is the jelly.

• Fourth member is "IT" and represents the peanut-butter who is trying to get to the jelly with a pinky tag.

• While joined in their hand-held triangle, the bread slices try to protect the jelly from the peanut-butter by moving around to protect the jelly.

• The peanut-butter cannot go under, over, or through the group to tag the jelly.

• Rotate positions as they get tagged, or every minute. This is a very tiring activity, so be sure to change frequently.

• Repeat as desired, or until every member has had a chance to be peanut-butter, jelly, and bread.

Zany Zoo

• Discuss trust, safety, and responsibility.

• 3-5 players per group.

• One representative from each group gathers around you as quickly as possible.

• Assign each group an animal that makes a sound. (cow, pig, duck, dog, chick, etc.)

• Representatives go back to their groups and the group practices their sounds.

• After they've practiced, have them spread out scrambled egg style and close their eyes.

• On your "GO" they try to find each other by listening for their groups' animal sounds only (i.e., a cow says "moo", a pig says "oink," etc.) without opening their eyes.

• Repeat the activity, with new representatives and a different animal per group for each round.

COOL DOWN/CLOSURE: Partner Balances

• Briefly discuss how everyone needs to cooperate to have this activity work.

• Students sit back to back on the floor with knees bent.

• Push into each other's backs at same time to stand up again.

• Try activity a few times with the same partners or with new partners.