Literature in Physical Education: Inspiration and Perspiration
for Early Childhood/Elementary Section
Diane Baker, Santa Ana Unified School District
dbakerpe@mindspring.com
Standards
Physical Education
1. Understands that physical activity provides opportunities for enjoyment, challenge, self-expression, and social interaction. (NASPE #7)
2. The student will exhibit a physically active lifestyle and will understand that physical activity provides opportunities for enjoyment, challenge and self expression. (State Challenge #4)
3. Students interpret language arts, science, or social science concepts through movement activities. (Region 9 content standard #9)
4. Standards for specific movement skill themes (NASPE #1)
Reading-Language Arts (Reading/Language Arts Framework for CA)
5. By grade four, students read one half million words annually, including a good representation of grade-level-appropriate narrative and expository text.
Rationale--Why use literature in physical education
1.Stories capture the "heart." Emotional involvement motivates/inspires performance.
2.Kinesthetic response increases retention. Reported by Dr. John Ratey on The Infinite Mind: "Exercise and the Mind", October 24, 2001
3.Exercise results in:
Increased circulation to brain.
Increased connections between neurons in brain.
Increased release of neurotransmitters.
Increased release of neurotrophic factors. (BDNF)
Movement Activities
WARM-UP: starters - perform actions related to story in general space and incorporate movement concepts of pathway, speed, level, direction & force
 How Can You Dance
Individuals gathered close to teacher for looking and listening then scattered in play area for movement
"How can you dance when one foot is sore? Dance with the other foot on the floor!" hop, sway, crab walk, etc.
Book: How Can You Dance ,Walton, Rick and many similar titles
I See I See
Copy phrases from books as prompts a SPARK starter, p. 2
Individuals scattered within play area
The teacher, or child who selects picture, says, "I see I see..." Everyone inquires, "what do you see?" Player with the card reads the prompt and shows the picture. Children move as prompted until stop signal.
Book: Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? Martin Jr., Bill (& others)
Ball Games or Skill Practices
Pass the Fritters, Critters, a SPARK bean bag game
Students in circles of 4-5 players pass one or more bean bags quickly around the circle.
When the music stops switch direction.
Precede group game with opportunity for children to explore catching bean bags individually & with partner.
Book: Pass the Fritters, Critters Chapman, Cheryl
Got a Hat Hat by Bob Schneider on the CD "Country Kiddie Boogie."
Students scattered in general space, each with a paper plate (indoors) or frisbee.
In response to music cues move plate up & down, side to side, around on head and trade with other student.
Provide opportunity to throw frisbees or manipulate plates prior to song.
Book: Miss Hunnicutt's Hat, Brumbeau, Jeff and de Marken, Gail, (sorry, no link available)
Book: Boss of the Plains, Carlson, Laurie
Soccer Pass & Dribble
2 players continuously kick & trap until player with ball commands, "run away" & then gives chase while dribbling.
When ball overtakes "coyote" players resume passing.
Book: Coyote Steals the Blanket, Stevens, Janet
Variation: 2 players continuously pass & trap until the one without the ball calls shark attack.
Player with ball dribbles a designated number of times while partner attempts to take ball away.
Book: All About Sharks, Arnosky, Jim
Pass and Pass Back
Players divided into groups of 4-5 students, each group with one ball.
One player standing in front of group, passes to each player in turn and each passes back.
Change leaders after all have caught pass.
Each group creates a unique game by changing one or more element: formation, equipment, boundaries, action, relationship of players, etc. are examples og things that can be changed.
Book: The Big Orange Splot, Pinkwater, Daniel Manus
Juggling
After players have learned to do "rainbow" tosses with one ball from hand to hand over their head, they practice tossing 2 small balls in this pattern: throw throw catch catch.
Partners check that each has the rhythm and the pattern. If so, they are ready to practice in a tag game.
Juggling Freeze Tag
Create boundaries with disk cones.
Identify taggers with blue pinnies, and players who are "thawers" with yellow or red pinnies.
