Minds On
It is just a game!
Sometimes, when we participate in physical activities, we enjoy them and sometimes, we can become frustrated and decide not to play. What makes a physical activity enjoyable for you?
Examine the photos. What would be enjoyable and what might not be enjoyable for each activity?
Pause and Reflect
Pause and reflect
- Why are some of the activities you explored enjoyable and some not?
- How can you make some of them more enjoyable?
Action
Enjoyable activities
Use the checklist to select the reasons for which an activity might not be enjoyable for you.
Not enjoyable activities
One of the reasons for an activity that is not enjoyable is that some people do not play fair.
Brainstorm
Brainstorm
Why else do you think is fair play important? How do you ensure that everyone plays fair? For example, one way to make play fair is to make sure that all students have a chance to fully participate in the game
Record your ideas in a method of your choice, or use the following fillable and printable chart entitled Fair Play Brainstorm. If you would like, you can use speech-to-text or audio recording tools to record your thoughts.
| Why is fair play considered so important? | |
| How could someone make sure that everyone is playing fair? (For example, one way to make play fair is to make sure that all students have a chance to fully participate in the game.) |
Press the ‘Activity’ button to access Fair Play Brainstorm.
How do give a chance to everyone to participate in a game? Think about this as you play Flip a Cup.
Activity 1: Flip a cup
Materials Needed
Materials needed
You will need:
- a ball (such as a sock ball or tennis ball)
- six plastic cups
- a timer or a watch
Safety
Before you begin:
This activity is going to test your cup flipping skills and your speed! In order to play this game, you will need to find a ball (e.g., a sock ball, soccer ball, basketball, tennis ball), six plastic cups, a watch or other timing device and a space where you can move. You will have one minute to flip as many cups as possible (upside down or right side up).
Press the following tabs to access the steps of this activity.
How many cups were you able to flip in 60 seconds? Play a few more rounds.
How do you feel?
Challenge someone else to test their skills.
Try It
Try it
Try introducing some new rules. What are the factors you should add or change so that everyone enjoys the game? You could:
- put the cups closer together or further apart to increase or decrease the time spent dribbling
- increase the amount of time from one minute to two minutes to play
- change the ball you are dribbling. What else can you find around your home?
- stop keeping score
Adding fair play, making the game more inclusive and less competitive creates a more positive learning experience for everyone.
Activity 2: Tall tower stack
As you complete this activity, think about what makes it enjoyable and what makes it frustrating. Then, think about how to make this game more enjoyable for everyone.
Materials Needed
Materials needed
- Plastic cups or any other objects to stack.
The goal of this activity is to build the tallest tower you can using plastic cups or any other objects you can find. Starting on a table or the floor, place the first cup right side up, and place the second cup upside down, balancing on the rim of the cup.
How quickly can you build your tower?
You might be feeling upset and frustrated. Is your tower falling over before you finish using all of the cups?
Try It
Try it
Try introducing new rules. What are the factors you should add or change so that everyone enjoys the game?
- Use only 5 cups to create your tower as quickly as you can.
- If you are finding the cups too challenging, what other objects could you use to increase your level of success? Do you have building blocks that you can use?
- Work with someone else if you are able and don’t worry about how quickly you are building.
- Focus on everyone being honest and safe and respectful.
Sometimes, to make a game fair, it means being creative as you figure out what other objects you may use to play in order to make the game less competitive. We all play a part in creating a more positive play experience for everyone.
Consolidation
Share your likes and dislikes
Now, imagine that people disagree while playing one of the games in Action. They may disagree because they feel that someone else tipped their tower or that they flipped more cups than someone else. Brainstorm how to solve these disagreements. If possible, share your thoughts with a partner.
Pause and Reflect
Pause and reflect
- What are the factors that contribute to your enjoyment in physical activity?
- What are the factors that cause you to not enjoy participating in physical activity?
Complete the Enjoying Physical Activities in your notebook or using the following fillable and printable document. If you would like, you can use speech-to-text or audio recording tools to record your thoughts.
| What are the factors that contribute to your enjoyment in physical activity? | What are the factors that cause you to not enjoy particapte in physical activity? |
|---|---|
Press the ‘Activity’ button to access Enjoying Physical Activities.
Reflection
As you read through these descriptions, which sentence best describes how you are feeling about your understanding of this learning activity? Press the button that is beside this sentence.
I feel…
Now, record your ideas using a voice recorder, speech-to-text, or writing tool.