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PE Central Halloween Bulletin Board and Elementary Lesson Ideas Book 1-‐15-‐14

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PE Central’s Halloween Lesson Plans and Bulletin Board Ideas

Featuring over 40 Halloween themed physical education bulleting boards along with 35 elementary Halloween physical education lesson ideas

Copyright © 2014 PE Central All rights reserved. Reproduction of this work is prohibited without written permission of PE

Central.

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PE Central, PO Box 10262, Blacksburg, VA 24062

Web: www.pecentral.org

E-mail: [email protected]; Phone: 1-540-953-1043

Fax: 1-540-301-0112


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Table of Contents

PART 1: BULLETIN BOARDS ........................................................................................................................................... 4 “WITCH” IS YOUR FAVORITE SPORT? ......................................................................................................................................... 5 EXERCISE IS GOOD FOR ‘DEM BONES’ ........................................................................................................................................ 6 GET YOUR BONES MOVING! ..................................................................................................................................................... 7 CAUGHT EXERCISING! ............................................................................................................................................................. 8 FRIGHTENING NUMBERS OF HEALTH .......................................................................................................................................... 9 ‘BAT’TER UP!! ..................................................................................................................................................................... 10 MAKING CONNECTIONS IN P.E. .............................................................................................................................................. 11 WHAT’S BREWING? .............................................................................................................................................................. 12 IT’S NO TRICK ...................................................................................................................................................................... 13 HAVE A BONETASTIC HALLOWEEN ........................................................................................................................................... 14 HALLOWEEN NUTRITIONAL BULLETIN BOARD ............................................................................................................................ 15 "GET CAUGHT GOBLIN UP HEALTHY SNACKS!" .......................................................................................................................... 16 IT'S NOT SCARY... IT'S YOU! ................................................................................................................................................... 17 GET STUCK ON EXERCISE ....................................................................................................................................................... 18 WE'RE BATTY ABOUT FITNESS ............................................................................................................................................. 19 DEM BONES ARE HEALTHY ..................................................................................................................................................... 20 SCARE AWAY BAD HABITS ..................................................................................................................................................... 21 BONE SHAKING FITNESS FUN .................................................................................................................................................. 22 CAUGHT EXERCISING ....................................................................................................................................................... 23 CORNY CLASS ...................................................................................................................................................................... 24 DEM BONES 2 ..................................................................................................................................................................... 25 MAKE NO BONES ABOUT IT ................................................................................................................................................... 26 WE'RE BATTY ABOUT VOLLEYBALL .......................................................................................................................................... 27 EXERCISING IF FUN WITH JACK O'LANTERN .............................................................................................................................. 28 OUR BONES ARE WEBBED TOGETHER ...................................................................................................................................... 29 SCARED TO THE BONES ......................................................................................................................................................... 30 SPOOKY IN PE ...................................................................................................................................................................... 31 EXERCISE BUILDS STRONG BONES ........................................................................................................................................... 32 PHYSICAL EDUCATION IS FANG-‐TASTIC ..................................................................................................................................... 33 GET CAUGHT HAVING FUN IN P.E. #2 ..................................................................................................................................... 34 WE ARE BATTY FOR P.E. ....................................................................................................................................................... 35 FALL TO PIECES OVER FITNESS ................................................................................................................................................. 36 TRICK OR TREAT SAFETY ........................................................................................................................................................ 37 JUMPING JACK-‐O-‐LANTERNS 1 ................................................................................................................................................ 38 IT'S NO TRICK THAT PE IS A TREAT! ......................................................................................................................................... 39 JUMPING JACK O LANTERNS 2 ................................................................................................................................................ 40 SPOOKTACULAR DIET ....................................................................................................................................................... 41 I'M BATS ABOUT FITNESS ...................................................................................................................................................... 42 EVERYBODY NEEDS PHYSICAL EDUCATION ................................................................................................................................. 43 CREEPING TOWARDS GOOD HEALTH ....................................................................................................................................... 44


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TREAT YOURSELF TO GOOD HEALTH ........................................................................................................................................ 45 WE'RE BATTY ABOUT PE ....................................................................................................................................................... 46

PART 2: ELEMENTARY HALLOWEEN LESSON IDEAS ..................................................................................................... 47 TRICK OR TREAT ................................................................................................................................................................... 48 LOCOMOTOR TRICK OR TREAT ................................................................................................................................................. 49 GHOSTS IN THE GRAVEYARD ................................................................................................................................................... 51 HALLOWEEN STATIONS #1 ..................................................................................................................................................... 53 FALL FUN HOUSE ................................................................................................................................................................. 56 THE HAUNTED HOUSE ............................................................................................................................................................ 58 HALLOWEEN STATIONS #2 ..................................................................................................................................................... 59 GHOSTBUSTERS .................................................................................................................................................................... 61 SPOOK WALK ....................................................................................................................................................................... 62 HALLOWEEN STATIONS #3 ..................................................................................................................................................... 63 THE LASER SPIDER WEB .......................................................................................................................................................... 66 HAUNTED HOUSE ................................................................................................................................................................. 67 MARATHON TRICK OR TREATING ............................................................................................................................................. 68 HAUNTED STATIONS .............................................................................................................................................................. 70 GHOSTBUSTERS #2 ............................................................................................................................................................... 72 5 LITTLE PUMPKINS ............................................................................................................................................................... 74 PEDOMETER TRICK 0R TREAT .................................................................................................................................................. 76 HALLOWEEN STATIONS #4 ..................................................................................................................................................... 78 HAUNTED HOUSE CHALLENGE ................................................................................................................................................. 80 PUMPKINS AND WITCHES TAG ................................................................................................................................................. 84 LITTLE GHOST ...................................................................................................................................................................... 85 WORKING TOGETHER IS BOO-‐TI-‐FUL! ...................................................................................................................................... 86 HALLOWEEN LOCOMOTORS ................................................................................................................................................... 90 HALLOWEEN BATS ................................................................................................................................................................ 91 PUMPKIN PATCH .................................................................................................................................................................. 92 WITCH’S HAT TAG ................................................................................................................................................................ 93 PUMPKIN TAG ...................................................................................................................................................................... 94 HALLOWEEN CARNIVAL .......................................................................................................................................................... 95 PUMPKIN PATCH #2 .............................................................................................................................................................. 97 HAUNTED HOUSE GAME ....................................................................................................................................................... 98 THE GHOST IN THE GRAVEYARD ............................................................................................................................................... 99 HALLOWEEN CARNIVAL #2 ................................................................................................................................................... 100 HEALTHY HAUNTED HOUSE ................................................................................................................................................... 102 MONSTER MASH ................................................................................................................................................................ 104 GHOST HUNT ..................................................................................................................................................................... 106


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Part 1: Bulletin Boards


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“Witch” is Your Favorite Sport? Suggested Grade Level: 3-5

Materials: Witch Cutout, Letters, Sport Ball Cutouts, Halloween Sequins, Borders Background Paper, Bucket (for votes)

Description:

The bulletin board shows a witch and many sport balls, with spider and cat sequins to add some pizzazz, a bucket to hold the votes, and a Halloween theme border. The witch cutout was used in place of “which” in the question. The question was discussed in PE class with the students voting about a week later. This bulletin board was used to integrate math and PE (see additional info), while at the same time celebrating Halloween.

Additional Information:

The PE teacher and I wanted to integrate PE with math activities, so this board was designed so students could make graphs of their favorite ball sports with the voting results. The students then voted for their favorite ball sport, with the first graders using the information to make graphs in math class. Several different graphs were made—boys and girls results, by grades, and then overall.

Submitted by Britney Jensen who teaches at Sandy Creek Elementary in Clay Center, NE.


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Exercise is Good for ‘Dem Bones’ Suggested Grade Level: All

Materials: Butcher paper, skeleton, labels, and white chalk

Description:

For use during Halloween to emphasize muscle groups and/or bones, depending on it is labeled. You can also write warm-up exercises next to the certain muscle groups that are being utilized.

Submitted by Amy Bruce, who teaches at Watauga Elementary in Watauga, TX.


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Get your Bones Moving! Suggested Grade Level: 3-5

Materials: Die cut letters, 3 skeleton decorations (available at the Dollar Store)

Description:

This board accompanied the students’ initial fitness tests around the Halloween holiday. I like to also discuss many different ways to get moving even when it starts to get cold outside. I used 3 skeletons from the Dollar Store to decorate this board. They could be put in any position. I have the one on the left doing a curl-up, the one in the middle shooting a soccer ball, and the one on the end is dancing! There are all different ways to get your bones moving…which way will you pick?

Submitted by Heather Dixon who teaches at Orchard Hollow Elementary School in Painesville, OH.


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Caught Exercising! Suggested Grade Level: K-2

Materials: Spider Web, Fuzzy Border with Spiders, 2 Big Spiders, Pictures of students exercising in the gym

Description:

"Caught Exercising" is our October theme bulletin board that illustrates the variety of exercise stations our students participated in on Fun Friday Station Day. Students are displayed in the spider web showing proper execution of each station.

Submitted by Carol Richardson who teaches at Windermere Primary School in Pflugerville, TX.


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Frightening Numbers of Health Suggested Grade Level: 9-12

Materials: Construction paper, poster board, caution tape

Description:

I built this bulletin board for my first placement for field experience. I wanted the board to be informational but attention grabbing. Since was close to Halloween, I thought it would be appropriate to incorporate Halloween and frightening statistics. If you lift up the numbers, there is a health statistic that is related to teenage health. For example, underneath the 46, it says that 46% of teenagers admit to texting while driving.

Submitted by Alexis Petrosky in Edinburg, PA.


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‘Bat’ter Up!! Suggested Grade Level: All

Materials: Spider web, construction paper

Description:

I went ahead and made our Halloween bulletin board. The students seemed to love it. All I used was lots of different colored construction to make the layout. It really seemed to get the kids in the mood for the holiday coming up. The spider web put more effects into the board, and with our baseball unit coming up, it was only fitting to do this type of board.

Submitted by Drew Burris who teaches at La Monte R-IV School District in La Monte, MO.


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Making Connections in P.E. Suggested Grade Level: 3-5

Materials: Plastic spiders, spider web and fake spider webbing

Description:

I put a spider web in the middle of the board & attached plastic spiders around it with various sports balls glued on their backs. The large spider in the middle of the web had the word "Physical Education" glued on it. The other spiders had fake webbing glued behind them and attached to words. This made it look like the spiders were pulling the words towards the spider web. The words that I used were: fair play, decision-making, teamwork, fitness, nutrition, and problem solving. These words can be changed to anything that you use in your P.E. program. My students know that all of our activities are connected to being a physically educated student.

Submitted by Kelly Byrne-Reiner who teaches at Linwood Elementary in Linwood, PA.


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What’s Brewing? Suggested Grade Level: All

Materials: Black paper cauldrons, green ovals and bubbles, tissue paper for the fire, yellow moon, and bats. I also used a black cat and felt spiders I found at a local store.

Description:

This was used during the month of October to go along with the holiday theme, but also let my students know what would be covered during PE throughout the year. We use the SPARK PE Program, so I used "skills practice" and "fitness activities" (categories in the pots) to show what was brewing. The bubbles listed some topics in each category that we will cover. My students were able to pick out some of the things that we had already done this year and were curious about some of the other activities that were listed.

Submitted by Deb Schmoldt who teaches at Sandy Creek at Clay Center in Clay Center, NE.


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It’s No Trick

Suggested Grade Level: 1-5

Materials: Plastic skeleton, foam sign, cardboard house and tree, ribbon borders, crows.

Description:

This bulletin board reinforces the idea that exercise is good for anybody. It also displays that you need to get your heart rate into the Target Zone to strengthen the heart muscle.

Submitted by DiAnne Galm who teaches at Catasauqua Middle in Catasauqua, PA.


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Have a Bonetastic Halloween


Materials: Picture of a skeleton, construction paper

Description:

This bulletin board is hanging up in the hallway. In October, our 4th graders start learning about the names of bones and this bulletin board was created to help reinforce what they've learned, as well as getting all the students in the spirit of Halloween. It has the names of the bones pointing to the parts on the skeleton. All around the skeleton it has information on the bones using the Q & A format. A question might be "What is the largest bone in the body?" Then you'd have to lift up the paper to see the answer is the Femur. You can use whatever questions you want to reinforce what the students have learned.

Submitted by Daniel Fallon in North Conway, NH.


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Halloween Nutritional Bulletin Board

Suggested Grade Level: K-8

Materials: Laminated food pictures, Velcro, Ellison letters.

Description:

"Trick or Treat, what's to eat? Even Witches know. Make your plate a rainbow!" There are 5 white circles (plates), on the bottom and lots of laminated food cutouts all over. The purpose was to create an interactive bulletin board where kids can create a healthy meal of colorful foods. The foods are all attached with Velcro and there is Velcro on the plates. Kids can arrange the food however they like. The sign in the upper left hand corner says "Take the foods from below and place them on the plates to create a healthy meal." At the bottom it says "Time to clean your plate. I put the calories on the back of the foods. In the upper right hand corner of the board I put info about calories. The white sheet says "All foods have calories. Your body needs calories for energy.”

Submitted by Jill Garneau who teaches at Prairieland Elementary in Bloomington, IL.


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"Get Caught Goblin Up Healthy Snacks!"


Materials: Paper ghosts, punch out letters, ghost scrubbers, pictures of healthy snacks

Description:

"Get Caught Goblin' Up Healthy Snacks" was created to encourage healthy snacking during the month of October when so many of them are only thinking of snacking on candy. The board has numerous pictures of people consuming healthy snacks along with pictures of ghosts / goblins. The bulletin board was constructed using pictures of food that were printed from the Internet, then framed using construction paper. The 3 dimensional ghosts, pictures of the haunted house, punch out letters, and ghost scrubbers were purchased from a dollar store.

Submitted by Ashley Belew who teaches at Helena Elementary School in Helena, AL.


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It's Not Scary... It's You!

Suggested Grade Level: All

Materials: 2 Cardboard skeletons, cut out letters, yarn, roll of black paper

Description:

This bulletin board is posted around Halloween and is used for students to learn the names of the bones in their bodies. With Halloween right around the corner, there are skeletons nearly everywhere you look. It is our goal for our students to begin to associate the bones of the skeletons to the names of the bones in their bodies.

Submitted by Matthew Carcaterra who teaches at Park Avenue Elementary School in Warwick, NY.


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Get Stuck On Exercise


Materials: Paper backing, construction paper, spider webbing, plastic Halloween characters and creative backing.

