Chapter 16 - Introductory
Activities: Applying Fundamental Motor Skills
Introductory Activities:
- Are vigorous, challenging, unstructured movements designed to provide
maximum participation for all children.
- Represent the first activity youngsters experience when entering the
activity area.
- Are used during the first 2 or 3 minutes of the lesson.
Reasons for using Introductory Activities:
- To review management skills with a class.
- To offer youngsters activity when entering the gym.
- To warm children up physiologically and prepare them for activity to
follow.
- To focus youngsters o the objectives of the lesson.
If youngsters are not ready to listen when you meet them, drop the
introductory activity and practice management skills.
Management skill always take precedence over activity skills (students
must be attentive if they are to learn).
Perform introductory activities at a slow pace in the initial stages to
warm up students.
European Rhythmic Running
- Rhythmic Running is used in many European countries to open the daily
lesson (running to the accompaniment of some type of percussion).
- Much of the running follows a circular path (but can be done in scatter
formation.
- Running should be light, bouncy, and rhythmic in time with the beat.
- Movement ideas can be combined with the rhythmic running pattern:
- On signal, runners freeze in place
- On signal, runners make a full turn in four running steps
- Children clap hands every fourth beat as they run
- Children run in squad formation
- On signal, children run in general space (then return to running
formation on next signal)
- Students alternate between running with high knee and regular
running
- Runners change to a light, soundless run and back to a heavier run
- Students us rhythmic running while handling a parachute
- On "Center" command, children run four steps toward the
center, turn, and return to running formation
- On signal, runners go backward, changing the direction of the
circle
Gross Motor Movements
Movements should involve the body as a whole and provide abrupt change
from on movement pattern to another.
Signals for change can be supplied with a voice command, whistle,
drumbeat, or handclap.
Each part of a routine should be continued long enough for good body
challenge but not so long that it becomes wearisome.
Suggested activities are classified according to type and whether they are
individual, partner, or group oriented.
Individual Running and Changing Movements:
- Free running
- Running and changing direction on signal
- Running and changing level (lower/higher)
- Running and changing the type of locomotion (hopping, skipping)
- Running and stopping (signal: freeze)
- Move and perform athletic movements (on signal)
- Run and assume a pose (statue)
- Tortoise and hare (commands: Tortoise, Hare)
- Ponies in the stable (signal: Gallop, Back to stables)
- High fives (on signal)
- Adding fitness challenges (combining running and fitness activities)
- Move and perform a task on signal (balances, partner hopping)
- Run, Stop, and Pivot
- Triple S routine (Speed, Style, and Stop)
- Agility run (two lines 5 to 10 yards apart)
Other Individual Movement combinations:
- Upright movement to all fours
- Secret movement (children try to guess what the movement is)
- Airplanes
- Combination movement (specified or choice)
- Countdown (teachers count the students to "blastoff")
- Magic-number challenges (number of times to do a movement)
- Crossing the river (children cross two parallel lines about 40"
apart)
- Four-corners movement (children change locomotion when passing a
corner)
- Jumping and hopping patterns (three jumps, to hops and one turn)
- Leading with body parts
- Move, Rock and Roll
Individual Rhythmic Movements
- Musical relaxation (when music stops, children lie quietly)
- Moving to rhythm (tempo)
- Moving to Music (songs)
- Folk Dance Movement (CD or tape)
Individual Movements with Manipulation
- Individual rope jumping (on signal, children stop running and jump)
- Hoop Activities (run holding hoop)
- Wand Activities (run - stop - wand)
- Milk Carton Fun (children kick for one minute)
- Ball Activities (dribbling and other manipulation of ball)
- Beanbag touch and go (touch as many as possible)
- Long-rope routine (running and jumping)
- Disappearing hoops (activities around hoops-On signal children find
hoop)
Partner and Group Activities
- Marking (shadowing run)
- Following Activity (mimicking)
- Fastest Tag in the West (every player is a tagger)
- Medic Tag (one student can rehabilitate)
- Hospital Tag (every player is a tagger-must hold spot when tagged)
- Group Over and Around (children leap over and around other children)
- Popcorn (students "push-ups" when student moves over them)
- Pyramid Power (careful)
- Bridges by Threes (two children are bridges-other moves under)
- Rubber Band (students move away from teacher-on signal move back)
- New Leader Movements (movements in lines-new leader on signal)
- Manipulative Activities (move manipulating beanbags-toss, jump, touch)
- Body part identification (children touch beanbag with body part)
- Leapfrog
- Drill Sergeant (March, Jump, Hop, Balance)
Creative and Exploratory Opportunities
- Put out enough equipment of one type so that all children have a piece
of equipment with which to explore.
- Have available a number of manipulative items. Children select
any item they wish and decide how to play.
- Make available a range of apparatus (climbing ropes, mats, boxes,
balance boards) and let children choose area in which to participate.
Tambourine-Directed Activities
The tambourine can signal changes of movement; it produces two different
sounds (tinny noise made by shaking and percussive sound made by striking
it. Examples:
- Shaking Sound
- Children shake all over
- Children shake and drop to floor
- Children scurry in every direction
- Children run lightly with tiny steps
- Drum Sound
- Jerky movements to percussive beat
- Jump in place or through space
- Do locomotor movements in keeping with the beat
These movements can be combined to incorporate both types of movements.
Games and Miscellaneous Activities
Selected games keep all children active, are simple, and require little
teaching. With familiar games little organizational time is needed.
Appropriated games are listed in your text:
- Addition Tag (page 554)
- Back to Back (page 500)
- Barker's Hoopla (page 564)
- Circle Touch (page 565)
- Couple Tag (page 558)
- Loose Caboose (page 551)
- One, Two, Button My Shoe (page 549)
- Squad Tag (page 562)
- Touchdown (page 570)
- Whistle Mixer (page 564)
- European Running (pages 333-334)
- Performing Airplanes (page 335)
- Group Over and Around (page 338)
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