Week #1: Softball Lesson Plan 4 - Thursday

EQUIPMENT:

  • Music intervals for Astronaut Exercises
  • 1 glove per 2 students
  • 1 – 2 sets of bases
  • Bats and Balls

OUTCOMES: 

The student will:

  1. Participate in Coffee Grinder Square demonstrating strength and agility while following the instructions established by the instructor.
  2. Participate in Astronaut Exercises to improve overall body strength, aerobic endurance, and flexibility during the Fitness portion of class.
  3. Demonstrate the proper basic mechanics of throwing a fly ball, catching a fly ball, base running, and catching ground balls as demonstrated by the instructor.
  4. Play Two Pitch Softball demonstrating pitching, ball control and cooperative skills during the game portion of class.

NATIONAL STANDARDS: 1-5

Coffee Grinder Square

INSTRUCTIONS:

Identify a locomotor activity to move from one corner to next. Student performs “Coffee Grinder” on alternate arms at each corner.

TEACHING HINTS:

Use Whistle Mixer to create 4 groups.

Direct starting corner for each group.

Set up square in area using beanbags or bases.

Astronaut Exercises

INSTRUCTIONS:

Walk, do Arm Circles / 35 seconds
Crab Full-Leg Extension / 30 seconds
Skip sideways / 35 seconds
Body Twist / 30 seconds
Slide; change lead leg / 35 seconds
Jumping Jack variations / 30 seconds
Crab Walk / 35 seconds
Curl-Ups with Twist / 30 seconds
Hop to center and back / 35 seconds
Four Count Push-Ups / 30 seconds
Gallop Backwards / 35 seconds
Bear Hugs / 30 seconds
Grapevine Step (Carioca) / 35 seconds
Trunk Twisters / 30 seconds
Power Jumper / 35 seconds

Cool down with stretching and walking.

TEACHING HINTS:

Tape alternating segments of silence (30 seconds) and music (35 seconds) to signal the duration of exercise. Music segments indicate aerobic activity while intervals of silence announce flexibility and strength development activities.

Allow students to adjust the workload to an intensity that is consistent with their ability level.

Use scatter formation; ask students to change directions from time to time to keep spacing.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Three Fly Drill: On signal one partner throws a fly ball directly to the other. The 2nd fly ball should be thrown so the student drop-steps and runs backward without back peddling. The 3rd fly ball should be thrown so the partner has to sprint forward to catch the ball. Switch roles after 5 tries.
Get Up and Catch
2 students work together. One says, “go” and throws a fly ball while the other lies on stomach on the grass and gets up, locates and catches the fly ball. Repeat 3 x. Rotate.
Ground ball drills: 2 students work together. First partner throws 3 easy ground balls to the other. One to the left, one directly at student and one to the right. Perform the drills 3 times each. Rotate.

Base Running Drills: Students run the bases in order
Teach sound base running technique.

TEACHING HINTS:

Demonstrate three fly drill.
Use Back-to-Back to create partners.

Demonstrate drill.
Be sure you have enough space between groups so students won’t run into each other.

Demonstrate the drills
Increase difficulty with speed of throws, proximity and distance when appropriate.
Use 3 or 4 areas set up with bases.
Students will get tired, so let them run at their own pace.

Two Pitch Softball

INSTRUCTIONS:

Two-pitch softball is played like regulation softball except that a member of the team at bat pitches. Every member of the team must have an opportunity to pitch. The batter receives only two pitched balls to hit, and a ball that is not hit fair is an out. The pitcher does not field the ball, and no balls or strikes are called.

TEACHING HINTS:

Use Whistle Mixer to create teams.

Keep the game moving quickly. If a batter is slow to get to the plate and the pitcher pitches the ball, it counts as one of the two pitches regardless of whether the batter was able to swing.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Name an Olympic softball shortstop.
What is the main difference between catching ground balls and fly balls?
Cheer: Softball’s here, yea!

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