Remaining players each hold 2 small balls and run within boundaries.
When tagged a player takes a knee and begins exchanging the balls from hand to hand in the correct pattern.
S/he remains stationary until a "thawer" checks the juggling pattern then may run again.
After 1-2 minutes stop the action.
Freezers rotate to thawers who become runners.
Choose new players to be the taggers.
Reflection:
Skillful movements are improved, refined and polished with practice.
After a juggler has mastered tossing 2 balls with 2 hands s/he practices tossing 3 balls.
When s/he has success with 3 balls the juggler attempts to toss other objects, additional objects or juggle 3 objects in a variety of patterns.
Jugglers set goals for themselves as they master their art.
Achievement of a goal leads to personal satisfaction and may inspire a person to set a more difficult goal.
What is your goal with respect to juggling?
____________________________________________________________________
When will you practice and how often?
____________________________________________________________________
Where will you practice and with whom?
____________________________________________________________________
What other game could you play that would include juggling practice? (Describe)
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Book: Juggler by Caroline Arnold
Tag Games
1.Adapt games that teach grade level standards.
2.share space, tag gently, follow rules, accelerate toward safe line, zig zag to avoid tagger, elude tagger in pursuit of goal.
Racoon and Crab Tag ,based on the Omaha tale "Two Raccoons"
Before playing generate lists of words in several categories.
The raccoons look at a list and choose the tagging signal.
One raccoon will read the words on the list.
When the other raccoons hear the word they have selected as the "go" signal they will all attempt to tag as many crabs as possible before crabs reach the safe line.
Mark boundaries of the playing area
Make one or two end lines a "safe" line
Decide how many players will be raccoons
Will raccoons be seated, kneeling or on their backs?
Will raccoons have their eyes closed?
What will the crabs be doing within the boundaries?
crawling, crab walking, walking?
Each time you play the raccoons huddle and choose a new "go" word
Decide which raccoon will say the "go" word.
Equipment: two color of cones, pinnies, marker & paper
Sample lists:
zoo animals - zebra, lion, chimpanzee, elephant
pets - cat, dog, parakeet, gold fish
fruits - apples, oranges, bananas, pears, grapes, apricots
verbs - work, sleep, play, laugh, eat, go, jump, drive
Book: In a Circle Long Ago: A Treasury of Native Lore from North America by Nancy Van Lan
How Beaver Stole Fire
Choose one or more players to be beavers
Place one or more balls or bean bags in a box or hoop to represent fire
Decide how far away from the fire will be the river where beaver is safe
Choose a player to toss the spark to beaver
Tossing the spark is the signal to start the game
Will the tosser be allowed to toss another spark if the ball is not caught
Choose players to be the trees who will guard the spark
You may need the rule that trees stand still until the spark is thrown
When a beaver catches the spark
s/he will run to the river
trees will chase the beaver with the spark of fire
What pathway will the beavers take to the fire?
will you use objects to create a zig zag pathway
will beaver be allowed to run straight
Is the beaver with the spark allowed to pass the ball to another beaver?
What happens if the spark is not caught?
How will you choose new beavers when you begin again?
Equipment: hoop or box, one or more balls or bean bags, ropes, cones, pinnies
Book: In a Circle Long Ago: A Treasury of Native Lore from North America by Nancy Van Lan
Fox & Goose Tag, Based on the Native American tale, "Why Fox is Red?"
Choose one or more players to be the fox.
Make a lake with cones or ropes. The geese will be safe if they get to the lake.
Decide where the geese will start.
Where will the fox wait?
What will be the start signal?
What happens to geese that get tagged?
Can they be saved?
When is the game over?
How will you choose a new fox?
Equipment: cones, ropes, pinnies, optional equipment-- poly spots, hoops
Book: In a Circle Long Ago: A Treasury of Native Lore from North America by Nanvy Van Lan
No Frogs at All
Create boundaries of the island and surrounding water
Where is the safe place that frogs can run to?
