Aim for the Brain: Action Based Activities that Stimulate Learning
1. Movement Choices
NASPE Standards- 1, 5, 6Intelligence Types-Intrapersonal, bodily-kinesthetic, linguistic
Thinking Skills-Goal setting, planning, evaluation, reflection
Movement skills-Whatever skills are involved in the students choices. Examples of choices are jump
rope, a three on three basketball game, a gymnastics run, a tag game, or a fitness video Equipment
-Equipment as needed for activities allowed
-Writing materials for students
Formation-General space in which activities occur
Description
1. Assemble a list of activities that students can perform in the space available.
2. Ask the students to choose three or four of the activities or tasks that they wish to perform.
Ask each student to list one to four reasons toward the goals of the physical education program or
the goals set for the unit(e.g., “to improve my passing or my ability to hold a balance”).
3. Then ask students to set goals for their participation in each activity and write them
down(e.g., “ I will make 50 free throws or jump rope 100 times”)
4. Students perform the activities and work to achieve their goal during the class period.
You may want to set up a time limit for each activity and signal when students are to perform a new
activity.
5. At the end of class, allow time for the students to assess their goal achievement and choose
their activities for the next choice day.
2. Survival Too
NASPE Standards- 1, 2, 5Intelligence Types-Bodily- kinesthetic, logical-mathematical, spatial, interpersonal
Thinking Skills-Tolerance of ambiguity, planning, evaluation, illustration
Movement skills-Various moves to complete the task
Equipment:A variety of equipment available in one area
Formation- Islands where groups gather to begin are located throughout the gym. In one space a
selection of equipment is available.
Description
1. Each student, before the start of the lesson, selects one piece of equipment. Do not tell
students why I am making this choice.
2. After the groups assemble with their equipment, give them the assignment to vacate
their present island to move to another island, taking all group members and possessions with them.
3. Ask the students to suggest the rules of play, such as the following:
3. Ask the students to suggest the rules of play, such as the following:
- Only one person at a time can be on a single piece of equipment on the “water”.
- Equipment may not be thrown except for the ropes.
- Students may not skate or ski or slide across the space.
- If one person touches the “water”, the whole group must go back and start again.
4. When a group reaches a destination, assign them a new destination. Allow the group to trade in
two pieces of equipment for two new pieces.
3. Personal Pattern Moves
NASPE Standards-2, 4Intelligence Types-Logical-mathematical, spatial, interpersonal
Thinking Skills-Planning, problem solving, identification, evaluation
Movement skills- Running or whatever locomotor pattern you choose
Equipment: A series of cones or spots set up in a grid with 6 to 10 feet between each marker. Mark the cones 0-10 on the x and y axis.
Formation-Individuals or pairs of students, standing behind a line facing the grid
Description
1. Each student receives a card with a path or shape on it with dots marking specific points that
are located in relation to their position on the X and Y axes. The student must replicate the shape
on the card by jogging to the points on the grid.
2. On the second run, ask the students to identify the coordinates for each point by recording
them in order on the back of the card(e.g.4,9)
3. Group students with partners. One partner shows his or her pathway and then checks the
partner's path by using the coordinates previously written on the back of the card. The partner
should walk or run the pathway.
4. Bone Volley
NASPE Standards- 1, 2, 5Intelligence Types-Naturalistic, bodily-kinesthetic, intrapersonal, interpersonal
Thinking Skills-Identification, analysis, ordering, focus
Movement skills-Volleying a balloon or slow moving ball. Skilled students could use a real
volleyball.
Equipment:-One balloon or slow-moving ball per student.(If you don't have enough balls for every student tohave one, put students in small groups to share the equipment.)
-List of names of body parts,bones or muscles or a chart available to each student.
Formation: Individual or small group
Description
1. Ask the students to practice volleying (or bouncing) the balloon off a variety of body parts.
2. Instruct the students to volley the balloon off a particular bone or body part (e.g. humerus).
To keep the balloon in the air, students should contact the balloon only with the specific body part. Change the body parts often to challenge the students.
3. Ask the students to volley the balloon alternately off two different bones(e.g.
frontal(forehead)bone and then the tibia(leg). Add other body parts and have the students contact
the balloon in order (e.g.,forehead,clavicle,radius,tibia)
4. For a small group, students could alternately strike the balloon on the specified body part, or
one player could call out the body parts for the others to strike. Each member could strike
different body parts in a series (e.g., person one strikes the humerus, person two strikes the
tibia, person three strikes the carpals, person four strikes the scapula.
