Academic content: Language
Purpose of Activity: To increase students heart rates for an extended period of time, while working on increasing their vocabulary knowledge.
Suggested Grade Level: 3-8
Materials Needed: 3x5 or 5x8 (laminated if possible) index cards with all the letters of the game Scrabble (i.e., 10 t's 8 r's etc.), scrap paper and pencil for each group
Physical activity: Aerobic endurance
Description of Idea
Divide the class into groups of 2-3, any larger and the students will not receive the cardiovascular benefit. Spread all the cards (start with them face up) on one half/quarter of the playing area. The students are in their groups equidistance from the cards and spread out in a safe manner.
On the signal, students hop, jump, or skip one at a time to collect one card and bring it back to their partner or group. The students then try to form words from the letters they have brought back. The students must alternate their turns in getting letters. Once a word is formed the students call the teacher over to verify that it is indeed a word (the teacher needs to place themselves in the same place an equidistance from the groups, preferably on the outside of the groups and in the middle so students aren't running in front of others playing the game). If it is a word, then the students write down their word on their scrap piece of paper, gather up all their letters (they don't have to use all of them) and spread them back