Man From Mars

To give students practice in changing pathways in order to avoid others.

10-13 cones; tape/CD Player; lively music; large boundaried area; 15 or so carpet squares, hoops, poly spots, or other such markers

Individual (every student for them selves)

Use cones to make a large boundaried area (approx. 10' x 15' for a small class; larger for larger classes).

Let students know they will be involved in an activity that involves changing pathways in order to avoid being tagged by someone. As a warm-up, have them practice moving in the boundaried area using different locomotor movements. "When the music plays, move around the area by skipping (galloping, jogging, etc.), making sure you use straight, curved, and zigzag pathways to keep away from others. Let's see if you can not touch anyone by the time I stop the music." Start the music, observing to see if children indeed are using different pathways to keep from running into others.

After 20-30 seconds, stop the music and ask those who didn't run into others to raise their hand. Challenge them to do as well when you start the music again, having students move with a different locomotor movement. If you see that children are having difficulty and are running into others, stop the activity, discuss why moving on different pathways is important, pinpoint a few children to show what you expect, and start the activity over.

Once children are ready to safely move, explain the following activity. Let them know that in this activity, everyone except one or two children will be standing on one end line of the boundaried area. The two children not on this line will be standing in the center of the area. At your signal, the children on the line will ask the two in the middle "Man from Mars, Man from Mars, will you take us to the stars?" At this, the two children in the middle decide on a color or trait and say together, "Only if you are wearing ______ (red...green...white shoes...blue jeans...etc.). Those children who possess this color or trait then move (your choice of locomotor movement) safely to the other side of the playing area and line up again. Those students who do not possess this color or trait, however, then move and try to get to the other line without being tagged by the two children in the middle.

If a child is tagged, he or she gets a carpet square or hoop and places it in a self space in the boundaried area. This student then becomes an "alien" and one foot must always stay on his or her "planet". They are allowed, however, to try and tag other other students (those not possessing the color or trait called) as they move to the opposite side.

Change the "Man from Mars" (persons in the middle) after a few minutes, to give all students a chance to be actively moving.

At the end of the game, ask students what pathways they used to avoid others.

Allow "aliens" to tag anyone when on their carpet square, including those who receive free passage t Alloo the other line.