Day One Softball Introductory Activity: Use this time to review the previous unit by letting the students play when they first arrive to class. I.e. if you just finished the flag football unit, have footballs out there first couple days and allow the students to throw back and forth to each other. This will allow students to work up their heart rate and review previously learned skills. Fitness Activity: Push-up Routine (Students work with one partner. Explain and demonstrate some movements students can do from a push-up position synchronized with a partner. With two people facing one another in push-up position, demonstrate: - Shake hands (right hand) - Shake hands (left hand) - High five (right hand - High five (left hand) - Pat the floor with right hand - Pat the floor with left hand - Lift right foot - Lift left foot Let them practice some of these and encourage them to create their own movements. Have students make a routine with their partners. The movements should be synchronized and they must remain in a push-up position. You may want to make an acceptable timetable, so students know how long the routine should last. When students have had time to prepare their routine, have them perform it for the class. Lesson Focus: Introduction to the game of Softball (rules, dimensions of field, brief history of the game) o Talk about the rules of softball o Explain and show the dimensions of the field o Talk about player positions o Give a brief overview of the history of softball Culminating Activity: Play a game of kickball with all the students using kickball rules. Kickball is a good idea to play on the first day because you have not taught any softball skills yet. Day Two Softball Introductory Activity: Use this time to review the previous unit by letting the students play when they first arrive to class. I.e. if you just finished the flag football unit, have footballs out there first couple days and allow the students to throw back and forth to each other. This will allow students to work up their heart rate and review previously learned skills.
Fitness Activity: Fitness Race Track (Have each student get a partner and go to one of the corners of the square where the exercises are listed. (Limit the number of groups per corner, i.e. no more than 4 groups per corner.) The students need to decide which one will be the runner and which will be the exerciser. Have all students take their resting heart rate and record that. Then have them estimate and record what they think their heart rate will be when they are done with the activity. When the music starts (or on the teachers signal) the student who chose running will run around the square while their partner does the first exercise on the list. When the runner gets back to the corner in which he/she started he/she does the first exercise on the list and the partner that was doing the exercise will run around the square. When the second runner gets back to his corner he does the second exercise on the list and the other partner runs, etc. Continue until all exercises on the list have been completed by each partner. After the partners have completed the tasks have them students take their heart rate again and record it. See if they were close to their estimation at the beginning of the activity. Have the students walk around inside the square until their classmates have finished the activity. This is a good time for them to stretch their warmed up muscles on the inside of the track. Lesson Focus: Catching and Throwing o How to execute a catch that is above, below, and at the waist (preparation, execution, follow-through) o How to execute the overhand throw (preparation, execution, followthrough) o Combined catch and throw (catch, turn, throw) Culminating Activity: Divide the class into groups of three and play a game of pickle. Pickle is a great game that forces the students to practice catching and throwing at the same time. Have two students stand on bases that are about 90 feet apart. They will toss a soft tennis ball back and forth while the other student tries to run from base to base without getting tagged. The students on the bases can leave the base if they choose to chase the runner. Make sure every student gets a chance to be in the middle and split up the groups from time to time. Day Three Softball Introductory Activity: Have students get a partner when they come outside and begin throwing with each other to loosen up there arms. This will provide a good review for the kids and will also help stretch out the kids. Fitness Activity: Interval Workout (The workout proceeds as follows: 1. Sprint 30 seconds, Walk briskly 60 seconds to recover 2. Tuck Jumps for height for 30 seconds (tuck knees to chest, land with bend in knees), Walk briskly 60 seconds to recover 3. Push-ups for 30 seconds, Walk briskly 60 seconds. 4. High Knee Sprint for 30 seconds, Walk briskly 60 seconds.
