Not in My Backyard

An Educator's Reference Desk Lesson Plan

Date: 1994

Grade Level(s): Kindergarten, 1, 2

Subject(s):

• Physical Education/Motor/movement skills

Objectives:

• Help students develop basic mobility and quickness
• Learn about good sportspersonship
• Practice counting

Materials:

• Lots of foam rubber items (balls, frisbees, etc.)
  
• A large open area

Procedure:

Place all the foam rubber items you have in stock, i.e. balls, frisbees, and other soft yarn balls etc. on a line at the center of the gym. Divide the class into two groups and have each group stand at opposite lines at the ends of the gym. Like this: (O's are one team and X's are another).

At your signal, both teams run to center and begin throwing the items to the other "yard". When you blow your whistle, all must freeze, and wait while you count each side's items. The side with the most "garbage" in their yard, loses. This is a good time to stress good sportspersonship, and how good winners and losers act. Students can practice telling each other "good job' etc. If students throw balls after the whistle, I return that ball and give them one more. We play this over and over, and the kids love it. It serves as a good one- to-one correlation counter if you have K-2 students count items out loud with you and you pause and try to mess up the count by going slow and fast. Many students will keep on counting even when you are not pointing at a ball. Make the counting a part of the game.

NOTE: stress that players cannot go in the other team's yard.