Subject: Science

Theme: Hobbies

Level: Participation

Lesson Summary: Explore properties and uses of different types of balls. ex.) Play different games with balls and try crafts that use balls such as marble or golf ball painting.

Benchmark Focus: P.ME.P.EB.IV.1.e.1a Identify attributes/properties of common objects.

Materials: various athletic balls, sensory (Koosh) balls, paint, paper, water, towels

Anticipatory set: Read book that incorporates a game played with a ball. Any story will do.

Step-By-Step Instructions:

1.) Gather student together around the carpet.

2.) Read a story with a ball or ball game incorporated into it. ex.) Just Too Little by Mercer Meyer

3.) Bring out several different types of balls and show them to the students. Have them touch and look at them. Use pictures of balls too.

4.) Talk about games to play with balls. Start with a simple game like "Pass the Ball" or "Drop the Ball into the Basket".

5.) Assist the students as needed to participate in the game. Note level of assistance needed. (Each group you can either review the game or introduce a new one.)

6.) After game has been played, bring out paints and paper and talk about other things we can do with the balls.

7.) Show students the paints and discuss what it would look like if we rolled the balls in paint and rolled them on the paper.

8.) Work with students on selecting balls and paints and allow them to create a picture. Make sure to emphasize attributes of either the paint or the balls. ex.) Pick up the big ball. Pick up the small ball. Which paint is the red paint?

9.) When pictures are completed, gather students back together and share their pictures. Talk about which balls made which type of picture.

10.) Using actual balls and pictures of balls, talk about how they had played with balls just as the characters in the book had played a game with a ball.

Plan For Independent Practice: Have students play independently with balls. Have students match pictures of balls to actual balls when presented with various objects.

Closure: Talk with students about how we just played with balls like the kids in the story did.

Assessment Based on Objectives: Observe students and note if any are able to match balls with pictures. Observe students and note if any can follow one or two-step directions to complete a task or play a game.

Adaptations: Let students explore balls on their own, and note if they interact appropriately with them.

Extensions: Find ball-shaped objects in the classroom and throughout the school.

Possible connections to Other Subjects: ELA R.WS.e4.P.EG01a Use simple visual cues to recognize words paired with pictures and/or object