SPELLING TAG Back to school 2001-2002 Game by Carol/KR Jump to Game Directions Note from the Editor: School is just about to begin in our part of the country. It's time for us, as educators, to start thinking about some ways to incorporate physical activity into our schedules both for ourselves and for your kids. If you have never done this before and don't know where to start, why not start with a running game? You can use it as a reward for your class instead of the usual 'popcorn and a movie' and you can trot along with the kids as they play, getting a little bit of movement into your day. Start with our Spelling Tag, and then perhaps another time, let your class make up a tag game of their own. Have fun, stay healthy and watch your kids have fun and stay healthy at the same time. GET READY Prepare in the classroom. Use your weekly spelling list. Use large index cards and magic markers to make letter cards to spell all the words on your list. Example - For Words: cat, rat, play, see, run, you'll need the letter cards: c, a, t, r, p, l, y, s, e, e, u, n Make sure that you have at least one letter card for each child. Make duplicates if you have a large class. If you are playing in the gym, take your list and some tape to attach to the wall. If you are playing outside, put your list on a clipboard. Bring a marker for highlighting the words called. HOW TO PLAY Use the following rules or adapt to meet your needs. 1. Choose one child to be the Word Caller. That child goes to the spelling list, chooses a word, and highlights it. 2. Pass out the letters to the other kids. Some kids might have 2 letter cards. 3. The Word Caller calls out the spelling word and uses it in a sentence. The kids who have the letters that spell the word go to a designated spot. They get in order and hold up their cards to show the class. (If more than one child has a letter that goes in the word, let that child play too. He/she can line up behind the other child when they spell the word. ) When the teacher says, "Go," the kids with the letters get 15 seconds to try to tag the Word Caller. 4. The child who tags the Word Caller is the new Word Caller. If no one tags the Word Caller, the teacher chooses a new Word Caller. The kids who had a chance to run, take a break for this game. They give their letters to another player and the game starts again. WAYS TO MAKE TAG GAMES SUCCESSFUL Emphasize fun. Tag is one of the oldest and most loved running games that exists. There have been many variations, many of which have been made up by kids playing in their own back yards. Tag is often played with just a few kids, so it can be a little more of a challenge to make it a successful game with the whole class. Here are some tips that will help: 1. Emphasize fun. Don't have a 'winner'. Keep kids active and moving and let them know that they are going outside or to the gym to have fun exercising as a reward for good behavior or for trying hard on their school work. 2. Restrict the playing area. Have reasonable boundaries. You may want kids to run around a track or a baseball diamond. This works nicely with the kids trying to catch the caller. 3. Allow the kids who are waiting their turn to stay active by jogging in place, stretching, doing crunches, jumping jacks, or modified push-ups. 4. Remind the kids to use easy tapping when tagging a player. It's important that the kids are cautious, careful, and use their heads to have a safe game. REWARD them with scheduling another tag playing day for safe playing. 5. Leave enough time to run a couple of warm-up laps before the tag game and a couple more warm-down laps at the end of today's session. ON RETURNING TO THE CLASSROOM Hydrate, stretch, write, and draw Kids should always have a drink of water upon returning to the class after gym, recess, or running. If you don't have a water fountain in the room, you might encourage kids to bring a water bottle to school to keep on their desks or tables. Take a couple of minutes to do some easy stretching. It's a good habit for kids to get into and will maintain their flexibility as well as help them wind down. Next get out their journals, notebooks, or paper and have them write about the game. Was it fun? What were the rules? Would they like to play again? What would they change? Make sure to let the kids make a picture about their game. Perhaps you'd like to share one with this Web site. We'd love to print a few drawings by kids. At some point give the kids a chance to make up their own tag games. Run and Journal You may print these forms to record your running experience. LINKS FOR YOU More Running Games Other games to use or adapt www.kidsrunning.com/krschoolgames.html Resource Page Books www.kidsrunning.com/krthings.html Have fun, get psyched, and put your heart into your classroom this year. Email goodrow@infionline.net