6 1. Alternative games.2. Juggling.3. How to make pompons.

Juggling

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Play is the most common activity for children and young people. It provides entertainment and helps children and youths mature through psychophysical development.

However, many educators believe that modern games played on video game consoles and computers do not help personality develop-ment, as children and young people spend many hours playing alone and not interacting with others.

These games require increasingly complicated equipment. Don´t you think that we no longer play with simple materials such as balls, ropes or natural elements such as trees? Doesn´t it seem like you spend many hours in front of the computer, video game console and television?

If you asked your parents and grandparents how they played when they were little or what their favourite activities were when they were your age, they would tell you that they played outside and can recall very entertaining games.

They will most likely tell you that in many of these games they used everyday objects and materials such as cloth balls, ropes sticks or bottle tops. What is more, for most games, they didn´t use any materials.

Some of the games wich hardly anybody plays now are cops and robbers, hide-and-seek, crack the whip and word guessing games.

We shouldn´t forget that there aren´t as many open spaces for play in cities today. There aren´t enough parks, trees and car-free areas. However, despite, this, you should try to spend less time playing on the computer or wat-ching television.

You are missing out on an opportunity to have fun with your friends. In addition, you can also get physical exercise while you play. Remember that playing is one of the best ways to contribute to your physical and social development.

Video game consoles and computer games

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Alternative sports are games which are different from conven-tional sports such as athletics, swimming, football and basket-ball. One of their aims is to engage in physical activity without having to compete.

The most important feature of these alternative sports or games is that their rules are simpler and more flexible than conven-tional sports. You can also modify them to adapt the game to the characteristics of the players and available facilities.

These games are played not only in physical education classes, but also in the schoolyard, on the beach, in the country, in the city or in your own garden. You can vary the number of players so that everyone who wants to can play at the same time. And your level and experience are not important in these games. This means that children and adults, boys and girls, profes-sional athletes and amateurs can all play together.

It is also important to know that there are championships, and competitions for some alternative sports. However, the main aim of these championships is not to win or lose, but rather to come together and play sports with very simple rules which do not require prior training to play.

You may have played one of the better-known alternative sports, for example, beach tennis, frisbee, darts, skateboarding, indiaca, skating, frog coin toss or badminton.

The differences between alternative games and the sports you are more familiar with are the following:

Another of these sports that was invented re-cently is the kinball. In this game can play three teams at the same time with a very large ball.

The last alternative sport we have known has been colpbol. This has the peculiarity that only one can be given a touch to the ball.

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1. Alternative games.ALTERNATIVE SPORTS COMPETITIVE SPORTS

The important thing is to take part. The important thing is the score.

The aim is to have fun. The aim is to win.

They allow everyone to participate. There are different levels of play.

The rules can be changed. The rules are very strict.

They stimulated creativity. The game is clearly defined.

They develop a team spirit. Individual participation predominates.

They improve social relations. They usually cause arguments.

There are a wide variety of games. They are very structured games.

Physical fitness is not important. Physical fitness is essential.

Sex does not matter. There are men´s and women´s categories.

Adults and children can both play. The participants are the same age.

It is not necessary to have played before. It is necessary to brain before playing.

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Juggling is a game which involves tossing small object into the air, catching them and tossing them back up without dropping them on the ground.

In order to play, you have to learn how to juggle. This is the skill of constantly throwing and catching two or more objects, such as balls, hoops, clubs, apples, sandbags, beanbags, sticks,...

The most common objects used for juggling are pompoms. Pompoms have a shape similar to a tennis ball. They have a di-

ameter of 7-10 centimeters and weigh between 60 and 70 grams.

Juggling is a very old activity. Evi-dence has been found of the practice of this skill in some ancient civilisa-tions. We know that juggling was prac-tised by sorcerers of certain tribes and

was considered a magical rite to seek the favour of the gods. There are references to jugglers from an-cient Egypt, Mesopotamia, China Rome and Greece. Later, jugglers were very fa-mous during the middle Ages. Together with jesters, they were responsible for en-tertaining the nobility and general popu-lace with amusing performances.

