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K-4Cooperation10-15 min

Popcorn & Catapult (Exact Commands)

Teaching cue: “We are ONE team. If one person is late, the balls don’t fly!”

Equipment
Varies
Character Focus
Teamwork (Coach Odom stresses this heavily for Catapult). Everyone must time the snap together or the launch fails. Also responsibility — always retrieve balls that escape. Coach Odom’s Exact Commands – Catapult 1 – Ready (everyone bends over, hands to feet) 2 – Up, Up (hands raise high above head)

TEKS Alignment

  • TEKS Focus: Cooperation in group activities (K.2A, 1-4.2A)

5E Lesson Plan

engage
Show a few balls on the chute. “Who can keep the popcorn popping without it escaping?” 🔍 Explore: Practice popcorn first with 5 balls. Students retrieve immediately when balls fly off. 📖 Explain: Exact Catapult commands. Stress “ONE team” timing. Review parachute rules again. Responsibility for ball
explore
Practice popcorn first with 5 balls. Students retrieve immediately when balls fly off. 📖 Explain: Exact Catapult commands. Stress “ONE team” timing. Review parachute rules again. Responsibility for balls. 🚀 Elaborate: Full Catapult with 5-10 balls. “How high can we get them?” Add popcorn challenge b
explain
Exact Catapult commands. Stress “ONE team” timing. Review parachute rules again. Responsibility for balls. 🚀 Elaborate: Full Catapult with 5-10 balls. “How high can we get them?” Add popcorn challenge between launches. Celebrate clean group snaps. ✅ Evaluate: Group timing on commands, immediate ball
elaborate
Full Catapult with 5-10 balls. “How high can we get them?” Add popcorn challenge between launches. Celebrate clean group snaps. ✅ Evaluate: Group timing on commands, immediate ball retrieval, positive teamwork language. “Did everyone stay together?”
evaluate
Group timing on commands, immediate ball retrieval, positive teamwork language. “Did everyone stay together?”

Grade Modifications

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🍿 Popcorn & Catapult (Exact Commands)

K-4
Popcorn: Keep 5-10 balls bouncing on the parachute. If a ball flies off, someone goes and puts it back immediately.

Catapult: Work as a team to launch the balls as high as possible toward the ceiling.
TEKS Focus: Cooperation in group activities (K.2A, 1-4.2A) • Spatial awareness & controlled force • Rhythmic timing with the group.
Character Focus: Teamwork (Coach Odom stresses this heavily for Catapult). Everyone must time the snap together or the launch fails. Also responsibility — always retrieve balls that escape.

Coach Odom’s Exact Commands – Catapult

  1. 1 – Ready (everyone bends over, hands to feet)
  2. 2 – Up, Up (hands raise high above head)
  3. 3 – Down (sharp snap down together)

Teaching cue: “We are ONE team. If one person is late, the balls don’t fly!”

5E:

  • 🔥 Engage: Show a few balls on the chute. “Who can keep the popcorn popping without it escaping?”
  • 🔍 Explore: Practice popcorn first with 5 balls. Students retrieve immediately when balls fly off.
  • 📖 Explain: Exact Catapult commands. Stress “ONE team” timing. Review parachute rules again. Responsibility for balls.
  • 🚀 Elaborate: Full Catapult with 5-10 balls. “How high can we get them?” Add popcorn challenge between launches. Celebrate clean group snaps.
  • ✅ Evaluate: Group timing on commands, immediate ball retrieval, positive teamwork language. “Did everyone stay together?”