Description:

This is a Halloween themed board that shows the importance of exercising outside the school environment. On the board are suggestions for activities that all students can apply to their everyday lives. The activity suggestions can be altered to fit the grade band that you are teaching.

Submitted by Kevin Landry who teaches at UW-Stevens Point in Stevens Point, WI.


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We're BATTY about FITNESS


Materials: Construction paper to make bats and cutout words, black border, orange butcher paper.

Description:

This is a bulletin board that can be used during the month of October to introduce a fitness word wall. The bats contain fitness words that will be focused on during the month. P.E. is FUN! on top of the bulletin board. We're BATTY about FITNESS! placed inside the bulletin board surrounded by fitness words; Flexibility, BMI, Shoulder stretch, Pull-ups, Pacer, Endurance, Trunk lift, etc.

(Yes, there are bats hanging from the ceiling, as well!)

Submitted by Wille Wilcots who teaches at K.B. Polk in Dallas, TX.


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Dem Bones Are Healthy


Materials: Black butcher paper, skeleton, orange paper, yarn, die cut letters, glue.

Description:

I used orange paper to die cut the title and to print out the information on. On the left of the board I printed the lyrics to the song "Dem Bones" and on the right sign I labeled the name of the bones mention in the lyrics. I used a skeleton you can buy at most supermarkets around Halloween. Of course the thin, glow in the dark ones would work too. I secured the skeleton using a command hook hidden behind the paper. On the far right of the board, I have information about how to keep bones healthy- such as types of actives/exercise, how much calcium to eat. Lastly, I created a trick-r-treat tote filled with bone healthy foods (milk, orange juice, broccoli, and bread) for the skeleton to hold. I used this for a P.E. class.

Submitted by Krystal Kipapa in Cleveland, MS.


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Scare Away Bad Habits


Materials: Scarecrow, Crows, Corn, and Pumpkins

Description:

This bulletin board is based on a fall theme. We used it to help the students understand the difference between good habits and bad habits. On each of the pieces of corn, we wrote bad habits such as: too much TV, lack of exercise, too many sweets, too many video games, not brushing your teeth, and not eating your vegetables. When we discussed the bulletin board, we asked the students to give suggestions that would be better choices than the ones listed on the board.

Submitted by Julie Gates who teaches at Reno Elementary School in Azle, TX.


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Bone Shaking Fitness Fun


Materials: Construction paper, various skeleton pictures, large bendable skeleton cut out, construction paper letters.

Description:

I decided to incorporate skeletons so that many grades are learning about the body systems while encouraging physical activity. I searched the web for pictures of skeletons engaging in fitness or athletic activities, I cut them out and laminated them for future use. I also found a large dollar store skeleton Halloween decoration which I positioned to look like it's running. The words on the BB read "Bone Shaking Fitness Fun."

Submitted by Elissa Mango in Howell, NJ.


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CAUGHT EXERCISING


Materials: Black paper, 2 basketball nets, pictures of students or sport figures, 3 black spiders, orange lights, silver borders, letters.

Description:

"Caught Exercising" board is used around Halloween or in the Fall. You can choose to use the spiders or leave them off. I put up black paper with silver border and orange lights. I then pin up 2 basketball nets for the spider web. I take pictures of students doing various sports, basketball, soccer, jumping rope etc. I size the pictures to 8'10' and cut out the student, I then place the picture in the web where it fits. I place the 3 black spiders around the web for the holiday. It is easy and fun the kids LOVE it!

Submitted by Shannon Cooper, who teaches at W.S. Ryan Elementary in Denton, TX.


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Corny Class


Materials: Construction paper, picture of mummy, trick or treat bag, Beware banner.

Description:

We made candy corn with a name of a soccer term written on the outside. In the middle of the candy corn, you can lift the flap to give you the definition of the soccer term. We were working on a soccer unit during Halloween so we integrated the Halloween theme in there with the mummy holding the trick or treat bag. Students volunteered to choose a candy corn. They would tell us what the term meant and lifted the flap to see if they had the right answer.

Submitted by Wendy Halford who teaches at Ruth Fyfe ES in Las Vegas, NV.


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Dem Bones 2


Materials: Skeleton cut out, names of bones, words to the song ‘Dem Bones’, bone trivia questions, bone jokes.

Description:

I got the idea for this bulletin board from PE Central and just added to it. Along with the words to the song and the names of certain bones, I also added trivia questions about bones and bone jokes. The questions and jokes were on the outside of a flip card with the answers inside the flip card.

Submitted by Angie Bryant who teaches at Alpharetta Elementary School in Alpharetta, GA.


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Make No Bones About It


Materials: Bulletin board paper, die cut pumpkins, die cut letters, skeleton Halloween decorations.

Description:

I used orange backing paper and used the cutting machine at school to create the pumpkins on the border. The skeletons are Halloween decorations I found at the dollar store and I have a baseball, bowling ball, and basketball positioned in each of the hands of the skeletons. The popular saying, "Make no bones about it..." means to have no doubt and felt it appropriate with the skeletons. The message on the board says Make No Bones About It, We Love PE!

Submitted by Stephanie Meehan who teaches at Elizabeth Avenue School in Somerset, NJ.


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We're Batty About Volleyball


Materials: Border, pre cut letters and bats, leaves.

Description:

I put a Halloween border around the board and some leaves at the bottom with pumpkins nesting in them. I then cut out a volleyball net and some bats. I put volleyball vocabulary words on the bats and stapled them loosely to give them a 3-D effect. Then I added the words, "We're "Batty" about Volleyball."

Submitted by Kelly Thews who teaches at Freedom Elementary School in Freedom, WI.


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Exercising if FUN with Jack O'Lantern


Materials: Orange construction paper, background paper, scissors, shapes, printed words.

Description:

The 3-D Jack O'Lantern is made to grab their attention so they look at the board. The tasks I have pictured "Jack" performing are sit-ups, push-ups, jogging, jumping rope, jumping JACKS, and riding a bike. The tasks are easy and simple so the students can read the board themselves.

Submitted by Katie Lammel in Worth, IL.


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Our Bones are Webbed Together


Materials: Skeleton cut outs, Halloween decorations, spider webs, black bulletin board paper, yarn, cut out letters and tape.

Description:

This hallway bulletin board is used to reinforce the skeletal system. Students in the month of October are learning about the different bones and their purpose. This bulletin board contains did you know facts about bones, the names of the bones, and a decorative presence into the gym area.

Submitted by Angela Weikel who teaches at Linden Elementary in Doylestown, PA.


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Scared to The Bones


Materials: Skeleton, yarn, boarder, bone names

Description:

The bulletin board was made for Halloween. It helps in teaching the students some of the bones of the body. The bulletin board is made up of the skeleton with the names of the bones. I used yarn to make lines connecting the bone to its name.

Submitted by Matt DeChicko who teaches at Wilson Elementary School in Imperial, PA.


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Spooky in PE


Materials: Halloween garland, letter and pumpkin cut outs, Halloween signs and Halloween rhyme.

Description:

At the Halloween time, I created this in order to have students prepare for their Halloween adventures in PE. Students participate in the pumpkin patch as well as a Halloween hunt.


"Let's be spooky, let's have fun We'll scare ourselves before we're done. With ghosts and goblins-winds that howl Things that fly and things that prowl. We'll talk about such creepy stuff Until we both get scared enough To hear things we cannot see And see things that cannot be. Let's get spooky in PE"

Submitted by Angela Weikel who teaches at Linden Elementary in Doylestown, PA.


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Exercise Builds Strong Bones


Materials: 2 plastic skeletons, cardboard/foam pumpkins, pumpkin border, cut out words and arrows, lights, black paper.

Description:

In October I use this board when we are learning the names of bones. I use 2 plastic skeletons (one has flashing green eyes) and I tack them on the board. I use the names of the bones with red arrows to identify where they are located on the skeleton. I use the pumpkins for color and place foods that build strong bones on them- milk, yogurt, ice cream, etc. I put lights around the border for emphasis.

Submitted by Shannon cooper who teaches at W.S. Ryan Elementary in Denton, TX.


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Physical Education is Fang-‐tastic

Suggested Grade Level: k-2

Materials: Bulletin board paper, oak tag poster, construction paper

Description:

A large picture of a smiling vampire provides a nice tie to our Halloween bulletin board. Our elementary school kids enjoy this clever play on words!

Submitted by Marty Siegel who teaches at Rockaway Meadow School in Parsippany, NJ.


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Get Caught Having Fun in P.E. #2


Materials: Bulletin board paper, lawn bag creature (meant to be filled with leaves), 2 spider pictures, one spider web, pictures of students is optional

Description:

After seeing bulletin board titled "Get Caught Having Fun in P.E." submitted by Julie Souders who teaches at Houston Elementary in Millsap, TX already published on PE Central I set out in search of a store bought spider that I could tape to my bulletin board and it was then that I bumped into a GREAT idea. I found a 99-cent lawn bag creature (the ones that you are suppose to fill with leaves that you rake up and then place it in your front yard). I bought the spider and filled him with crumpled balls of scrap paper that I had pulled out of the recycled paper bins that are in every classroom! The students LOVED this bulletin board. It was great to walk down the halls and catch mostly K-2 grade students looking up at it in wonder. The purpose of the bulletin board was to get students excited about P.E. and to allow students to show their parents (at a Fall Festival for the community) the activities they were doing in P.E.

Submitted by Ashton Smith in Hughesville, PA.


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We Are Batty For P.E.


Materials: Construction paper bats, words, orange bulletin board paper

Description:

I cut out construction paper bats and wrote the students' favorite games on each. Not only is this a fun board, it also creates a learning opportunity. I have students tell me three rules to each game. I also ask them to tell me three vocabulary words that relate to each game.

Submitted by Wendy Halford who teaches at Ruth Fyfe ES in Las Vegas, NV.


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Fall to Pieces over Fitness


Materials: Die-cut letters, skeleton pieces, appropriate related background

Description:

Labeled in orange letters over a black background (with miniature skeletons), the board was a transitional bulletin board between my fall and winter units. The skeletons came from a game that I play with my 2nd through 5th grade classes where they put the skeletons together as part of a fitness center game. Its purpose was to reinforce the student’s awareness of their skeleton and it's importance to fitness in addition to being a fun spin on the theme of fitness. Every class had at least one student commenting on the board. Additionally, each skeleton piece is labeled with the name of the bone and what part of the body it is (e.g. femur and right leg).

Submitted by Daniel Inman who teaches at Oak Hill Elementary in High Point, NC.


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Trick or Treat Safety


Materials: Poster Maker, Halloween Border, and Safety Tips

Description:

The bulletin board is centered around a poster that says "Trick or Treat Safety." Around the poster are Trick or Treat safety tips for the students. For example on of the safety concerns reads "Do not eat candy as you go." The bulletin board was made to remind the students on how to be safe while they trick or treat this Halloween.

Submitted by Matt DeChicko in Imperial, PA.


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Jumping Jack-‐o-‐lanterns 1


Materials: rope, vine of leaves, Halloween border, letters, jack-o-lanterns, black background paper, cut out stars

Description:

This board was created to combine the unit we were on (jump rope) and Halloween. I put black paper on the board with a fun Halloween border. Then I made paper jack-o-lanterns and cut some rope and knotted each end to create the jump ropes for the jack-o-lanterns. Then I used pre-cut letters to put on the slogan. I purchased a vine of fall leaves from a craft store and stapled those to the bottom. Finally, I put on some silver and yellow stars.

Submitted by Kelly Thews who teaches at Freedom Elementary School in Freedom, WI.


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It's No Trick that PE is a Treat!


Materials: butcher paper, die-cut letters, markers

Description:

This bulletin board is for Halloween. It is used to capture the student’s attention as they enter the gym. The treat bags have P.E. labeled on the candy because... physical education is a treat!

Submitted by Julie Souders who teaches at Houston Elem in Mineral Wells, TX.


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Jumping Jack O Lanterns 2

Materials: Ellison letters, construction paper, jump ropes, paint, markers

Description:

This fun bulletin board is perfect for October. I made pumpkins look like all the different sports our kids might play. Tennis, basketball, football, soccer, volleyball and baseball. I also made a pumpkin that was multi-sport (I used cellophane). I attached old jump ropes to the pumpkins to include the sport of jump rope. An alternate title I have used in the past has been "P.E. Pumpkin Patch".


All pumpkin were hand drawn and cut. Use appropriate colored paper (white paper for soccer ball then black marker or green paper for tennis ball with white paint).

Submitted by Joanie Lepage who teaches at Hillsdale Elementary in Honey Brook, PA.


41

SPOOKTACULAR DIET


Materials: Black Bulletin Board paper, small white foam white ghosts, Orange glitter letters, Halloween border, large cut out of ghost for center of board

Description:

This Halloween bulletin board was put together to teach children about good "diet" and "healthy" food choices. The inspirational Halloween symbol used was ghosts. First, I covered my board with black paper and put up Halloween border that had pumpkins, cats and of course ghosts. Second, I placed a large glitter ghost, cut out of foam board , with two little pink and blue ghosts, in the middle of my board. Next, I placed my title "Spooktacular Diet" using the orange sparkled letters. Lastly, I hung up all my little white foam ghosts all around the board and in each ghost I placed a printed out healthy food.

Submitted by Sara Giaimo who teaches at PS 101Q "The School in the Gardens" in Forest Hills, NY.


42

I'm Bats About Fitness


Materials: 5 bats cut out of black felt, 5 yellow circles, letters, the 5 components of fitness

Description:

I use this bulletin board during the month of October to teach the 5 fitness components while keeping with the spirit of Halloween. My third, fourth and fifth graders also complete the push-up assessment as well as the mile or half mile run during October. They then use the bulletin board to identify which area of fitness was being assessed.

Submitted by Elaine Sernoffsky who teaches at Mill Road Elementary School in Elizabethtown, PA.


43

Everybody needs Physical Education


Materials: Construction paper, Various Halloween decorations bought in the grocery store

Description:

This bulletin board was a big hit at my elementary school. The skeletons and the mummy made good examples of bodies that might need some help in the fitness department. Our PTA runs a big "Halloween Spooktacular" and they enjoy the added decorations near the gym.

Submitted by Kimberley Myers who teaches at Forest Park Elementary in Dix Hills, NY.


