Looking for a fun and engaging way to combine basketball skills with teamwork and strategy? This game puts a creative spin on a classic favorite game, while keeping students active and working together. It’s a great station activity to wrap up a basketball unit, encourage sportsmanship, and keep everyone moving and motivated!
Equipment:
- Basketball Hoop
- 2-8 Spot Markers
- Giant Wooden Four-In-A-Row
- 2 Buckets (can use Speed Stacks or Regular Buckets) for the Four-In-A-Row Pieces
- 2 Basketballs
- 2 Cones
- Crate or Container (for the basketball)
Set-Up:
Set up the activity for two different groups to play against each other. One group will be the Red Team and the other group the Blue Team (that is what color the chips are for the Wooden Four-In-A-Row game). Place a red and blue start cone at opposite elbows of the basketball court key (Foul Line) that the students are going to be starting from. Behind the cones, place the Wooden Four-In-A-Row game in the middle with the red and blue chips inside a bucket lined up with the correct color start points. The spot markers are where the students shot the basketball from. You can have each team shot from as many spot markers as you want (my picture above has 2 for each team). I like to give the students choices based on their skill level. Place a container for the basketballs next to each start cone.
Activity Instructions:
I play this game towards the end of our basketball unit with 3rd-4th graders. This is one of the stations they will rotate to in the class. I have a group of 4-6 students that rotate together. The students are told to find a new partner in their group every time they rotate to a new station. I place the directions at the station so they remember how to play the game.
- Try to make a basket from one of the spots
- If you make it– Take a circle for your team and place it in the connect 4 board
- If you miss it– Try again
- If you make it, then get a circle
- If you miss then you don’t get a circle
Each group is trying to make a connect 4 line before the other team. We talk a lot about sportsmanship in my PE classroom about cheering on your teammate and the other team, giving positive comments (nice try, keep trying, you are doing great), high fives or air high fives, saying good game no matter if you won or lost, and saying thank you to your teammates when done. I have the students either bounce pass the ball to the next team mate or hand the ball to them. They are told to ask their partner before they start, which one they prefer. I have the students play at each station for 3-5 minutes depending on the class time.
About the Author
My name is Jessica London Castillo and I am the Physical Education teacher at Lebanon Elementary School in Connecticut. I have been teaching PE, Health, and APE for 7 years and love seeing when my students find success and love in being active and showing good sportsmanship in the class. Not only do I get to see my students in my classroom, but also on the athletic fields/courts as a coach in town and I am also a leader and committee member in the Pack and Troop for scouting in the town and on the recreation department. I am a huge advocate for our students health and wellness!