May they return to the island if they choose?
How many players will be bears?
Where can bears tag frogs?
only on the island
in the water and on the island
Are there any safe hiding place for the frogs where they cannot be tagged?
how many frogs may occupy a safe place
how long may a frog remain in a safe place
What will be the start signal?
Will you have a signal to stop the tagging during the game, like "hibernate!"
Who will say when the tagging can resume?
What happens to frogs that get tagged by a bear?
How do you know when to start the game over with new bears?
Equipment: cones, hoops, poly spots, ropes, pinnies
Book: In a Circle Long Ago: A Treasury of Native Lore from North America by Nancy Van Lan
Birthday Party
Divide into groups of 6-20 players.
Place 5 hoops or ropes in circles on the ground within boundaries.
Divide into 6 groups, one group for each hazard + one group to be the ³birthday boy.²
Players in each hoop will represent one of the hazards: sharks, tigers, pitchfork, explosion, party.
Each round change the location of each hazard.
Players representing the ³birthday boy² have 3 chances to find the party.
They go together to a hoop and ask, ³Is this the party?² If not, the players respond, ³No, we¹re the sharks!² and the birthday group goes to another hoop. If yes, they respond ³yes!² and chase the birthday kids to a boundary line.
If birthday kids get safe they choose the next group to be birthday players.
If not, the group that caught them may pick.
All groups should get one turn to be the birthday kids before any group gets a 2nd turn.
If they do not find the party in 3 tries, the leader picks the next birthday group.
For older players, may add the requirement that the hazards answer, ³no, we¹re the sharks 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10!² The birthday kids must give the correct reply (we can swim) before they count to 10. If they fail to reply correctly, they lose their turn.
Explosion we have a parachute
Pitchfork we¹ll miss/ we¹ll land in the water
Sharks we can swim
Tigers we can run
After every group has a turn to be the birthday boy, reflect on the game:
What makes the game fun, boring, exciting, etc.?
What rule do you want to change?
What rule do you want to add?
Book: Fortunatlety by Remy Charlip
The Lions Den
Prior to activity players draw pictures of animals on scratch paper.
There should be several lions, monkeys, elephants, etc. (may use coloring books, with pages mounted on paper then laminated for permanent pictures)
Make sure that players know how to do partner toe jousting. (hold forearms and gently try to step on partner¹s toes without letting yours get stepped on)
Establish boundaries with disk cones.
Divide into 2 teams.
One team clips the pictures on their backs with clothes pins then stands in the center of the play area.
When the leader says, ³It¹s a fine day to play!² the team without pinnies enters the boundaries and attempts to find who is a lion.
The players with pictures attempt to keep them from seeing their backs.
When a player does identify a lion they call, "(say name of player) is the lion, run away!"
Players run within the boundaries and the lions attempt to tag.
Players who do toe jousting with another player (including those with pictures) are safe and cannot be tagged.
A player who is tagged moves to center of play area and begins toe jousting with next player who gets tagged.
After a minute teams reverse roles and play again.
Different players get to be the lions each round.
Instead of toe jousting, partners may jog together, do partner get ups, etc. to be safe.
Reflection
Why did the animals not want to play with Leo in the story?
When do you feel afraid in a tag game?
What rules do you need so that everyone feels safe?
How could you change the game and still keep it safe?
Book: Lonesome Leo the Little Lion by Diane and Debbi Simpson
Why Snakes Catch Frogs
This is based on Native American legend
Mark boundaries of "river."
Choose "snakes" (taggers)
Decide what will happen to frogs that get tagged. (become snakes, get unfrozen by another frog, go to boundary & do frog jumps around cone to get released into game.
Decide on start & stop signals, how new snakes will be selected when game starts over, how long is a game and any other rules.
Book: In a Circle Long Ago, A Treasury of Native Lore From North America, Van Lan, Nancy
Chicken & Fox (or Wolf Tag)
One student is the wolf who stands 50' from starting line with several little wolves.