There are still juggling exhibitions today. They are characterised by their difficulty and spec-tacular movements. These performances are usually part of circus show. jugglers also some-times perform on the streets os major cities and at bus or train station.

Top footballers can also be considered jugglers, as they are able to keep the ball in the air by bouncing it with their foot.

Key aspects of a juggler:

• You must persevere in your effort.

• You must have excellent concentration.

• it is important to maintain a steady rhythm while juggling.

• The trajectory of the objects must be vertical, horizontal or cir-cular.

• The objects can be all the same or different.

• The objects can reach different heights: low or below the chest, medium or to head level, and high or above the head.

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2. Juggling.

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• Jugglers perform individually, in pairs or as a group.

• You can juggle while standing, sit-ting, on your knees, on one leg or lying down.

• Jugglers must hold their arms next to their body with the el-bows at a 90º angle.

• You must not watch the objects when they are in the air.

Other well-known juggling props are:

Diabolo

This is made up of two sticks con-nected by a string, which are used to juggle an object with the form of two cones connected at their apexes.

Juggling sticks or devil sticks

The object is to keep a stick in motion without dropping it by hitting it with two other sticks, one in each hand.

Chinese plates

The object is to spin a plate on top of a long, thin stick.

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In order to make a pompom, you will need several balloons, some scissors, a small bottle and rice, birdseed or sand to fill the inside of the pompom.

Follow these instructions:

1. Fill the bottle with rice, birdseed or sand.

2. Blow up the firs balloon and fill it with the contents of the bottle.

3. Knot the end to keep the contents from coming out and cut off the tip of the mouth piece.

4. Put this ballon inside another ballon, make a knot cut of the tip.

5. repeat three or four times with more balloons.

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3. How to make pompoms.

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1. In your notebook, explain three important differences be-tween alternative games and competitive games.

2. In your notebook, list three disadvantages and three advan-tages for your development as a person of computer games, video game consoles and other similar machines.

3. Indicate which of these physical activities may be considered alternative sport or games. Write your answer in your note-book.

4.Explain the meaning of this statement about a famous interna-tional footballer:

! ! ! ”He´s a juggler with the ball”

5.Make three pompons following the steps of the notes point 3.

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ACTIVITIES.

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1. ¿Cuál es la finalidad principal de los juegos alternativos?

! a.! Ganar.

! b.! Competir.

! c.! Divertirse.

2. El fútbol, el baloncesto y el atletismo son:

! a.! Juegos deportivos.

! b.! Juegos Alternativos

! c.! Deportes alternativos

3. ¿Qué inconveniente suelen tener los juegos de ordenador y las videoconsolas?

! a.! Que sólo sirven para no aburrirse

! b.! Que mejoran tu agudeza visual y los reflejos

c.! Que te pasas muchas horas jugando sólo, sin relacionarte con otros niños.

4. ¿Qué debes hacer para mejorar tu condición física?

! a.! Hacer deporte.

! b.! Leer muchos libros

! c.! Jugar a la play

5. Para practicar malabares puedes utilizar:

! a.! Discos, balones y pesas.

! b.! Aros, pelotas y pompones.

! c.! Mazas, palos y anillos.

6. ¿En cuál de estos deportes alternativos participan tres equipos a la vez?

! a.! Kinball.

! b.! Petanca.

! c.! Unihockey.

7. Para practicar malabares hay que:

! a.! Hacer malabarismo.

! b.! Repetir varios saltos iguales.

! c.! Mantener una pelota en la cabeza sin que se caiga

8. ¿Cómo puede ser la trayectoria de los malabares cuando van por el aire ?

! a.! Tangente, vertical y Horizontal

! b.! Vertical, horizontal y circular.

! c.! Quebrada, circular y descendente.

9. El diábolo es un juego de:

! a.! Fuerza.

! b.! Equilibrio

! c.! Habilidad.

10. Para construir pompones puedes utilizar:

! a.! Pañuelos y agua

! b.! Globos y arroz.

! c.! Cartón y pegamento.

Tema 6! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! LOS MALABARES

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