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Creeping Towards Good Health


Materials: Butcher paper, spiders, and spider webs

Description:

October is a month that observes many national subjects of health awareness such as National Dental Hygiene Month, National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, National Healthy Lung Month, National Talk about Prescriptions Month, Depression and Mental Health Month, Brain Injury Awareness Month, Physical Therapy Month, and much more. I talk to the kids about how being healthy is a lifestyle. You can't be unhealthy one day and suddenly healthy then next. It often takes time to develop healthy habits that are permanent. We talk about eating correctly and exercising daily instead of doing fad diets. This board is an October themed board that exhibits what we have learned above. It says "creeping" because of the long process towards attaining good health. I provided ideas and templates for different spider crafts. Then I used a few that the children made outside of P.E.

Submitted by Cristina Welch in Carrollton, TX.


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Treat Yourself to Good Health

Materials: Any border, white construction paper, brown construction paper, markers, letters, staples, orange poster board

Description:

The purpose of this bulletin board was to promote healthy behaviors during the month of October using a Halloween theme. We wanted a bulletin board that would capture the attention of the students, faculty and parents. This board was very visually appealing and received a lot of compliments from various people. Several important health and exercise comments were highlighted as a message of healthy living for students.


Each one of the friendly ghosts held up a wooden looking sign that had positive health messages. They were the following: Enjoy daily PE at Price Lab School, Keep a positive attitude, Say no to drugs and cigarettes, Spend time with family and friends, Get plenty of sleep, Wash your hands, Exercise everyday, Turn off the TV and play outside, Eat healthy snacks, Go Panthers.

Submitted by Lori Smith who teaches at Price Lab School in Cedar Falls, IA.


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We're Batty About PE


Materials: Orange bulletin board paper, orange lights, bats of different kinds, pictures of students doing different exercises, spider webs

Description:

This is the bulletin board I created and used to welcome students to my PE class during the Fall season. It was posted in the hall just outside my activity area. I did not use it as an instructional tool. It was just a colorful bulletin board I used to welcome students into my PE class during that time of the year.

Submitted by Marla Schuler who teaches at Orchard View Elementary School in Delray Beach, FL.


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Part 2: Elementary Halloween Lesson Ideas


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Trick Or Treat

Purpose of Activity: Students will enjoy a Halloween-themed activity while practicing the locomotor skills of run, skip, jump, gallop, dance, and walk (like a zombie.)

Prerequisites: Students have been taught the locomotor skills.


Materials Needed: Flashlights, cones, beanbags and Halloween music.

Description:

Set up: The gym is darkened to facilitate the use of flashlights. Cones are set up at one end of the gym to represent the trick or treat houses. A pile of beanbags is next to each house. Depending on the size of the class, there should be two cones for every group of three students. One student will start out sitting between two cones, handing out treats (beanbags) while the other two take turns going to the house for treats.

Directions: Tell students that you will be calling out different Halloween characters, and on the signal, they will enact that costume with a corresponding locomotor skill: Cowboy - gallop, Rabbit - jump, Ballerina - dance, Speed Racer - run, Scarecrow - skip, and Zombie - walk. Before the game begins, one beanbag should be placed under one of the two cones at each house. The trick-or-treaters for each house will take turns using the flashlight to go to the house, and will have to try to guess which cone has the treat under it. If they guess correctly, they get to take the treat back with them. If they guess incorrectly, they are "tricked" and go back empty-handed. The flashlight is used as a baton, so upon return, the flashlight is handed to the partner to take a turn. The "house" continues to put beanbags under the cones until the lights come on and the music stops. Rotate positions so the student who is handing out the treats has a turn being the trick-or-treater. Have students count the number of beanbags collected after each round, to see if they had better luck guessing as the game continued. This is also good counting practice!

Assessment Ideas:

Use a motor checklist to assess the level of each skill performed: rudimentary, functional, or mature.

Submitted by Janet Chenoweth who teaches at Walsh Elementary in Walsh, CO.


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Locomotor Trick or treat

Purpose of Activity: To have students practice various locomotor skills and pathways, in a fun holiday activity.

Prerequisites: Students need to know the various locomotor skills and pathways.


Materials Needed: Enough containers (buckets, sturdy bags, etc.) for 1/2 the number of students, assorted tangible items such as beanbags, hacky sacks, rubber manipulative.

Description of Idea

Set up: Place containers on one side of the gym or playing area. These represent trick-or-treat baskets. Put students in groups of 2, or 3 if there is an odd number. Place all the tangible items on the other end of the playing area. Students will begin the activity on the side that has the containers.

Instructions: Tell students they are trick-or-treating with their partner, attempting to get as many items as possible. Each item is worth one point. Explain to the students that they must move across the playing area, by performing the locomotor skill and pathway that the teacher announces. They are to retrieve the "treats" and bring them back to their team's bucket, one item at a time. When one item is retrieved, the partner goes to get another, until all items are picked up. Have students count how many items they have in their goody bags. To avoid competition, don't have them announce aloud how many, but tell them to remember the number so they can try to improve their score during the next round.

Locomotor skills: Skip, walk, gallop, run, slide, jump, hop, and leap. Pathways:Zig-zag, curved, and straight.

Variations: For a more advanced version of this game, include the crab walk skill in which they have to bring the item back on their stomach, the bear crawl skill in which they have to carry the item on their back, and the jumping skill in which they have to bring the item between their feet while they jump.

Assessment Ideas: • Ask essential questions when the students are lined up to leave the gym. Ask what the locomotor skills were that they performed and what the different pathways were. • Hold up a sheet of paper, which has pictures of various locomotor and non-locomotor skills, and ask students which are the locomotor skills. Students can say what they are, or if time, give them each a sheet to circle the pictures that are the locomotor skills. • Use a checklist to assess students in some of the locomotor skills, checking for mature form.


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Teaching Suggestions:

Give the students two or three trials of this activity, so they can experience the chance to see if they improved, and also to allow for more time to observe the skills of the students.

Adaptations for Students with Disabilities:

Students with disabilities can partner up with an able-bodied student and work together to bring back one item together.

Submitted by Andrew Riddick who teaches at Gatesville Elementary School in Gatesville, NC.


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Ghosts in the graveyard

Purpose of Activity: To practice the manipulative skills of throwing, rolling, and striking a ball, using a Halloween theme.

Prerequisites: Students have been taught the correct form of throwing, rolling and striking.


Materials Needed: Halloween music (optional), 12 bowling pins/12 white cloths (10in x 10in) draped over the top of the pin secured with a rubber band or tape, a face drawn on with marker to represent a ghost, 12 polyspots, 12 hula-hoops, gator skin balls (at least 15).

Description of Idea

Set up: Using a basketball court or large playing area as a "graveyard," set up two halves with the equipment. The centerline divides the two halves. Each half will have six hula-hoops spread out, a polyspot inside each hoop, and a bowling pin (ghost) placed on each spot. The spots will help students to know where to replace the pins after they are knocked down, and the hoops are there to keep students from guarding the pins too closely. Scatter the balls on the floor, half of them on each side.

Directions: Divide the students into two teams. Explain that they will be trying to knock over the other team's "ghosts" by rolling, throwing or striking the ball with their hand. Kicking the ball is not allowed. No one can cross the centerline. Have one student guarding each "ghost" while the others attempt to knock down "ghosts." The game will start on the signal, or when the music starts playing. When all the pins are knocked down on one side, reset the pins and start again with new "ghoulies" (guards).

Variations:

Instead of using the theme of "ghosts in the graveyard", you can use "pumpkins in a pumpkin patch." Switch the color of the fabric to orange and draw a jack-o-lantern face with a marker. Another fall theme could be "scarecrows in the cornfield" and the students could be "crows" trying to knock down the "scarecrows".

Assessment Ideas:

Using a skills checklist, assess each student for the level of skill. This could be a pre-test or a post-test, depending on the age level.


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Adjust the amount of equipment according to the size of the playing area and the number of students.


Students that are in a wheelchair can have a small ball bag that they can hold or hang on the side of the chair, where the student can have 5 or 6 balls in it so that child can have more chances (more time to actively participate) of rolling or throwing the ball to hit a target.

Submitted by Jean Cornwell who teaches at Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary School in Williamsville, NY.


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Halloween stations #1

Purpose of Activity: To practice previously learned skills with a variety of FUN Halloween-inspired games.

Prerequisites: Students should know how to throw and catch using the mature pattern, and understand the safety procedures and rules for traverse wall climbing.


Materials Needed: Bean bag toss boards, bean bags, large black containers (cauldrons), Frisbees, skeleton hands, eyeballs, cones, witches hats, deck tennis rings or small hula hoops, traverse climbing wall, duck walkers, miniature pumpkins, scooters, bowling pins, cheesecloth, gator skin balls, white balloons, paddles, putting hole, putters, foam golf balls, black cloth covered balls, mono fling nets or stretchy cloth, pedometers, Styrofoam headstones, small parachute, orange foam ball, goal net, soccer ball, basketball hoop, basketball.

Description of Idea

Before the students arrive, the teacher will have the stations set up with the proper equipment at each station. Once the students arrive, the teacher will explain each of the station's rules and procedures. From the list of stations, select the number that works for the size of the class, the length of the class period, and the space available. Some stations require having a partner, so if the class is an odd number, have a group of three and take turns. For a 30-minute class of 24 students, select 12 stations and rotate to each station every few minutes.

Station #1: Candy Corn Hole Set up: Arrange the beanbag toss boards and beanbags to allow for playing with a partner. Directions: Toss the "candy corn" into the hole using an underhand toss.

Station #2: Witches Brew Set up: Create "cauldrons" out of laundry baskets or boxes, covered with black paper or painted black. Have Frisbees available. Directions: Attempt to toss the Frisbee into the cauldron.

Station #3: Hand and Eye Relay Set up: Get several skeleton hands and "eyeballs." These are available at party supply stores. You can also make your own eyeballs using ping-pong balls and permanent markers. Set up cones for the start and finish lines.

Directions: Like the old-fashioned "Spoon and Egg" relay, speed walk to the cone and back without dropping the eyeball. If dropped, start over.


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Station #4: Ring the Witch Set up: Place witches hats over tall cones. Have deck tennis rings available or small hula-hoops. Directions: Throw the small hula-hoops or deck tennis rings towards the witch’s hats, trying to make a "ringer."

Station #5: Hang Man Set up: You need a traverse climbing wall. Directions: Traverse the rock wall, and when you reach the end, see how long you can hang there.

Station #6: Zombie Walkers Set up: Have "duck walkers" or other balance walkers available. Directions: Walk around the play area, attempting to stay balanced.

Station #7: Pumpkin Patch Set up: Create a curving path using mini pumpkins. Have scooters available. Directions: Travel through the pumpkin patch while sitting on the scooter.

Station #8: Ghostly Bowling Set up: Cover bowling pins with cheesecloth, and glue two small pieces of black felt on for eyes. Have gator skin or other foam balls available. Directions: Attempt to knock over the ghosts by rolling the ball underhand.

Station #9: Floating Ghost Set up: Blow up several white balloons and have lollipop paddles or ping-pong paddles available. Directions: Attempt to keep the balloon in the air by striking upward with the paddle.

Station #10: Pumpkin Putting Set up: Have a miniature putt-putt hole, several putters, and foam golf balls available. Place miniature pumpkins around the putting hole to make it look like a pumpkin patch and to increase difficulty. Directions: Attempt to putt the ball into the hole, using as few strokes as possible.

Station #11: Ghoul Fling Set up: Wrap balls in black cloth to look like ghouls. Have mono fling nets available or use pieces of stretch cloth. Directions: Use the mono fling nets or cloths to launch the ball into the air and attempt to catch it.

Station #12: Rattle Your Bones Set up: Have pedometers available. Directions: Wear a pedometer and jump around. See how high a number you can reach!


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Station #13: Headstone Hurdle Set up: Make two sets of Styrofoam hurdles, 6-12 inches high. You can use foam hoop holders, covered with gray paper. Set them far enough apart so students can hurdle them while running. Directions: Race your partner to the finish line!

Station #14: Pumpkin Chunk Set up: Have a small parachute available and an orange gator skin ball. Directions: Start with the parachute down low, and raise it up slowly, then pull down on the parachute, launching the orange ball as high as possible.

Station #15: GHOULLLL! Set up: Have a goal net and soccer ball available. Directions: Work against a partner and try to kick the soccer ball into the goal.

Station #16: S-K-U-L-L Set up: Have a basketball hoop and a basketball available. Directions: Play like the traditional game of "H-O-R-S-E", but spell "S-K-U-L-L" instead.

Assessment Ideas:

Teacher Observation: Teacher will check for students' ability to work well together in groups, take turns, stay on task, and use equipment correctly.


All stations can be modified for students with disabilities. Students may move closer to targets, change equipment as needed to meet abilities, and be paired with others to complete tasks or skills.

Submitted by Matt Rogers who teaches at Medlock Bridge ES in Johns Creek, GA.


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Fall Fun House

Purpose of Activity: To have fun practicing fitness activities using the Halloween theme, while integrating math and language skills.

Prerequisites: Students have practiced all fitness activities in previous lessons.


Materials Needed: Laminated signs for describing stations, posters for integration activities, scooters, room dividers or appliance boxes, parachute or sheets, small flashlights, balance beams, basketball, cones, mats, paper skeleton, hanging rope, white boards, and face paint.

Description of Idea

Preparation: Before students arrive, have all the stations set up. Use the number of stations that time and space allow. Students should rotate through stations every few minutes, in partners or groups of three.

Directions: When students arrive, explain what activity they will be doing at each station and how they will rotate from one station to the next.

Stations: 1. Walk Through the Forest: Students sit on scooters and go through a maze. The maze is created by placing room dividers or large appliance boxes in a standing position with parachutes or sheets covering them so it’s dark. There are also small flashlights inside. Students must scoot inside and count the number of leaves on the interior walls.

2. Line Jumps: Add together the number of letters in the word "SPOOKY" and the word "BOO." Perform that many line jumps or jumping jacks.

3. Muddy Swamp: Army crawl across the mats.

4. Frankenstein Walk: Walk across the balance beam like Frankenstein. Count how many steps it takes.

5. Boo Basketball: Answer a math word problem and shoot a basket.


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6. Find the Candy Corn: Set cones out in a scatter formation, with one paper candy corn under one cone. With a partner, run to a cone, look under it, and run back to your partner. Try to be the person to find the candy corn first! Look under only one cone at a time.

7. Pin the Wart on the Witch's Nose: Use tape-backed "warts" for students to attempt to place the wart closest to the witch's nose while blindfolded.

8. Swing Across the Swampy Lake: Students must find three words in the word “HALLOWEEN” using white boards, before swinging on the rope across the mat.

