Having been frustrated with lack of court space for badminton or short tennis and having tried speedminton (with a good degree of success) I wanted to find a net game that was challenging, different, fun and could accommodate a large number of pupils.
I remembered seeing a blog post a year or two ago about a game that was played on table tops with a ball and began searching for the post, alas to no avail. Although I did find an interesting looking tweet regarding spikeball.
Knowing that we had an abundance of tables at the school I decided to give this table top game a go - surely there I could figure out the rules for myself. At that moment, I knew exactly how this lesson should take shape....
1. Pupils were shown the basic concept of the game. Bounce the ball on the table to try an hit the floor before your opponent can catch it.
The pupils were then given 7 mins to 'play' with the instruction to think about some rules that would help make this game fun and challenging. And think of a name that we could call this game
I remembered seeing a blog post a year or two ago about a game that was played on table tops with a ball and began searching for the post, alas to no avail. Although I did find an interesting looking tweet regarding spikeball.
Knowing that we had an abundance of tables at the school I decided to give this table top game a go - surely there I could figure out the rules for myself. At that moment, I knew exactly how this lesson should take shape....
1. Pupils were shown the basic concept of the game. Bounce the ball on the table to try an hit the floor before your opponent can catch it.
The pupils were then given 7 mins to 'play' with the instruction to think about some rules that would help make this game fun and challenging. And think of a name that we could call this game
2. After seven minutes we reconvened at the white board and each pair offered a rule or two and a name if they had one. 3. This process was repeated. Each time, pupils were put into new pairs and instructed to play by the rules that had just been devised. When we came in after the 5-7 min game. We discussed which rules worked? which did not? why? and any new rules that may need introducing. |
4. By the end of the lesson we had narrowed it down to 5 basic rules. 1. The ball has to bounce on the opponents half of the table. (We used masking tape to divided the table into two). 2. Each player only has 3 seconds with the ball 3. Players are allowed to take one step with the ball 4. If the ball bounces on the floor and you catch it with 1 hand, then play continues. 5. If you win the point then you keep service. | So in essence the games is very simple. Bounce the ball on the opponents half of the table to try and make it hit the floor before they can catch it. Pupils opted for timed games of 5 mins, the winner being the person with the most points at this time. In case of a draw, then one extra point was played. |
So.....what name did they choose in the end?? TAE-BALL | Where to next? I can see a whole unit unfolding in front of us where we explore tactics, shot selection, trick shots, doubles play and revise and create new rules. This is truly a unit that encompasses Inquiry, TGfU / Gamesense and Student Designed Games models into one neat, fun package. I can't wait to see how it goes. |