Lesson 1 · Week 1 · Grades 3-5 · 40 min
Ready and Dodge
Athletic stance, dodging and flag pulling
Cue words
Three words the class hears all lesson. They appear huge on the gym screen.
Lesson flow
Gold parts play video. 37 minutes of teaching plus time for transitions.
Jog in place. High knees. Shuffle left, shuffle right. When Coach Cam calls 'Stance!', everyone freezes in an athletic stance. Quick feet for 5 seconds. 'Cut!' means plant and change direction. Repeat 3 times, faster each round.
Coach Cam shows a full-speed flag pull, then breaks it into Stance, Cut and Rip, then shows the common mistake: grabbing the shirt instead of the flag.
Mirror Me (4 minutes): partners face each other in stance. Partner A shuffles and cuts, partner B mirrors. Switch every 30 seconds. Then Rip Reps (6 minutes): partner A walks past at a slow jog, partner B pulls a flag using the cues, holds it high, hands it back. 5 reps each, then switch.
Flag Frenzy: everyone wears 2 flags inside the square. On 'Go', try to pull other players' flags while protecting your own by moving, never by covering your flags with your hands. When you pull a flag, hold it high and drop it in the Reload Zone. When you lose both flags, jog to the Reload Zone, do 5 quick feet, put on 2 flags and rejoin. Rounds last 60 to 90 seconds. Round 1 is walking only.
Question 1: 'Show me your stance. What makes it a good one?' Question 2: 'What do you do after you pull a flag?' (Hold it high, call Flag, give it back.) Shout-out one student who played fair. Cool-down: slow walk, then a standing quad stretch and calf stretch.
Setup
Mark a square about 20 by 20 steps. Mark a 'Reload Zone' along one side. Students start spread out inside the square, each wearing 2 flags at the hips.
Equipment
- 2 flags per student: flag belts, or scarves, pinnies or bandanas tucked into the waistband
- 4 cones or tape marks for the boundary
- 1 soft ball per 2 students (used in the Harder version only)
Safety
- Hands touch flags only. No grabbing shirts, arms or other players.
- No diving and no sliding.
- Flags hang free. Nobody tucks them in tight or holds them.
- Everyone freezes on the whistle.
Every student included
- Students using wheelchairs wear flags on the armrests or shoulders. Others pull from the side, never from behind the chair.
- Pair a student who needs support with a peer buddy who moves alongside.
- Use a raised hand as well as the whistle for students who are deaf or hard of hearing.
- Offer a quieter corner zone with 3 or 4 players for students who find crowds overwhelming.
Make it easier
- Walking speed only for every round
- Make the square bigger
- Let flags hang longer so they are easier to grab
Make it harder
- Make the square smaller
- Ball carriers: half the class carries a soft ball and must keep it while dodging
- Add 3 'Defenders' who only pull flags and have none to protect
Skill check rubric
Score the class in lessons 1 and 8. Use your own roster on paper if you need names for your gradebook.
| Skill | Getting started | Getting there | Got it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Athletic stance | Stands upright with feet together | Bends knees but feet are narrow or weight is back | Feet wide, knees bent, chest up, eyes forward, ready to move |
| Flag pull | Reaches late, grabs clothing or misses the flag | Pulls the flag but lunges or loses balance | Approaches in stance, eyes on the hip, clean rip, holds it high |
| Dodge | Runs straight or stops to avoid a defender | Changes direction, but slowly or with several steps | Plants and cuts in one step while staying inside the space |
South Carolina standards
Indicator codes for each lesson are added once the PE teacher partner has checked them against the 2021 South Carolina standards document.
- Standard 1: Demonstrates competency in a variety of motor skills and movement patterns.
- Standard 2: Demonstrates knowledge of concepts, principles, strategies, and tactics related to movement and performance.
- Standard 4: Exhibits responsible personal and social behavior that respects self and others.
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