9. No Bones About It: Match the body-part words (arm, leg, skull, rib, foot, etc.) with the location on the skeleton.

10. Face Painting: You will need a high school student or parent volunteer for this station. Students may choose a pumpkin, cat, spider, or candy corn to be painted on their face or hand.

11. Pumpkin Push-ups or Sit-ups: Spell the word "pumpkin" by calling each letter every time you complete a push-up or sit-up.

12. Build a Scary Story: Before the class leaves the gym, they must add a sentence to a scary story. Start the story with this sentence: "One scary night, I walked into the pumpkin patch and heard someone scream..."

Variations:

This lesson can be used for older students by increasing the difficulty of the language and math tasks.

Assessment Ideas:

Before dismissing the students, ask them which component of health-related fitness or skill-related fitness they practiced at each station. For example, "What component of fitness did you practice at the pumpkin sit-ups?" Answer: "Strength!"


Select students as peer buddies to assist students with handicapping conditions.

Submitted by Jill McDaniel who teaches at Rama Road Elementary in Charlotte, NC.


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the haunted house

Purpose of Activity: To practice dodging, chasing, and fleeing, while enjoying a Halloween-themed game.

Prerequisites: Establishment of boundaries and understanding the concept of being tagged.


Materials Needed: pinnies for about two-thirds of the class, cones to mark the Haunted House, 50-75 small bean bags, 4 boxes or buckets to represent trick-or-treat bags

Description of Idea

Tell the students that during Halloween last year, the witches, goblins and ghosts captured all of the Halloween treats and brought them to the Haunted House. If there is going to be Halloween this year, they need to get into the Haunted House and take the treats back!

The Haunted House is a large circle in the center of the gym, marked with small cones. Inside the haunted house are scattered 50-75 beanbags. A bucket or box is placed in each of the four corners of the gym to represent the trick-or-treat bags. Select 2 or 3 students to be the witches, ghosts and goblins inside the Haunted House, giving them pinnies to wear.

Trick-or-treaters must sneak into the house and grab ONE piece of candy (beanbag) at a time and get out. Once they escape they bring it back to the trick-or-treat bag in one of the corners of the gym (bucket or box).

When students inside the house get tagged by a witch, ghost or goblin, they must walk over to the teacher and get a pinny. They now become a witch, ghost or goblin and help tag the others.

The game continues until all the candy has been recovered or until most the trick-or-treaters have been caught. At the end of the game, talk about Halloween safety, such as inspecting the candy or treats, traveling with others only on well-lit streets, and wearing reflective tape on costumes.

Variations: The theme can be changed to a "harvest" theme.

Assessment Ideas: At the end of class, discuss how some students were able to escape the witches, ghosts and goblins. Ask the students what they did to avoid getting tagged.

Submitted by John Selvaggio who teaches at Blue Point Elementary School in Blue Point, NY.


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Purpose of Activity: This is a fun way to incorporate motor skills into a day of Halloween activity!


Materials Needed: 6 cones, 10 Frisbees, 7 small balls, 3 whiffle balls, 6-10 small black objects, 5 bins/buckets, pull up bar, 12+ plastic spiders, floor tape, 2 tennis balls, 2 stretch bands, basketball hoop, 12 white cups, 2 crates, hula hoop, 21+ 2 liter bottles, 6+ pipe cleaners, 3 gymnastic mats, scooter, 2 soccer balls, poster board, white paper, blindfold, station signs View Station Signs (PDF)

Description of Idea

Set up: Before the students arrive, the teacher will have the station signs posted around the gym. (Copy the information for each station listed below.) The teacher can have the equipment set up before the students arrive or choose to give the students responsibility opportunities by having the students set up the stations. (List the student’s names next to each station so they know where to go. The equipment can be sitting by the door as the students enter the gym and have them set up their first assigned station.) The equipment suggested would serve a class of 30-80 students, dividing the students into groups of 4-6. Adjust the groups according to the size of the class.

Directions: There are a total of 13 stations and each group will have 90 seconds per station. At the end of the station the horn/whistle will sound and the students will have 10 seconds to replace the equipment and move clockwise to the next station.

1. Black Cat Back—2 cones, Frisbee • Students get on all fours, like a cat • A Frisbee is placed on their back, and they crawl around the cone and back balancing the Frisbee

2. Haunted House—4 cones, 4 small balls to put on top of cones, 1 orange whiffle ball • Cones set next to each other and small balls placed on top • From 6 feet away, students throw whiffle ball to knock off small balls

3. Bats in the Cave—6-10 small black objects, 2 bins/buckets • From 6 feet away, students toss objects into the bins/buckets

4. Pumpkin Pull—pull up bar • Pull-ups!

5. Witches Brew—9 Frisbees, 3 bins/buckets • From 6 feet away, students will toss Frisbees into bin/buckets


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6. Spider Tic-Tac-Toe—12+ plastic spiders, floor tape arranged in a tic-tac-toe pattern • From 3 feet away, students toss spiders to get “Tic-Tac-Toe”

7. Flying Witches—2 tennis balls with black fabric tied around to make "witches", 2 stretch bands, basketball hoop • Using the stretch bands, students will “sling shot” the witches into the basketball hoop

8. Ghostly Knock Out—12 white cups, 2 crates, 2 whiffle balls • Six cups are stacked onto each crate • From 6 feet away, students will throw whiffle ball to knock cups off the crate

9. Going Goblins—hula hoops, 3 stuffed goblins (or balls, Frisbees, etc.) • From the free throw line, students throw goblins through a hula-hoop hanging from the basketball hoop

10. Jack-O-Lantern Toss—9+ 2 liter bottles, 6+ pipe cleaners (to fold into “rings”) • From 3 feet away, students will toss the rings into the bottles

11. Haunted Tunnel—3 gymnastic mats, scooter • Mats are set up to create a tunnel • Students will scooter their way through the tunnel

12. Ghost Roll—12 bottles (can be covered in white fabric to make “ghosts”), 2 soccer balls • Six bottles are arranged like bowling • Students will roll the ball to knock down the “ghosts”

13. Pin the Ghost on the Haunted Mansion—large student-make poster of haunted mansion, tiny paper ghosts with tape, blindfold • Same as “Pin the Tail on the Donkey” • Object is to pin the paper ghosts on an existing ghost, door, window, etc. whatever is the selected target

Variations:

This lesson can be used for younger students with modifications. Use less stations and have a longer time for each station, since the younger students are still developing most of the skills.

Assessment Ideas: The teacher can use a checklist to observe and record the following affective behaviors: acts responsible when using equipment, encourages others in group, and/or shows leadership and cooperation.

Submitted by Stephanie Miller in Roselle, IL.


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Ghostbusters

Purpose of Activity: Students will work on cardiovascular fitness and muscular strength while playing a scooter tag game in a spooky setting.

Prerequisites: Students have been taught how to safely ride a scooter.

Suggested Grade Level: all

Materials Needed: One scooter per student, various equipment to build tunnels and obstacles, a black light or strobe light, materials to cover up any windows, mats, Halloween music and cd player. Glowing necklaces (if available) can be used to identify the taggers.

Description of Idea

Setup: Fill the gym with different tunnels and obstacles. Some ways to make them are: 1) string parachutes up to the basketball nets to make tents, 2) use hockey goals with parachutes over them to make a tunnel, 3) make a long tunnel with tables covered by mats, and 4) use hurdles or standards with blankets draped over them. Use any other equipment available to serve as obstacles for students to travel around and through. Turn all lights off and block any skylights or windows so that the gym is dark. Use a black light or strobe light for a cool effect. If a black light or strobe light is not available, have the room darkened with a bit of light streaming in, enough to prevent accidents. Starting and stopping the Halloween music will indicate that it is time to switch taggers.

Activity: Tell students that they are all ghosts. They must ride on their gluts on the scooter. Then pick 2-4 taggers, also know as the Ghostbusters. They will also ride on their gluts but will hold a "tagging wand." The "noodles" used as pool toys work well when cut into segments two or three feet long. When students get tagged they take their scooter to a designated area to do ten of their favorite exercises such as push-ups or jumping jacks. Change taggers periodically.

Assessment Ideas:

Periodically do a "heartbeat check" to see if the students are working in their target heart rate zone. At the end of the lesson, ask the students a favorite activity that uses the muscles they worked on during the lesson.


Students using wheelchairs would take part in the activity from their chair. Tunnels would have to be high enough for them to pass through.

Submitted by Christine Poulter who teaches at McNair in Hazelwood, MO.


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Spook walk

Purpose of Activity: The purpose of this activity is to foster communication skills and cooperation, and gain an awareness and appreciation for people with visual impairments.

Prerequisites: It may help to have students practice tying a blindfold onto another partner.


Materials Needed: blindfolds; a variety of equipment such as ropes, balls, cones, mats, hoops, bowling pins, and so on.

Description of Idea

Spook Walk is a Halloween game that requires a bit of the students' imagination. The set up is fairly easy. Set out a variety of equipment: cones, hoops, balls, etc., and scatter them all over the floor between a starting line and finishing line. The more equipment used, the more challenging the activity.

The students are given partners. The object of this activity is to try to guide the blindfolded partner through the haunted house without touching any of the "spooky, Halloween objects" set on the floor. The blindfolded partner cannot see and must rely on the verbal cues given by the sighted partner to navigate the area. For safety, the sighted partner should hold his/her arm out for the blindfolded partner to rest his/her hand on, to avoid the possibility of running into a wall or other people. The students are given three attempts to make it from the starting line to the finishing line without touching an object. If a student makes it across without touching anything, the roles are switched. Encourage the groups to keep count as to how many times they make it across the Spook Walk successfully.

Variations:

As a challenge, encourage the seeing students to guide their partner over the obstacles or through them instead of just finding a path along the floor to walk.

Teaching Suggestions: Please enforce a NO RUNNING rule due to safety reasons.

Submitted by Jennifer Burkhardt who teaches at S.J. Preston Elementary School in W. Harrison, NY.


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Purpose of Activity: The activity provides instruction and practice in the following skills: eye-hand coordination, body/space awareness, rolling a ball, throwing overhand and underhand, and muscular strength. Students move through eight fun filled stations that are set up around the theme of Halloween.

Prerequisites: The students should spend some time learning the rotations of the stations and have practice moving from one station to the other. They should be given strategies on how to clean up their stations as well.


Materials Needed: Cones, pumpkins, plastic or rubber bowling ball, plastic bowling pins, mats, medicine balls, foam noodles, goals (hockey nets), chiffon scarves, plastic toy bats, a large bucket (or laundry basket), a picture of a haunted mansion and paper cut-out ghosts with tape on the back.

Description of Idea

Students will come into the gym and see that the stations are already set up. They will listen to instruction and watch a demonstration of the skill performed at each station. Students will be divided into groups so there are no more than three at a station, in order to maximize participation. If classes are larger than 24, more stations should be added. Halloween music can be played during the activity and stopped to signal students to change stations. For a 30 minute class, you would allow about 2 1/2 minutes for each station, considering you need about 5 minutes at the start of class for instruction and another 5 minutes at the end to put equipment away.

Stations:

1. Knock over the Ghosts Set up: Set the bowling pins along a wall. Place a starting line, marked with floor tape or cones, about 8 to 10 feet away. This line should be adjusted according to the skill level of the students. Have the bowling balls next to the starting line. Directions: Students will take the bowling ball and use correct rolling form to try and knock down all the pins (ghosts.)

2. Bats in the Cave Set up: Set the bucket or laundry basket about 5 to 6 feet away from the starting line. Have a bunch of bats next to the starting line. Directions: Students will practice correct underhand toss form, using opposition. They will toss the bats, attempting to reach the “cave" (bucket or basket).


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3. Witch Across the Neighborhood Set up: This station needs climbing ropes. Set up mats under the rope and to the sides of the rope for safety. Directions: Students will grab the rope as high as they can reach, step back and jump up onto the rope to swing to the other side. They are being "witches" flying across the neighborhood.

4. Throw the Spider into the Garden Set up: Have a goal net set up to represent the garden. Set the "spiders" (foam noodles, like those used in the swimming pool) next to the starting line. Directions: Students will take turns attempting to throw the "spider" into the "garden" (net) using correct form for the overhand throw.

5. Smash the Pumpkins Set up: Have medicine balls setting along a wall. Directions Students will work on abdominal and leg strength while attempting to lower themselves slowly down the wall, until they reach the "pumpkin" (medicine ball) or until they are sitting at a 45 degree angle. They will want to try to NOT smash the pumpkin, by maintaining muscle control in that position for 30 seconds.

6. Pin the Ghost on the Haunted Mansion Set up: Tape the picture of the haunted mansion to the wall. Have enough ghost cut-outs so each person can make several attempts. Directions: Students are blindfolded, one at a time, and they will attempt to tape a "ghost" onto the haunted house. Specify a target, such as the center of the house, the doorway, or the top of the house so they can try to get closer each time.

7. Spin and Catch the Ghost Set up: Set a container full of enough chiffon scarves so each person in the group has one. This station will work well in the center of the gym, because there isn't a need for a wall or boundary. Directions: Students will throw the scarf up into the air and spin around, then catch the scarf. For variety, add other challenges. Students could toss with one hand and catch with the other, toss and catch behind their back, toss, turn around and clap hands before catching, etc.

8. Snakes in the Pumpkin Patch Set up: Have several short jump ropes lying on the floor. Directions: Two persons in the group will take ahold of one end of each rope, get close to the floor, and shake their wrist back and forth, causing the rope to "slither" like a "snake."


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The third person will attempt to get across to the other side without stepping on a snake. As each person makes it across, they will trade places with one of the rope shakers.

Assessment Ideas:

The teacher can use a skill checklist to observe the skills performed. By documenting the level of the skill, either rudimentary, functional, or mature, follow-up assessments can show growth or mastery. As the teacher moves around the gym observing the students at the various stations, immediate verbal feedback will help the student to continue to improve the skill or correct errors before the skill is practiced incorrectly.


1. Students in wheelchairs can bowl, using an assistant to hand them the ball.

2. Students in wheelchairs can throw and catch the scarf from their chair.

3. A student with visual impairments could use their sense of touch when trying to complete the pin-the-ghost-on-the-mansion activity.

Submitted by Bret Goldman who teaches at Town School for Boys in San Rafael, CA.


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The laser spider web

Purpose of Activity: This activity provides creative movement experiences using a different medium to travel under, over and through. It also provides the opportunity to work cooperatively as a group.

Prerequisites: Read a story about how a spider spins its web. The school librarian may have some suggestions. After the short story, the children will take the yarn and creatively move throughout the web design.