5. Trex
NASPE Standards-1, 4, 6Intelligence Types-Naturalistic, bodily-kinesthetic, intrapersonal
Thinking Skills-Variety, novelty, application, relating
Movement Skills-Locomotor and fitness exercises
Equipment: Cards with names and pictures of trees or other content on them, Pencils
Formation- Self-space
Description
1. Give each student a card with a name of a tree (a picture would be helpful) and ask him or her
to come up with a fitness exercise that relates to (or can be associated with) that
tree or some characteristic of that tree. For example, juniper could be associated with jumping
(both start with the same letter), pine with rising and sinking motions (missing someone), and
maple with running in place (like sap). The student then writes or draws the exercise to be
performed on the back of the card, along with the number of repitions.
2. Ask each student to provide a brief explanation of her or his association and demonstrate the actions.
3. Students then place their cards on the gym floor.
4. Ask the students to “make like a tree and leave” their cards and go to another card.
5. When they come to another card, they read it and perform the exercises. When students finish
one card, they move to another.
6. Stretch Band Shapes
NASPE Standards-1, 2 ,5,6Intelligence Types- Spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, linguistic
Thinking Skills- Identification, application, variety
Movement Skills- Body Control
Equipment :Long jump ropes, stretch bands, or large circles of elastic
Overhead projector or white board
Formation
Small groups in general space
Description
1. Show the class a shape(ex tree, quadrangle, number, star) on a card or white board or project the image on a wall.
2. Have students identify the shape or picture.
3. Ask the groups to form the shape shown with their bodies while using rope or stretch bands as
the outside line or perimeter of the shape.
7. If You Design It, We Will Copy it!
NASPE Standards-2,6Intelligence Types Spatial
Thinking Skills- Recalling, recognizing patterns, analysis, comparison and contrast
Movement Skills-Running, bending
Equipment: et up a cluster of equipment in a particular pattern (have the pattern drawn on a card) across
from the start line.
Formation
Relay information. A group of three students lines up behind a line ready to run and view an
arrangement of equipment. Each group of students has a different arrangement.
Description
1. On a signal, the group moves to the equipment to view the arrangement for 30 seconds and then
goes back to the start.
2. One at a time, students go to retrieve a single piece of equipment and bring it back
behind their line. The teacher may assign different locomotor skills to use as students are getting
equipment.
3. After they have gathered all the equipment, students reassemble the arrangement to the best of
their ability to match the initial arrangement.
4. Compare the students' arrangement with the picture on the card.
8. Sport Skills Square Dance
NASPE Standards-1, 2, 5, 6Intelligence Types-Musical, bodily-kinesthetic, interpersonal, spatial, linguistic
Thinking Skills-Recalling, application, composition, problem solving, elaboration
Movement Skills-Any sport skills, basic square dance formation and moves
Equipment: -CD Player,Square Dance music without words
Formation
Square dance formation (four sets of partners), initial planning groups of three to five students
Description
1. Ask the students to listen to a square dance song without the caller. Review the components of
the square dance by having the groups perform a simple dance.
2. Tell the students that rather than square dance they are going to make up a sport square dance
using the skills of the sport or movement that they have just studied (e.g., gymnastics, baseball)
in combination with the traditional square dance moves. For
example, with the sport of baseball, groups could perform the following dance:
- “circle right” could become “run around the bases to your right until you get home”.
- “head couples up to the middle and back” could become “head couples up to the middle and bat” in
which the head couple move into the center and pretend to swing a bat.
3. The group must assemble the dance and develop the calls to go with it. One of the students
takes the role of the caller and performs that role when the group presents or teaches the dance to
the rest of the class.
Blind SquareDance
Equipment: Rope, blindfoldsDescription: Gather the group into a large circle, Place the loop of rope on the ground inside of the circle at the feet of all of the participants. Tell the group to blindfold themselves, and 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. Each participant 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:
1. What did the group think the purpose of this activity was?
2. How did being blind make you feel?
3. Ask them to describe what happened, how well did the person perform? Why?
4. How could the activity be improved?
Nuclear Waste Transfer (problem solving)
Equipment: 8’ ropes, 2-liter soda bottle, water, food coloring, deskDescription: The goal is for 8 students, standing in a circle, holding 8’ ropes, to cooperatively move a 2-liter soda bottle filled with nuclear waste, (water with food coloring) which sits on a wooden octagonal shaped figure from a start point to an end point without spilling the nuclear waste.
