Invasion games involve an offensive team working to maintain possession of an object while attacking (or invading) a defensive team’s goal or target area. Development of specific skills and skill combinations that involve passing, receiving, shooting, and defending are targeted learning outcomes. Classic invasion sports include soccer, basketball, football, hockey, ultimate, and rugby. This module provides lead-up activities aimed at developing the motor skills, movement patters, and strategic knowledge commonly associated with invasion sports.
This module includes activities that use the GenMove MultiGoal. This piece of equipment is recommended because it is versatile and provides for developmental adaptions that enhance student learning. However, it’s important to remember that any activity can be modified to work with equipment that you have on hand.
Lesson 1
- Prairie Dog Pick-off
Quick Rules:
Every Student takes a hoop and a pin. Players scatter across the playing area, put their hoop (prairie dog hole) on the ground and their pin (Prairie Dog) upright in the middle of the hoop. A ball is put into play that children can use to throw at the other student’s prairie dog. Children may not move with the ball, only pivot. When a student’s prairie dog is knocked over, that student picks up his hoop and prairie dog and goes to join the person who knocked his dog over (by placing his hoop right beside that player’s own hoop, therefore forming a team)
Builds:
Build One: Finding an Open Space
Students find an open space set up their hoop and their pins. On the teachers command, the students must pick up their hoops and pins and go set up in a new open space. Do this a few times with your students and then discuss tactics behind finding an open space quickly.
Build Two: Offense/Defense
The teacher now introduces foam balls into the game. Students may use these balls to knock down other players’ pins. When in possession of a foam ball, the students’ movement is restricted to pivoting. If a player has their pin knocked down, they must pick up their hoop and pin and go set up in a new, open space.
Build Three: Team Strategy
In this layer, if a player’s pin is knocked down, that player must go join the player who knocked it down. A player does this by picking up their hoop and pin and going to set up beside the player who knocked down their pin (their hoops should now be touching). The players must now work together to defend each others’ pins and to increase the size of their team (by knocking down other players’ pins). If a teammate’s pin is knocked down, only that player must switch teams. Players may make passes with the ball.
Additional Builds
The teacher may continue to add additional layers to increase the tactical complexity of the game. For example, some players may be allowed to take three steps with the ball, some may only play defensive or offensive roles, and some may only pass the ball (they cannot knock down pins). These layers should be added based on what the teacher is observing in the game.
Discussion Questions:
How do you successfully knock down someone else’s pin?
How do you prevent your pin from being knocked over?
How do you work with your team to attack other targets?
Safety Information:
Students should always keep their heads up and make sure that they throw towards the ground.
Equipment Requirements:
Cones
Hoops
Gator or Foam Balls
Pins
Lesson 2
- Monkeys In The Middle
Rules:
Divide the playing area into two halves and place a mat in the back of each half. Divide your class into two teams. Each team has a passing zone (their half of the playing area) and a mat (which is in the other team’s playing area). The teacher adds balls to the game. Players can pick up a ball and may move up to the half line to try to complete a pass to their catcher. If a player completes a pass, they go join their catcher on the mat and become a catcher as well. The goal of the game is to get all of your team’s players onto your mat (i.e. have them become catchers) before the other team does the same.
Layers:
Layer One: Passing and Catching
To start the game off, divide the playing area into two halves and add an end zone to the back of each half. Divide the class into two teams. Each team is given a half of the playing area (their passing zone) and must send half of their team into their end zone (which is at the back of their opponent’s end zone). The teacher adds balls to the game. Players may pick up a ball and can attempt to pass the ball to one of their teammates in their end zone (the passing playing may move up to the half line to do so, but may not pass the line). If a player completes a pass from their passing zone to a teammate in their end zone, the passing player and receiving player switch roles. Teams may not interfere with their opponents’ passes and simply try to see how many times they can switch roles within the allocated time.
Layer Two: Defensive Pressure
In build two, the teacher increases the tactical complexity of the game by allowing defensive pressure in the game. Players may attempt to interfere with their opponents’ passes by guarding players in their opponents’ end zone (without stepping into the end zone itself) or by attempting to deny the pass by blocking it at the half line.
Layer Three: Monkeys In The Middle
In layer three, teams now play the full version of Monkeys In The Middle. In this layer, there are no end zones. Instead, each team has a mat in the back of their opponents’ half of the playing area. To start a round, each team selects one player who will go stand on their mat. This player is the first catcher. The teacher adds balls to the game. Just like in the earlier builds, players attempt to complete passes by passing the ball to their catcher from within their passing zone. The defending team is allowed to put defensive pressure on their opponents’ by intercepting passes or denying them at the half line. If a passing player is successful in completing a pass with their catcher, the passing player goes to join the catcher on the mat and becomes a catcher as well. The first team to get all of their players onto their mat wins the round.
Layer Four: Double Monkeys In The Middle
In this layer, we will continue to increase the tactical complexity of the game by having two mats in the back of each teams’ half instead of just one. At the beginning of the round, each team sends two catchers over (one for each mat). This round increases the tactical complexity of the game by having offensive players have to decide which mat to send their pass too and by having defensive players have to make decision on which mat to guard and why.
