WEEK 1-2 LESSON PLANS

5-7 Basketball Lessons

GET TO KNOW THE KIDS NAMES
Play a name game and then get into a circle and call out certain things like “bounce the ball once if you have a sister” or “bounce the ball once if you are wearing blue”.

WARM UP GAME
Have the kids walk down and back with the basketball. Dribbling with one hand, the other hand and then alternating hands. Repeat each type of dribbling 3 times.

TECHNIQUE
Teach the technique for the day “Dribble with your head up”

PRACTICE TECHNIQUE (5 Minutes)
Have the kids practice the technique while the coach walks around helping individual kids.

GAMES
Play games that you think will work for your group

Simon Says II
Lightning Bugs
Mr. Snake II
Dribble Drop

END OF CLASS (VERY IMPORTANT)
Ask the kids what the three critical teaching points that they learned to day are. Tell the kids to tell their parents what they learned today.

TECHNIQUE
Today we are going to learn how to dribble with our heads up.

IMPORTANCE
Dribbling with your head up is important because you will need to be aware of where your teammates and opponents are to pass or avoid bumping into them.

When dribbling with your head up, it is important to:

Practice 1: Line up on the baseline shoulder-to-shoulder with your ball between your feet. When I say, “GO!” dribble your ball 10 times while trying to keep your head up. When I say, “STOP!” put your ball between your feet.
Practice 2: Repeat as many times as needed.

STORYLINE
Today we are Warming Up before our games. Your goal is to follow the Coach and listen to instructions.

INSTRUCTIONS

• When I say, “GO!”:

  • Stretch - up into sky then touch your toes

  • Do 10 arm circles forward and backward

  • Sit on your bottom and stretch to toes

  • Calf stretch

  • Flamingo stretch

• Run without the soccer ball from baseline to end line

• Dribble with your soccer ball from baseline to end line.

STORYLINE
Today we are playing Simon Says II. Your goal is to follow Simon’s instructions while dribbling with your head up.

INSTRUCTIONS

• I will begin as the first Simon.

• When I say, “GO!” you must start dribbling your ball with your head up.

• Do not stop dribbling your ball.

• When I say, "Simon says....” you must repeat that action while still dribbling.

• If I do not say, “Simon says” then keep dribbling.

TEACHING TIPS

• Approach: This is not an elimination game.
  Approach: The goal is to not “trick” the students, but to keep dribbling their ball.
  Discussion: Ask students to share what was easy or hard about keeping your head up during this game.

STORYLINE
Today we are playing Lightning Bugs. In this game, you are lightning bugs flying to the different neon lights. Your goal is to avoid the bug catcher (tagger) by dribbling with your head up as you fly to each of the neon lights.

INSTRUCTIONS

• I will select one student to be the bug catcher.

• The bug catcher will stand in the center hula-hoop.

• Before the game begins, stand in one of the neon light zones (red, yellow, blue or green).

• When I call out a color, you will have five seconds to dribble your basketball with your head up to that new

• light. (“Blue fly to green”, “Red fly to yellow”.)

• As soon as I call out a color, the bug catcher can leave the center hula-hoop.

• If you do not get tagged, you are safe.

• If you get tagged or you do not have your ball when you make it to your new light, you must join the bug

• catcher in the center hula-hoop and help him/her catch more lightning bugs.

• We will begin a new game when I select new lightning bug catchers.

TEACHING TIPS

• Discussion: Ask student to share who they saw trying their best at touching the ball with their fingertips and not their palms.

STORYLINE
Today we are playing Mr. Snake II. In this game, you are a group of very sneaky students wondering what time it is. Your goal is to dribbling with your head up for every hour of time that Mr. Snake calls out.

INSTRUCTIONS

• Before the game begins, line up on the baseline shoulder-to-shoulder with your ball.

• I will begin as Mr. Snake.

• As a class you will shout out, “What time is it Mr. Snake?”

• Mr. Snake will respond with the time (ex: “It’s 3 o’clock or it’s 7 o’clock”) or “It’s dinner time!”

• If Mr. Snake responds with the time, you must walk that many steps forward while bouncing and catching

• the ball.

• If Mr. Snake responds with, “It’s dinner time!” you must turn and run back to the baseline without getting

• tagged.

TEACHING TIPS

• Approach: Remind students to be honest and step forward as many times as Mr. Snake says.

• Approach: Consider allowing students to make it back to the baseline without being tagged for the first few rounds.

• Approach: Have Mr. Snake stand at the opposite end of the field with his/her back turned.

• Discussion: Ask students to share examples of who they saw doing a good job at pointing their hand down and out after they bounced the ball.

STORYLINE
Today we are playing Dribble Drop. Your goal is to keep the basketball in motion by dribbling with your head up.

INSTRUCTIONS

• Before the game begins, spread out on the court with your basketball.

• When I say, “GO!” start with your head up around the court in any direction.

• You cannot pass the boundary lines.

• When I say, “DROP!” you must leave your ball and grab another one.

• You must switch balls with a new student each time “drop” is called.

• If you stop bouncing and catching your ball, you receive a letter “D” (D-R-O-P).

• We will begin a new game when one student has received all four letters.

TEACHING TIPSØ

• Approach: Once a student has reached all four letters, have him/her call out, “DROP” the next game.
  Approach: Depending on your class size, divide students into two teams. Have one team on the sideline and the other team dribbling inside the court. When “New Ball” is called, teammates from the sideline have to grab a ball before it stops bouncing and students that were on the court line up on the sidelines.
  Discussion: Ask student to share what was easy or hard about catching the ball with both hands.

STORYLINE
Today we are playing a Coach Lead Scrimmage. Your goal is to shoot a soccer ball into the opposing team’s goal.

INSTRUCTIONS

• I will divide you into two teams –using pinnies to tell who you are.

• Before the game begins, spread out on your side of the field.

• I will decide which team starts with the ball first.

• When I say, “GO!” the team with the ball will start.

• You cannot touch the ball with your hands, you can only kick the ball.

• There are no goalies, you must stand 3 – 5 feet away from your goal when defending.

• If a goal is scored, go back to your team’s side and we will begin a new round.

• If I blow my whistle at any point, freeze where you are.

TEACHING TIPS

• Approach: Divide teams equally based on athletic ability.

• Approach: Remind children the whistle will be blown at various times during the game for teaching moments.

• Approach: Add short cones around the goal if defenders are staying 3 – 5 feet away.

• Discussion: Ask children to share what was easy or hard about receiving a pass while stationary.

STORYLINE
Today we are playing Pinball Machine. Your goal is to have as few balls as possible in your team’s rectangle at the end of each round.

INSTRUCTIONS

• Before the game begins, I will divide you into four teams.

• When I say, “GO!” kick the balls in your rectangle to the rectangle right of you.

• If you kick the ball too hard and it goes out-of-bounds, you must retrieve it.

• At the end of two minutes, we will count how many balls are left in your rectangle.

• We will begin a new round when all the balls have been counted.

TEACHING TIPS

• Approach: Divide teams equally based on athletic ability.

• Discussion: Ask students to share what was easy or hard about passing off the dribble.