Zombie Tag with Cure Stations
About this lesson
In this 35-minute Grade 7 tag game, students speed walk around the gym as humans or groaning zombies. Humans carry bean bag antidotes from hula hoop stations to cure tagged classmates. Students practice dodging, changing direction, spatial awareness and quick teamwork. You need pinnies, four hula hoops, about 12 bean bags and cones to mark the boundaries.
- Grade
- 7
- Subject
- Gym & PE
- Time
- 35 min
Objective
Students will use dodging, faking and quick changes of direction while speed walking in a crowded space, and will cooperate with teammates to rescue tagged players.
Equipment
- 3-4 pinnies (for starting zombies)
- 4 hula hoops
- 12 bean bags
- Cones to mark boundaries
Setup
Mark a large rectangle with cones, leaving a buffer from the walls. Place one hula hoop in each corner of the play area with three bean bags (antidotes) inside each. Choose 3-4 starting zombies to wear pinnies. Everyone else starts as a human scattered around the gym.
How to Play
- Everyone, humans and zombies, must speed walk the whole game, with no running. Teacher catches a runner? That player does one slow-motion lap of shame around the nearest hoop.
- Zombies walk with stiff arms straight out in front, groan nonstop, and tag humans gently on the shoulder or back.
- A tagged human must do a dramatic 3-second slow-motion transformation, then become a zombie with arms out and groaning.
- Humans can grab one bean bag at a time from any hoop and hand it, not throw it, to a zombie.
- A cured zombie shouts 'I'M HUMAN AGAIN!' while flexing, returns the bean bag to any hoop, and rejoins as a human.
- Pinnie zombies are the original zombies and can never be cured. Humans cannot be tagged while standing inside a hoop, but they can only stay for a 3-count.
- A round lasts 3 minutes. Humans win if at least 5 humans remain, and zombies win if they get everyone. Pick new pinnie zombies each round.
- Every two rounds, the teacher calls a new 'zombie style' for everyone to move in, such as penguin waddle, giant slow steps, or hopping on one foot for 5 seconds after every tag.
Variations
- Zombie Dance-Off: when a zombie tags a human, both must do a 3-second silly dance before the human transforms, giving nearby humans a chance to swoop in with an antidote.
- Zombie Boss: one pinnie zombie becomes the 'boss' who moves in slow motion but can unlock new zombie styles by shouting them, and every player must switch immediately.
- Antidote Shortage: remove a few bean bags each round so humans must plan and protect their remaining cures.
Safety Notes
Enforce speed walking only, with tags made with an open hand on the shoulder or back. Remind students to keep zombie arms soft and to watch for collisions near the crowded hoop stations.
Cool Down
Have the class do a 'zombie sunrise' where everyone slowly melts to the floor groaning, then stretches back up into a normal human, followed by quad, hamstring and shoulder stretches held for 15 seconds each.
Differentiation
Support: Allow students who need it to be designated 'doctors' who carry two bean bags at once, or let them walk normally while zombies must take baby steps. Pair hesitant players with a buddy so they move through the game together.
Extension: Challenge athletic students by requiring them to carry their bean bag balanced on their head or the back of their hand. As starting zombies, they must move in penguin waddle mode the entire round.
