Moving Passing Chain Relay Against the Clock
About this lesson
In this 35-minute grade 4 outdoor lesson, small teams form passing chains and leapfrog a bean bag across the field, then the whole class tries to beat its own combined time. Students practise accurate underhand tossing, quick catching, and running to open space while learning that every teammate counts. You need cones, bean bags, foam balls, pinnies, and a stopwatch.
- Grade
- 4
- Subject
- Gym & PE
- Time
- 35 min
Objective
Students will toss and catch accurately with an underhand pass while moving to open space, and work with teammates toward a shared class goal.
Equipment
- 10-12 cones
- 5-6 bean bags
- 5-6 foam balls
- Pinnies in 5 colours
- Stopwatch
Setup
Mark a start line and a finish line about 30 metres apart on a field or blacktop with cones, leaving lanes about 5 metres wide for each team. Divide the class into 5 teams of 4-6 students, give each team a colour of pinnies, and place one bean bag at the start of each lane. Explain that teams are not racing each other because the whole class shares one time.
How to Play
- Each team lines up single file in its lane behind the start line, with players standing about 3 big steps apart.
- On the signal, the first player tosses the bean bag underhand to the next player, and the pass continues down the line with no skipping anyone.
- As soon as a player has passed, they jog to the front of the line and stand 3 big steps ahead, so the whole chain keeps moving toward the finish line.
- If the bean bag drops, the player who tossed it picks it up and passes again with no penalty.
- A team finishes when the bean bag is passed to a player standing past the finish line, and that team then jogs to another lane to join the end of a team still working.
- The teacher stops the clock when the last bean bag crosses, announces the class time, and gives teams 30 seconds to huddle and share one tip for going faster.
- Play 5-6 rounds and challenge the whole class to beat its best time each round.
Variations
- Switch to a foam ball and require a two-handed chest pass or bounce pass between players.
- Send two bean bags down each chain at once so players must stay alert and communicate.
- Require every player to call out the name of the person they are passing to before each toss.
Safety Notes
Remind students to toss underhand at chest height, never at faces, and to look ahead while jogging to the front of the line so they do not run into others. Keep lanes well spaced so teams joining other lanes enter from the back rather than cutting across.
Cool Down
Have the class walk one slow lap around the playing area, then form a circle for gentle arm and leg stretches while each team names one way a teammate helped them.
Differentiation
Support: Shorten the passing distance to 2 big steps, allow a bigger and softer foam ball, and let students hand off the object instead of tossing if catching is hard. Pair a student who needs support with a buddy who jogs to the front of the line with them.
Extension: Increase the distance between players to 5 big steps, require non-dominant hand tosses, or have athletic students act as team captains who plan a strategy during each huddle to cut the time.
