Description: Each group of 4 students will take a basketball and 4 cones and find an area in the gym to form a circle with their cones. They will work on chest passes, bounce passes, and overhead passes. They will then be encouraged to pass and move to the open cone to simulate a give and go, followed by monkey in the middle to add a pass blocking defensive element to the game.

Rules

1. Groups of 4 students, 4 cones, and 1 basketball per group
2. 3 types of passes: chest pass, bounce pass, and overhead pass
3. Cannot make the same type of pass two passes in a row
4. Be unpredictable, so that teammates have to be always ready to receive a pass

Progression

• Pass and move to open cone
• Monkey in the middle

Description: In pairs, one student will try and tag their partner with a pinnie, while the other tries to avoid them.

Rules:

1. Move into open space to avoid getting tagged, and keep your head up.
2. Tagger must hold the pinnie, and touch it to their partner.
3. They must then pass the pinnie off to their partner.

Progression:

•  Once you tag your partner, the next time you tag them, you must hold the pinnie to them for 1 second,then 2 seconds, progressing each time a tag occurs.

Description: Students will attempt to pull tucked-in pinnies from opponents hip while protecting their own pinnie from being pulled. When your pinnie is pulled you are still actively involved but limited to pivoting to grab opponents pinnies. Last player with a pinnie tucked at their hip wins!

Rules

1. Each student will play the game individually with a pinnie tucked in at their hip
2. When your pinnie is pulled, you will be limited to pivoting on the spot you were “tagged”
3. When “tagged”, pick pinnie up and put it on for clarity and safety reasons
4. Game boundary is marked by cones, or lines.
5. Last student with a pinnie on their hip will be declared the winner!

Progression

• Create smaller boundary space as numbers of students dwindles by moving cones
• Create a re-entry rule to motivate pivoters, once a pivoter has grabbed three pinnies (chameleon tails) then they can put their pinnie back on their hip and re-enter game.
• Add basketballs, changing the object of the game away from stealing opponents pinnies and towards swatting away opponents basketball while working to protect their own basketball

Description: All players have a ball. They need to protect their ball, while trying to knock out other players’ balls. Players achieve this by causing an opponent to lose control of their ball, or leave the marked boundaries. If someone does this, they are not out, but move to a different zone to begin anew, or perform a layup or predetermined activity. Players begin in the half court zone, and move to the 3-point zone, and back until the game is over.

Rules:

1. Players can only contact an opponent’s ball, not their body.
2. Players lose control by stepping out of bounds, having their ball knocked away, or roll away, so that they did not consecutively dribble.
3. Players must stay in bounds, and must switch zones when they lose control.

Progression:

1. Change game to Dribble Tag.
2. Players now focus on keeping control of their own ball.
3. Instead of going for an opponent’s ball, players must now tag their opponent.
4. If tagged, players switch zones.
5. If tagged at the same time, both players switch zones together.
   1. Allows unskilled players a better chance.
   2. Could start with this version and switch to King of the Court.

Description: Each student starts at the baseline with a ball in hand.  Students then run while dribbling the basketball, the teacher then provides cues by yelling out  Red  or blowing a whistle indicating for students to stop in an athletic position and protect the ball by demonstrating correct pivoting skill. The objective is to improve students dribbling skills while keeping the ball under control and utilizing both hands.

Rules:

1. Maintain control of the ball
2. Run to opposite side of the gym once their stop and wait for drill to begin again
3. Follow the red, yellow, green light commands

Progression

• Add commands ex When you blow the whistle means stop and hold ball while demonstrating correct footwork for pivoting,
• Have them not run in unison, run around the gym, looking for  open space while following commands, makes students keep their head up
• Competitive example : dribble around gym while listening to commands, when whistle is blown run to nearest basket make one basket then run back to center court, first one back wins, and is able to call out the red, light , green command.

Description: One student volunteers to be (it) shark, while the rest of the class lines up on the end of the basketball court. The objective of the game is to run from one end of the basketball court, without getting tagged. Once an individual is tagged they must put on a pinnie and become a shark. Last person to make it across the basketball court without being tagged wins.            

Rules:

1. Must stay within the boundaries of the basketball court, otherwise you become a shark (it)
2. Once tagged you put on a pinnie and become a shark
3. Once  you have crossed  the line that designated the end of the basketball court you are safe and cannot be tagged.

Progression

• Eventually incorporate basketballs, so each participant must dribble from one end of the court to the other without getting their basketball swatted away- encourages ball protecting and ball control.
• To make it more difficult you could have participants dribble with their non dominant hand.

