Walking in The Jungle

Learning Outcomes

Students will be able to identify and demonstrate locomotor skills (walk, run, jump, hop, gallop and leap).

Description Of Activity

 There are lots of animals that walk, run, jump, hop, gallop, and leap just like we have been learning in class! Lets make our own Jungle by imitating how animals move. I will divide you into six groups. Each group will start at one of the cages!

Cage 1: Walk/Giraffe
Information: When giraffes walk, they move both legs on one side of their body and then both legs on the other side; this is unique to giraffes.

Activity: Lets walk like a giraffe!
Get on your hands and feet to make four legs like a Giraffe.
Move your right hand and right foot forward at the same time.
Move your left hand and left foot forward at the same time.

Cues: None

Cage 2: Run/Cheetah
Information: Cheetahs run faster than any other land animal.

Activity: Run fast like a cheetah with your two feet.

Cues:
Lean slightly forward from the ankles
Run softly
Look forward where you are running
Swing your arms quickly from relaxed shoulders
Elbows are bent at 90 degrees
Keep your knees slightly bent
Land on the middle of your foot

Cage 3: Jump/Kangeroo
Information: Kangeroos are known to jump very high.

Activity:
Hold a piece of chalk in our hand
Jump high like a cheetah marking on the wall how high you can jump

Cues:
Bend knees and hips
Swing arms hard
Push off the ground with the rounds of your feet

Cage 4: Hop/Bunny
Information: We have learned that hopping is one foot. An animal like a bunny is said to hop when they move forward in small jumps.

Activity: Hop like a bunny with one foot.

Cues:
Hopping is very similar to jumping but it is done on ONE foot only
Push off with toes and bend your knee to lift off into the air
Land softly on your toes and bend your knee and hips when landing
Other leg is usually bent with foot held behind you
Put arms out to the side to keep balance
Hopping can be done in the same place or you can move throughout an area

Cage 5: Gallop/Horse
Information: Horses can gallop around 25 miles per hour; that is fast!

Activity: Gallop like a horse with your two feet.

Cues:
Face and move in a forward motion
Choose a foot to start with and start with and step forward with it
Keep the same leg in the lead during the gallop
The back leg chases the front leg but does not go ahead of it
Bend at the knees and try to be light on your feet as you gallop

Cage 6: Leap/Deer
Information: A deer is known to leap high!

Activity: Leap like a dear as high as you can!

Cues:
Take-off from one foot and land on the opposite foot
Extend arms, legs, and toes while in the air
Try to leap a long ways as that forces the body to extend  
Bend knee and hip for cushioned landing

Equipment/Material Required

Cones to mark off six “cage” areas
Colored chalk (for Cage 3)