Super Skills Stadium: Building Safe Choices and Throwing Power ✨ cross-curricular
Teacher: TeacherAI | Grade: 3 | Subject: Physical Education, Health Education | Duration: 45 minutes
📝 Description: Students practice overhand throwing, catching skills, and role-play refusal strategies while demonstrating kindness and respect for others' choices.
Standards
- PE.3.1.4 (Throws overhand demonstrating three of the five critical elements of a mature pattern)
- PE.3.1.5 (Catches a gently tossed hand-size ball from a partner)
- HE.3.4.5 (Demonstrate refusal skills to avoid or reduce health risks)
- HE.3.4.6 (Demonstrate how to communicate kindness, empathy, and care)
- HE.3.4.7 (Demonstrate ways to show respect for others consent)
Learning Objectives
Students will be able to:
- Demonstrate proper overhand throwing technique with arm back, step with opposite foot, and follow through
- Catch a hand-size ball from a partner using proper hand position and body alignment
- Use at least three refusal skills to say no to risky situations
- Show kindness and empathy when others make different choices
- Respect when partners say no during physical activities
Supplies Needed
- Chart paper
- Whiteboard and dry-erase markers
- Crayons/colored pencils
- Soft throwing balls (tennis ball size) - 1 per pair
- Cones or markers for throwing stations
Lesson Structure
Opening (5 minutes)
Gather students in a circle. Ask: "When someone asks you to do something that doesn't feel right, what can you do?" Introduce today's focus: learning to say no kindly while practicing throwing and catching skills that require teamwork and respect.
Main Activity (35 minutes)
Step-by-step instructions:
- Refusal Skills Discussion (8 minutes): Write "Ways to Say No" on chart paper. Brainstorm with students: "No thanks," "I don't want to," "That's not safe," "Let's do something else instead." Practice saying these phrases with confident voices and body language.
- Throwing Form Demo (5 minutes): Demonstrate overhand throw: "Arm back like you're scratching between your shoulder blades, step with opposite foot, throw and follow through toward your target." Have students practice the motion without balls, counting "Back, step, throw!"
- Catching Position Practice (3 minutes): Show proper catching stance: "Feet shoulder-width apart, hands ready like you're holding a big hamburger, eyes on the ball, give with your hands when you catch." Students practice position and pretend catches.
- Partner Respect Rules (4 minutes): Establish throwing partnership rules: "Ask before throwing, wait for your partner to be ready, if someone says 'stop' or 'not ready,' we respect that immediately." Practice asking "Ready?" and responding "Yes" or "Not yet."
- Throwing and Catching Stations (12 minutes): Set up stations 8 feet apart. Partners practice throws and catches, focusing on form. Circulate and reinforce: stepping with opposite foot, following through, tracking the ball with eyes. Remind students to check in with partners frequently.
- Refusal Role-Play with Movement (3 minutes): Call out scenarios: "Someone wants you to throw the ball at another person," "Someone says to keep playing when you're tired." Students practice refusal skills while maintaining kind tone and suggesting alternatives like "Let's practice catching instead."
Closing (5 minutes)
Students sit in circle. Share one thing they learned about good throwing form and one way to kindly say no. Emphasize that respecting others' choices makes everyone feel safer and happier.
Quick Check: "Show me overhand throwing position. What are two ways to say no kindly? Why do we respect when someone says stop?"
Formative Assessment
During the lesson, look for:
- Students demonstrating at least 3 of 5 overhand throw elements (arm back, opposite foot step, follow through, trunk rotation, weight transfer)
- Partners checking for consent before throwing and immediately stopping when asked
- Use of refusal language with confident voice and respectful tone during role-play scenarios
Differentiation Strategies
Support for Struggling Students:
- Use larger, softer balls and shorter throwing distances for motor skill practice
- Provide sentence starters for refusal skills: "I don't want to ___" or "That doesn't feel ___"
- Allow students to practice throwing motion without releasing ball to focus on form
Challenge for Advanced Learners:
- Increase throwing distance and add accuracy targets like hula hoops or cones
- Create complex refusal scenarios involving peer pressure and problem-solving alternatives
- Have advanced students coach throwing technique to partners who need extra support
ELL/ELD Support:
- Post visual charts showing throwing steps with pictures and simple phrases
- Pair English language learners with supportive partners for modeling and practice
- Use gestures and physical demonstrations for refusal skills alongside verbal practice
Printable Materials
Ways to Say No - Student Reference Chart
| When Someone Asks You to Do Something Risky | You Can Say... |
| Direct Refusal | "No thanks" or "I don't want to" |
| Safety Focus | "That's not safe" or "I might get hurt" |
| Suggest Alternative | "Let's do this instead" or "How about we..." |
| Walk Away | "I'm going to go now" + leave the situation |
Overhand Throwing Form Checklist
Check off each part you see in your throw:
- ☐ Arm goes back behind my head
- ☐ Step with opposite foot (right foot if throwing with left hand)
- ☐ Eyes look at my target
- ☐ Follow through - arm continues toward target after release
- ☐ Body turns toward target as I throw
Catching Ready Position:
- ☐ Feet shoulder-width apart
- ☐ Hands ready in front of body
- ☐ Eyes watching the ball
- ☐ Move hands to catch and "give" with the ball