Materials Needed: Yarn: use various colors to depict each class's design. Lengths are 30' or more. Keep the yarn from tangling by using cardboard. CD player and Halloween CD music: Spooky music can be played during the spinning. Children remove shoes.

Description of Idea

During the week of Halloween, after our regular warm-up routine, we create our very own supersized spider web. Prior to class, set up four standards, one in each corner of the gym. Secure the uprights to stabilize the web. Tie the yarn to the standards to create a rectangular box, securing the yarn at hip level, then string a diagonal line corner to corner until you create an X in the rectangle. Each child is given a 30-50' length of yarn, depending on the size of your gymnasium or facility. Secure one end of the yarn to the outside area of the rectangle, and the other end to their foot or hand. The challenge is to weave the yarn over and under the existing web and create a new design. When the child finishes the design, they hold the end piece, and we hope they do not get caught in the web. You can control the design by having the children start on the longer sides and weave opposite the longer parallel lines on the other side (good for integrating math). Other suggestions are to 1) play laser beam army crawl, avoiding touching the yarn (laser beam); 2) lower the yarn to the floor and have the children step gingerly through the web design; 3) have them untangle their weave, one at a time, and return to the original design.

Variations: To accommodate large groups of students, have more standards and increase the number of webs. Six standards could be used to make two large webs, using the middle two standards for both webs.

Adaptations for Students with Disabilities: My students with disabilities love to be spiders, so we slow down the pace and have the general ed students help the DAPE students with the over and under movement, by stepping on the yarn or holding the yarn overhead. Watch out for the web becoming tangled on their bodies. The tension on the yarn should be loose. Have them freeze, so the yarn can be untangled.

Submitted by Helen Milunec who teaches at Third Street Elementary School in Belvidere, NJ.


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Haunted house

Purpose of Activity: The purpose of this activity is to practice overhand throwing at stationary targets and to have FUN!

Prerequisites: Students have had instruction in how to correctly perform the overhand throw.


Materials Needed: 4-6 folding mats, fleece or soft foam balls (at least one per student), 12-18 lightweight cones with Halloween decorations taped to them OR small stuffed toys to represent Halloween creatures

Description of Idea

Set up: Place 2-3 mats upright on each end of the gym or the playing area. The mats are the haunted houses. Place three cones on top of each mat. The cones represent the scary creatures inside the haunted house. Stuffed toys could be used instead of the cones, as long as they are the right size to balance on top of the mat. Divide the class into two equal teams. A center line separates the two teams. Vary the distance between the center line and the haunted houses (mats) depending on the grade level. The younger students will need to have the mats closer to them, to allow for proper execution of the overhand throw. The object of the game is to overhand throw the balls to the other team's haunted house, attempting to knock down their "scary creatures". Once a creature is down, it stays down. When a team has all of their cones or creatures down, a whistle is blown and everyone must sit down. The cones are placed back on top and the game continues.

Additional rules: - Do not kick the balls. - Do not cross the center line. - Do not stand behind the "haunted house" during the game. - Do not stand in front of the haunted house to block the ball away.

Variations: Play the game with one guard allowed in front of the " house" to block balls away.

Assessment Ideas: - step with opposite foot - trunk rotation - weight shift from back to forward - elbow leads - snap wrist - follow through

Submitted by Dawn Burke who teaches at Southeastern Elementary in Chesapeake, VA.


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Marathon Trick or Treating

Purpose of Activity: The purpose of this activity is to give students the opportunity to develop fitness components (cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular fitness, and flexibility) while practicing math skills such as basic computations, statistics, and graphing.

Prerequisites: Students need to have the math skills that are expected for their grade level.

Suggested Grade Level: Grades 1-5.

Materials Needed: Buckets, tokens, mats, paper, pencils, Halloween music, CD player.

Physical activity: Cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular strength, flexibility.

Description of Idea

Preparation and set up: • Place buckets at each station containing tokens to represent Halloween candy (marbles, poker chips, etc.)

• Place a sign at each station that says which exercise should be performed, for example, "5 Push ups", "10 Sit ups", "Jump Rope 20 times", etc.

• Put mats at the stations which require students to be on the floor (sit ups, stretches, etc.)

• The number of stations will vary with class size. Four students at each station at a time is a good number.

• Each station is worth a different amount of "candy," depending on the difficulty of the exercise. Vary the amounts from one to three pieces of "candy."

• Give each student a piece of paper that lists each station with a place to record amounts earned.

• Have pencils at each station.

• Give each student a Halloween bag.

The Game:

While the Halloween music is playing, students will run from station to station and perform the specified exercise/skill and collect the set amount of "candy" during a set amount of time. The stations should be spread out enough that the students will be able to sprint from one station to the next. Tell students that they need to try to complete as many stations as they can in the time


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allowed. After a set amount of time, stop the music and bring the children in. Have them check their heart rate, and count the amount of "candy" they have collected and record on their sheet of paper. Depending on the grade level, students can calculate:

- Total (addition) - Mean (addition and division) - Mode

Send them out a second time for the same amount of time. When you end the activity have the students count their ending totals and subtract their first total to find out how much they collected on their second round, again depending on the grade calculating: - Total (addition) - Mean (addition and division) - Mode

Students could also make graphs illustrating the results, and possibly make a chart for class improvement.


Include stations for students in wheelchairs: shuttle run, chin-up bar, hand weights.

Submitted by Michael Clark who teaches at Radford University in Radford, VA.


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Haunted stations

Purpose of Activity: This is a culminating activity to be used after a throwing unit. Students are able to practice three types of throws: underhand, overhand and backhand.

Prerequisites: Prior instruction and practice on the underhand throw, overhand throw, and backhand throw (Frisbee style).


Materials Needed: Station signs with directions, ghosts made from newspaper and handkerchiefs, rubber spiders, plastic witch's pots or pumpkins, small pumpkins, Frisbees or deck rings, bean bag wooden targets with holes, extra large ghost or pumpkin targets, foam balls, polyspots, Halloween music, beanbags, Halloween decorations.

Description of Idea

Station #1- Bobbing for Apples Set up: Large ghosts and pumpkins are hung on the wall, one target for two student partners. For a majority of classes, three targets will be plenty. Paper apples with numbers written on them are taped around the target. Label them with numbers 1,2, and 3. Directions: Students are to throw a foam ball overhand from a polyspot about 7 feet away from the target. If their ball hits the apple, they receive that many points. Students keep track of their points and can play against their partner if they both agree to that. Or they can add their points together and make it a cooperative effort.

Station #2- Witches Brew Set up: Witches pots are set against the wall. Place two polyspots about four feet in front of each pot. Two pumpkin Frisbees are placed on each polyspot. Three sets of this should be plenty for most class sizes. Directions: Students throw the Frisbees "backhand" trying to get their Frisbee to land inside of the witch’s pot.

Station #3- Trick or Treat Set up: Place two to three polyspots about seven feet away from the two to three wooden bean bag targets. Put pumpkins on the targets and label each hole for a different number of points. Two bean bags (representing candy pieces) are placed on the polyspots for each student. Directions: Students throw underhand trying to get their bean bags through a hole in their trick or treat bag (target). Students can keep score against their partner if they both agree to that. Or they can play cooperatively and total their points together.


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Station #4- Ghostly Knock Out Set up: Have three boxes set out with a pyramid of plastic cups (6 big plastic cups) on top of them. Place polyspots about 7 feet away from the boxes. Place three handkerchief ghosts on the polyspots. Directions: One partner stands against the wall about a foot away from the box. The other partner is on the polyspot and has three ghosts to throw overhand at the cups. Students are trying to knock all of the cups off the box in three or less ghosts. Switch roles.

Station #5 Spider Tic Tac Toe Set up: Place three large tic tac toe boards on the floor and secure with tape. Put two polyspots in front of each board about three feet away. Place five rubber spiders on each polyspot, preferably different colors on each spot. Directions: Students toss the rubber spiders underhand to the tic tac toe board. They take turns with their partner to try to get their spiders to land for "tic tac toe." For a non-competitive version, especially appropriate for the younger grades, have "cooperative" tic-tac-toe. Students take turns tossing spiders, trying together to get three in a row!

Assessment Ideas:

Display charts on the wall to show the cues for throwing underhand, overhand, and backhand. As you circulate around the gym while the students are performing the throwing skills at each station, use an observational checklist to document the level of proficiency attained by each student.


Move polyspots closer, make a few of the ghosts larger, provide bigger holes in the beanbag boards.

Submitted by Lisa Pfeiffer in Richmond, VA.


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Ghostbusters #2

Purpose of Activity: The purpose of this activity is to have students practice the proper overhand throwing technique.

Prerequisites: Students have been taught proper technique for the overhand throw (step with the opposite foot, trunk rotation, shift of weight, elbow leads the way, snap wrist and follow-through.)


Materials Needed: Fleece or foam balls (at least one per two students, preferably one per student); volleyball net; pieces of white cloth or sheets; rubber bands; black permanent markers or black felt; Ghostbuster music (optional)

Description of Idea

Preparation and set-up: Cut pieces of white sheets or cloth to fit over the balls, then fasten with rubber bands to make ghosts. Black ghost eyes can be drawn on with permanent marker or pieces of black felt can be glued on. Set up the volleyball net to a height at which a correctly thrown (overhand) ball will clear the net. Directions: Divide the class into two teams, one on each side of the net. Explain that they must stay in their house (on their side of the net) during the game. Tell the class that they are all Ghostbusters and their job is to get rid of all the ghosts in their haunted house. They will get rid of the ghosts by throwing them into the other haunted house, over the net, using the overhand throw. However, when the whistle blows they must stop throwing the ghosts, gather all the ghosts in their house, and sit down. Then the students will count with you to see how many ghosts ended up on each side. Begin the game when the ghosts are evenly distributed on each side of the net (one per student or one per two students). Play for 3-5 minutes and stop the game with a whistle. After counting up the ghosts, talk with the students about what they can do to end up with FEWER ghosts on their side, which is the goal. For example, moving faster to retrieve ghosts, catching ghosts as they come over the net so they can be thrown back sooner, having teammates spread out in the general space so all the area is covered, etc. Redistribute the ghosts evenly and start the game again. To make it a little more fun, have each team pick a name for their haunted house. You can also play the song "Ghostbusters" as they throw the ghosts back and forth.


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Assessment Ideas:

Use a checklist to assess the proper form for the overhand throw: • step with the opposite foot • trunk rotation • shift of weight • elbow leads the way • snap wrist and follow-through

This game could also be used as a preassessment.


For students in wheelchairs, have others push them around to collect the ghosts. Lower the net so they can throw the ghosts over.

Submitted by Phyllis Kessel who teaches at Chasco Elementary School in Port Richey, FL.


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5 little pumpkins

Purpose of Activity: The students will practice their throwing skills by throwing a variety of balls overhand to a specific target (mini plastic pumpkins).

Prerequisites: Students have been taught how to throw overhand.


Materials Needed: 10 cones, 2 1/2 - 4" diameter balls made of fleece, foam, or gator skin (enough for at least one per student), 10 1 1/2" plastic pumpkins to sit on top of the cones.

Physical activity: Throwing.

Description of Idea

Review the proper form for throwing overhand, emphasizing that they must step with the opposite foot. Set up 5 cones on opposite sides of the gym. Set a mini plastic pumpkin on top of each cone. Divide the students into two teams. Each team has to stay on their side (I tell them they can't go past the half court line on the floor). If you don't have lines on the floor mark it off with tape or more cones so the students will know their boundaries. The object of the game is to stay on your side and try to throw the ball to the opposing team's side and knock a pumpkin off the cone. Once you throw your ball you may not cross over to the opposing team's side to retrieve it. However, the students may pick up and throw any thrown ball that may land on their team's side. If a pumpkin gets knocked over tell the students they have to put it under the cone (OUT OF SIGHT). The game is over when a team has no pumpkins in sight.

The game starts by reciting the poem "Five Little Pumpkins Sitting on a Gate":

Five little pumpkins sitting on a gate. The first one said, "Oh, my it's getting late." The second one said, "There are witches in the air!" The third one said, "I don't care." The fourth one said, "Let's run and run and run." The fifth one said, "I'm ready for some fun." OOOOOOO went the wind and OUT! went the lights. And five little pumpkins rolled out of sight!

As soon as the poem is over, toss out the balls and have fun!


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Variations:

• Start by having the students roll the ball to the cone rather than throw. The pumpkins will still fall down even if the ball hits only the cone. • Tell the students that they can only power walk, gallop or skip to get a ball to throw. • Vary the size of the cones used to make the "fence."

Assessment Ideas:

Use a skill checklist to observe proper overhand throwing form.


• Move the targets closer. • Roll the ball rather than throw it, using a larger ball.

Submitted by Lisa Galske who teaches at Greene-Hills Elementary School in Bristol, CT.


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Pedometer trick 0r treat

Purpose of Activity: I am not a proponent of giving out candy in physical education, but if you want to have a little fun while you learn, this is a great activity for Halloween. The purpose of this activity is for kids to learn that food contains calories and you can burn those calories through physical activity. I also want them to learn that calories are not easy to burn and the more calories we put in our bodies, the more we need to move.

Prerequisites: Correct placement of the pedometer, how to read it and how to get it to the calorie count mode.


Materials Needed: One pedometer per student (could be done in pairs or small groups if you only have a small number of pedometers); various equipment for the kids to use (balls, ropes, hoops, etc.)

Description of Idea

Pass out the pedometers and review the proper placement. Program the student's weight into it, if the pedometer has that capacity. Students may weigh themselves on a scale at this time for accuracy, or they can estimate. If the pedometers don't allow entering weight, then just show the students how to get to the calorie count mode. If they don't count calories, don't fret, you can still do this activity. First, have the students set the pedometer to step mode and explain to them that their challenge is to get to 2000 steps (roughly one mile) and when they accomplish that, they can see the teacher for a piece of candy. Walking two laps initially is a good start, but then give them the option of other activities to complete their steps, i.e., balls, ropes, hoops, etc. Once the students have achieved 2000 steps, they can receive ONE M&M candy. There are 4 calories in 1 M&M. If they eat their M&M they then have to work to burn it off before they can have another. If the pedometer doesn't have a calorie count mode you can use the step mode. It takes a 75 pound person roughly 220 steps to burn 1 calorie, so to burn one M&M they would need to go 880 steps, at which point they could get another M&M. This lesson could be used for other holidays as well, using jelly beans at Easter time, red and green M&Ms at Christmas, etc. Other treat options could be simple "healthy" snacks, such as grapes, crackers, cheese, etc.

