Ball Control: Feet

Warm Up: March, Meet, and Move with Fast Feet (Pathways & Levels)

This warm-up activity allows students to begin moving at a moderate pace, using the skill of high knee marching and challenges them to move at a faster pace and use fast/coordinated footwork. It prompts them to use various movement levels by going over/under/around/through simple obstacles. Students are expected to work well with each other throughout the activity.

Remind students that in this warm-up, called March, Meet and Move with Fast Feet, they will try to do the high knee march while moving all around in the general activity space.

Review proper form for marching: Stand strong/tall through your head and torso, Lift the knees up to waist height while alternating with a medium hard foot placement on the floor.

Remind them that they will also challenge themselves to move more quickly by completing the stutter step.

Review proper form for the narrow stance-stutter step: Stand with feet shoulder width apart, heels slightly lifted, knees bent, move the feet rapidly from one foot to the other (stuttering)

Explain:

• When you call aloud, meet and move with fast feet, they should stop marching and turn towards the person/s closest to them.
• They will then focus on doing the stutter step together as quickly as they can, continuing until they hear you call out, move with your march.
• After your cue, they will begin marching and moving around the general space again. This pattern will continue for one song.
• You would like them to practice moving/marching in different pathways and over/under/around/through different obstacles. Remind them that using pathways helps them move in different ways and makes it easier for them to move away from obstacles etc. which is good practice for games they will play later in PE. Review some of the different pathways they could possibly use. (e.g., straight, curved, angled, zig zag, etc.) Show how they could move over/under/around/through the hoops/hurdles that you have placed throughout the activity space.
• They should also try to work well with others they “meet up” with by cooperating and encouraging each other.

Procedure:

1. Start music to begin movement.
2. Intermittently call aloud, meet and move with fast feet.
3. Monitor throughout the activity space and encourage lots of movement and moving over/under/around/through hoops/hurdles..
4. Continue activity with intermittent cues for 3-5 minutes or one song.

Transition:

When warmup is completed ask students to place a flat palm over their heart and give a thumb’s up hand signal if they can feel the heart doing its job. Then ask students to move safely to their team position.

Skill Development: Foot Dribble

This skill development focuses on instruction and practice of moving the ball with the feet (Foot Dribbling) The second grade GLO is to dribble with the feet in the general space with control of the ball and body. The EPEC Classic TLP foot dribble is used for instruction and form corrections, with a focus on steps 1-4.

Prepare:

Say to students:

• Now
• Today we are going to focus on moving the ball all around with both of our feet.
• You probably remember practicing this skill last year.
• Which skill do you think I am talking about? (Foot Dribbling)
• Yes, you are right! We are going to focus on improving our skill at foot dribbling.
• Getting better at this skill will help you to participate well in games like soccer.
• Remember that whenever we are using a ball, we are going to try to use safe equipment handling/responsibility.
• Raise your hand if you can recall one of the safety cues I might use while we are working with a ball. (e.g., freeze please, foot to ball, eyes on me, etc.)
• Also, we want to work well with our practice partners so that we can have the best practice possible.

Explain/Demonstrate: Foot Dribble/Foot Trap

• Ask half of the students to move to a spot and stand with their feet apart on either side of the spot.
• Ask the other half to stand one arm’s length behind a student who is already on a spot to be their practice partner.
• Review with students:
  • The ready position for foot dribble
  • Which parts of the foot will be used while dribbling (medial and lateral)
  • The force needed on the ball to move it properly (soft foot tap)
• Remind students about using foot trapping to stop the ball if it begins moving too quickly or too far away from the dribbler.

Practice: Foot Dribble- Try for Ten- Toes Out

• Explain to students that they are going to try to dribble the ball ten taps in a row using the medial/inside part of their foot.
• After they have foot-dribbled forward ten times in a row, they can trap the ball, turn back toward their partner, and try to dribble to ten again on their return.
• After reaching their spot their partner can begin their try for ten.
• They should continue taking turns practicing with good ball and body control until they hear you cue aloud, freeze please.
• Start music to cue movement.
• Monitor and re-teach students as needed.

Practice: Foot Dribble- Try for Ten- Toes In

• Explain to students that now they are going to try to dribble the ball ten taps in a row using the lateral/outside of their foot.
• Explain that if they have not tried this before it can feel a bit tricky, but their goal is just to try their best until they are able to get ten in a row.
• After they have foot dribbled forward ten times in a row, they can trap the ball, turn back towards their partner, and try to dribble ten again on their return.
• After reaching their spot their partner can begin their try for ten.
• Start music to cue movement.
• Monitor and re-teach students as needed.

Explain/Demonstrate: Dot to Dot Dribble

• Share with students that now they are going to try to dribble their ball in different directions while trying to keep control.
• Place space spots throughout activity space, at least 3 to 6 feet apart from each other.
• Remind students that they did an activity like this before using their hand dribble and now they are going to try it with their feet.
• Explain that when the music starts, they may begin trying to dribble (using inside/outside of foot) to any one of the spots/dots.
• Share that when they make it to a spot, they should use their foot to trap the ball on top of it to stop it there. Then they should dribble to another spot/dot and trap the ball on top of that one.
• Explain that after they have traveled to three different spots, they can dribble back to their partner.
• After reaching their original spot, their partner can begin their dot-to-dot dribble practice.
• Remind students that many dribblers are going to be moving in many directions, so it will be important to have awareness and use body control, to keep control of the ball.

