ASSESSMENT RUBRIC

Objective: Balance using different parts of the body

Gymnastics Unit | Level 9

TECHNIQUE
Today we are going to learn how to balance using different parts of the body.

IMPORTANCE
Balancing using different body parts is important because it challenges your body to use different bases of support to find your center of gravity.

VOCABULARY
Center of gravity: when all body parts are in perfect balance.

When balancing using different parts of the body, it is important to:

PRACTICE

1. Spread out onto the field so that you are at least an arm’s length away from the person next to you. When I blow my whistle, I will call out a different part of the body you must balance on (right foot and two hands, left foot and two hands, two feet and right hand, two feet and left hand). Count aloud and hold the balance for 10 seconds.
2. Repeat as many times as needed.

STORYLINE
Today we are playing Bear Cub Crawl. In this game, we are going to move around like a family of bears. Your goal is to balance using different parts of the body and make it safely to a bear cave (hula-hoop) without getting caught by the hunter (tagger). 

INSTRUCTIONS

• At the beginning of each game, everyone will start in a bear cave. There cannot be more than five students in a bear cave.
• When I start counting down from 10, you have to move to a new bear cave.
• If you do not make it to a new bear cave before I get to zero, you become a hunter and try to tag the bear cubs as they travel to new bear caves.
• If you are tagged, then you must freeze balancing on different parts of your body.
• Bears cannot be tagged when they are in a bear cave.
• We will begin a new game once there are five hunters.

TEACHING TIPS

• Approach:
  • Starting with a demonstration is crucial so students know where they are running to.
• Safety:
  • Bears should be mindful not run into each other when getting to the next cave.
• ELL Accommodation: 
  • Post labeled pictures of skills and game play.
  • Partner with proficient English speakers for directions/modeling and reflections.
• SpEd Accommodation: 
  • Set individual goals for physical or behavioral modifications. 
  • Allow students to demonstrate skill one-on-one with teacher.
  • Allow students extra time to master the skill.
• Reflection: 
  • Finding your center of gravity is important because...
  • Which foot was easier to balance on?

STORYLINE
Today we are playing Golden Gate Bridge. Your goal is to balance using different parts of the body until a cone is knocked down from the opposing team’s side. 

INSTRUCTIONS

• I will divide the class into two teams.
• Each team will have 10 tall cones behind them.
• You must select one student to start off as the thrower.
• Everyone else will form a long bridge, balancing on their hands and feet, in front of their team’s tall cones.  
• When I say, "GO!" throwers will try and throw fuzzy balls at the other team’s tall cones. 
• For every cone that gets knocked down, the thrower chooses a bridge on his/her team to become a thrower.
• You can only throw inside your team's boundary cones.
• You may only have one ball in your hand at a time.
• At any point, you may retrieve balls that go past your boundary cones.
• We will begin a new game when one team's cones are all knocked down.

TEACHING TIPS

• Approach:
  • If students are having difficulty knocking down cones, increase the number of throwers that begin each game.  
  • If students are having difficulty holding themselves in a bridge position, divide half of the team into two – throwers and bridges. In this version, throwers tag bridges to switch roles every couple of minutes.
• ELL Accommodation: 
  • Post labeled pictures of skills and game play.
  • Partner with proficient English speakers for directions/modeling and reflections.
• SpEd Accommodation: 
  • Set individual goals for physical or behavioral modifications. 
  • Allow students to demonstrate skill one-on-one with teacher.
  • Allow students extra time to master the skill.
• Reflection: 
  • Finding your center of gravity is important because...
  • Which foot was easier to balance on?

STORYLINE
Today we are playing Picnic Basket. In this game, you are all ants that have come across a picnic in the park. Your goal is to balance using different parts of the body to steal the food (balance beams) from the picnic basket and bring it back to your ant farm.   

INSTRUCTIONS

• Before the game begins, line up shoulder-to-shoulder on the baseline.
• When I say, "GO!" crawl like ants to the food, then transport the food to the ant farm.
• You must have at least four students touching the food before you can start transporting it.
• Each game you must transport the food in a different way. (Transport the food using your hands; transport it using your arms; transport it on your back; transport it on your shoulders; transport it on your feet.)
• We will begin a new game once all the food has been transported from the picnic basket to the ant farm.

TEACHING TIPS

• Approach:
  • Remind students this is not a race – everyone must work together to transport all the food from the picnic to the ant farm.   
• ELL Accommodation: 
  • Post labeled pictures of skills and game play.
  • Partner with proficient English speakers for directions/modeling and reflections.
• SpEd Accommodation: 
  • Set individual goals for physical or behavioral modifications. 
  • Allow students to demonstrate skill one-on-one with teacher.
  • Allow students extra time to master the skill.
• Reflection: 
  • Finding your center of gravity is important because...
  • Which foot was easier to balance on?