Standards Alignment
- TEKS.PE.K.06A primary
demonstrate the skills of chasing, fleeing, and dodging to avoid or catch others during a variety of games while maintaining appropriate space and speed; - TEKS.PE.K.06B primary
practice the correct techniques for motor development skills following teacher direction; and
Companion Video Lesson
This text lesson has a separate video watch page so search engines and learners can treat the written lesson and the video lesson as distinct resources.
Open the dedicated video lesson page
Lesson Overview
This lesson introduces kindergarten students to the fundamental movement skills of chasing, fleeing, and dodging through a variety of games. Students will learn to maintain appropriate space and speed while practicing these skills, following teacher directions to develop motor skills safely and effectively. The lesson emphasizes performance strategies in games and activities, promoting physical literacy through active participation and reflection.
Learning Objectives
- Demonstrate the skills of chasing, fleeing, and dodging to avoid or catch others during games while maintaining appropriate space and speed.
- Practice correct techniques for motor development skills by following teacher directions.
Success Criteria
- Students can chase, flee, and dodge safely during games.
- Students maintain appropriate space and speed while performing these skills.
- Students follow teacher directions to practice motor skills correctly.
Prerequisite Knowledge
Students should be familiar with basic movement concepts such as running and stopping, and understand simple classroom rules for safety and cooperation during physical activities.
Key Vocabulary
- Chasing
- Fleeing
- Dodging
- Space
- Speed
- Motor skills
- Safety
Materials and Resources
- Open space suitable for running games (gymnasium or outdoor area)
- Cones or markers to define boundaries
- Whistle or signal device
- Colored bands or pinnies to identify teams
Teacher Preparation
- Prepare a safe playing area with clear boundaries using cones or markers.
- Plan simple games that involve chasing, fleeing, and dodging, such as tag variations.
- Review safety rules and procedures to share with students before activities.
- Prepare visual aids or demonstrations to model correct techniques.
Detailed Lesson Notes
Understanding Chasing, Fleeing, and Dodging
Chasing is the skill of running after someone to catch them. Fleeing means running away from someone who is trying to catch you. Dodging involves quickly moving your body to avoid being caught or touched. These skills require control of speed and awareness of space to avoid collisions and maintain safety during games.
Maintaining Appropriate Space and Speed
Maintaining appropriate space means keeping enough distance between yourself and others so everyone can move safely without bumping into each other. Appropriate speed means running fast enough to participate effectively but not so fast that you lose control or risk injury. Teachers should emphasize controlled movements and awareness of surroundings.
Correct Techniques for Motor Development Skills
Motor skills involve coordinated body movements. For chasing, students should use controlled running with eyes focused on the target. For fleeing, students should look ahead and use quick changes in direction. For dodging, students should bend knees slightly and shift their weight to move side to side quickly. Teachers should demonstrate these techniques and provide feedback to help students improve.
Safety Practices and Following Directions
Safety is essential during physical activities. Students must listen carefully to teacher instructions and follow rules such as staying within boundaries, avoiding pushing or grabbing, and stopping when signaled. Teachers should model safe behaviors and remind students frequently to maintain a safe environment.
Applying Skills in Games
Games like tag, freeze tag, or variations where students chase, flee, and dodge help practice these skills in a fun context. Teachers can organize students into small groups or pairs to encourage participation and provide opportunities for repeated practice and skill refinement. Reflection on effort and teamwork after games supports social and emotional learning.
Worked Examples
Worked Example 1
Scenario
A student is playing tag and wants to avoid being caught. What movement should they use and how should they control their speed and space?
Explanation
The student should use dodging to quickly change direction and avoid the tagger. They should keep enough space from other players to avoid collisions and control their speed so they can stop or change direction safely.
Answer Guide
The student dodges by moving side to side quickly, keeps space from others, and runs at a speed that allows control to avoid being caught safely.
Engage
Teacher Activity
Introduce the lesson by explaining the words chasing, fleeing, and dodging. Use simple examples and ask students if they have played games like tag before.
Student Activity
Listen and share experiences about games where they have chased or run away from others.
Explanation
This phase connects students’ prior experiences with the new skills they will learn, building interest and activating background knowledge.
Examples
- Students describe chasing as running after someone.
- Students recall games like tag where they run and avoid others.
- Students show curiosity about how to move safely and quickly.
Explore
Teacher Activity
Demonstrate chasing, fleeing, and dodging movements slowly and safely. Set up a simple game of tag where students practice these skills while maintaining space and speed.
Student Activity
Practice chasing, fleeing, and dodging in the game, paying attention to space and speed as the teacher models.
Explanation
Students explore the movements in a controlled environment, gaining initial experience with the skills and safety concepts.
Examples
- Students attempt to chase and flee with control.
- Students try to dodge by changing direction quickly.
- Students maintain space and adjust speed as needed.
Explain
Teacher Activity
Discuss the importance of keeping space and controlling speed. Break down the movements into steps and demonstrate correct techniques for running, dodging, and stopping safely.
Student Activity
Watch demonstrations and practice the steps with teacher guidance and feedback.
Explanation
This phase clarifies the skills and safety techniques, helping students understand how to perform movements correctly.
Examples
- Students repeat movements with better control.
- Students respond to feedback and adjust their speed and spacing.
- Students ask questions about how to improve their skills.
Elaborate
Teacher Activity
Organize students into small groups to play a modified tag game emphasizing chasing, fleeing, and dodging with attention to space and speed.
