Tossing and Catching - Elementary P.E. Class

I always enjoy teaching students about tossing and catching.  I like to begin our catching unit with students practicing individually.  After 2-3 class periods we practice tossing and catching with partners.  I usually use bean bags the first week to teach some basic catching skills and tricks/stunts, then use a variety of balls and fun objects to catch with the following week (such as bean bag animals, rubber animals, balls with different textures, etc.).

Here is what we did this week:
1) Warm Up Variety
2) Catching Drills
Details:  Catching with right and left hands, both hands, sit and catch, kneel and catch, catch switching hands, catching stunts = Toss/Clap/Catch, Toss/Kneel/Catch and Toss/Stand Up/Catch  (I teach "stunts" to 3rd-5th grades, and some easy stunts with 2nd graders. 
3) Save the Treasure Game - see videos of this game below!

For P.E. teachers who are looking for more information on my catching unit, please visit my previous blog post for catching http://carly3.blogspot.com/search?q=catching, and also refer to Robert Pangrazi's book "Dynamic Physical Education" for some great information!  This was the text book I used in college and I have found it very useful over the years.  Here is a link to his Lesson Plan Book, which also has tons of great ideas!

Very first drill was to SIT and catch - this helps students practice tossing the bean bag directly above their head and helps them stay in their own personal space "bubble".

Very first drill was to SIT and catch - this helps students practice tossing the bean bag directly above their head and helps them stay in their own personal space "bubble".

 

These two videos are students practicing the stunt "Toss/Clap/Catch"

 

The next three videos are of the game "Save The Treasure".  The mats are the pirate ship with pirate taggers on it.  The players are trying to save the treasure "bean bags" and bring it back to the "islanders" who are on the islands (hula hoops).  Players who are tagged by pirates had to do 10 jumping jacks or 5 push-ups to re-enter the game.