Ball Control: Feet

Grade Level Outcomes	Psychomotor		Cognitive	Affective
	S1.E18.1	S3.E3.1	S2.E2.1b	S4.E4.1
	Taps or dribbles a ball using the inside of the foot while walking in general space.	Discusses the benefits of being active and exercising/playing.	Travels demonstrating a variety of relationships with objects (e.g., over, under, around, through).	Works independently with others in a variety of class environments.

Warm Up: March, Meet, and Move with Fast Feet (Over/Under/Around/Through)

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 ways by moving over/under/around/through different obstacles. Demonstrate how they could move over/under/around/through the hoops/hurdles that you have placed throughout the activity space.
  • They should be aware of their personal space while moving around the general space.
  • They should be using safe moving skills and not bumping/banging or slipping/sliding into others.
  • 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 exploration of moving the ball with the feet (Foot Dribbling) The Kindergarten GLO is to tap a ball using the inside of the foot, sending it forward. The EPEC Classic TLP foot dribble is used for instruction and form corrections, with a focus on steps 1-2.

Prepare:

Say to students:

• Now we are ready to continue learning how to move the ball with our feet.
• Who remembers what we practiced with the ball during PE last time? (Kicking and trapping)
• Those are both skills that we can use in games.
• Now we are going to try moving the ball with both feet.
• This skill is called foot dribbling.
• Raise your hand if you’re ready to try it with me!
• It’s great to see so many of you are ready to learn.
• 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: Pretend Ball/Push Back and Forth

• Ask students to move safely to a space spot and stand with their feet on either side of the spot.
• Tell students that first they are going to practice their body form, pretending that their spot is the ball.
• Demonstrate how to position the body (e.g., ready, one foot on either side of the spot, knees slightly bent, weight on balls of feet)
• Teach /Model how to shift their weight back and forth, pretending to tap the side of the space spot with the inside of the foot.
• Share that they can use the foot trap that they practiced last time to stop the ball if it starts rolling away from them and they need to gain control again.

Practice: Pretend Ball/Push Back and Forth

• Practice shifting weight back and forth from dominant/non-dominant foot together as a class.
• Cue aloud, tap, tap, tap, tap-trap. On the trap cue, students should place the ball of their favorite foot on top of the space spot.
• Practice multiple times until it looks like most students are demonstrating proper body form.

Explain/Demonstrate: Back and Forth Ball Tap and Trap

• Share that they will now get the chance to try their ball tap (dribble) with a ball.
• Call students to each get a ball and bring it back to their space spot.
• Share that they should start off thinking about tapping the ball very softly.
• Explain and demonstrate how if they tap it too hard, they could easily lose control.
• Explain that it’s OK if they lose control while they are practicing because learning a new skill can be challenging.
• Demonstrate how to softly tap the ball back and forth using the inside of the foot.
• Share that they are going to try four taps and then a trap like they did without the ball.

Practice: Back and Forth Ball Tap and Trap

• Ask students to show ready position, then cue practice aloud, ready, eyes on the ball, softly tap, tap, tap, tap-trap. Tap, tap, tap, tap-trap.
• Continue practice, moving through activity space and calling aloud cue words until students show some control.

Explain/Demonstrate: Back and Forth Foot Dribbling (Forward Moving)

• Share that in most games where the foot dribble is used, the player would need to be able to move the ball throughout the activity area. Tell students that they will try that next.
• Ask students to move their space spot and ball to the sideline so that everyone can start the practice activity moving in the same direction.
• Demonstrate how to move/tap the ball back/forth/forward.
• Remind students that a soft tap will help them keep their ball under control.
• Ask students to put their arm straight out in front of them. Explain that they should try not to let their ball go farther out/away from them than the length of their arm.