5. Wall Push-up 30 seconds (bend elbows, keep body straight), Walk briskly 60 seconds. 6. Sprint 30 seconds, Walk briskly 60 seconds to recover 7. Grapevine sprint 30 seconds (keep shoulder pointing forward), Walk briskly 60 seconds. 8. Alternating Lunges 30 seconds (make sure knees do not go past toes), Walk briskly 60 seconds. 9. High Knee Skipping 30 seconds, Walk briskly 60 seconds. 10. Crunches for 30 seconds, then WALK to cool down 11. Stretch all muscle groups Lesson Focus: Fielding o How to field ground balls o How to field ground balls that are not hit directly at you o How to field fly balls Culminating Activity: Play a game of grounders-only T-Ball. This game is mostly the same as softball, except the batters hit off of a tee. Using a tee is not game like but it does give the students practice in fielding ground balls. Day Four Softball Introductory Activity: Have students get a partner when they come outside and begin throwing with each other to loosen up there arms. This will provide a good review for the kids and will also help stretch out the kids. Fitness Activity: Corner Stations (You will have 4 fitness stations set up at each base of the softball field. They could include anything from push-ups, sit-ups, squats, arm circles, bat swings, etc. Do each station for 30 seconds and rotate. Students will run the base paths during rotation. Lesson Focus: Pitching o How to execute the slow pitch o How to execute the modified pitch o How to execute the fast pitch (this is only for practice, the students will not use this in a game in class) Culminating Activity: Play a game called ball in the bucket. Have the students get into partners of two. Place two empty buckets or similar containers 50 feet away from each other and have two students stand next to their buckets. Using correct technique, the students will attempt to pitch the ball into the bucket. Students will toss back and forth with their partners, each trying to hit the bucket. Pitch 10 pitches. Score 2 points if a pitch goes into the bucket and 1 point if the pitch hits the bucket. Try to score 14 points.
Day Five Softball Introductory Activity: Have students get a partner when they come outside and begin throwing with each other to loosen up there arms. This will provide a good review for the kids and will also help stretch out the kids. Fitness Activity: Base path run (You will have the bases out on the field and will practice your cardiovascular endurance and running the base paths at the same time. Each student will run out a single and then return to home base, then a double and return, triple and return, and finally a homerun. Have students take the proper angles around the bases. Go through as many times as you choose) Lesson Focus: Hitting o How to hit (initiate the swing, contact point, completing the swing) o How to hit the ball off a tee o How to hit the ball off a soft toss o How to hit the ball off a pitch Culminating Activity: Play Home Run Derby. Play near a fence so that students can have a better chance of hitting a home run (for example, set up home plate near the pitcher s mound or second base). A tee can also be used for students who want to use it. Give each student 10 outs just like the real home run derby. Day Six Softball Introductory Activity: Students will find a partner; grab one bat and 3 balls. They will begin to soft toss against the fence and/or backstop to practice the hitting form. This will help to develop mastery level for the fundamentals of hitting. Fitness Activity: Softball Field Indian run (You will have the entire field designated by cones. Students will get into one or two single file lines. They will begin to run around the softball field. The person in back will spring to the front of the line. Once the person is to the front, the new person in back takes off to the front. Do this around the perimeter of the baseball field.) Lesson Focus: Base Running o How to overrun first base o How to round a base o How to advance when on base
Culminating Activity: Play half-field games. Divide the class up into two groups, one on the left side of the field and one on the right side of the field. Day Seven Softball Introductory Activity: Students will find a partner; grab one bat and 3 balls. They will begin to soft toss against the fence and/or backstop to practice the hitting form. This will help to develop mastery level for the fundamentals of hitting. Fitness Activity: Position Review Run (You will be able to incorporate the numbering of the positions in softball to this fitness activity. You will give each player a number that corresponds to a position i.e. 1 = pitcher, 2 = catcher, 3 = first base, etc. Each student will run to that position as if they were starting an inning. Then you were say 3 outs and everyone will run to the designated dug out side. Students will then move up a position i.e. 1 becomes 2 (pitcher becomes catcher) 2 to 3 and so on. You do this until everyone has played each position. Lesson Focus: Position Play o Coverage responsibilities o Priority system for fly balls o Back-Up responsibilities o Force plays and tag plays Culminating Activity: Half-field games. Day Eight Softball Introductory Activity: