Madelaine Miller

Lesson Title: ​Jumping Fun!

Grade: ​3rd
Equipment: ​One jump rope per student or per 2 students
Area Needed: ​Gym

Instant Activity:​​ Guess The Leader

The class forms a large circle and chooses 1 student, the guesser, to be in the middle. While the
guesser has their eyes closed, a leader in the circle is chosen. After this child leads the class in an
exercise or stretch, the guesser opens their eyes and tried to guess who the leader is. As the
guesser watches the class, the leader continues to lead the class in various exercises or stretches.
The guesser is watching for the student who changes first (the leader). The guesser has three
chanced to identify the leader. A new leader is then chosen.

Skill: ​Jumping
Have students place the rope in a straight line. In pairs of 2, have students take turns jumping
(with their feet together) back and forth across the rope. After they do that 3-4 times, have
students see how far they can jump starting at the end of the rope.

Activity/Game: ​Mother, May I?

In this version of “Mother, May I?” students will have to ask the “mother” if they can jump like a
specific animal.
Before dividing students into 2 groups, go over the different animals and how they jump. When a
student asks for permission to jump, they must ask using an animal.
Example:​​ A student may ask, “Mother may I jump like a frog?” If the “mother” says “yes”, then
the student who asked the question will take 1 big jump. If the “mother” decides to say “no”,
they must give an alternative animal. “No, but you may jump like a grasshopper.”
(It may help to have the animals displayed on a poster board or something in the gym so students
can refer back to it.)

Animal # of Jumps

Grasshopper 3 little jumps

Frog 1 big jump

Rabbit 4 regular jumps

Deer 6 regular jumps

Kangaroo 3 big jumps