GO FISH

GO FISH

Traveling/Locomotor Movements

To reinforce the 8 locomotor skills of walking, running, jumping, hopping, skipping, sliding, galloping, and leaping.

K-2

One sign with one locomotor skill written on it, for a total of 8 signs (see notes below); one smaller card for each letter used to spell the locomotor movements (for example, one card each with an s, k, i, and p for the word "skip"), for a total of 33 cards letters); 8 cones to mark each poster

Set the eight cones, each with its own locomotor movement sign, around the gym in "station" fashion. Place all 33 letters in the middle of the gym upside down.

This game is like the card game "go-fish". The object is for each group to collect all the letters which spell the locomotor movement found on the card at their station.

Before beginning the activity, quickly review all 8 locomotor movements with students (for example, have a student demonstrate a movement and see if the group can identify it.) Then divide the class into 8 groups of 2-3, and assign each group to a station. Have students decide who will go first, second, and third. On the signal, the first person in each group goes to the middle of the gym by performing the locomotor movement his/her group is trying to spell.

When in the middle of the gym, the student picks a card and takes it back to the group (students may pick up only one card when in the middle). If the letter on the card is a letter making up the word at their station, they place the letter on the sign and give the next person in line a high-5. This next person now goes to the middle of the gym (again performing their specific locomotor movement), picks a letter, and brings it back to the group. If the letter is not one which is found on their sign, the next student in line may take it back to the middle, place it face down on the floor, and pick up a new letter to take back to the group.

When the word is spelled, the entire group sits down. Then that group gets a point (optional). Once a team spells their word, the next person in each team takes their letters back to the middle and places them face down on the floor (whether they are done spelling their word or not). All groups then move clockwise to the next station. If appropriate, quickly ask each group to tell and/or show you the locomotor movement found at their station before you give the signal for students to begin spelling the movement.

• To make the large signs, use half of a large poster board, cut out the appropriate letters using an Ellison die machine, glue each letter onto the posterboard, then laminate the sign.
• Before beginning, ask each group how many points they think they can get and challenge them to reach this goal.
• This activity is a good way to assess students' ability to perform the different locomotor movements.
• Note students who may not be able to perform a skill on a skill checklist.