Variations:

This activity could be used at other times of the year besides Halloween. Instead of a "Trick-or-Treat" theme where the students receive candy, pictures of food could be used with the number of calories written on the picture. Students will walk the number of steps it takes to "burn" those calories, then select another picture. This would give the students an idea of how many calories


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different foods have, and also give them an awareness of "healthy choices" for foods that are more nutritious.

Assessment Ideas:

Assess their pedometer placement. Assess students understanding of the comparisons between amount and intensity of activity with the amount of calories burned. They can keep a log or a chart, recording the type of walking (intensity), the amount of steps, and the calories burned.


Children with disabilities can do this activity as well. You may need to place their pedometer on a different body part in order for them to get their steps or to burn their calories and you may need some adaptive equipment so that they can be active along with the other students.

Submitted by Angie Hickman who teaches at Killearn Lakes Elementary School in Tallahassee, FL.


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Purpose of Activity: To practice the manipulative skills of overhand throwing, underhand throwing, backhand throwing, and striking, as well as the fundamental motor skill of pushing. The emphasis will be on the eye-hand coordination component of temporal awareness.

Prerequisites: Students have previously been taught the proper skill structure of throwing and striking.


Materials Needed: Scooters, plastic bats, polyspots, Hoppity Hop ball, white sheet, rope, scoops, bean bags, mats, Frisbees, crates or boxes, plastic beverage bottles, plastic bottles weighted with sand, plastic cups, sponge balls, black balloons, foam “noodles” cut in half or thirds, plastic pumpkins, Halloween decorations.

Description of Idea

Review the cues for the underhand throw, overhand throw, backhand throw and striking. Stations are set up so students rotate clockwise around the gym. Demonstrate each station before assigning a starting point for each student. Stations #1 and #3 involve partners, so divide children into groups of 2 or 4 per station. If the total number of students is an odd number, then alternate turns in the partner stations. #1 - Bat mobile: Equipment and set up: Scooters. Have scooters available, one for every two students. Designate a starting point and an ending point. Setting up along the wall is preferred, because they are out of the path of others. Directions: Student sits “pretzel style” on the scooter. The other student will push the partner on the scooter to a designated area and back. Stress safety by telling students to keep two hands on partner’s back while pushing. Remind them to slow down before reaching the end line.

#2 - Fly the Ghost Home: Equipment and set up: Plastic bats, polyspots, Hoppity Hop ball, and white sheet. Hang the Hoppity Hop ball from a basketball hoop so it is chest level for the students. Drape a white sheet over it to represent a “Ghost.” Place 2-4 polyspots on the floor to show students where they should stand while striking at the “Ghost.” This is for safety, so students don’t get too close to each other when striking. Directions: Standing on the polyspot, swing the bat as you would in baseball, attempting to hit the ghost.

#3 - Brain Toss: Equipment and setup: Scoops (brain holders,) red bean bags (brains,) mats (haunted house.) Set the mats upright, next to each other, to form a “house.” Directions: Students will place a bean bag in the scoop and underhand toss it to their partner. Toss back and forth inside the “haunted house.”


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#4 - Flying Saucers: Equipment and set up: Frisbees, crates, plastic bottles. Set the bottles on the crates or boxes, having the crates against a wall so stray Frisbees don’t fly into anyone. Designate a starting line. Directions: Students will backhand throw the Frisbee (Flying Saucer) at the bottles, attempting to knock them down. When they are all down, students will set them up and try again.

#5 - Graveyard Bowling: Equipment and set up: Bean bags and plastic bottles. Set up the bottles in a line against the wall. Directions: Lying on floor, slide the bean bags towards the bottles (Tombstones) attempting to knock them down.

#6 - Hats Off: Equipment and set up: Plastic bottles weighted with sand or salt, plastic cups, sponge balls, crates or boxes. Set the plastic cups on top of the weighted plastic bottles which are placed on top of the crates. Directions: Students will use the overhand throw to attempt to knock the plastic cup (Hat) off the bottle (Ghost.)

#7 - Spider Hit: Equipment and set up: Foam noodles cut into 1/2 or 1/3, black balloons. Directions: Students will toss the balloon into the air and use the striking motion to hit the black balloon (Spider) with foam noodle (Spider Stick.)

#8 - Pumpkin Toss: Equipment and set up: Plastic pumpkins and bean bags. Set the pumpkins along the wall. Directions: Standing at a designated starting point, students will attempt to underhand toss the bean bag into the pumpkin.

Assessment Ideas:

Use a checklist to observe proper form of the underhand toss, overhand throw, and striking with a long-handled implement.

Submitted by Joan Charles who teaches at Union Cross Academy in Kernersville, NC.


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Haunted house challenge

Purpose of Activity: The students will work on physical fitness development by moving through fitness challenges, making fitness FUN! (This lesson addresses the following Illinois State Goals: Goal 20: Achieve and maintain a health-enhancing level of Physical Fitness based upon continual self-assessment. Goal 23: Understand human body systems and factors that influence growth and development.)

Prerequisites: Complete the President's Fitness Challenge or other fitness instruction so students learn the proper form for stretches and exercises.


Materials Needed: stretch bands, scooters, regulation size bowling pins or hand weights, mats, beanbags and buckets, jump ropes, shuttle blocks, step boxes or bleachers, stop watch, Halloween music, CD player, station signs, and instruction sheets; Signs needed for each station include: MENACING MUSCLE-BUILDERS: *SHAKY STRETCH BAND for TWITCHY TRICEPS & BEWITCHING BICEPS, *BEASTLY BOWLING PIN RUN, *CHILLING CURL-UPS, *PHANTOM PUSH-UPS, *SPINE-CHILLING SCOOTERS and the CREEPY CONES; EERIE ENDURANCE and AGILITY BUILDERS: *JACK-O-LANTERN JUMPS, *SKITTISH SHUTTLES, *JITTERY JUMP ROPE; SPOOKY STANCES: *VRKSASANA, *VASISTHASANA; The following stretches can be listed on one poster since they are performed together in a large group: SPINE-CHILLING STRETCHES: *SHUDDERSOME SHOULDER ROLLS, *NERVY NECK STRETCHES, *ALARMING ARM STRETCHES, *BLACK CAT BACK STRETCHES, and *SUPERMAN AB STRETCHES.

Description of Idea

The Haunted House Challenge is divided into 10 stations. The stations give the students opportunities to work on the following fitness components: muscular strength, muscular endurance, cardiovascular endurance, and flexibility. Prepare and post signs at each station, showing students where to start and where to proceed. A copy of instructions at each station will also cue students as to what to do. Students should remain at each station until signaled to rotate to the next station. Halloween music played during the activity will cue the students as to when they should move to the next station, and will also provide a cadence for performing the exercises. Rotating at the end of each song gives about 3 minutes at each station, allowing everyone to get through all or most stations before dismissal time. Equipment needed at each station should be readily available.

Warm-up: SPINE-CHILLING STRETCHES: The class will do the following stretches together in a large group before moving into small groups for the stations. As class time allows, repeat the sequence of stretches several times.


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1. SHUDDERSOME SHOULDER ROLLS: Roll shoulders forward 5 times and back 5 times.

2. NERVY NECK STRETCHES: Slowly stretch the neck forward, back, right, and left, holding for 5 second each. (Remind students to elongate their neck during this stretch, being careful not to shrug their shoulders, especially when holding the head in the back position. We want to prevent "pinching" the nerves in the neck.)

3. ALARMING ARM STRETCHES: As if you are swimming, move arms performing the butterfly and backstroke, 5 times each.

4. BLACK CAT BACK STRETCHES: Position yourself on all fours, slowly raising and lowering spine. Repeat 5 times.

5. SUPERMAN AB STRETCH: Lie on stomach, arms straight out at each side. Lift and hold arms and legs 5 seconds and relax.

Following the group stretches, put the student into groups of 2 to 4, depending on the size of the class. A good time-saver is to put the students into groups ahead of time and post the list on the gym wall. This allows the teacher to accommodate students with special needs and facilitates the opportunity for students to get to know others in the class whom with they otherwise would not spend much time.

MENACING MUSCLE BUILDERS:

1. SHAKY STRETCHY BAND for TWITCHY TRICEPS AND BEWITCHING BICEPS: (equipment: stretchy bands) Use stretch band to do 10 slow triceps raises and follow with 20 slow biceps builders. Repeat until it is time to rotate to the next station.

2. BEASTLY BOWLING PINS: (equipment: bowling pins or hand weights) Lift bowling pins straight overhead and run all the way around the black perimeter line in the gym keeping arms extended overhead.

3. CHILLING CURL-UPS: (equipment: mats) Do curl-ups to the cadence of the music until it is time to rotate to the next station.

4. PHANTOM PUSH-UPS: (equipment: beanbags, buckets) Do push-ups (on toes or bent-knee) to take beanbags out of bucket and then put back into bucket alternating right and left hands.

5. SPINE-CHILLING SCOOTERS and the CREEPY CONES: (equipment: scooters and 6-8 cones) Lie with stomach on scooter and use only hands to travel around the creepy cone course.


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EERIE ENDURANCE and AGILITY BUILDERS:

6. JACK-O-LANTERN JUMPS: (equipment: step boxes or available bleachers) Use a two-foot jump and two-foot landing to move on and off the steps rhythmically, to the music cadence. Face forward first, then sideways.

7. SKITTISH SHUTTLES: (equipment: 2 wooden blocks or erasers, stopwatch, Set up a shuttle run course. You need two lines 30' apart with 2 blocks or erasers set on the far line.) On a signal, run to the opposite line, pick up a block, run back to set it on the starting line, go back to get the other block, and run back through the finish line. Have someone time you with the stopwatch. 8. JITTERY JUMP ROPE: (equipment: jump ropes) Jump continuously forward and back, to the cadence, until it is time to rotate.

SPOOKY STANCES:

9. VRKSASANA (Tree Pose): (equipment: none) Stand with feet together. Shift your weight slightly onto the left foot, keeping the inner foot firm to the floor, and bend your right knee. Reach down with your right hand and clasp your right ankle and draw your right foot up and place the sole against the inner left thigh. If possible, press the right heel into the inner left groin, toes pointing toward the floor. The center of your pelvis should be directly over the left foot. Rest your hands on the top rim of your pelvis, making sure the pelvis is in a neutral position, with the top rim parallel to the floor. Lengthen your tailbone toward the floor. Firmly press the right foot sole against the inner thigh and resist with the outer left leg. Press your hands together. Gaze softly at a fixed point in front of you on the floor about 4 or 5 feet away. Stay for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Step back to starting position with an exhalation and repeat for the same length of time with the legs reversed.

10. VASISTHASANA (side plank pose): (equipment: none) From plank pose (push-up position), bring the right palm to center on the floor. Bring the outside of the right foot on the floor in line with the palm. Stack the left foot on top of the right, with the inner edges of the feet in contact. Press the right hand down into the floor and lift the hips making the legs and torso one straight line. When you feel balanced, lift the left hand up towards the ceiling, making the arms one straight line. Press the outer edge of the right foot down, pull up the kneecaps and squeeze the thighs and buttocks. Look straight ahead, with the chin off the chest. Breathe and hold for 2-5 breaths. To release: exhale and bring the left hand down to the floor, bring both toes tucked under on the floor, into plank pose. Repeat on other side. Modifications: Bend one or both knees down to the floor.

Resource: Yoga Balances with McCoy

Assessment Ideas: An observation checklist can be used to see if students are performing activities as directed according to the criteria on the President's Challenge Fitness Tests or some other fitness assessment.


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Do as many of the stretches as limitations allow; use wrist and leg weights for child who cannot hold weights; have child repeat an activity (s)he can do until heart rate increases; balance body and objects on body as limitations allow.

Submitted by Kay Calhoun who teaches at Schaefer School in O'Fallon, IL.


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Pumpkins and witches tag

Purpose of Activity: To get the students moving, running, dodging, fleeing, and using personal and general space.

Prerequisites: Discuss personal space and general space.


Materials Needed: orange pinnie or something to represent a pumpkin tagger (If possible, use a pumpkin hat costume.); a purple pinnie or a witches hat to represent the witch tagger; tagging instruments, i.e., foam wands or other soft material

Description of Idea

Explain to the children that they are all witches flying around the gym on their broomsticks. There will be a pumpkin tagger who is "it" (wearing an orange pinnie or pumpkin hat). The pumpkin tagger will try to tag the witches, saying "You're a pumpkin!" If a child is tagged, the child must freeze and sit down on the floor in a pumpkin shape (arm hugging his/her knees to the chest with one fist making a stem on his/her head). In order to become "unfrozen," the witch tagger must see the frozen pumpkin, tap him/her on the shoulder and say a magic spell to set the student free to fly again. An example of a magic spell would be "Abra Cadabra ... you're free to fly!" Children can come up with many of their own creative magic words! After a few minutes, switch the taggers so each child gets a turn. You could also designate more than one pumpkin tagger, so more children can get tagged during a game. Using Halloween music in the background adds to the fun!

Alternative theme: Substitute wizards for the witches when the class composition includes students who are not allowed to celebrate Halloween.

Assessment Ideas:

As the children move around the gym, check to see if they utilize the entire gym and use their personal space. You can also assess their ability to follow directions by observing if they freeze when tagged.


By designating a "pumpkin patch" area for the children to go to when they are tagged, a motor-impaired child could be the "witch tagger" to "set them free." The child with limited mobility would be able to tap the frozen pumpkins with a magic wand from within the designated area.

Submitted by Stefanie Frankel in Woodmere, NY.


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Little ghost

Purpose of Activity: To work on chasing, fleeing, and dodging during a Halloween based activity.

Prerequisites: Teach the students the poem to recite.


Materials Needed: Cones and tagging instruments, such as foam paddles, stuffed toys, or anything soft. You can make “Ghosts” for tagging by taking a 18-24 inch square piece of cheese cloth and placing it over a white fleece ball, fastening it with a rubber band around the “neck” to form a “Ghost.” Add two small, oval black felt pieces for eyes.

Description of Idea

Students stand around a large circle line with three to five players in the middle. Set up 3-4 areas with cones for the HOME. The students in the middle of the circle are Ghosts. The other students recite the following poem as they walk in a circle around the Ghosts.

"Once there was a Little Ghost Who went out in the night He liked to scare the children most On every Halloween night. BOO!"

When the word "BOO" is said, all players must run to one of the Homes without getting tagged. If they get tagged before reaching the Home, they join the Ghost in the middle of the circle, then switch places with that Ghost by handing over the tagging instrument. The class then goes back to the circle where there are new Ghosts, and recite the poem again. Repeat several times so there is opportunity for many students to be Ghosts.

