ASSESSMENT RUBRIC

Objective: Balance in an upside down position

Gymnastics Unit | Level 13

TECHNIQUE
Today we are going to learn how to balance in an upside down position.  

IMPORTANCE
Balancing in an upside down position is important because it increases strength in your upper arms and shoulders. Being upside down also reverses the blood flow and increases blood circulation in the body.

VOCABULARY
Upside down: when the upper part is now where the lower part is or was.

When balancing in an upside down position, it is important to:

PRACTICE

1. Line up on the baseline shoulder-to-shoulder. When I say, “GO!” make a tunnel with your body and hold it for 10 seconds.
2. Repeat as many times as needed.

STORYLINE
Today we are playing Snakes and Shrews. In this game, you are either a snake that slithers across the grass, or a shrew that buries tunnels underground. Your goal is to either hop over the snakes that are laying on the ground or go under the shrews that are balancing in an upside down position.

INSTRUCTIONS

• I will divide the class into teams of two – snakes and shrews.
• Before the game begins, spread out onto the field so that you are at least an arm’s length away from the student next to you.
• When I say, “GO!” start running anywhere within the boundary cones.
• When I say, “SHREW!” all shrews must make a tunnel/bridge with their body. The only way to become unfrozen is if a snake slithers under you.
• When I say, “SNAKE!” all snakes must lie down in the field. The only way to get back up is for a shrew to scurry over you.
• After a couple minutes, the snakes and shrews will switch roles.

TEACHING TIPS

• Approach:
  • Try to trick students by saying other words that start with ‘s’ (i.e. Snapple, shred, shop etc.).
  • Remind students, they should not be touching one another when hopping over a snake or tunneling under a shrew.  
• ELL Accommodation: 
  • Post labeled pictures of skills and game play.
  • Partner with proficient English speakers for directions/modeling and reflections.
• SpEd Accommodation: 
  • Set individual goals for physical or behavioral modifications. 
  • Allow students to demonstrate skill one-on-one with teacher.
  • Allow students extra time to master the skill.
• Reflection: 
  • Did balancing upside down make you nervous?
  • Why or why not?
  • What was challenging about balancing upside down?

STORYLINE
Today we are playing Golden Gate Bridge II. Your goal is to balance in an upside down position until a cone is knocked down from the opposing team’s side. 

INSTRUCTIONS

• I will divide the class into two teams.
• Each team will have 10 tall cones behind them.
• You must select one person to start off as the thrower.
• Everyone else will form a long bridge, balancing on their hands and feet, in front of their team’s tall cones.  
• When I say, "GO!" throwers will try and throw fuzzy balls at the other team’s tall cones. 
• For every cone that gets knocked down, the thrower chooses a bridge on his/her team to become a thrower.
• You can only throw inside your team's boundary cones.
• You may only have one ball in your hand at a time.
• At any point, you may retrieve balls that go past your boundary cones.
• We will begin a new game when one team's cones are all knocked down.

TEACHING TIPS

• Approach:
  • If students are having difficulty knocking down cones, increase the number of throwers that begin each game.  
• Student Role:
  • Have one student be a ball master in charge of retrieving balls that go out-of-bounds.
• ELL Accommodation: 
  • Post labeled pictures of skills and game play.
  • Partner with proficient English speakers for directions/modeling and reflections.
• SpEd Accommodation: 
  • Set individual goals for physical or behavioral modifications. 
  • Allow students to demonstrate skill one-on-one with teacher.
  • Allow students extra time to master the skill.
• Reflection: 
  • Did balancing upside down make you nervous?
  • Why or why not?
  • What was challenging about balancing upside down?

STORYLINE
Today we are playing Coal Mining. Your goal is to balance in an upside down position to try and mine your team’s coal as fast as you can.

INSTRUCTIONS

• I will divide the class into teams of four.
• Ro Sham Bo to decide which teammate will start mining coal first.
• Before the game begins, stand one foot apart from one another with your feet shoulder width apart and bend down so that your hands are touching the ground.  
• When I say, “GO!” the first miner will pass the coal back through his/her legs.
• The coal must be passed to each miner.
• When you have passed all five pieces of coal to your last miner, run with your team to the end line.  
• We will begin a new game when everyone has finished mining their coal.

TEACHING TIPS

• Approach:
  • Remind students, the closer they are to one another the easier it is to pass the pieces of coal.
  • Each new game a different teammate must start off as the first miner.
  • Depending on class size, increase or decrease the amount of teams.   
• ELL Accommodation: 
  • Post labeled pictures of skills and game play.
  • Partner with proficient English speakers for directions/modeling and reflections.
• SpEd Accommodation: 
  • Set individual goals for physical or behavioral modifications. 
  • Allow students to demonstrate skill one-on-one with teacher.
  • Allow students extra time to master the skill.
• Reflection: 
  • Did balancing upside down make you nervous?
  • Why or why not?
  • What was challenging about balancing upside down?