Madison Arbuckle-Burns

Fun & Fit

Striking with a Baseball Bat

1. Objectivea. Student will learn how to properly hold and swing a bat to hit a ball

off of a tee and understand the safety rules that are needed when swinging a bat.

b. TEKS involved in activity:

i. 116.2, K.7, Section A. Social Development; students will positive self-management and social skills needed to work independently and with other in psychical activity settings. Students will follow rules, procedure and safe practices.

ii. 116.7, 5.1, Section K & L. Movement. The student demonstrates competency in movement patterns and proficiency in a few specialized movement forms, demonstrate competence in manipulative skills in dynamic situations such as overhand throw, catch, shooting, hand dribble, foot dribble, kick, and striking activities such as hitting a softball and demonstrate combinations of locomotor and manipulative skills in complex and/or game-like situations such as pivoting and throwing, twisting and striking, and running and catching

2. Get Readya. Materials needed: Around 10 bats, 6 tees, 6 large dodge balls, 6 little

dodge ball, 1 coneb. Safety considerations: Through all the games make sure students

check the area around them before swinging. During Fire Arm have kids strike the ball towards the curtain. During Tee Frenzy keep kids from hitting the ball towards parents or the other group.

Madison Arbuckle-Burns

c. Set Up: Before the kids come to the play area set up however many tees needed for the group with balls of the appropriate size according to the age on the tee and have a bat at each tee.

3. Seta. Greet the students as soon as they come to the station. Introduce

myself as the coach, introduce what we will be learning about today and teach the Ka-Boom chant.

b. Explain: Ask what the object (bat) we will be playing with today, then ask what games can be played with a bat. Next ask if anyone has ever played those sports before. Then explain how to hold a bat properly with the dominant (favorite) hand on top and the other hand squeezed right under it, discuss the squishing bug analogy. Next go over the proper stance and how to swing. Lastly go over the safety rules when swinging a bat.

c. Classroom-Management: Ka-Boom chant. Teach group when first coming to play area right after introduction. The way it works is when I yell Ka, and then they yell Boom. That signals to stop what they are doing and to listen to the next set of instructions.

4. Goa. Simple Game/Activity: Fire Arm: We will pair/group the kids and

then send them to a tee set up by the wall. Each of the kids will take turns swinging the bat and hitting the ball, they will each get 3-5 swings to hit the ball against the wall, and then switch. This will give us a chance to see that each kid is properly swinging and getting the hang of it.

b. Moderate Game/Activity: Tee Frenzy: Tees will be set up around the play area. Kids will pair up, one of the partners will have the bat and the other one won’t. We will then say go and the pair will go around to the tees and the partner with the bat will hit the ball (lightly) and the other partner will then go get the ball and put it back on the tee. If the kids start hitting it to far we will then make it a small

Madison Arbuckle-Burns

competition that before the batter can go to another tee his partner must put the ball back on the tee they just hit from, this will keep the kids 1 from hitting it across the room and 2 from not going to get the ball. Each tee they hit from then is counted by the partner not hitting. We will have them switch.

c. Advanced Game/Activity: Cone Baseball: Either group, kids dived into 2 or 4 groups. A cone is set up approximately 5-10 feet away from the batting tee; the fielding team stands in the field behind this cone. The batter scores runs by running continuously between the cone and the tee after he/she hits the ball. One run is scored each time the batter touches the cone or tee. The batter is out (has to stop running and scoring runs) when a fielder retrieves the ball and runs back to the cone that is 15-25' away from the batting tee, touches it with the ball, and says out. After each kid on the team goes we will switch

d. Adaptions: For younger students use a larger ball and/or bat so easier to hit. For older students use smaller ball and/or thinner bat if they are able to hold the bat properly and swing the bat with control.

5. Closinga. Last minute: Go over what game can be played with a bat. Review

how to properly hold a bat and ask if someone would like to come demonstrate. Lastly ask if everyone had fun.

b. Model: Choose one student to come up and demonstrate how to hold a bat properly and motion of swinging the bat.