Assessment Ideas:

After the game, ask the students the following questions about chasing, dodging and fleeing: What did you do to get safely home without getting tagged by the Ghost? Why do you think you got tagged? What could you try to do next time so you don’t get tagged? When you were a Ghost, what did you do to make it easier to tag someone?

Adaptations for Students with Disabilities: Have students pair up in partners, helping each other reach “home.” Have students try other locomotor skills to reach “home.”

Submitted by Becky Ryan who teaches at Stiles Elementary School in Rockford, IL.


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Working Together is Boo-‐ti-‐ful!

Purpose of Activity: Practice cooperative behaviors, self-responsibility and motor skills.

Prerequisites: Students should be able to: describe what cooperation and self responsibility looks like in physical education class. Students should be able to throw underhand, throw and catch to oneself and volley by kicking or striking balloons.


Materials Needed: 6 Dynabands, bowling pins (Ghost Bowling and Ghost Busters), fun noodles (Ghost Busters), 10 bean bags (Ghost Bowling), Skeleton Set (Mr. Bones), yarn balls (Pumpkins Catching), hippity hop (Pumpkin Patch), scooters (Ghostbusters) Items to purchase at the Dollar store: Halloween trick and treat bags (Trick and Treat), ghostbags (Bowling for Ghosts) and large leaf and small pumpkin bags (Pumpkin Catching), rats (Rat Throw), spiders (Spider Curl-ups), ghosts, pumpkins and bat balloons (Keep It Up! and Ghost Volley), plastic bones (Which Way did he go?), treats (Trick or Treat).

Description of Idea

Halloween Theme- Students work cooperatively with a partner and participate in centers. There are 12 different centers to choose from. Select those that work with the grade levels that you are working with and/or skills that you have covered. Assessment is on-going. Kindergarten and first grade can indicate which level of responsibility they are working at by showing one, two, three, or four fingers before rotating centers. Second graders can carry an assessment sheet with them as they travel through the centers. The following levels are:

Level 4- I am doing all my work and helping others. Level 3- I am doing all my work with no reminders from the teacher. Level 2- I am trying but still need help or reminders to do my work. Level 1- I am not doing my work. I am hurting or bothering someone.

Working Together is Boo-ti-ful!

Students practice motor skills while demonstrating cooperation and self-responsibility.

1. Spider mania- Dynabands are arranged in a web-like pattern. While holding a partner's hand, can you travel through the web without touching any of it? If you are successful, “High 8” your partner. (Tap any 8 body parts together with your partner.)


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2. Ghostbusters- Can you push your partner on a scooter safely around the ghosts? Pretend that you are busting ghosts. Don't cross streams! Take turns.

3. Spider Curl-ups- Partners hook feet together and hold spiders in their hands. Curl-up together and show each other their spider, say hello to each other's spider, scare each other's spider, or surprise each other's spider.

4. Rat Throw - Can you and your partner throw and catch the rat underhand to each other? 10 catches is TerRATfic, 8 catches is RATerful, 6 catches are alRAT.

5. Which Way Did He Go? - Group forms a circle in a push-up position. Bones are passed from one person to another while staying in a push-up position.

6. Trick or Treat - Partners choose a bag together. Inside the bag is either a treat or a trick. Treats are tokens that are brought to the teacher and may be eaten, tricks are cooperative challenges that may be tried in a personal space.

7. Bowling for Ghosts - One partner practices rolling a ball underhand while the other partner sets the pins. If you knock all the pins over on the first try, yell out Boo!

8. Mr. Bones - By looking at the model, work together and try to assemble Mr. Bones.

9. Pumpkin Catching - One partner practices catching to themselves while the other person gives them pumpkin points for reaching upward and putting thumbs together. Take 5 tries each, then switch.

10. Ghost Volley - Work together by striking the ghost balloons up and keep them from landing on the ground. If you are able to strike the balloon up 25 times or more, give a spooky cheer.

11. Pumpkin Patch Run - Run through the pumpkin patch for one minute, then try to find your partner's pulse. If you find your partner's pulse, shout, "He/She's alive!"

12. Keep it Up! - With a partner, using only your feet, keep the bats, cats, pumpkins, and ghost balloons up in the air.


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Assessment Ideas:

NAME: __________________________________________DATE:__________

Working Together is Boo-ti-ful! Critical Elements for Cooperation

Level 4 *Encouraged a classmate. Shared equipment. *Helped a classmate. Followed rules. *Showed concern for classmates' feelings. Tried your best. *Worked together toward a common goal. Played under Control. *Complimented a classmate.

Level 3 Followed rules. Tried your best. Played Under Control. Shared equipment.

Level 2 Tried. Needed help or reminders at centers.

Level 1 Showed little effort. Hurt or bothered someone.

Center #1: Circle what level you are working at. Why?_________________ 1 2 3 4

Center #2: Circle what level you worked at. Why?_________________ 1 2 3 4





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Modified from Assessment Strategies for Elementary Physical Education by Suzann Schiemer


For all children, offer a variety of catching and throwing equipment.

You may also choose to pair students who have handicapping conditions with students who consistently work at level 4.

Submitted by Joanne Woodworth who teaches at West Point Elementary School in West Point, NY.


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Halloween Locomotors

Purpose of Activity: As an instant activity, to practice various motor skills, creative movement and the use of self-space/general space.

Prerequisites: Review what is meant by self-space and general space.


Description of Idea

Have students spread out in the gym, finding their “self-space.” Explain to them that they will be moving around the gym, pretending to be “trick-or-treaters.” Review that the general space, the gym, is the space shared by everyone and that they must maintain their “self-space” and not bump into anyone. Tell the students that you will be naming a Halloween costume, and they need to move around the gym as though they are that character. For example, if the teacher says “bat”, the students will move around the gym flapping their arms. When the teacher yells “BOO!” all students must run to the sidelines and listen for the announcement of the next costume. Students enjoy movement and using their imagination, so encourage them to think of other Halloween costume ideas and demonstrate them.

Ideas for costumes include: Marching Band- marching Cowboy- galloping Bat or Airplane - walking with arms flapping Cat- crawling Mummy - walk straight and stiff Monster- walking with arms out in front like Frankenstein Cinderella - dancing and twirling around Harry Potter - riding a broomstick

Variations: Students make up their own costume ideas while other classmates try to guess what they are.

Assessment Ideas: Watch for locomotor techniques and use of space. When the activity is done, as the following questions: What locomotor activities did you perform? What did you do to stay in your “self-space?”

Adaptations for Students with Disabilities: Have students partner up to create a costume.

Submitted by Becky Ryan who teaches at Stiles Elementary School in Rockford, IL.


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Halloween bats

Purpose of Activity: The purpose of Halloween Bats is to get the children ready for Halloween.


Materials Needed: Black paper, Scissors, Chalk

Description of Idea

On October 1st, you put up a cave opening in the corner of the gym. Outside the cave you cut out black bats. On the cave is a sign that says, "It's time again"! Everyday you put more and more bats up on the wall. Eventually the bats will go all the way around the gym. When they reach the cave it is Halloween.

In our school, I build a haunted gym for the children to go through. I have students and parents help build this. You can hear children talking about the Haunted Gym as the bats get closer to the cave. When Halloween is over the bats are still up. Everyday we take down a few bats and this looks like there going back into the cave. When the bats are gone you change the sign on the cave and it says, "See you next year"! Great way to get a whole school excited about Halloween.

A Haunted Gym only takes a few hours to create. Collecting fences mask and clothes can make a fun but not scary gym.

Submitted by Ronald Van Buren who teaches at Roberge School in River Vale, NJ.


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Pumpkin patch

Purpose of Activity: To provide students with additional practice jumping rope.

Prerequisites: Jump rope skills must have been practiced/taught like basic double bounce, single bounce, 1 foot, backwards jumping, straddle jumps, skier jumps, stride jumps, single side swing, double side swing, and bell jump.


Materials Needed: Orange pumpkin cut-outs with the jump rope skills and the number of repetitions written on them.

Description of Idea

Place a large hoop in the center of the activity area for the pumpkin patch. Place the pumpkins face down inside of the hoop. Each student should have a jump rope.

As the students enter the gym hand them a pumpkin card that contain a jump rope skill and the number of repetitions the student should complete. Before they start review the jump rope skills with the students.

Have them get a jump rope and a good self space to practice their jump rope skills. Explain that when they finish the skill on their card they go to the pumpkin patch and exchange their card for another.

Variations:

The same idea can be used for fitness skills, throwing and catching skills, and locomotor skills. Set equipment on the perimeter of the gym which the students use to complete the task on the pumpkin card.

Assessment Ideas:

Have the students keep the card face up on the floor while they are jumping so you can see if they are using the correct skill.


Non-rope jumpers can repeat the jump rope pattern without the rope. Students in wheelchairs can turn the rope for others (use a longer rope or extend the handle using a Lummi stick).

Submitted by Sharon Welch who teaches at Seldens Landing in Leesburg, VA.


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Witch’s Hat Tag

Purpose of Activity: To engage in a fun instant activity that has a holiday theme.

Materials Needed: One small plastic orange cone for each student (or you can make real hats or use paper hats or bean bags). Halloween background music (optional).

Description of Idea

Before class place cones one by one on a boundary line, so that they are easily attainable to the students.

Tell the students that they will begin this activity using the locomotor skill of walking and then change it to skipping, hopping, etc. One tagger starts with a witch's hat (orange cone) on the top of their head. When the tagger tags you, you must go get a different orange cone and hold it on your head. You also become a tagger. Play until everyone has a witch's hat on their head. The last person to receive a witch's hat starts as the tagger for the next game.

Submitted by Terri Herrmann who teaches at Maumee Valley Country Day School in Toledo,

OH.


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Pumpkin tag

Purpose of Activity: To start your class off with a fun invigorating activity that is linked to a holiday theme.


Materials Needed: 2 Orange Balls (Small basketballs)

Description of Idea

Chose 2 students to be pumpkins. They hold the two basketballs. Chose another person to be the witch (Tagger). All of the other students are trick or treaters. The trick or treaters will move around the gym performing various locomotor movements (walking, skipping, hopping, etc.) The witch will move on a broomstick (galloping with two hands on one another in front of them). If the witch tags a trick or treater they turn into a ghost and must stay where they are and move like a ghost (sway). The pumpkins, also performing locomotor movements must move around and untag the ghosts so they can become trick or treaters again. Change roles after 2 minutes of play.

Variations:

For extra fun I like to play Halloween music in the background.

Submitted by Brooke Kessler in Upper Montclair, NJ.


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Halloween carnival

Purpose of Activity: To review previously taught movements of kicking, striking, throwing and catching while involving a Halloween theme.

Prerequisites: Previous lessons on proper performance of the various movements/skills must have been given.


Materials Needed: Large pieces of cardboard to create targets and decorations, Racquets, balloons, overhead projector with white backdrop, soccer balls with goal, putter and golf ball, small balls with white cloth wrapped around it.

Description of Idea

This lesson requires a little set up time. A few weeks in advance you will need to create several festive targets and materials that will be needed for the lesson. There will be several centers throughout the activity area each with a specific movement/skill to be performed. The students will work in small groups and complete all the centers.

1. Floating Ghosts - Use white balloons with ghost faces on them. The students will strike the balloon ghosts back and forth to a partner using long handled racquets.

2. Shadow Shapes - Use an overhead projector or old film projector to cast a light onto the wall. The students will use their bodies to create shapes and cast shadows onto the wall. 3. Spider Web - Students will kick a soccer ball into the goals. You can decorate with the goals with spiders and artificial webs.

4. Feed the Skull - (create a target by drawing a large skull on cardboard, cut out the eyes and mouth) Students will overhand/underhand throw a small through the holes in the target.

5. Mummies Tomb - create a tunnel with garbage bags and hoops, you can also decorate with toilet paper as the "mummy wrappings". Students crawl through the tunnel.

6. Ghost Catching - Create ghosts by wrapping small balls with white cloth and drawing ghost faces on them. Students will throw and catch the ghosts with a partner.

7. Pumpkin Putting - Create a large target by drawing a pumping with three to four holes near the bottom. Students will putt a golf ball through the holes in the target.


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Variations:

For an even more "festive" atmosphere you can dim the light in the gym and play spooky music!

To accommodate all skill levels have other equipment available for them to choose from (e.g., Hand Racquets, Larger Balloons, Larger Balls for Kicking, reducing the distance when throwing at targets.)

Assessment Ideas:

Observe and record student performance of each skill.

Submitted by Daniel Hill who teaches at Collins Lane Elementary in Frankfort, KY.


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Pumpkin patch #2

Purpose of Activity: To work cooperatively together during a fun, Halloween activity.


Materials Needed: 26 cones, one rubber snake, 5 plastic rats, 5 spiders, 5 ghosts, 5 lizards, 5 small pumpkins and five hula hoops. Five flash lights and some pumpkins that have light bulbs in them.

Description of Idea

For this activity I turn out the gym lights and leave my office light on and the pumpkins that are around the room provide enough light so that I can still see my students. It is important that you have enough light for students to see and that you can see all students. Your first priority is safety.

Set up cones with four rows of 5 cones and one row of 6 cones. Spread them out evenly. The teacher hides the plastic items (rats, ghosts, etc.) under the cones before the kids come in to class.

When the students arrive, number your class 1 - 5. Have the number ones look for lizards, two's look for rats, and so on for the remaining numbers. Have the teams line up behind the appropriate hula hoop and have the first person in line pick up the flash light.

The object of the activity is to be the first team to find all five of their specific objects (e.g., team one is looking for lizards, etc.). The students will go one at a time WALKING to the cones and will choose one cone to look under. If their object is not under the cone they choose then they must go back to their line and give the next person in line the flash light. When they find the item they are looking for they pick it and take it back to their hoop.

The team who gets all five of their objects shouts out the words PUMPKIN PATCH.

The one twist that I add to the game is the rubber snake. If a student picks the cone with the snake they must pick it up and shout Snake Bite. Everyone on their team must perform 10 push ups or crunches before they can get back in the game. I give the winners a certain prize like stickers or raisins. Normally before class is over every team has had the opportunity to win and if not I give them a prize for participating.


I observe the students to see if they are working cooperatively as a team. I also time the student to see how long it takes to get a winner. I then challenge them to beat the previous time, but they must still only WALK throughout the activity.

Submitted by Shelly Bart in Glenpool, OK.


