Dodgeball Modifications

A major debate in many school districts to this day is whether or not dodge ball should be played in the physical education setting. Many teachers have their own opinion on whether or not they would allow the game of dodge ball to be played in their class room. In my own opinion i do not like dodge ball and would not include it as an activity in any of my classes. I feel that the game has a huge down side to it such as it leads to lots of inactivity as well as weaker children being singled out or picked on. It also leads to severe injuries in some cases. I see no point to the game and i never did like it. I feel that the sport needs to be removed from the school, but if i were to keep it i would make a modification because i know that kids love the game but it would need to be played differently in any class i taught.

There are some physical skills and ability though included in the game such as strength, power, cardiovascular endurance, and dodging skills. It does include using catching skills and your agility skills. It does include some strategy and team work which are all great characteristics to use in physical education setting.

One idea i would have is that i could separate the kids who feel they want to play all out with the kids who want to try it but are scared to with the bigger kids so i could separate the gym so that half is playing in an intense game and the other is more of a friendly try it out game. I feel that having two different levels of the game going at once would make some kids feel better about themselves and enjoy the game more. I know i would like that if that was an option in my classes. The game can be very fun but when you feel intimidated or not good enough it takes away from the fun of the real game and the skills that are actually included with this game. That would be my variation to making the game more fun for all as well as keeping most of the class active i would make it so that if you get hit you enter the other teams side so this way everybody is playing at once and the team that has everyone wins. By having the students separated in two groups this would allow for safer play and more kids active at once as well with the slight change in the rules to the game.

Under standard 1 of NYS, more specifically students using this modification of dodge ball under standard 1B will improve their health and fitness more specifically their cardio respiratory endurance by staying active the whole game and switching sides at all times when hit with a ball in their skilled group level. Their muscular strength as well as endurance will be used by throwing the ball with power at moving targets. Under standard 2 which is for safety and a healthy environment students will under 2a demonstrate social skills and teamwork while at the same time active in physical activity. Under 2b students in this game will demonstrate self expression and communication in working together under a safe environment within their placed level of skill. In this game students under standard 2c will be able to indicate safety hazards such as not throwing at body parts higher than the chest and no ball should be used to bully another student as this is a fun environment.

Under NASPE standards students who perform this modification of dodge ball using standard 1 will demonstrate competency in their motor skills and movement patterns to perform this activity through their dodging skills, throwing skills, and balance. Under standard 3 at all time my students will participate in physical activity because when a student is hit they will then switch to the other side allowing for no one to sit or not be physically active. Under standard 4 students will maintain health enhancing level of physical fitness. Their cardiovascular endurance will be maintained throughout the activity at a high level. Under standard 5 students will demonstrate social behavior that respects themselves and others in this game by complimenting other student's throughout and obeying by the rules of where to hit someone and what level they chose to play in. Most important in this physically active safer modification to the game students will demonstrate health and sport related fitness at all times. In a safe environment under sport related fitness students in this game will demonstrate balance, coordination, agility, speed, power and especially reaction time.