Practice: Dot to Dot Dribble

• Ask the first practice student to show readiness.
• Start music to cue movement.
• Monitor and call out reminder cues to help students to focus on good body form.
• Continue practicing for 1-2 minutes.

Transition:

Ask students to low five or pinky shake with their practice partner, return their ball to the designated area, and sit down in their team position.

Purposeful PLAY: Forest Adventure Tag: Leaping Hot Lava, Moving & Stopping River Rocks

This tag game activity allows students the opportunity to continue to practice their dominant foot kick, foot trap, favorite foot balance, favorite foot leap and previously learned locomotor skills. It prompts them to use their creativity and imagination while they have fun interacting and cooperating with each other. It allows an opportunity for the teacher to assess the skill of instep kick.

Procedure:

1. Tell students that in this activity, Purposeful PLAY: Forest Adventure Tag: Leaping Hot Lava, Moving & Stopping River Rocks, they will be using a variety of locomotors, including leap, foot trap, and kick, and their favorite foot awareness to have fun, move around, and improve their skills.
2. Set up cones to cone off an area at the end of the activity space. Place one medium-sized foam ball in this area. This will be the “show what you know” practice area for students to show the teacher their foot dribble.
3. Share that they are going to pretend they are moving outside in an area with varied landscape. (e.g., out in a forest with tall trees, big boulders/rocks, erupting volcanos, mountains, etc.)
4. Explain to students that this will be a tag game. When the music is on, they should move around the activity space using all their locomotors and try not to get tagged.
5. Tell them there are areas of the activity space (forest) that are going to have “boulders,” “prickly pinecones,” or “hot lava” flowing through.
   • If they come to a hot lava lane (jump rope), they should try to leap over it without letting any part of their foot dip into it. (Review with them that when leaping, they should leap from their kicking foot to their non-kicking foot.)
   • Explain that there are also some river rocks in our forest area (the balls) and if they come to a ball (river rock) they should move it by trying 5-foot dribbles with it and then a foot trap on top of it for 5 counts. (Players cannot get tagged when they are foot dribbling/trapping their river rocks)
6. Share that they should be using all their safe moving skills to move to all areas of the forest without bumping/banging into any other forest friends and without getting tagged.
7. Explain to students that they can keep themselves safe from getting tagged by hooking arms with another forest friend and balancing on their favorite foot for 20 counts.
8. Remind them that this will take cooperation, to balance together without causing each other to fall over. Demonstrate with a student.
9. Explain that if they do get tagged, they will safely move over to the dribble practice area to show you their instep kick. Students should raise their hand in a “high-five” sign once they are tagged and exiting the activity space. This will help ensure that the tagging students don’t try to re-tag a player. Explain that they should stand against the side wall in a line until it is their turn to show you their skill.
10. Ask quick recall questions:
    • What skills are we using? (Locomotors, leap, foot trap, kick, favorite foot awareness)
    • Which skill are we using to get us over the hot lava? (Leap)
    • Which foot are we focusing on when balancing with a friend? (Favorite foot)
    • What should you do if you approach a ball? (Stop the ball with a foot trap for 20 counts)
    • Where will you go if you get tagged? (Dribble practice area)
11. Choose one student to be the friendly forest ranger (tagger) and give them a safe tagging implement.
12. Start music to begin activity. (Upbeat sounds of nature music would be motivating)
13. Check student’s skill in the dribble practice area and reteach as needed.

Transition:

Ask clean-up crew to pick up and organize all equipment. Ask all others to lock arms with someone and begin walking throughout the activity space.

Cool-Down: Walk Together, Work Together

Procedure:

1. Ask students to walk in pairs for this activity called, Walk Together, Work Together, interlocking one arm with each other, throughout the activity space for 30 counts.
2. Tell students that if you tap them, they should stop with their partner, turn to face each other, reach high to the sky, touching their fingers together at the top and hold for 20 counts to make a tunnel.
3. While they are making the tunnel, other partner teams should try to walk around or through the tunnel.
4. Ask students to hold their tunnel for 20 counts and then go back to walking.
5. Continue randomly tapping various partner teams to have them make a fingertip touching tunnel so that other groups can walk around and through.
6. Ask students to sit down on the ground facing each other, place the bottoms of their feet to their partner’s and stretch toward their toes for 20 counts.
7. Ask students to take two deep breaths, then call aloud, thank you fitness friend, to their partner/classmate that is working well with them.

Transition:

Ask students to use safe moving skills to line up to leave.

When students are lined up, quiet, and showing body control:

Check for Understanding:

Call on 3-5 students to answer/demonstrate:

• What are some things we could do to help make our heart, beat faster, to help our heart become stronger?
• Which foot do we usually want to use to dribble the ball?
• What type of force should we use on the ball when we are trying to dribble it?

PLAY at Home:

Find a ball at home that you could practice with. If a ball is not available, roll up some paper or a rag and put tape around it to make a practice ball. Try out your kicking and trapping the ball. Challenge yourself to try to do the narrow stance fast feet move for one minute or more.

Continue trying your foot dribble on your own at home. See if you have anything that you could try to dribble your ball under/through. What are some ideas of items we could use for that?

Celebratory Closure:

Call out in a celebratory voice: Next time, we’ll continue trying to improve your ball control with your feet!

Repeat after me:

• Moving to-ge-ther. [repeat]  Moving together!
• Makes us be-tter! [repeat] Makes us better!