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Haunted House Game

Purpose of Activity: To have children partake in a fun and active Halloween activity.


Materials Needed: Strobe light, ghosts (tennis balls covered with white material, bowling pins, hockey pucks, 2 long tables, parachute, jump ropes, vball stands, large white sheet, 2 scooters, Halloween music

Description of Idea

Before beginning this make sure you go over the stations and safety with the children before starting.

Place a strobe light in the center of the gym on a desk or small table. Set up the 4 stations in the gym so students can rotate easily from station to station.

Station 1: Graveyard Bowling--Set up 5-6 bowling pins (depending on # of students)on a sideline. Place 5-6 poly spots 6 feet away with a hockey puck on top. Students must lay on their stomachs and slide the puck attempting to knock over the pin. If you wish students can keep track of their pin knockdowns and ghost tosses. Station 2: Bat Aerobics--Hang a white bed sheet between the 2 stands. Place a lamp to give the sheet a nice glow for seeing shadows. Students have a sequenced routine (written with white chalk on black paper) using jumping jacks, skiers, bat squats (with arms flying), grapevines and any other steps you choose. Have students take turns leading the bat aerobics.

Station 3: Haunted Cave--place 2 parachutes over some kind of safe and sturdy stands leaving openings at the beginning and end. Student’s scooter on their stomachs through the cave. I hang plastic spiders in cob webs on the sides of the parachute for effect. I also have glow in the dark gloves that sometimes appear from under the parachute keeping the students alert. Students walk the scooter back to the entrance for the next student in line.

Station 4: Mummy Jumping--Students make believe they are mummies and use their imagination to jump, with a partner, like a mummy.

Submitted by Colleen Holtz who teaches at Valley View Elementary in Boise, ID.


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The ghost in the graveyard

Purpose of Activity: To work on chasing and fleeing skills

Prerequisites: This is a special theme-based holiday activity. It should only be used after moving to "open spaces" and proper dodging and fleeing skills have been taught and "mastered".

Materials Needed: 15-20 varied types of Gymnastic mats, parachutes, hockey goals, (ball) buckets (objects to allow for hiding places), gymnasium floor, "marked off safety zone"

Description of Idea

This particular activity is used before or after the celebration of Halloween. This is a "Theme Activity". Students can discuss Halloween and its meaning, how it originated and use as a lead in to this activity.

Mats and other obstacles (be careful what you choose), used as hiding places are spread out on the gym floor. "The Ghost of the Graveyard" will use these as his/her hiding place. A student is chosen as the "Ghost". He/she will hide somewhere in the graveyard. The rest of the students hide their eyes in the marked off "safety zone" (outside boundary area marked with floor tape). The students will count in unison, 1 o'clock, 2 o'clock, 3 o'clock, "Bats", 4 o'clock, 5 o'clock, 6 o'clock "Witches", 7 o'clock, 8 o'clock, 9 o 'clock "goblins", 10 o'clock, 11 o'clock, 12 o'clock "midnight". Once they are finished counting, students begin to find the ghost hidden in the graveyard. Students look for ghost by walking. When they think they see the ghost, they say, "Ghost In The Graveyard" and flee (via walking) to their safety zone, without being tagged. If students are tagged they go to the 'safety zone' count again, and return to the game. Another Ghost is then selected and the activity continues as long as the teacher desires.

Variations:

Instead of children saying "Ghost In The Graveyard" you may give them something to hold like a yarn ball and the signal that they have spotted the Ghost is they raise the yarn ball in the air.

Assessment Ideas: Teacher observes that students are moving in empty spaces, are not bumping into others, using previous dodging skills.

Teaching Suggestions: Make sure students walk for this activity as safety needs to be priority number one. Be careful in how you set the gym up with your obstacles as you don't want children to trip and fall. Teacher may ask, "Oh great ghost in the graveyard please make a noise to let us know you are out there"

Submitted by Renee McFarland who teaches at Parkland School District in Allentown, PA.


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Halloween carnival #2

Purpose of Activity: To promote fun through physical fitness activities and to promote knowledge of and acquisition of physical education skills.


Materials Needed: Signs, Basketballs, Footballs, Frisbees, Whiffle Balls, Plastic Bowling Pins or Plastic Bottles, Jump Ropes, 3' Wide Targets, Boom Boxes For Music, Home Made Cookies and Cup Cakes, Prizes, Pencils, Paper, Cones and all the help you can get.

Description of Idea

We have booths where the students try to win prizes like you would at a normal fair or carnival. Our booths are:

• Cup Cake/Cookie/Rice Krispie Bar Walk • Whiffle Ball Throw • 3 Point Contest • Free Throw Shoot • Football Throw For Accuracy • Baseball/Softball Throw For Accuracy • Frisbee Throw For Accuracy • Ring Toss • Horseshoe Toss • IQ Test

We purchased approximately $100.00 worth of prizes at a discount store (The Dollar Tree), plus we made cookies, cup cakes, and rice krispie bars.

Each booth had a similar requirement in order to qualify for a prize. All students won at each booth regardless of performance. We had 3 levels of prizes:

• Super Prize • Good Prize • Prize

We used sugar free suckers, gum, candy, etc. for many of our prizes along with the traditional type of candy (licorice, miniature tootsie rolls, tootsie pops, etc).


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Teachers dressed up as they saw fit in Halloween costumes, etc. We put a sign at each booth with the name of the booth and the exercise cost.

In order to participate in the carnival, students had to dress out and participate in a Fitness Activity for the day, e.g., 2 minute jog, warm-up by stretching, etc. We also required the students to perform an exercise at each booth in order to play. For example, they had to do 5 push-ups for the 3 point contest. Each booth has a different exercise requirement.

Description of Booths:

(1) Cup Cake/Cookie/Rice Krispie Bar Walk: Operate the booth just like a cake walk, except we used colored cones instead of numbered spots. When music stops, the student standing at the correct colored cone was a winner. The cost for this booth was 5 Jumping Jacks.

(2) Ring Toss: We used soda, Gatorade, etc. for this booth. Students used rings to try and win a soda or sports drink. Cost: 10 Jump rope jumps.

(3) Whiffle Ball Toss: Students attempted to knock down plastic bowling pins (or you could use plastic liter bottles) with whiffle balls. 3 throws to knock down 3 pins.

(4) 3 Point Shootout: students attempted to make as many 3 point baskets as possible in 30 seconds. Prizes awarded according to what standard you set.

(5) Frisbee Toss, Football Toss and Baseball/Softball Toss: All used the same area. We hung a 3' in diameter net from a basketball goal using flag football belts with the flags still attached, this made for a color display. Students could choose which event they preferred to participate in and each had 3 throws to hit the target. Cost for each: Baseball/Softball Throw = 5 Trunk Twists; Football Throw = 5 Toe Touch; Frisbee Toss = 5 Jumps. Prizes based on how many times you hit target.

(6) Free Throw Shootout: Students received 3 tries to make a FT. Cost = 5 sit-ups.

(7) IQ Test: We had several categories to choose from: Bell High School Sports Trivia by sport, College Sports, Professional Sports, and Fitness Facts. Students were required to take a 5-10 question test on whatever area they drew out of the bucket. If they passed, they would receive the appropriate prize. In this booth we hoped to develop an appreciation for the academic side of Physical Education. The possibilities are endless.

Samples of Prizes: Make-Up Kits, Masks, Wigs, Games, Cards, Small Stuffed Animals, Yo-Yo's, Bubble Blow Sets, Many different kinds of miniatures, etc. You are only limited by what you can find available to you.

Submitted by David Halter who teaches at Bell High School in Bell, FL


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Healthy haunted house

Purpose of Activity: To have the students participate in a fitness activity that relates to the time of year. This "healthy haunted house" reinforces many skills that are covered in most P.E. programs and encourages the students to remain on task for an entire class period.


Materials Needed: Folding mats, cones, hula hoops, footballs, basketballs, volleyballs, Frisbees, soccer balls, Macarena music. Optional - pumpkin lights and carved pumpkins with candles

Description of Idea

You will need to set up 13 stations (listed below) throughout your gym. I use folding mats and cones to create an obstacle-like course. I also give each group a map of the course.

At each station I have a laminated sign taped to a cone, describing the task that must be completed. I dim the lights of my gym and decorate with pumpkin lights and carved pumpkins with candles, but this is optional. Don't dim to far as the students need to see what they are doing for safety reasons.

Hint: be sure that the students know to return the equipment to where they found it, so that it is there for the next group. The students practice teamwork, rotating to the next station once everyone in the group has completed the task.

Stations:

• Full Moon Football - complete 10 passes and 10 snaps with a partner. • Spooky Sit-ups - complete 30 crunches on the mat • Batty Basketball - make 3 free throws • Pumpkin Push-ups - do 20 push-ups • Groovin' Ghost - dribble around the ghost shaped cones • The Goblin's Jump - long jump three times, each time trying to jump further • Vampire Volleyball - using bumping and setting, pass the ball back and forth 10 times • Freaky Frisbee - pass the Frisbee 10 times • Spider Soccer - dribble the soccer ball around the cones • Monster Mash Macarena - listen to the music, do the Macarena 5 times • Boo Basketball - complete 5 lay-ups • Witch's Locomotor Sprint - run, skip, slide, the length of the gym • Haunted Hula Hooping - hula hoop 30 times


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Assessment Ideas:

In my class, we are fortunate to have 24 heart rate monitors. I do this activity in hopes that the students are working in their target heart rate. This is also a great way to observe the previous task that have been taught to the students. Since Halloween in toward the beginning of the school year, this allows you to see how much your students retained over the summer.

Submitted by Stacy Potter who teaches at Noblesville Intermediate School in Noblesville, IN.


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Monster mash

Purpose of Activity: To practice chasing, fleeing and dodging skills.

Prerequisites: The ability to make and change pathways (straight, curved, and zigzag) while moving in general space.


Materials Needed: Four hula hoops; cones (large and small cones are fine); 20 Bean Bags (more or less depending on class size); four pinnies; the "Monster Mash" song (from the Halloween Hits CD from Amazon.com); CD/boom box

Description of Idea

Before class, set up the playing area as follows:

Use the cones to form a very large rectangle in the middle of the playing area. This area represents the "haunted house". Scatter the bean bags (i.e. "pumpkins") inside the haunted house. Outside the haunted house, in all four corners, place the "trick or treat bags" (the hula hoops).

Explain to students that this game requires them to use their chasing, fleeing, and dodging skills. They will have to use "quick moves " and change their pathways in order to not get caught! The game goes as follows (demonstrate with a few students if need be):

There are four "taggers" in the haunted house -- these are the "ghosts and goblins" (they wear the pinnies). Ghosts and goblins can only move throughout the haunted house. Everyone else is a "trick or treater". Trick or treaters move (jog, skip, etc.) around the outside of the haunted house while the music is playing (they need to move throughout the whole space, not just move in a circle around the haunted house). When the music stops, trick or treaters enter the haunted house and try to grab a pumpkin. If a trick or treater successfully grabs a pumpkin without getting tagged by a ghost or goblin, they then place the pumpkin in a "trick or treat bag" (a hula hoop).

If a trick or treater does get tagged by a ghost or goblin, they are "stuck" in the haunted house. They must sit down and place their foot on their knee. To re-enter the game, a trick or treater who is not "stuck" must tag the foot of a "stuck" player. If a trick or treater is tagged while capturing a pumpkin, they must put the pumpkin back in the circle and sit down in the captured position.

Once the music comes back on, all of the "unstuck" trick or treaters must leave the haunted house. Those who are "stuck" stay this way until the music once more stops, and the trick or treaters once again come into the haunted house. When all the pumpkins are in the trick or treat bags, the game is over. Take a moment to discuss students' use of pathways as a way to avoid getting tagged, then begin the game once again.


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Assessment Ideas:

Observe students' ability to change pathways, so as to avoid getting tagged by others (or running into someone). Reinforce this concept throughout the game. If students have difficulty in moving to avoid others, you may need to revisit the skills of moving quickly and changing pathways (without playing a "game" such as this, where their focus is on retrieving an object rather than changing pathways).


Stress safe tagging and watching where you are moving!

Submitted by Bill Mosley who teaches at Westminster Elementary School in Atlanta , GA .


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Ghost hunt

Purpose of Activity: For students to have fun participating in a holiday game which uses memory and dodging skills.


Materials Needed: 25 cones; any number of Halloween decorations which light up; ten white, square pieces of fabric rubber-banded around a tennis ball to make a "ghost"; Halloween music and CD/boom box; two flashlights for each team and one for you, the teacher.

Description of Idea

Arrange 25 cones in 5 rows of 5 in a very large area. Put the "ghosts" randomly inside ten cones before students enter the gym. Arrange the other cones as "start" places for each team to stand behind, in relay fashion (there should be approximately four to five students on a team). Also, have the "light-up" decorations "on" before students come into the gym.

When students arrive, divide students into teams. Explain to the students that there are ten ghosts hidden under the "pumpkins" in the pumpkin patch. Each team will have two flashlights and will stand behind a cone. One at a time, when the lights are out and the music begins, a person from each team will go into the "patch" and look under one cone using the flashlight. If a ghost is found, the student takes it and returns to his/her team; if a ghost is not found, they still return to their team. The person then tags the hand of the next person in line (who already has a flashlight) and gives their flashlight to the next person in line. Remind students that no one should move until the music begins, and that everyone must freeze when the music is turned off. Also let them know that they may not slide into a cone to see if it holds a ghost -- they must pick the cone up and correctly place it back down.

Ask if there are any questions. If not, hand out flashlights and have each team go to their cone and get in line. Have students turn their flashlights on. When students are ready, turn out the lights (as the gym is lit up with electric pumpkins and ghosts it should NOT be in total darkness.) Start the music, at which the first person comes out to search for a ghost. Use your flashlight to monitor how the game is being played.

When it appears most of the ghosts are found, stop the game by turning off the music (everyone "freezes".) Turn on the lights and collect the captured "ghosts". Have the teams turn to the wall, sit down and close their eyes to replace the "ghosts". Begin the game once again.


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Variations:

You could have students go in pairs so one child could hold the flashlight and one could pick the cone up to look for the "ghost".

Discuss strategies on watching where one's teammates go so team members do not look under the same cone.

You may wish to ask students before beginning the game if any of them would prefer not to play because of the lights being turned off. Let those children come and sit by you or go to the best-lit place in the gym to watch. Chances are they'll be OK once the game gets under way!

Submitted by Janelle Schumacher who teaches at Centennial Elementary School in Fargo, ND .

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