Students will find a partner; grab one bat and 3 balls. They will begin to soft toss against the fence and/or backstop to practice the hitting form. This will help to develop mastery level for the fundamentals of hitting. Fitness Activity: Ground ball fitness (Each student will find a partner. Each pair will have 2 balls of any kind. One person will be the fielder, the other the hitter. The hitter will ROLL the ball in one direction, thus the fielder will be in good fielding position and slide over to properly field the ball. At the same time the fielder is fielding the first ball, the hitter rolls the ball to the other side. The fielder will slide using proper technique and field the ball correctly. You do this 20 times (10 each side) and switch partners. Go through as many times as you want. Lesson Focus: Offensive situational play
o How to execute the sacrifice bunt o How to execute the squeeze bunt o How to execute the hit-and-run Culminating Activity: Play a modified game of softball in which there are no outs. Each team will bat through their entire batting order each inning. This gives each student a chance to bat and at the same time gives the team in the field extra fielding practice. Day Nine Softball Introductory Activity: Students will get a partner and will be given the choice of either throwing back and forth, or hitting via soft toss into the fence or backstop. They will need to do one or the other to loosen up before class. Fitness Activity: Corner Stations (You will have 4 fitness stations set up at each base of the softball field. They could include anything from push-ups, sit-ups, squats, arm circles, bat swings, etc. Do each station for 30 seconds and rotate. Students will run the base paths during rotation. Lesson Focus: Defensive situational play o How to fungo hit fly balls o How to execute the sidearm throw o How to execute the double play Culminating Activity: Play the same modified game of softball as you did in day eight to give the students more practice at hitting and fielding. Day Ten Softball Introductory Activity: Students will get a partner and will be given the choice of either throwing back and forth, or hitting via soft toss into the fence or backstop. They will need to do one or the other to loosen up before class. Fitness Activity: Base path run (You will have the bases out on the field and will practice your cardiovascular endurance and running the base paths at the same time. Each student will run out a single and then return to home base, then a double and return, triple and return, and finally a homerun. Have students take the proper angles around the bases. Go through as many times as you choose Lesson Focus: Peer skill assessments o Assess on hitting
o Assess on fielding a ground ball o Assess on fielding a fly ball Culminating Activity: Play a slow pitch softball game with all the real rules of the game to give students a chance to play for real. Divide the class into two teams and try hard to make the teams even. If the game becomes lopsided, switch some players around. Day Eleven Softball Introductory Activity: Students will get a partner and will be given the choice of either throwing back and forth, or hitting via soft toss into the fence or backstop. They will need to do one or the other to loosen up before class. Fitness Activity: Position Review Run (You will be able to incorporate the numbering of the positions in softball to this fitness activity. You will give each player a number that corresponds to a position i.e. 1 = pitcher, 2 = catcher, 3 = first base, etc. Each student will run to that position as if they were starting an inning. Then you were say 3 outs and everyone will run to the designated dug out side. Students will then move up a position i.e. 1 becomes 2 (pitcher becomes catcher) 2 to 3 and so on. You do this until everyone has played each position. Lesson Focus: Written softball exam Culminating Activity: Play a game of softball with all the rules on the softball diamond. Day Twelve Softball Introductory Activity: Students will get a partner and will be given the choice of either throwing back and forth, or hitting via soft toss into the fence or backstop. They will need to do one or the other to loosen up before class. Fitness Activity: Interval Workout (The workout proceeds as follows: 1. Sprint 30 seconds, Walk briskly 60 seconds to recover 2. Tuck Jumps for height for 30 seconds (tuck knees to chest, land with bend in knees), Walk briskly 60 seconds to recover 3. Push-ups for 30 seconds, Walk briskly 60 seconds. 4. High Knee Sprint for 30 seconds, Walk briskly 60 seconds. 5. Wall Push-up 30 seconds (bend elbows, keep body straight), Walk briskly 60 seconds. 6. Sprint 30 seconds, Walk briskly 60 seconds to recover. 7. Grapevine sprint 30 seconds (keep shoulder pointing forward), Walk briskly 60 seconds. 8. Alternating Lunges 30 seconds (make sure knees do not go past toes), Walk briskly 60
seconds. 9. High Knee Skipping 30 seconds, Walk briskly 60 seconds. 10. Crunches for 30 seconds WALK to cool down 11. Stretch all muscle groups Lesson Focus: Slow pitch softball game including all of the rules. Culminating Activity: Continue the slow pitch game.