Resolution Relay Run

New Years is the time for resolutions. After a brief discussion of New Year's Resolutions, have the students write one resolution that they think they might keep. This game is another version of "No Relay Relay" which can be found on my web site on the homepage under More Powerful Original Games. A more complete version as a lesson plan can be found in my book: Fun, Fitness, and Skills - The Powerful Original Games Approach.Powerful Original Games

The Game - Grades 3 and up -

• Give out one index card and a pencil to each student. Give the students a minute or two to write a New Year's Resolution on the card. Make sure they do not write their names on the card. Collect the cards and shuffle them.
• Divide the class into teams of three. If one or two players are left over, make one or two teams of four.
• Line the teams up at one end of the play area. Spread the index cards out, face down, on the other end of the play area.
• On the go signal, the first person from each team runs and picks up one card, brings it back to his/her team, and checks the resolution on the card with his/her team. If the resolution belongs to one of the team members, they keep the card and the next player runs for another card. If the resolution does not belong to anyone on the team, the next player brings that card back, places it face down, and retrieves a new card.
• Play continues in this manner until one team acquires all three or four of their resolutions. At this point, you may declare that team the winner, collect all the cards, shuffle them, place them face down again, and realign the teams so that everyone is working with new teammates.

Variations:

1. Vary the locomotor skills.
2. Players manipulate a piece of equipment while moving from end to end. For example, dribble a basketball, tap a volleyball, dribble a soccer ball.
3. You may decide to allow the teammates to tell each other what their resolutions are. If you play this way, you may find the students will read the cards before picking one to take back. This is fine, but it will slow the game down substantially. I generally tell the students not to reveal their resolution until the card is brought back. If you see the students reading the cards at the beginning of the game, you will know they communicated their resolutions with each other. Toward the end of the game, they may be looking for a specific card.