Develop a Striking and Fielding Game!
Most recently taught: October 2023
Teachers Pay Teachers link for the unit task sheets (Formative and Summative)
Key Concept: Development
Related Concepts: Environment, Space
Statement of Inquiry: The development of a product often considers the environment and space.
Global Context: Personal and Cultural Expression (Products)
Learner Profile: Thinkers (Students are encouraged to be thinkers when identifying what they enjoy about S/F games and what elements they want to include in their own created game)
Unit Outline
This unit will have students exploring a variety of Striking and Fielding games to understand rules, common strategies and recognize elements they enjoy or do not prefer. The unit starts off focusing on the gameplay of kickball and baseball, before moving into playing cricket, as well as modified versions of cricket for inside. The middle of the unit will move students to focus on their summative assessment, which is working in groups to develop their own striking and fielding games. These games should include common elements they enjoy while bringing in their own ideas to account for different spaces and environments. The last weeks of the unit will be a celebration of learning, each group sharing their rule book and advertisement before leading the other classes through playing their game.
Learning Experiences
Weeks 1 - 3
-Kickball, Baseball Gameplay.
-Cricket and Modified Cricket games.
-Rules research and reflection on features they enjoy/not enjoy.
-Exploring how games can be modified for space and environments (small hardwood gym vs. large field)
Weeks 4 - 5
-In groups students create their own striking and fielding game.
-Rules book, and video advertisement to accompany games.
Weeks 6 - 7
-Each group take turns leading their game and playing other groups' games.
-Reflection on Social and Self Management skills and leadership.
Formative Assessments
For Criterion A students will compare the two sports of baseball and cricket, identifying similarities in strategies or rules or setup, as well as the different features each game has. They will also answer questions demonstrating their knowledge of each game.
Venn diagram exit ticket on comparing baseball and kickball.
Teacher feedback on striking and fielding techniques as observed. Students will be formatively assessed for Criterion C on their performance during Kickball.
Summative Assessment
Criterion A: Knowledge and understanding
Students are assessed on their knowledge of striking and fielding games and understanding the elements that make the games unique. Working in groups, and taking on various roles, students were asked to develop a striking and fielding game that could be played outside, but also be modified for an indoor, smaller space. To communicate understanding each group used digital media to produce a rule book and explained their knowledge of striking and fielding games through a video advertisement for their game. The group shared their game with the class, officiating as it was played by the other students.
Criterion C: Applying and performing
Students are assessed on their ability to perform key skills when playing these striking and fielding games in class. When students are playing cricket I look and see if they are making the effort to follow the rules, team strategy, communicate and perform the skills correctly, emphasizing technique over the result.
ATL’s focused on in this unit
Communication - Collaborate with peers and experts using a variety of digital environments and media.
In order for students to know and understand (Criteria A): the key features of a striking and fielding game they will collaborate with peers and experts using a variety of digital environments and media through brainstorming game ideas, creating a digital rulebook, and shooting a video advertisement for their new game.
The strategy that will be explicitly taught is:
-Collaborate with peers and experts: Students will take on a role in their summative groups, working individually but also with others towards a shared goal. Reflection on individual planning as well as setting group deadlines.
-Using a variety of digital environments and media: Planning on a collaborative google doc, using google slides and Canva, as well as implementing video editing software.
Social - Students will choose a collaborative skill.
As part of ongoing discussions on leadership, students will choose a Social and Self Management ATL skill that they believe is important in a great leader or one they want to improve upon. Students will reflect on their use of this skill throughout the unit, before completing a final reflection self-assessing how they used these 2 skills to be better leaders in the unit.
Self Management - Students will choose their own affective skill.
See above.
Teacher Reflection
The summative assessment was enjoyed by the students upon reflection. With roles such as game designer, videographer, illustrator, students were able to contribute and thrive regardless of physical ability, while still also playing their game.
While striking and fielding games are never the most active games by design when it was a student’s turn to run or hit they still gave it their best effort and cheered on their teammates.
Having never taught cricket before this was an interesting unit to teach, and I learned a lot from students about strategies and techniques. Look forward to expanding on this sport in the future.
Thoughts, questions, concerns? Let me know on twitter @tannernickel or send me an email. I am always looking for ideas and ways to improve my inquiry teaching.