#2653. Ultimate Sponge Ball

Phys Ed, level: Middle
Posted Wed Aug 7 08:37:38 PDT 2002 by Abby Galcik (abby_galcik@hotmail.com).
IUP, Indiana, Pennsylvania (United States)
Materials Required: Nerf Ball/ Football Field or Gymnasium/jerseys to differentiate between teams/heart monitors
Activity Time: whole class period
Concepts Taught: to learn spacing on a large field/ passing to teammates/ to reach exercise heart rates

Lesson Plan for Health and Physical Education

Title: Ultimate Sponge Ball

Purpose: To teach students how fitness can be fun and beneficial while involved in a team game. Additionally, this is a great game to teach students how to move into open spaces to receive passes from teammates. To also have students achieve their own personal Exercise Heart Rate's throughout the game.

Prerequisites: Students must be able to throw and catch a soft sponge ball, have a basic understanding of person to person defense, and have practice with proper field spacing.

Grade Level: 7-12

Materials: 1 solid sponge type nerf ball for each team (4-8 members)
Jerseys to differentiate between 2 teams
A field approx. 50yds long and 30-40yds wide
Whistle to start and stop games
Heart monitors so students can view their Exercise Heart Rate

Description: Divide class up into equal teams of 4-8 players. Each field has two sidelines and two goal lines. Each team starts at their own goal line with one of the teams in control of the sponge ball. On the whistle, each team moves onto the field. The team in control of the ball must move the ball down the field by passing it to each other, however, the student that catches or has control of the ball cannot run. They may only pivot.
All other offensive players should be trying to shake their defensive player and get open for a pass. They can move anywhere on the field as long as they stay inbounds. The objective of the game is to move the ball all the way down the field and make a successful pass to a teammate who is behind their opponents goal line. When this occurs a point is scored, the ball is dropped, and the opposite team picks up the ball and prepares to do the same. The game never stops and is played continuously, unless the teacher stops the game to rotate teams or take Heart Rates.

Rules: Defensive team must play person-to-person defense.
Defensive team must stay at least 2 arm lengths away from player with the ball.
Defensive team may not grab the ball from offensive player when they are in control of the ball.
Offensive team loses possession of the ball through an incompleted pass or a pass that is knocked down by a defensive player.
The ground and sidelines are dead and constitutes an automatic turnover to the other team where the infraction occurred.
Any steps which occur after an offensive player catches a pass should also constitute a turnover.

Assessment: During the activity have the students view their EHR 2-3 times during class to see if they have reached or are above their Target Heart Rates. Questions used at the end of the class to assess students understanding of the fitness objective should center on Aerobic and Anaerobic concepts.

· What made for a successful game?
· Was it better to use long or short passes? Or a combination of both?
· What happened if some students did not get open for a pass?
· How important was spacing your teammates when you were in control of the ball?