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K–12 teaching and learning · from the UNC School of Education

Tennis ball can relay

Through tennis ball can relays, reading will be integrated into the physical education program. This will be done with instructions written on slips of paper. In relay form, students will pull them out of a tennis ball can one at a time and perform each task.

A lesson plan for grades 2–3 Healthful Living

By Nancy Lee

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Learning outcomes

Students will:

  • read and follow directions
  • understand direction words such as forward, backward, fast, slow, left, and right
  • develop social behavior skills for participating in games and sports
  • demonstrate a sense of accomplishment while participating on a team

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

45 Minutes

Materials/resources

  • six tennis ball cans
  • six jump ropes
  • six hula hoops
  • six balls
  • six sets of slips of paper with different activities on them

Space: playground, paved area, or gym.

Pre-activities

Students will have had previous experience with:

  • using the direction words
  • throwing and catching the ball
  • jumping rope
  • using the hula hoop
  • using action words

Activities

Warm-up

Have the students to warm-up by walking a couple of laps and jumping rope for five minutes.

Tennis Ball Can Relay

  1. Have the students get into six groups behind a cone that shows them where the line starts. Each group will have a tennis ball can in front of them about twenty-five yards away. In that can there will be slips of paper with different activities for them to do.
  2. Students are to pull out one slip of paper, do that activity, and then take the slip of paper back with them to the line. (Students are to kneel down on one knee when they get back to the line so you will know they have already gone).
  3. Students now will exchange slips of paper in their line so they have a new activity to perform. This time they run to the tennis ball can, do the activity, put the slip of paper in the can and run back to their line, and then tag the next person in line to go. (Remember that after students have been, they must kneel down on one knee and stay in a straight line.) Students must also put the top back on the can each time they pull out a slip of paper to perform an activity.

Activities In Tennis Ball Can Relay

  • ten jumping jacks
  • ten hula hoops around waist
  • ten jumps forward with jump rope
  • ten jumps backward with jump rope
  • ten toe touches
  • one lap around gym
  • ten hops on left foot
  • ten hops on right foot
  • ten tosses with the right hand
  • ten tosses with the left hand
  • find a partner and toss ball back and forth twenty-five times underhand
  • find a partner and toss ball back and forth twenty-five times overhand

Assessment

  • teacher observation
  • student feedback
  • ask a student to give a characteristic of good teamwork and identify a person who was demonstrating that behavior

North Carolina Curriculum Alignment

Healthful Living Education (2006)

Grade 2

  • Goal 6: The learner will demonstrate competency in a variety of movement forms and proficiency in a few to gain competence towards lifetime physical activities (NASPE Standard 1).
    • Objective 6.02: Demonstrate manipulative skills such as throwing, catching, striking and trapping of objects while stationary and/or to a moving partner.
  • Goal 10: Exhibits responsible personal and social behavior that respects self and others at the same time as values physical activity for health, enjoyment, challenge, self-expression, and/or social interaction (NASPE Standard 5 & 6).

Grade 3

  • Goal 6: The learner will demonstrate competency in a variety of movement forms and proficiency in a few to gain competence towards lifetime physical activities (NASPE Standard 1).
    • Objective 6.04: Demonstrate the skills of throwing, catching, striking or trapping in an activity.
  • Goal 10: Exhibits responsible personal and social behavior that respects self and others at the same time as values physical activity for health, enjoyment, challenge, self-expression, and/or social interaction (NASPE Standard 5 & 6).
    • Objective 10.02: Identify positive behaviors and comments to use during play situations.