Catch Up - Outcome C (7-9)-3

This lesson helps students to develop pacing skills. All students, no matter what their running abilities, are expected to work as a group and to encourage their classmates.

Running

Organize the class into groups of ten to twelve. Students take turns leading the group on a run in single file. The students can choose any route to run. Every few minutes the leader must change. The lead student drops off the front of the line and the next student in line becomes the leader.

Students should encourage each other and maintain a pace that all can comfortably run. Provide guidelines for the development of groups to ensure that students end up running in appropriately paced groups. For example, you can establish the groups according to the students' abilities by dividing them as follows:

• The "fun run is an oxymoron" group
• The "I think I can manage this task" group
• The "let me run" group.

If you choose to organize the entire class as one group, make sure that the faster runners are very supportive of the slower runners.

At the end of the run, discuss how the students felt about the pacing, and how they could make it easier or harder. Have students write in a logbook as part of this unit so that you can monitor their progress.

Create military-type chants to provide an opportunity for students to speak as a group while running. One person shouts the chant and the rest of the class repeats it. For example:

• I don't know what you've been told. (Class repeats the line.)
• Running makes the spirit bold. (Repeat)
• Lift those heels and strive for more. (Repeat)
• Healthy bodies - hear them roar. (Repeat)
• Sound off. (Repeat)
• 1-2-3-4 (One and two are shouted in rhythm, while 3 and 4 are shouted double time.) (Repeat.)
  

If the teacher wants the students to run harder, the last person must run to the front. If the teacher wants the students to have an easier run, the front person can drop off to join in at the back.

These are clues that you have reached the outcomes ...

Students were able to maintain the run and stay in a single line.

Strong runners were able to maintain a pace that encouraged the slower runners to stay involved.

Slower runners kept a pace that still allowed them to enjoy the experience. They expressed enthusiasm in their journals.

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