Description
Students engage in an interactive soccer game with a twist.
Supplies
- Soccer balls
- Cones
How to Play
- Prep work: Organize the cones to set up a rectangle around 20 x 25 yards.
- Choose two students to be the ‘sharks’ and have them stand on one side of the rectangle, outside the cones.
- Give a soccer ball to each of the other students who are the ‘minnows’ and have them stand outside the cones on the opposite side of the ‘sharks.’
- Each round, the sharks call out the chant “Fishy, fishy, come out and play.”
- When the chant is called, ‘minnows’ must dribble their ball using only their feet to the other side of the square outside the cones.
- Sharks try to kick the minnow’s soccer ball out of the playing area while they are crossing. Once ‘minnows’ have passed the cones they are in the safe zone.
- If a ‘minnow’s’ ball is kicked out. they must run and retrieve it and run one lap around the playing area and then they can rejoin the group.
- If their ball gets kicked out a second time they become a cheerleader on the outside of the cones.
- The last two ‘minnows’ with their balls, become the sharks for the next round!
- This continues until time is up.
Activity Prompts for Reflection
- What’s a good choice you made during this activity?
- If we played this activity again what would you do differently?
- What’s a mistake you made during this activity?
- What would have happened if you weren’t honest during this activity?
Other Ways to Play
- After students start playing adjust the cones. Make it easier for the minnows by spreading the cones out wider or make it harder for the minnows by moving the cones in closer.
- When a minnow’s ball is kicked out have them kneel and become ‘seaweed.’ The seaweed tries to capture the minnows’ balls as well.
Additional Notes
- Play music throughout to make this more fun for the students.
- Give the sharks pinnies or hats to make them stand out amongst the sea of minnows.
- Use the SEL Activity Prompts to tie other SEL competencies to this activity.