Practice: Back and Forth Foot Dribbling (Moving Forward)

• Ask students to show a ready position.
• Cue practice aloud starting with just four taps and then a trap, ready, softly tap forward, tap, tap, tap-trap and continue, Tap, tap, tap, tap-trap.
• Once students have reached the opposite sideline ask them to turn around and get ready to try again, moving back to their starting spot. Cue aloud, tap, tap, tap, tap-trap! Tap, tap, tap, tap-trap!
• Continue cuing practice aloud until students have reached their starting spot.

Explain/Demonstrate: Try for 10

• Share with students that they are going to continue to try the forward moving-foot dribble on their own.
• Tell them they will continue to practice using the inside of the foot to tap the ball softly back and forth/forward, trying to get at least ten taps in a row with control.
• Explain that if they get ten, they should leave their ball and move safely to high five the teacher. Then they can return to their ball and try to get ten again.
• Remind students to use their foot trap skill if the ball begins to roll away from them and they need to regain control.

Practice: Try for 10

• Direct students to start in the ready position with their ball directly in front of them.
• Begin music to cue movement.
• Call aloud body cues as reminders for students to use their best body form.
• Complete a high five with those students that complete ten in a row.
• Continue practicing for 2-4 minutes.

Transition:

Ask students to pick up their ball and bring it to the designated area and then return to their team position.

Purposeful PLAY: Fun Forest Adventure: Leaping Hot Lava, Tapping & Trapping River Rocks

This activity allows students the opportunity to continue to practice their dominant foot kick, foot trap and foot dribble combined with previously learned locomotor and non-locomotor skills. It prompts them to use their creativity and imagination while they have fun interacting and cooperating with each other.

Procedure:

1. Tell students that in this activity, Purposeful PLAY: Fun Forest Adventure: Leaping Hot Lava, Tapping & Trapping River Rocks, they will be using a variety of locomotors, including leap, foot trap, and foot dribble to have fun, move around, and improve their skills.
2. Review 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, erupting volcanos, and mountains, river rocks, etc.)
3. Explain to students that when the music is on, they should move around the activity space using all their locomotors.
4. Remind them there are areas of the activity space (forest) that are going to have “river rocks” 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/dominant foot to their non-kicking/non-dominant foot.)
   • If they come to a ball (river rock) they should try to move it forward by dribbling it 10 times and then stop it by trying a balanced foot trap on top of it for 10 counts.
5. Tell students that when the music stops, they should find another forest friend, lock hands with them and try to balance on their favorite kicking foot until the music starts again.
6. Remind them that this will take cooperation, to balance together without causing each other to fall over. Demonstrate with a student.
7. Ask quick recall questions:
   • What skills are we using? (Locomotors, leap, foot trap, foot dribble, foot trap, 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/dominant foot)
   • What should you do if you approach a ball? (Move it forward by dribbling it 10 times and then stop it by trying a balanced foot trap on top of it for 10 counts)
8. Start music to begin activity. (Upbeat sounds of nature music would be motivating)
9. Intermittently pause music and cue for students to find a forest friend and balance on their kicking foot.
10. Move through activity space and call out cue words for skill reminders and encourage best effort and cooperation.

Transition:

When music pauses for the final time, ask students to find a forest friend to hold hands with and try to balance on their favorite foot with them. (Ask clean-up crew to pick up balls that are spread out in activity area).

Cool-Down: Walk Together, Work Together

Procedure:

1. Ask students to walk in pairs for this activity called, Walk Together, Work Together, holding hands, throughout the activity space for 30 counts.
2. Challenge them to try to walk in a variety of pathways together.
3. 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.
4. While they are making the tunnel, other partner teams should try to walk around or through the tunnel.
5. Ask students to hold their tunnel for 20 counts and then go back to walking.
6. Continue randomly tapping various partner teams to have them make a fingertip touching tunnel so that other groups can walk around and through.
7. 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.
8. 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. Ask clean- up crew to collect/organize equipment used.

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 part of the foot should we use to tap the ball when trying to dribble it?
• What can we do with our feet to stop the ball if it starts getting to far away from us?

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.

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!