ervin & weaver - if you build it
TRANSCRIPT
A guide to building and using homemade Physical Education equipment for the low budget PE program
Joe Weaver
Balls Creek ElementaryNewton, NC
Twitter: @bcperocks
Gabe Ervin
Startown ElementaryNewton, NC
Twitter: @ErvinGabe
Share the Wealth PE ConferenceJekyll Island, GaJan. 21 - 23, 2016
Success Balls
This ball is great for introducing the manipulative skills of throwing, catching, striking, and kicking to students. The success rate increases when students are using this ball.
It is homemade using fabric and packing peanuts. There is a Velcro opening so you can refill them with peanuts when needed. You may be able to collaborate with your local high school's sewing class and have them make them for you (you just purchase the fabric). If not, grandmothers are the best!
Activities...
Step Back - Students are in pairs and stand 5 feet apart to begin. After 5 successful passes/catches one of the players retrieves a point bracelet (rubber band) from a designated area. The other player takes one step backward and the process is repeated again. If a pass is dropped the students repeat the attempt again until they complete 5 passes/catches in a row. Once the students reach a designated distance they switch places and start back at the beginning (5 feet apart). Allow students to chest pass, overhead pass, underhand toss, etc.
Volleyball Skill Building - Students work in pairs or small groups and practice the forearm pass (bump) and the overhead pass (set).
Soccer Skill Building - Students work in pairs and practice dribbling and passing the ball with their feet.
Stations - Include the success balls at a station where students practice specific skills based on what you are teaching or reviewing that day in class.
Balance Towers
Students love balancing on these towers. Use them at a station for balancing or use them as a base and put a critter on it for students to throw at. The various sizes (8", 12", 18") allow students to choose the height they want to balance.
Idea from Teresa Wheeler. Follow her on Twitter: @pe_teach
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Activities...
Partner Tag
Materials: Partner straps
How to play: The children form pairs and are joined together with the partner straps. Each pair stands with another pair so that there are two groups of two together. One pair is “it” and attempts to chase the other pair and tag them. Once tagged, that pair is “it” and must count to “5” before chasing the other pair. The pairs take turns chasing each other, trying to tag each other. You can play this as a walking only game or you can allow running. If the pair that is being chased come “unattached” from each other then they are now the taggers and will be trying to chase their opponents.
Partner Slapball
Materials: Partner straps (one unit for every 2 players), 10-12 gatorskin balls, cones to mark off a penalty area.
How to play: Players are partnered up and use the partner straps to become “one unit.” Players move around the floor trying to slap a ball (with open hand) towards opposing players. The players cannot catch, roll, reposition, trap, tap, stop, or otherwise touch the ball. They are only allowed to slap the ball with an open hand. Players are out when: 1. They are hit by a ball. 2. They touch a ball in any other manner other than an open-handed slap. 3. Any body part other than hands or feet touches the floor. 4. The players come unattached from each other. Whenever a player is out they must immediately go to the penalty area and perform an exercise that is assigned by the teacher for that round.
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Partner Straps
- Each unit consists of a pair of straps. One strap has the “loop” (soft) portion of Velcro and the other strap has the “hook” (hard) portion of
velcro.
- The straps are designed to break apart when too much pressure it created by the partners.
- Partners should stands side by side facing in the same direction prior to putting on the straps. One strap will loop through the one partner’s right wrist and the other strap will loop through the second partner’s
left wrist.
- Partners are not allowed to hold together the Velcro portion of the unit.
Partner Straps were originally created by Tim Elrod (Conover, NC)
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Target Boards
The target board is made from a 1" wooden dowel that is a foot long and a 3/4" piece of plywood that is one foot squared. The boards fit great into vinyl cones that have a hole in the top. Once the board is in the cone you can put anything on top for students to throw at for a target. The board allows you to bring the target off of the ground so students are not always throwing down. The target boards work great in cones that are 18" and 28" in size.
Original idea from Stasie Veinotte. Follow her on Twitter: @stasieveinotte
Activities...
