Bean-Bag Feet Tag (Square Version)

🔥 Engage (2–3 min) Gather students. Hold up a bean bag and point to the squares/poly spots. Say: “Today everyone starts on a square or a poly spot. Bean bags will be all over the floor. You will slide them along the ground (no throwing in the air!) and try to hit someone’s feet. If your feet get hit, you leave your spot, go to the side, and do either Panther Jumping Jacks or Panther Scissor Claps. When you finish, come back to any open square or poly spot and jump right back in. Ready to keep moving the whole time?” Quick demo of a proper underhand slide and the two Panther exercises.

🔍 Explore (10–14 min) Assign every student a starting square. Add poly spots for any students who do not have a square so everyone has a home base. Scatter plenty of bean bags around the gym. On the signal, students may leave their square/spot only to grab a bean bag, then must return to a square/spot (or stay mobile while sliding). Players slide bean bags along the floor trying to hit another player’s feet. When a player is hit on the foot, they immediately leave their square/spot, go to the designated side area, and complete either: – Panther Jumping Jacks, or – Panther Scissor Claps After finishing the exercise, they return to any open square or poly spot and rejoin the game. Continue for the full time with constant movement.

📖 Explain (2–3 min) Freeze the class. Ask: Why do we slide the bean bags instead of throwing them? What do you do the moment your feet get hit? How does doing the Panther exercise help the whole class stay active? Reinforce: “We slide safely, we stay on our squares when we can, and when we get hit we do our exercise and come right back.”

🚀 Elaborate (3–5 min) Challenge options (choose 1–2): Slide with the non-dominant hand only. Must return to the exact same square/poly spot you started on. After being hit, choose the exercise that is harder for you. Teacher can occasionally slide extra bean bags toward students who have been doing exercises longer. Silent version – no talking, only hand signals.

✅ Evaluate Observe: Are students sliding (not throwing) the bean bags? Are they going to the side and completing the Panther exercise when hit? Are they returning to an open square or poly spot? Is everyone staying active with almost no standing around? Quick verbal check or thumbs-up: “Who came back into the game quickly after their Panther exercise?”