Remaining players, the "chickens," line up double arms' distance apart on opposite end of playing area.
The chickens ask: "What time is it Grandma Wolf?"
If grandma replies: "Two o'clock," the chickens take 2 steps toward wolves and repeat question.
When grandma responds, "Dinnertime" chickens turn and run back to starting line.
Wolf and family give chase and attempt to tag chickens.
Compare how many chickens are caught, how many are safe. Which is more?
Repeat game with new wolves.
Variation: Play in groups of four--3 chickens & a wolf.
Book: What's the Time Grandma Wolf?, Brown, Ken
Book: Do Like a Duck Does, Hindley, Judy and Bates, Ivan
Thanksgiving Dinner without Turkey Tag
Divide class into 2 teams. One team, who will guess & chase, lines up on one end line.
The other team, who will flee, makes a huddle and agrees on one food.
They then face chasing team about 3' distant and chant, "The turkey ran away, what will you eat on thanksgiving day?"
The chasers call out foods in a loud voice.
When the fleers hear the food they chose, they all attempt to run to safety at the opposite end of the field.
Players who get tagged join the other team. (or count no. of players caught) Switch roles.
Book: Gracias, The Thanksgiving Turkey, Cowley, Joe and Cepeda, Joe
Book: Thanksgiving at the Tappletons, Spinelli, Eileen and Hannet, Judith Stuller
Parachute Games and Routines
1.Incorporate imagery suggested by story into traditional activities.
2.Increase group cooperation and/or build fitness.
Coyote & the Blackbirds, A Pueblo Tale
Divide into 2 groups-- coyotes & blackbirds
Place parachute on ground in center of playing area
Coyotes stand evenly spaced around parachute
With cones form a boundary around the parachute at least 10 feet from the edge
Place one or more fluff balls at each cone
Blackbirds fly around the perimeter of the cones
they do not touch the balls nor cones with their feet while running
On signal "Here comes the storm" the coyotes raise chute together, step one giant step inside, pull chute down behind their backs and sit on the edge
On signal "here comes the hail"
the blackbirds stop running
stand by a cone
pick up the balls and throw at the parachute
The coyotes remain seated inside the chute
may rock backwards & attempt to kick parachute to deflect balls
may shout "oww oww" if hit by a ball
When no balls are outside the perimeter of cones the signal "The sun is shining!" stops game
Coyotes emerge from underneath and place chute back flat on ground
The blackbirds collect the balls and place them by the cones
The groups switch roles and play again
Equipment: parachute, disk cones, soft balls
Book: In a Circle Long Ago: A Treasury of Native Lore from North America by Nancy Van Lan
Animal Beat
Children standing around edge of parachute. Assign each color group to be one of the animals (ducks elephants monkeys birds bears snakes).
On signal all players grasp edge and lift parachute overhead.
The teacher cues one group to let go and move underneath by reading their page. ("...the bears are clapping and dancing around..."
As the parachute descends that group returns to their places and remaining students bring parachute down to waist.
Repeat inflating chute for each animal group then add excitement: Choose 2-3 players to be the crocodile and one to be the lion.
Crocodiles sit underneath chute in the center. Players lift chute on signal, one group lets go and skips around under chute.
When the lion calls "Snap" the crocodiles attempt to tag animals before they return to places.
Book: Crocodile Beat, Jorgensen, Gail and Mullins, Patricia
Bears and Chipmunks
Before players inflate the chute the teacher picks one or more players to be the "bears."
Players inflate chute and teacher signals several "chipmunks" to go under chute by calling a color group.
On "Down" players bring chute to ground, chipmunks attempt to get out to their own places and bears, trying to catch a chipmunk, crawl carefully on top.