Knock It Off Challenge
Materials: cones, target boards, critters or other objects to place on boards, yarn balls
How to play: Spread 15-20 cones/targets out in the middle of the gym from end line to end line. Divide the class in half and send one half to a sideline and the other half to the other sideline. Give each student two yarn balls to start the game. On signal the students throw from behind the sideline trying to knock critters or similar objects off of the boards. After throwing students go and retrieve their ball. Time the class to see how fast they can knock off all of the critters. Keep a record for each class and make it a class v class competition or simply have the current class try and get faster each trial.
Pin Knockdown
Materials: cones, target boards, bowling pins, yarn balls, point bands(rubber band, hair ties), half cones to divide play area in half.
How to play: Divide the class into two teams. Each team sits on the side line of the basketball court. Behind each team spread 10 cones out with target boards and one bowling pin on top. On signal, students will begin to throw yarn balls to the opposite side, trying to knock a pin off the board. If a thrower knocks a pin off he/she has has an opportunity to earn a point for his/her team by going to the teacher and answering a question correctly. If he/she does then they receive a point band. Once a team has all of their pins knocked off the game is over. The teams will add up their earned point bands and the team with the most points will win that round. Reset and play again. Students can guard their pins but must be two feet in front of them. Questions used in our gym are....states & capitals, bones, muscles, sign language, etc.
Card Holder
This card holder uses the same wooden dowel from the target board and a 6-8" noodle slice. Cut a slit in the noodle and insert any sign you want. This is great for station cards.
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Ga Ga Boards
The Ga Ga boards are made from one sheet of 3/4" plywood cut evenly into six pieces. Hinges are attached to 2 boards so they fold up. The pieces are connected by removing the pin on every other board. The set is stored in three pieces.
Game play: Up to twelve people can play inside the hexagon at one time. An 8 1/2" size gatorskin ball works the best for this game.
Rules:
You are OUT when the following things happen...
1. You are hit on or below the knees with the ball. 2. You strike the ball over the boards without hitting another player first. 3. You step out of the boards for any reason. 4. You stop or catch the ball. 5. You step in front of another player. 6. You touch the floor with any body part except - 2 feet and 1 hand. 7. You say, "You're out," (or anything like it) to another player. 8. You JUMP - when both feet leave the ground.
*Players can perform an exercise provided by the teacher when they get "out." Upon completion they can re enter. If more than 12 people want to play students can pair up and when one person gets out his/her partner gets to go in.
Tic Tac Toe Boards
Materials: tic tac toe boards, stands, beanbags, clothespins, poly spots, tic Tac toe patterns on chart paper or poster board
Setup: Each group will have a tic tac toe board set up on a stand. A poly spot is placed at a distance away from the board based on grade level skill. 9 clothespins for each group to keep track of successful buckets. One beanbag for each student.
How to play: Divide the class into groups of 3-4. Each group is sent to a poly spot, in front of a tic tac toe board. Show students which pattern you want them to complete. On the go signal, students take turns tossing their beanbag into the cups on the board(oil containers). If a beanbag goes in, students clip a clothespin to the cup to show that the cup has been completed. Once the first three groups get tic tac toe or the designated pattern, stop the game and reset boards and start a new round with a different pattern.
Variations: k-1 - Give each group 5 green apples, they take turns tossing their beanbag into the cups. If a beanbag is made, students stick an apple on to the cup. Once a group gets all 5 green apples they sit down and wave arms letting the teacher know they are done. The teacher clears the board and gives the finished group a red apple and moves their board a little bit further away from poly spot. Now the group has to get all 5 green apples and one red apple on the board. Groups are trying to get four red apples.
Grades 2-3 - Students play 1 v 1 or 2 v 2 in a game of tic tac toe. One team is X's and the other o's. Teams alternate tossing...if a bag is made the team gets to stick their card on the board. The team to get tic Tac toe first or the one with the most cards on the board, wins.
Grades 3-6 - Students work in teams of 3-4. Time cards are placed on the board (1/4 hour, :15, 1/2 hour, :30, 3/4 hour, :45, hour, :60). Students are given a clock which is set at 12:00. The teacher gives the class a time they have to get to (example 3:45). Students take turns tossing the beanbag at the boards. If a bag is made the group gets to move their clock forward that many minutes. Once a group gets to the designate time the game is over. Reset clocks and give a new time.
