Samantha Einarson
As the game Cat and Mouse requires quick movements with lots of directional changes, it is a great warm-up for a basketball lesson. This game involves players keeping their head up, paying attention to their surroundings, and maintaining body control, which are all important in basketball. The lesson includes an introduction to basketball, with the students learning about the proper techniques involved in dribbling. Students will practice the key components while stationary, and then with movement, followed by a dribbling game of British Bulldog, and ending with a dribbling review.
| Grade: 3
Topic: Basketball Lesson 1 of 10 |
Lesson focus: Dribbling a basketball with hands
Equipment: Basketballs (enough for each student) |
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| Learning outcomes:
· The students will be able to demonstrate basic dribbling form moving at their own pace in a safe manner · The students will be able to identify the basic elements involved in dribbling a basketball in response to teacher demonstration/questioning |
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| Introductory activity/warm up
The warm-up activity is a game of Cat and Mouse, which can be played in 5 minutes. Half the students are cats and half are mice. The mice have tails (scarves tucked into their waistbands on the side) and the cats chase the mice and try to take their tails. If a cat catches a mouse’s tail, the mouse turns into a cat, and the cat turns into a mouse, tucking the scarf into their waistband. Music will also be playing. Anytime the teacher stops the music, everyone who is a cat (meaning they do not have a tail) has to do 5 exercises (e.g. can alternate between push-ups, sit-ups, jumping jacks). This warm-up is a full body workout, involving dynamic, fast-paced movement with lots of directional changes, preparing students for dribbling activities. |
Organization
Half the students are cats and stand at one side of the gym, and the other half of students are mice and will stand on the other side of the gym. Half of the gym will be used for the warm-up space, but it could be extended if desired. The mice all have a scarf tucked in the side of their waistband. Students must stay within the blue outer line of the basketball court. Equipment includes scarves, a stereo, and a plug-in for phone. Below the cats are lining up on one side of the gym, and the mice are lining up on the other side of the gym waiting to start (using half the gym as the perimeter). Once the game begins, the cats start chasing the mice within the boundary. |
Teaching Points
-Eyes up -Move in different directions
(emphasize keeping yourself and others safe)
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Safety Concerns
- Boundary for the warm-up is set within the blue lines on one side of the gym
- Check that the gym floor is clear with no hazards for students to slip on before playing
- Students are instructed that mice cannot swat the cat’s hand away when being chased
- Discussion around tackling- cats are only to grab the scarf, not the mouse’s body
- Students are instructed to keep their heads up and try not to run into others