Book: How Chipmunk Got His Stripes: A Tale of Bragging and Teasing, Bruchac, Joseph and Bruchac, James
Dance, Rhythmic Movement, and Creative Dramatics
1. Abstract ideas from stories:
Develop with attention to movement qualities
Express in dance sequences
Act out a scene, a dilemma or entire story
Movement with Streamers (pathways, speed, flow, level) & Ribbon Dance
Explore moving streamer at various levels while stationary & traveling through general space at various speeds. Teacher guides exploration by selecting contrasting music segments. (brisk, slow, bumpy, flowing, accented, smooth, etc.) Posters of spatial designs also focus exploration.
Create a simple, group authored routine to interpret a story, event, celebration, gamut of feelings, etc.
Students suggest shapes to make with streamers.
Teacher assembles routine and designates how many times to repeat each move.
Select music consistent with theme.
Book: Dancing With Indians, Medearis, Sandra Shelf
Book: Buffalo Dance, Van Lan, Nancy
Book: My Many Colered Days, Dr. Seuss
Book: All the Colors of the Earth, Hamanaka, Sheila
Movement with Lummi Sticks (rhythm patterns, directions )
Explore rhythm patterns suggested by stories.
Create marching routine in which children move in unison forward, backward, etc. and in place while striking lummi sticks.
Book: Max Found Two Sticks, Pinkney, Brian
Book: 17 Kings and 42 Elephants, Mahy, Margeret
Interpretive Movement
Many children's books invite interpretation in movement.
Use basic locomotor and non locomotor patterns, enhanced by variations in levels, pathways, direction, force, flow and relationships between dancers to interpret ideas.
Book: Beto and the Bone Dance, Freschet, Gina
Book: Bravo, Livingstone Mouse!, Duncan Edwards, pamela
Book: Dancing Drum: A Cherokee Legend, Cohlene, Terry
Book: Jumping Bean, Miller, Edna
Object Pass in Rhythmical Patterns
Children in Ghana used stones.
Swedish children passed their shoes.
Children seated in one large circle and each holding a shoe in their right hand.
Lie back on ground and tap shoe on ground behind. "one" Sit up.
"two." Pass shoe to the left under both legs to neighbor.
"Pass the shoe" Grasp new shoe in right hand, tap 2 times quickly. "Thank you!"
Book: New Shoes for Silvia, Hurwitz, Johanna
Games and Contests
Apply movement skills in cooperative games that provide opportunity for children to learn strategies and tactics.
King of the Playground
King of the Mountain was a traditional childhood game in the 19th century. In that game players established boundaries on top of a small grassy hill. A player got to be "king" by pushing other players off the mountain. Others would try to think of strategies to catch the king off guard and shove him off the mountain. The tradition of finding out which play mate is the strongest, quickest, trickiest, etc. was important in cultures that hunted and defended territory by hand to hand combat.
Warriors needed to know about each other¹s abilities. As children they had many games and contests to test themselves.
1) Use cones to make 2 circles 16¹ diameter and 16¹ feet apart. One player begins with a soccer ball within one circle. The challenger has 30-60 sec. to enter the circle, take the ball away with feet and dribble it to the other circle. Observe soccer rules: no holding, hitting, tripping. If a player commits a foul that player is disqualified. If the challenger is able to get the ball to the other circle, s/he is ³king of the mountain.² The 1st player goes out and a new player becomes the challenger. Of course the original king of the mountain will try to keep or regain possession of ball.
Nowadays we rely on technology, to get our food. Pushing & shoving of play mates is disrespectful but children still like to have contests to test their abilities and to match their abilities with their friends. Here are some ideas for safe and respectful king of the mountain contests. After trying a few, make a list of your ideas. Check for safety factors before playing .
2) Players practice balancing on 2 hands with knees on their elbows. After a little practice, 2- 5 players begin on signal. The one who maintains balance the longest is "king of the mountain". Players who lost and additional players may challenge the king in a new contest.