Student Activity
Participate actively in the game, applying the skills and safety rules learned.
Explanation
Students apply their skills in a real game situation, reinforcing learning through practice and social interaction.
Examples
- Students use dodging to avoid tags.
- Students chase with controlled speed.
- Students respect boundaries and safety rules.
Evaluate
Teacher Activity
Observe students during the game and ask them to demonstrate or explain chasing, fleeing, and dodging skills. Provide positive feedback and suggestions for improvement.
Student Activity
Demonstrate skills individually or in pairs and explain how they keep space and control speed.
Explanation
Assessment through observation and explanation confirms student understanding and skill development.
Examples
- Students demonstrate chasing, fleeing, and dodging with control.
- Students explain the importance of space and speed.
- Students show awareness of safety during activities.
Classroom Activity
Practice chasing, fleeing, and dodging in the game, paying attention to space and speed as the teacher models.
Guided Practice
Guided Practice 1
Prompt
What does it mean to chase someone in a game?
Teacher Answer Guide
Chasing means running after someone to try to catch them.
Guided Practice 2
Prompt
How can you keep yourself safe while running in a game?
Teacher Answer Guide
By keeping enough space from others and running at a speed you can control.
Guided Practice 3
Prompt
During a game, how would you use dodging to avoid being caught?
Teacher Answer Guide
I would quickly move my body side to side or change direction to get away from the person chasing me.
Guided Practice 4
Prompt
Why is it important to maintain appropriate space and speed when chasing or fleeing?
Teacher Answer Guide
Maintaining space and speed helps prevent collisions and injuries and allows better control of movements.
Guided Practice 5
Prompt
Explain how practicing chasing, fleeing, and dodging skills can help you in different games and activities.
Teacher Answer Guide
Practicing these skills helps me move safely and quickly in games, avoid getting caught, catch others, and work well with teammates by controlling my body and space.
Independent Practice
- Foundational: What does it mean to chase someone in a game?
- Developing: How can you keep yourself safe while running in a game?
- Application: During a game, how would you use dodging to avoid being caught?
- Analysis: Why is it important to maintain appropriate space and speed when chasing or fleeing?
- Challenge: Explain how practicing chasing, fleeing, and dodging skills can help you in different games and activities.
Independent Practice Teacher Answer Key
- 1. Chasing means running after someone to try to catch them.
- 2. By keeping enough space from others and running at a speed you can control.
- 3. I would quickly move my body side to side or change direction to get away from the person chasing me.
- 4. Maintaining space and speed helps prevent collisions and injuries and allows better control of movements.
- 5. Practicing these skills helps me move safely and quickly in games, avoid getting caught, catch others, and work well with teammates by controlling my body and space.
Guiding Questions
- What does it mean to chase, flee, and dodge?
- How can you move safely around others?
- Why do we need to keep space and control speed?
- How do you know if you are doing the skill correctly?
Common Misconceptions
- Running as fast as possible is always best when chasing or fleeing, but this can cause loss of control and unsafe situations.
- Dodging means just running away; it actually involves quick changes in direction to avoid being caught.
- Keeping close to others is good during chasing, but maintaining space is important to avoid collisions.
Differentiation
Support and Intervention
Provide clear, simple instructions and demonstrations. Use visual cues like cones to mark safe spaces. Pair students with peers who can model skills.
English-Language Learner Support
Use gestures and demonstrations to explain chasing, fleeing, and dodging. Use simple language and repeat key vocabulary. Provide visual aids showing movements.
Advanced and Extension
Challenge students to change speed and direction more quickly during games. Encourage students to explain their strategies for dodging and chasing. Introduce variations of games with more complex rules.
Assessment
- Observe students during practice games to check for safe chasing, fleeing, and dodging.
- Ask students to explain how they keep space and control speed.
- Provide immediate feedback to improve technique.
- Name one way you can dodge to avoid being caught.
- Show how you keep space when you run in a game.
- Have students participate in a short game demonstrating chasing, fleeing, and dodging skills while maintaining space and speed.
- Ask students to explain why safety is important during these activities.
Answer Guide
- What does it mean to chase someone in a game?
Answer: Chasing means running after someone to try to catch them. - How can you keep yourself safe while running in a game?
Answer: By keeping enough space from others and running at a speed you can control. - During a game, how would you use dodging to avoid being caught?
Answer: I would quickly move my body side to side or change direction to get away from the person chasing me. - Why is it important to maintain appropriate space and speed when chasing or fleeing?
Answer: Maintaining space and speed helps prevent collisions and injuries and allows better control of movements. - Explain how practicing chasing, fleeing, and dodging skills can help you in different games and activities.
Answer: Practicing these skills helps me move safely and quickly in games, avoid getting caught, catch others, and work well with teammates by controlling my body and space.
Real-Life Application
Send a note home encouraging parents to play tag or similar games with their child, emphasizing safe movement and space awareness.
Homework or Home Connection
- Send a note home encouraging parents to play tag or similar games with their child, emphasizing safe movement and space awareness.
Lesson Summary
In this lesson, students learned how to chase, flee, and dodge safely during games by maintaining appropriate space and speed. They practiced correct motor skills following teacher directions and applied these skills in fun, active games. Emphasis on safety and control helps students develop physical literacy and enjoy movement activities confidently.
Teacher Notes
Use the exact standards alignment and retrieved-source provenance stored with this enrichment.