Description: Students are to line up in single file behind the free throw line, students first and second in line have a basketball. All players must attempt their first shot from behind the free throw line. Play begins once the individual first in line attempt a shot, after the first player shoots the second person in line may now attempt a shot. If a shot is missed players must follow their rebound and attempt to make a shot from any point on the court, if the second player makes a basket in before the first player then the first player has been “ bumped” and is out of the game.           

Rules:

1. Must attempt first shot from behind free throw line
2. If second player makes basket before first player, then first player is bumped and is out of the game.
3. Can attempt second shot from anywhere on the basketball court

Progression

• Make the distance to the hoop smaller or bigger (Farther: first shot from three point line,  Shorter: first shot before the free throw line)
• Less competitive/ flow: if “bumped”- allowed to continue to play just asked to remember how many times they have been bumped, or  must move to another hoop where individuals who have been bumped play against each other.

Description: In groups of 4-5, one student is given the role of the coach. The other 3 position themselves at the free throw line. The coach inputs the ball by throwing it at the hoop. All three players compete to get the rebound, and score. Fouls are allowed. Whoever scores, slides off, while the other two repeat the game. The two overall winners stay on the court, while the player that did not win either round switches roles with the coach.

Rules:

1. One player (or two depending on #’s) is labeled the coach. Three players start at the free throw line.
2. Coach inputs ball by throwing it at the hoop.
3. Player that successfully scores the rebound, moves to the side, while the remaining 2 compete again.
4. The two overall winners stay on, and the non-winner subs off, assuming the coach role.
5. Fouls are allowed.
6. Coach may stop play if it continues without progress.

Progression:

1. Can manipulate number of players, or the ball used.
2. Progress game to Mr. Freeze.
3. Focuses on 1v1 defense and offense.
4. Offense tries to score or get to the hoop, while defense tries to stay between the player and the hoop, stopping any shots.
5. When coach yells freeze, players must stop moving. Points are awarded based on their position.
6. Rules:
   1. Offense scores if they make a basket or if on ‘freeze’ they are between the defender and the hoop.
   2. Defense scores if the offense shoots and misses (as they pressured them), or if on ‘freeze’ they are between the offense and the hoop.
   3. Play begins anew/continues even if the offense scores a basket.
   4. Coach yells freeze at random times.
   5.  Games go until 3 points, could modify it to an extra point for leader, or they start down a point.
   6. Winner stays on, but changes position, while non-winner rotates and takes over the coaches’ role.

Description: Split students up into 2-4 teams based on numbers. Get each team to pair up with someone on the opposite team, usually the same size/skill. Give each pair a number. Have teams line up on the end line of the court. Call out a set of numbers to create various situations: 2v2, 3v3, 4v4 et.

Rules:

1. Each pair has a number.
2. Teams line up on the end line.
3. Teacher calls out a set of numbers, and those students run to the ball, and try and score on each other.
   1. “4,5,6” These pairs would run out for a 3v3.
   2. Teacher should throw ball to a side, alternating of course, as placing the ball in the center causes collisions.
   3. Create a time limit if games become too close, or stop play and award no points.
   4. Regular basketball rules apply.

Progressions:

1. Modify the ball or number of players called out.
2. Add two steps with ball rule.
3. Add rule that dribbling is allowed up until the team crosses half court, then they cannot move with the ball.
4. Add rule that does not allow ball over head height for passing.
5. If a match is close, call out another number, as a supporting player.
6. Add a teammate on the sideline as a free pass.

Description: Players are split into two teams, and must navigate a ball to the opposite side, over the end line. The game can constantly change by adapting the rules, but most often, the ball cannot touch the ground, and players with the ball cannot move.

Rules:

Lesson #1

    Players must remain stationary when holding the basketball, pivoting allowed

    Players must pass the ball to an opponent in the end zone to score a point

    Possession changes when point scored or when ball goes out of bounds

Lesson #2

    Same as above, but 2 dribbles allowed before stopping and pivoting

Lesson #3

    2 dribbles allowed, 3 passes before shot, shot or lay-up made scores point

Lesson #4

    No limitation on dribbling, 3 passes before shot, play ball!

Progression:

Lesson #1

    Make scoring teams end zone smaller when team scores (handicap system)

Lesson #2

    Incorporate dribbling into the game

Lesson #3

    End zone is no longer, incorporate shooting into the game as a means to score points

Other Additions:

1. Turn overs whenever the ball goes out, or hits the ground.
2. Defenders must be an arm's length away from the player with the ball.
3. Ball carrier has 5 seconds to pass the ball.
4. If a team scores, they must make 3 passes before scoring again, then 5, then 7, and so on.
5. The same player cannot score twice in a row.