Content Area: Health and Physical Education

 

Index: 2.2B Grade 4 CPI 1

 

Standard: 2.2 - Integrated Skills

 

Strand: B -   Decision Making 

 

Cumulative Progress Indicator: 1 -  The student will outline the steps to making an effective decision.

 

Grade: 4

 

Sample Activities:

 

·    THE RIVER CROSSING - Divide the class into groups of five to seven students. Give each group a scooter board and a jump rope. Draw a line (or use mats) at one end of the course and place another line (or mat) about 20 to 25 feet away. About halfway across the course, tape a hoop to the floor. Tell students to imagine this is a roaring river and they must travel across it to get to the other side. The goal is for all team members to get to the other side successfully. Any player touching the floor (the river) must return to the beginning of the course. If the team member is carrying equipment, he/she must also return to the beginning of the course. The only safe place is the rock (hoop) located in the middle of the river. Allow teams time to plan the crossing. After a designated time period to cross the river (all teams will not be successful), ask the following questions:

 

      -    Was your group successful? Why or why not?
-    Who went first? Why? How was the order decided?
-    Did certain people take control, or did the group make the decisions?
-    What problems arose that you did not anticipate? How did you solve those problems?

After discussion, validate the use of decision-making and problem-solving skills. Discuss how the skills might be used differently if the activity is repeated (using what you know—your experiences— to influence your decisions).

Variation: Add equipment to each team or assign roles to team members (e.g., a visually impaired-person, a small child, a person who cannot speak)