Prairie Dog Pickoff
Activity from Joey Feith @phys_educator
www.thephysicaleducator.com
Build One: Finding an Open Space
Students find an open space set up their hoop and their pins. On
the teachers command, the students must pick up their hoops and
pins and go set up in a new open space. Do this a few times with
your students and then discuss tactics behind finding an open
space quickly.
Build Two: Offence/Defense
The teacher now introduces foam balls into the game. Students
may use these balls to knock down other players' pins. When in
possession of a foam ball, the students' movement is restricted to
pivoting. If a player has their pin knocked down, they must pick up
their hoop and pin and go set up in a new, open space.
Build Three: Team Strategy
In this layer, if a player's pin is knocked down, that player must go
join the player who knocked it down. A player does this by picking
up their hoop and pin and going to set up beside the player who
knocked down their pin (their hoops should now be touching). The
players must now work together to defend each others' pins and
to increase the size of their team (by knocking down other players'
pins). If a teammate's pin is knocked down, only that player must
switch teams. Players may make passes with the ball.
Discussion Questions
How do you successfully knock down someone else's pin?
How do you prevent your pin from being knocked over?
How do you work with your team to attack other targets?