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Written By Lorilynn V. Bowie

Introduction

When you think back to your own childhood, you most likely remember the "fun" times, playing games. As a physical educator, you are now in the driver's seat for not only educating future generations, but also doing so in a way that is fun for your students. There are so many different ability levels and challenges for the educator today that were not issues before, that we, at Sportime, feel it is necessary to offer activities and equipment to suit all the needs of teachers.

The NebulaTrack takes away the stereotypical thought of only being good in Physical Education class if you are an athlete. This is an activity that takes the students as a group or groups to do together, regardless of ability level to reach success. Education attempts to promote growth and skill development. To achieve this, activities must be modified only as much as necessary to allow success while still challenging the student. If an activity is too easy, the student's will get bored and lose interest.

Activities

Fast Track

Equipment: NebulaTrack(s), Ball(s), SuccessBalls™ and a bucket.
Object Of The Game: The object of this game is to see which team can move the balls from one end of the Track to the other.
Skills gained are communication, teamwork and following directions. Place an equal number of balls on each NebulaTrack while the Track is lying on the ground. Divide the class into 2 groups and assign them to a NebulaTrack, reminding them to stand next to it not on it. When you give them the command to start, the students will then be allowed to pick up the Track.
It is the team's duty to communicate to each other on how they will pick it up without dropping the balls. Once the class has the track picked up, they will then have to figure out how to move the balls down to one end of the track and then move them back to the original end. Once the balls have traveled back to the original end, players dump the balls into a bucket.
Any balls that have fallen off during the trip are out of the game. The team with the most balls in their bucket wins the game.

Track Race Activity

Equipment: NebulaTrack(s), balls and a finish line.
Object Of The Game: The object of the game is to see which teams cooperate the best and the quickest by being the first to cross the finish line. Skills gained are communicating, teamwork, running and crawling.
Divide the class into 2 groups. You can do coed or split the sexes for a "battle of the sexes." Number the students at each mat in the order as they are standing around the NebulaTrack. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, etc.
The Track can never touch the ground during this race. When you signal start, teams begin to move down the area toward the finish line. This might not sound like a challenge. However, they have a task to complete first.
Before a team can successfully cross the finish line, all of the team members must, in order, let go of the Track and run under the Track and back to their original place on the Track. This must be done one at a time. (The easiest way to accomplish this is if all the students crossing under the Track and back to their spot is to actually stand still and, one at a time, go as fast as possible, after everyone has gone, sprint to the finish line). The first team to cross successfully wins.
Variation: You can add to the fun by placing objects on the NebulaTrack™ that has to stay on it while performing the task. Add the number of items still on the track to a score to add to the fun.
Adaptations: Special populations are often our best thinkers. They can be a team leader and give direction. Depending on limitations, most impairments can successfully complete the task barring the sprint at the end.

Over/Under

Equipment: NebulaTrack (2) and SuccessBalls™.
Object Of The Game: The object of the game is to see which set of track members can accomplish the task first. Skills gained are teamwork and cooperation while crawling or walking along with tossing a very lightweight ball.

1. Using 2 different color tracks, place them side by side at least 15 feet apart.
2. Place an equal number of students on each side of each track.
3. Place one SuccessBall on each track.
4. Number the students any way you like, just be sure to have an equal number if possible. An odd number means having one student go twice.
5. All students should probably do this in a sitting position the first time.
6. Call out a number, the student at each track with the number you call has to go under the track to the other side. When they get to the other side, they have to get the ball and toss it to a new person. That person then has to go under to the other side and toss the ball to someone else new.
7. No one goes twice and players cannot help the person get the ball.
8. The first Track to get everyone to complete the task wins.