Discussion Questions:
How do you complete a pass with your catcher?
How can you prevent the other team from completing passes?
How do you decide which mat to pass to in double Matball?
How do you decide which mat to defend in double Matball?
Safety Information:
Make sure you are using mats that are large enough to accommodate each team.
Catchers have to land with both feet on their mat when completing a pass.
Defensive players may not land on their opponent’s mat at any time.
Equipment Requirements:
Foam balls
Mats
Pinnies
Lesson 3
- Speedball
Quick Rules:
Class is divided into two groups. Each team has a basketball net at the end line of the playing area and two goals (bench, hockey net, etc.) for each end corner of their half of the playing area. Teams pass the ball around in the air, like in basketball (but no bounce pass). If the ball falls to the ground, it is now played as a soccer ball. A player may kick a ball into his or a teammates hands, but may not pick up the ball. If a ball is kicked or thrown into the basket, that team receives 2 points. If a ball is kicked into a corner goal, that team receives 1 point. The goal is to score more points than the opponents.
Builds:
Build One: Moving the Ball Forward
Teams start in their own end, standing on the baseline. Each team has their own ball. On the teacher’s signal, both teams attempt to move the ball forward towards the opposite baseline by making passes between each other. All players must have made contact with the ball before getting to the opposite baseline. Players may not disrupt the play of the other team.
Build Two: Defense
In this layer, only one team will attempt to move the ball forward while the other team plays warm defense (e.g. arm’s distance from the player they are guarding). Defensive players may intercept passes. If a pass is intercepted, the offensive team must restart back at their baseline. Teams switch roles after three attempts.
Build Three: Attacking a Goal (Basketball)
Teams now must attempt to score a point by throwing the ball into the basketball net. Doing so awards the offensive team with three point. Players in possession of the ball may only pivot. If the ball is dropped or goes out of bounds, possession is given to the defensive team.
Build Four: Attacking a Goal (Soccer)
In this layer, if the ball is dropped, players continue to play by dribbling the ball with their feet. A ball on the ground may not be picked up, but can be caught out of the air (i.e. players can flick the ball up to their hands or to a teammate). A ball on the ground may be used to score into either of the two soccer nets that a team is attacking. Doing so awards the offensive team with one point.
Discussion Questions:
What does your team do to successfully score a goal? What does your team do to maintain possession of the ball?
How do you move to get away from a defender?
Safety Information:
No body contact.
Kicked ball must be below knee.
Equipment Requirements:
Foam Balls
Pinnies
Basketball Goals
Hockey Goals
Lesson 4:
- Guard The Pin
Quick Rules:
Players stand in a circle formation.
A pin is placed in the middle of the circle and one player is selected to guard the pin. The teacher gives a foam ball to the players in the circle. Players may pass the ball to each other until they have a open shot to knock the pin down. Once the pin is knocked down, the guard may return to the circle and a new guard is selected.
Builds:
Build One: Passing Pattern
All players stand in a circle formation. They are given a ball which they have to pass around to each other. Players may not pass the ball to the players to their immediate left or right. The group must find a passing pattern that allows all players to touch the ball without breaking the “no passing to your neighbors” rule.
Build Two: Group Juggling
The players continue to pass the ball in the pattern they have developed in build one. The teacher adds additional balls to the game. The group’s challenge is to see how many balls they can keep passing without dropping any of the balls and without any player ever having more than one ball in hand.
Build Three: Guarding a Player
The teacher now places a hoop in the middle of the circle. One player is selected to be the target and another player is selected to be the guard. The target player must stand with both feet in the hoop. The group’s challenge is to complete a pass to the target player without the guard intercepting the ball. Is a pass is complete, the target player returns to the circle and the guard becomes the target player.
Build Four: Guarding a Pin
Same rules as the previous build, however the target player is replaced by a pin which the guard must defend.
Discussion Questions:
How do you successfully attack the goal/complete a pass to the target player?
How do you successfully defend the goal/intercept incoming passes?
How can you deceive the guard to create an opportunity for attacking the goal?
Safety Information:
All throws should be directed downwards.
Equipment Requirements:
Hoops
Pins
Foam Balls
National Standards and Outcomes Focus
Standard 3-
Standard 3-
- Outcome E2.3-5. Engages in the activities of physical education class without teacher prompting (3); Actively engages in the activities of physical education class, both teacher-directed and independent (4); Actively engages in all the activities of physical education (5).
- Outcomes E3.3-5. Describes the concept of fitness and provides examples of physical activity to enhance fitness (3); Identifies the components of health-related fitness (4); Differentiates between skill-related and health-related fitness (5).
- Outcomes E6.3-5. Works independently and safely in physical activity settings (3); Works safely with peers and equipment in physical activity settings (4); Applies safety principles with age-appropriate physical activities (5).
- Outcomes E1.3-5. Discusses the relationship between physical activity and good health (3); Examines the health benefits of participating in physical activity (4); Compares the health benefits of participating in selected physical activities (5).