3) Use ropes to make a boundary about 12¹ in diameter with a foxtail inside. One player, the king, begins inside the boundary. Remaining players begin outside until king says ³come & get it!² Players cooperate to get the foxtail out of the circle. The king attempts to gently tag anyone who holds the foxtail, but the king may not touch the foxtail with any part of his/her body. If tagged a player is frozen until the next round. After 60 seconds are up or all players have been frozen, the king wins and remains king. If someone succeeds in getting the foxtail out without being tagged that player chooses the king and may choose self.
Your ideas
1)___________________________________________________________________
2)___________________________________________________________________
3)___________________________________________________________________
Consider safety factors: surface of playground, rules for contact, etc.
Book: King of the Playground by Phyliss Reynolds Naylor
Balance Tug o War
Rope in one hand. On signal "Ready" students:
Pick up the other foot off the grass and attempt to keep their balance on the spot
On the signal "Go!" they reel in the rope with both hands to cause opponent to lose balance
The contest is over when one player touches non supporting foot to the ground or says, "You win." (Caution students to never just let go.)
Make sure and place students in groups of 3-5.
Book: In a Circle Long Ago, A Treasury of Native Lore From North America, Van Lan, Nancy
Shuttle Hurdle Races
Arrange one or more hurdles in line 10 paces apart for each team.
2 or more players of each team line up behind starting line. The first player wears a jersey.
One player on each team lines up facing team mates.
On the start signal the first player from each team sprints across field to tag hand of waiting team mate then stays on that side.
Players continue running back & forth until they have returned to starting position.
A team is disqualified if a player leaves the line before hand tag.
Extra players are the hurdle crew.
They stand on the side until a hurdle is knocked down. They stand it up without interfering with runners.
At the end of the race the hurdle crew exchanges places with runners.
The lead runner takes off jersey. Rotate positions so that a new player is both first & last
What lesson did we learn from the book that will help us make equitable teams?
______________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
(Different players have different natural abilities. To make teams fair place a very fast runner on each team,)
What other race could we do besides hurdles?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Book: Norma Jean , Jumping Bean by Joanna Cole
Two Team Invasion Game
Any game in which ball must be ran through opponent's goal.
Book: The Great Ball Game: A Muskogee Story, Bruchac, Joseph
Fitness
Learn fitness concepts such as "pacing" while participating in vigorous activities.
Lizard's Home
Form perimeter with cones and scatter poly spots inside. Divide into pairs.
One partner has 2 scraps of paper or objects, (one black and one white).
That player occupies a poly spot, and exercises in place.
The other partner jogs perimeter.
On stop signal runner goes to any player on a spot and guesses which hand has the black object.
If correct, that player gets to occupy the spot.
Book: Lizard's Home, Shannon, George
Other books to promtoe healthy eating and exercise are:
Book: Tiffany Dino Works Out, Weinman Sharmat, Margorie
Book: Albert the Running Bear's Exercise Book, Isenburg, Barbara and Jaffe, Marjorie
Jump Rope Jingle
Try this one then make up a new rhyme.
Norma Jean, jumping bean
Jumped so high she touched the sky!
Didn¹t come down Œtil the 4th of July.
How many stars did she pass by?
One, two, three...
Players jump double bounce during the rhyme and single bounce (hot peppers) as they count. A player¹s turn to jump is finished after s/he misses during hot peppers. The jumper replaces an ender who goes to the back of the line.
What tips can you give a player to coach them to become a better rope jumper?
1. _____________________________________________
2. _____________________________________________
3. _____________________________________________
Book: Norma Jean, Jumping Bean by Joanna Cole
Strategies & Tips for Designing Your Own Activities
1. Select relevant story and pre read story one or more times.
2. Identify key words:
meaning, sound, rhythm, synonyms, links to known vocabulary.
3. Choose movement activity.
a.In which everyone will be active most of the time.
b.That is developmentally appropriate for children's
movement skills, responsibility level of class, social skills. For which you have sufficient equipment
buy, beg, make or do stations.
c.Provide writing prompt for reflection, closure.
We want to thank Diane Baker for providing this incredible resource. It is amazing!
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