Target 5

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Activity Overview

Participants learn about and practise sending an object to hit a variety of different targets.

  • Junior (Ages 10-12)

Facility

  • Gymnasium
  • Outdoors

Materials and Equipment

  • 3 balls per group
  • 5 pylons per group
  • 5 objects of various sizes and weights per group

Safety

Inspect the activity area and eliminate potential hazards. Check that the activity surface provides safe traction. Set boundaries for the activity a safe distance from walls and obstacles. Provide a safe distance between activities.

Activity Information

Activity Set-up

  • Divide participants into small groups (e.g., three to four).
  • Participants set up their area, placing five pylons one metre apart in a horizontal line. Participants select a throwing line that is a challenging distance from the pylons.
  • On top of each pylon, participants place an object as a target, each worth a set number of points as decided by the group. For example, a beach ball may be worth 1 point, a soccer ball 2 points, a disc 3 points, a beanbag 4 points, and a tennis ball 5 points.

Activity Instructions

  • Each participant makes 3 attempts using an underhand throw to send a ball from behind the throwing line at the targets.
  • If a participant knocks the target off the pylon, he or she counts the number of points that target is worth. Each participant takes turns throwing and tries to accumulate as many points as possible during his/her turn.
  • If a target is knocked down, a participant resets the target before the next participant throws.
  • The leaders circulate and ask open-ended questions to help participants refine their movement strategies and tactical solutions during the activity. Examples may include: How does your aim or accuracy change depending on the size of the target? How does the speed and force of your throw impact your ability to hit the target? How did you choose the targets that you aimed at? Which one was the most challenging for you?
Target 5

Adaptations

To maximize the challenge and the fun, participants could identify their own ways to increase or decrease the challenge.

To decrease the challenge, participants could:

  • Decrease the distance between the throwing line and the target.
  • Choose their throwing implement (e.g., rubber chicken, soft-skinned ball, beanbag).
  • Use larger targets to place on the pylons.
  • Use different ways to accumulate points (e.g., place a hula hoop around each target and get one point if the throwing object lands in the hoop and three points if the participant hits the target, or accumulate points by knocking the target off the pylon or hitting the pylon so the target falls to the ground).
  • Work as a group so each participant’s points count toward a group total.

To increase the challenge, participants could:

  • Increase the distances between the throwing line and the target.
  • Use their non-dominant hand to perform an underhand throw.
  • Use a different way to send the object (e.g., overhand throw).
  • Designate an order for hitting each target or identify that targets need to be hit (e.g., only knock down each target once).

Pause for Learning

Throughout the activity, consider highlighting the following skills, concepts, and strategies to knock down targets. Note that this list is not exhaustive, and further learning opportunities may arise during the task.

Movement Skills and Concepts

  • Manipulation skills and effort awareness: Applying a controlled force to send an object toward a target

Movement Strategies

  • Applying appropriate strategies and tactics to be proficient at knocking down a target (e.g., using an appropriate amount of force depending on the type of ball being thrown and the size and weight of the target)

Sport Connections

Contains aspects of:

Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines

For health benefits, children aged 5-11 and youth aged 12-17 years should accumulate at least 60 minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity daily.

For health benefits, children aged 5-11 and youth aged 12-17 years should accumulate at least 60 minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity daily.

This activity does not qualify as vigorous intensity.

Vigorous-intensity activities at least 3 days per week. This activity does not qualify as vigorous intensity.

This activity does not strengthen muscles and/or bones.

Activities that strengthen muscle and bone at least 3 days per week. This activity does not strengthen muscles and/or bones.

More daily physical activity provides greater health benefits.

More daily physical activity provides greater health benefits.