Book of Rules Eriks Text Book Fail and

Book of Rules Erik’s Text Book: Fail and Finesse

Learning Target • I will demonstrate an understanding of the basic rules involved in the sport of basketball. • I will implement the rules of basketball into a simulated, game-like activity (scrimmage).

Lesson Summary • For the second lesson (2 of 2) of this unit, students will combine their basic skills (learned in the first lesson) with newly acquired knowledge of the rules of basketball. To begin class, the teacher will introduce, explain, and demonstrate the basic rules of basketball (scoring, fouls, violations, etc. ). Next the teacher will observe that the students understand by leading a reflection of the rules. A scrimmage will then be played.

Classroom Context • This textbook (rule book) fail occurred in a 4 th grade Health and Fitness class. • The students usually crave challenges in the form of mental/cognitive rather than in the form of physical challenges.

Illustration of the Rules of Basketball • • Violations Play stops on all rules violations with the other team gaining possession. Ball Handling Violations Double Dribble - When a player stops dribbling, holds the basketball, and then starts dribbling again or when a player dribbles the ball with two hands at the same time. Traveling - Taking more than one and a half steps without dribbling while the player has possession of the ball or when you stop dribbling and move or change your pivot foot. • • Back Court - When the team with possession of the ball travels over the midcourt line into the frontcourt and then crosses back into the backcourt. Time Violations Three-Second Rule - No offensive player can be in the free-throw lane for longer than 3 seconds at a time. Five-Second Possession Violation - When a ballhandler is being defended within six feet in the frontcourt, and fails to get rid of the basketball within five seconds. Ten-Seconds In The Backcourt - When the offensive team takes ten or more seconds to move the basketball across the midcourt line into the front court. • • • Five-Second Inbound Violation - When passing the ball inbounds after gaining possession, players have five seconds to get the ball to a teammate. Space or Lane Violation - During a free throw situation, if you enter the lane too soon, it's called a lane violation and results in a turnover or the other team gets another free throw attempt. Fouls Play stops on all fouls. After a foul is committed and depending on the type of foul , one of two things will happen. A. The opposing team will gain possession of the ball, or B. The fouled player shoots free throws. Common Fouls Shooting Foul - When a defender makes contact with an offensive player who is in the act of shooting the basketball. Technical Foul - Violations and misconduct that are detrimental to the game. These are penalized by free-throw opportunities. Reaching In - When a defender attempts to steal the basketball and the defender extends their arm and hand makes contact with the opposing ball handler. Charging - Happens when an offensive player runs into a defender who has an established position. Holding - When a players uses their hands to interfere with or limit an opponent's freedom of movement. Hand Check - When a defender uses one or both hands on the opposing the ball handler. Reaching In - When attempting to steal the basketball, the defender extends their arm and hand makes contact with the ball handler. Blocking - When a player uses their body position to prevent their opponent from advancing down the court. Flagrant Foul - A foul committed in an violent and harmful manner.

Illustration of the Rules of Basketball • As can be seen on the previous slide, both the number of rules and the complexity of the rules is overwhelming. • Asking the students to implement too many of these rules, at too early of a time, led to too many struggles for the students. This took away from the students enjoyment and also their ability to achieve the learning target.

The Rule Book’s Fail • Prior to teaching the lesson, I used an internet source to find a basketball rule book, in order to review the rules of the sport. • Upon reading through the rules, I took note of rules that were most important and (remembering that the students usually desire a cognitive challenge) a select few that would be more challenging for the students. • Class began, and I introduced, explained, and demonstrated the rules I had chosen previously. • At this point, removed from the play of a game, the students demonstrated a basic understanding of the rules I introduced and because of this, I believed they were ready to implement the rules into a game-like situation (a scrimmage).

The Rule Book’s Fail Cont. • During scrimmages, I will usually pause the game at various points to clarify rules or improve technique (commonly referred to as “teaching”). • From the onset of this scrimmage, I had a feeling that there would be more explanation and pauses than actual game play. While cognitive learning is important in H&F classes, it is also very important that students engage in significant physical activity. • To my displeasure, I was correct, and the students struggled mightily to both focus on the technique of the game and to play within the rules they had just learned. I found myself pausing the game every 10 -20 seconds and taking a minute to explain the rule again. • With nearly 15 minutes left in class, I had to make a choice. Continue on and spend most of the time explaining rules, or, simplify the rules, and allow the students to learn at a slower pace.

Student Feedback • Student feedback was mostly taken in an informal, formative manner. • By observing the students’ play, and frustration during play, I noticed that the students who were more experienced in basketball (and other team sports) had greater success in combining the rules with technique while students with less team-sports experience struggled to keep up. • Not only did the struggling students become frustrated with the fact that they were struggling with understanding, the more experienced students became frustrated because they believed I was stopping play specifically for the struggling students. In addition to the constant stop and go of the scrimmage, a rift between the experienced and less experienced students began to appear.

Finessing The Rules • My decision was, at this point, to stop the game and briefly explain why I was going to reel away the more complex rules (mostly involving timing, ex. a shot clock). • At first the more experienced students weren’t convinced because they wanted a more realistic experience. Though, after the game play began and flowed more smoothly, they showed that they understood the reasoning. • This led to more enjoyment from both the experienced and less experienced students because they were all able to play more freely, and with less interruption. • In this case, I did not add anything to the text, I instead removed some of the complexity in order to allow for a more gradual implementation of realistic gameplay.

Evidence • Unfortunately, all of my evidence during this lesson was observed in the manner of formative assessment. • By removing the more complex rules, the less experienced students were able to focus both on their technique and also playing within the rules of the game. • This change also allowed for the more experienced students to do the same, in addition to working to improve their leadership abilities. • I saw this through a more seamless scrimmage that involved les arguing and need for pauses than prior to the rule change.

My Learning • Something I learned from this lesson was that a tiered approach to implementing complex concepts to a lesson is more effective than assuming the students will be ready for a increased load of knowledge simply because they ask for it. • Finding evidence throughout a lesson/unit to justify an increase in rules/expectations will help the students keep up with the pace of the lesson.