EDUC 4224E - GAMES OF LOW ORGANIZATION

ACTIVITY:
“Quick Frozen Critters”
Category of Game:

Tag Game

/ Grade Level: 7
Learning Expectations: (refer to The Ontario Curriculum Grades 1-8, maximum of 2)
-“Apply the principles of movement while refining movement skills (e.g., running into an open space to elude an opponent in soccer)”
-“Balance while moving from one static position to another on the floor” (This will only pertain to the PREY students in the “freeze” round of the game)
Equipment:
4 Hula Hoops
5 Pinnies
Beanbags (as many as possible) or squares of coloured paper
4 Boxes with pictures of different animals on it
A Full Gymnasium, or a large area outside (Outdoors works quite well for this game)
Arm Bands; one for each team member
Rules of the Game:
-Students are assembled in squads of 4. (approximately 9 people per squad (one squad will have 10).
-Each squad aligns themselves with a box containing arm bands of the same colour/pattern. Students tie these bands on their arms to be easily identified.
-One student from each squad with 9 members, and 2 from the squad with 10 members are chosen to be the “predators” for the game. These predators put on the red pinnies and stand off to one side. The rest of the group members are the “prey”.
-When students hear the FIRST whistle, they are to run from one end of the gym to the other to find beanbags (“food”) that have been placed at the end of the gym. The “prey” each picks up one beanbag and heads back to their box to deliver the beanbag to the “nest”. They must only take ONE piece of food at a time. They then make another trip to gather another piece of food, until they have made at least 3 trips.
-At the sound of the SECOND whistle, the PREDATORS attempt to tag the prey (thus ‘eating’ the prey). They can choose prey from any squad. Upon gently tagging a prey creature, the predator WALKS the PREY to the side of the gym. The prey then walks back to the nest to begin again.
-The prey have another advantage; they are able to stay temporarily in hula hoops and not be tagged; these are ‘safe zones’.
-Predators must tag 5 prey in order to survive, and prey must capture and safely return 3 beanbags in order to survive.
-Each round will last approximately 45 seconds. At the end of the round, the whistle will sound; students are to stop, and put their hands on their heads.
-After the first round, Beanbags, and Pinnies are returned and new predators are chosen from each squad. -The PREY are now able to continue using their temporary shelters, or if being chased by a predator, they may link arms with another person from their squad and stand still. This means that the predator cannot tag them.
-The third round, prey can also stand still and shout freeze in order to be protected from the predators.
Teaching Strategies/Management Strategies:
-This game coincides with the Grade 7 Science Curriculum, in the Life Systems strand (Ecosystems). Students could be reminded about habitats, food chains and webs before the game starts to gain a knowledge of the situation before the game begins. “Predators and prey are both present in any environment. It is not an easy job for predators and prey to survive.”
-Some things to remember to mention before the game begins, and during discussions are:
-SIT DOWN IN SQUADS: After students have found their own squads, make sure that they sit down. This ensures that you can see all of them and have their attention while you are talking.
-TAGGING: Students are reminded of proper tagging techniques (“you are not bowling them over and sitting on them; you are tapping them gently”). Predators who have to be reminded of the proper tagging style more than once are to sit down on the sidelines until the next round.
-WATCH WHERE YOU ARE GOING!: Students are also reminded that they must watch where they are going while running; people will be running in both directions, and in a gymnasium, this can be difficult.
-ASKING QUESTIONS: Students will be asked if there are any questions before and after each round of the game.
-Each time that the students come back from a round, they are to return to their squads and sit down. A quick class discussion about the easiness or difficulty of the round will occur. The new rules will be added; the old ones repeated quickly, and the new round will commence.
-the Predators will be taken aside and reminded that they cannot go until the second whistle sounds. The use of a whistle is better if outside, rather than inside.
-While one teacher discusses the outcomes of the round, the other teacher can replace the beanbags and get ready for the next round.
Modifications/Adaptations for Special Needs:
-Students who are hard of hearing would easily be able to participate in this game; the end of the round is not only auditorilly signified by the whistle, but also by the students stopping and putting their hands on their heads.
-Visually impaired students could be linked arms with a partner; this modification could be used for all students.
-Those with movement difficulties could also participate in the game; if in a wheelchair, the hula hoops could be made from another material that is more easily moved across (rope for example).
-Students who have difficulty comprehending rules (or are ESL and have trouble understanding the language) may wish to watch the first round to see how it is played. After this, may want to join.

Group Members: Amanda Boyes, Kristen Fawdry