Basketball games work well in the PE curriculum, from elementary to high school levels. Kids improve their gross motor skills by handling a basketball and shooting it at a target. The activities also help the students learn basic basketball skills that they can apply to actual games. Different basketball activities also add variety beyond a regular game of basketball.
Basketball Skills Circuit
A circuit around the gym keeps the students moving and practicing basketball skills. Divide the kids into groups of two or three players. Each group needs at least one basketball and possibly more depending on the stations you organize. Designate a different area for each station along the circuit, with a focus on a different basketball skill, such as bounce passes, free throws, corner shots, lay-ups or chest passes. Choose the specific skills based on the grade level and abilities of your students. Each group starts at a different station. At the sound of the whistle, the groups perform the specified skill. Blow the whistle again after two minutes or another predetermined amount of time. The groups rotate to the next station and repeat the drill.
Rhythm Dribbling
Strong dribbling skills allow a player to keep the ball under control, a skill essential for actual game play. This physical education activity gives kids dribbling practice while focusing on control and rhythm. Choose a song with a very distinct beat or rhythm. For younger kids, choose a short, simple song. For older students, a more complex song is a possibility. The students dribble the basketball to match the beat of the song. This might include a combination of fast and slow dribbles.
Basketball Golf
Basketball golf combines the shooting of basketball with the scoring of golf. Mark specific shooting positions around the basketball hoop. Each position has a different par value just as in golf. Using both ends of the gym helps disperse the students better. Each player takes a turn at each shooting position, which is equivalent to the different holes in a golf game. The goal is to make the shot at each position with as few tries as possible. Staying under par for that position is even better. Set a limit on the number of tries from each spot to keep the game from going on too long. The player with the lowest score at the end wins.
Quick Change Basketball
A regular game of basketball can get boring, especially for the students who aren't on the court playing. This version keeps the players changing frequently so no one sits on the bench too long. Divide the students into two teams of similar basketball skill. The students line up and stay in that order throughout the game. A boy-girl pattern keeps the teams balanced in the game. The first five players from each team take the court. They play a regular game of basketball until someone scores. As soon as a basket is made, those players come off the court and the next five players from each team rotate into the game. Continue rotating players after each score.
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