For information on making the boards, email Joe at [email protected].
He will send you the blueprint.
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Tossing Tree
The Tossing Tree is a great target for younger and older students. This unique way of tossing will help students use correct tossing form as well as aim at a target.
The tree is made from a 10 foot 1 ¼ inch pvc pipe. Bicycle hooks are screwed in at different intervals at the top of the pipe to give it a “tree like” appearance. Hooks that aren’t as curved work best. The base of the tree can be constructed by using a closet flange with a 1 ¼ reducing insert bushing. Screw the flange onto a board and insert the tree pole. Use sandbags or other heavy objects to weigh the base down. Another idea for a base would be to use a volleyball standard base and exchange the volleyball pole with the tree pole.
Dropless Balls
These balls are great to use with lower grade students just learning to toss and catch. These balls have a huge success rate due to the fact that they collapse when students catch it. Another added success factor is the amount of holes in the ball. The holes make it easy for students to grasp when catching.
These balls are made from panty hose. To make these balls, cut both ends of the leg of panty hose. Then roll the hose into “O” shape. Tape the O’s of hose together using duct tape. The O’s should make a honeycomb pattern.
Activities…
Tree Ball/Decorate the Christmas Tree (K-6)
The tossing tree is located in the middle of the playing area. A tossing circle is constructed by using cones. The circle of cones should be placed a suitable distance from the tree based on the students’ abilities. Students are divided into 6 equal teams. Each team is seated behind a cone outside the tossing circle with a Dropless Ball. On the “go” signal, the first student in line will take the ball and run up to but not go into the tossing circle. The student will then toss the ball trying to get it caught on one of the limbs of the tree. Each limb has a different point value. Once the teacher has removed the ball from the tree, that student is allowed to retrieve popsicle sticks equal to the points that were assigned to that limb. All sticks from the team will be placed in the team’s cone and tallied at the end of the game.
Ultimate Tree Ball (4-6)
Two Tossing Trees will be used for this activity. A tree should be placed in the center of each half of court. Students will be divided into two teams. Each team will be designated a scoring tree.. The game will start with one team “throwing off” to the other team. The receiving team will take the ball and move down court towards their tree. The only way to advance the ball is by throwing and catching. If a ball is dropped, blocked, or intercepted, it’s a turnover and the other team is awarded the ball. Defense can be played; however only a player without the ball can be guarded. If an offensive player can get the ball to stick on their scoring tree, the team is awarded the amount of sticks determined by the limb. After each shot, make or miss, the other team is given the ball. Points will be totaled at the end of the game. 6
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Backboardless Goals
These goals are fun for students of all ages and can be used for numerous activities. It is a very simple, affordable construction of pex pipe and cpvc pipe. Email Gabe for blueprint and instructions ([email protected])
Activities…
Gladiator Ball
This activity will use two goals. Place one goal on each end of the playing court. Divide the students into two teams. Each team is assigned a scoring goal. At the center court line of the playing area, each team will have a tub of balls. Teams will need to use a strategy to score in this activity. On the “go” signal, team members can run to their tub of balls and get a ball. A player can only take one ball at a time. There is no rule on how many players can take a ball. Once a ball is taken from the tub, the player will then try to score in their goal. To advance the ball, the student may run or pass the ball. An opposing player can try to defend the offensive player from scoring. If a player is tagged with the ball, it is a turnover and the ball must be placed in the other team’s tub of balls. If an opposing player blocks or intercepts the ball, the ball is dead and placed in the opposing team’s tub. Once a ball has been scored, it is taken out of play and that team is awarded points.
Sandbags
Fill a sandwich bag with two pounds of sand, seal it, duct tape the whole bag, and then take an old t shirt and make cover for the bag. We all have old shirts we need to part with and this will save you money on fabric. Ask someone who sews if they will make you some covers for your sandbags or contact the local high school and see if their Home Economics teacher/class will make some as a project. To make 4lb sandbags just tape two of the filled sandwich bags together and then cover them. These are great for throwing and catching, Russian twists, etc.