Section 3. IDEAS for PLANNING CLASS TIME

This Section contains ideas for planning how to bring the game of ultimate into the classroom.

These materials include simple drills. They also draw from the Games in Section 4, the Drills in Section 5, and the basic skills demonstrated in the Videos in Section 7.

We hope you find inherent in these resources the social-emotional learning opportunities which make this sport so special. (See Spirit of the Game and Self-Officiation in Section 6.) We suggest times when you may want to bring students together for what is known in ultimate as a “spirit circle.” This is a common practice at the youth and amateur level. After a game, players from both teams form a circle to talk about the positives and negatives of their experience and to do shout-outs for good play and demonstrations of character of their teammates and opponents.

This Section is organized by grade bands: K-3 and 4-8. The broadness in grade bands is intentional. Whether the activities are the right fit for a particular group of students depends on a myriad of factors – classroom size, individual skill levels and group dynamics, the number of teachers and aides, where you are in the school year, and more. You know your students best.

For each of these grade bands, there are ten days’ worth of activities. Because many PE classes are 20 minutes in length, the activities are built to be carried out in approximately that amount of time.

We hope these ideas are useful as you plan your class time. Please contact Youth Director Jake Rubin-Miller at jake@chicagounioncares.org with your feedback or questions.

Thank you.

KINDERGARTEN THROUGH GRADE 3

Overall, these activities for younger students focus on throwing confidently and not being afraid of the disc. We primarily work on backhands, adding forehands a few lessons later. The rules of ultimate are not pushed too hard, except for trying not to run while holding the frisbee. The official rule is you must come to a natural stop as soon as possible after making a catch.

DAY 1: Backhands and Two-Handed Catching (K-3)

  1. Introduce students to throwing backhands and catching with two-hands (the alligator catch). (See Videos.)

  2. Students practice backhands and two-handed catches with a partner, trying to get five catches in a row. Have partners start close to one another – a few yards apart at most. Once they get comfortable with these skills, they should count how many catches they and their partner get in a row. Note: This is a throwing warm-up that can be modified by varying the types of throws, distance passed, more. It is referenced several times as the “Throwing Warm-Up.”)

  3. Play Duck-Duck-Frisbee (just passing to the right since most students are righties). Emphasize the importance of catching with two hands.

  4. Gather for a spirit circle.

DAY 2: One-Handed Catching (K-3)

  1. Review throwing backhands and catching with two hands.

  2. Introduce catching with one hand (crab catch). (See Video.)

  3. Run the Throwing Warm-Up (see Day 1, Step 2) except substitute two-handed catches with one-handed one.

  4. Play Knock ‘Em Down, Variation B or C. You might set more requirements on the mix of catches (one- and two-handed) or throws (forehands or backhards) required before advancing to the next checkpoint. Or try Knock ‘Em Down’s Variation D.

    Play Treasure Hunt doing backhands only (no forehand throwing just yet). Emphasize the importance of catching with two hands.

DAY 3: throwing to moving targets and catching while moving (K-3)

  1. Start by introducing the concept of the under cut (running away from, then towards the thrower in a /\-shaped pattern using chopping feet).

  2. Simplify the Under Cut drill to fit your students. For example, the teacher throws while the students take turns running a set short route and making two-handed catches without stopping. Set a target number for catches in a row. Or have students throw or add defense.

  3. Play Dodgebee Sharks and Minnows.

DAY 4: Reinforcing throws to moving targets and catching while Moving (K-3)

  1. Line up three cones, at the starting line and five and seven yards away. Divide students in groups of three. Position one as the thrower at the starting line, one at the middle cone (defender) and one at the far cone (catcher). At “go,” the catcher tries to get outside and open for the catch (by moving to their right or left), the defender tries to get inside, and the thrower passes to the catcher.

  2. Simplify Step 2 by the teacher throwing and having only two groups of students (defenders and catchers). Or get students moving around sooner by starting each group at the starting line, and having the defender and catcher run to their cones to get in position. To make the drill quite advanced, add a fourth student who defends the thrower; this is the Ten Seconds of Defense drill but without stall counts.

  3. Add a Randy Moss component by switching to a deep cut pattern.

Day 5: Stall Counts and Pivots (K-3)

  1. Explain the concepts of stall counts and the pivot rule. Remind students they cannot run with the disc – they must come to a natural stop as soon as they catch it and have ten seconds to throw it. (See Basics of the Game).

  2.  Play Possessions in 3v1 (three offense, 1 defense). When five or ten passes are completed (the teacher designates the number), switch who is on defense. 

  3. Gather for a spirit circle.

Day 6: Introducing Forehands (K-3)

  1. Review forehand throws. (See Video.)

  2. Run the Throwing Warm-Up (see Day 1, Step 2) except substitute backhands with forehands and allow both one- and two-handed catches.

  3. Play Capture the Frisbee or, if the game is not the right fit, Duck-Duck-Frisbee passing to the left.

  4.  End with Pizza Jousting.

Day 7: Reinforcing Stall Counts, Pivots, and Forehands (K-3)

  1. Review the concepts of stall counts, pivots, and forehands. Discuss the importance of stepping to the side as a receiver, so the thrower has a bigger target area to reach you.

  2.  Run the Three-Person Mark or, if students are ready for more of a challenge, play Possessions in 3v2 (three offense, 2 defense) or the easier 3v1. When five or ten passes are completed (the teacher designates the number), switch who is on defense. 

  3. Can always return to Dodgebee Sharks and Minnows for fun, encouraging both forehands and backhands. 

Day 8: Evasion and Body Control (K-3)

  1. Run the Throwing Warm-Up  (see Day 1, Step 2) with one- and two-handed catches and longer throws.

  2. Play Torpedo Alley.

Day 9: Target Practice (K-3)

  1. Play Knock ‘Em Down or any variation of it that is the right fit. Note: This game is also in Day 2. Note the progression in skills since then.

  2. It’s Revenge Dodgebee time!

  3. Gather for a spirit circle.

Day 10: Bringing It All Home (K-3)

  1. Run the Three-Person Mark or, if students are ready for more of a challenge, play Possessions in 3v2 (three offense, 2 defense) or the easier 3v1. When five or ten passes are completed (the teacher designates the number), switch who is on defense. Note: This drill and game are also in Day 7. Note the progression in skills by your students!

  2. Play your students’ favorite ultimate frisbee game.

Grades 4 - 8

As with the K-3 section, the activities here start with the basic skills of throwing and catching, but fairly quickly introduce more complex skills, drills, and games, as well as scrimmaging.

Students around nine to twelve years of age can start playing games with some defense, as well as drills that link multiple passes together.  Encourage students to establish the correct pivot foot every time they catch the disc. 

Many fourth graders can start to play small-sided games (3v2, 3x3, and so on). Emphasize the value of spreading out across the field during game play. Also emphasize the importance of not standing still -- because the second you stop moving, you are no longer open for a catch.

To make offense easier in games, allow multiple attempts for catching. You could use the “three lives” approach of allowing three attempts before there is a turnover or put one more player on offense than is on defense. (3v2 encourages players to spread out.) 

DAY 1: Backhands and Two-Handed Catching (4-8)

  1. Introduce students to throwing backhands and catching with two-hands (the alligator catch). (See Video)

  2. Students practice backhands and two-handed catches with a partner, trying to get five catches in a row. Have partners start close to one another – a few yards apart at most. Once they get comfortable with these skills, they should count how many catches they and their partner get in a row. Note: This is a throwing warm-up that can be modified by varying the types of throws, distance passed, more. It is referenced several times as the “Throwing Warm-Up.”)

  3. Run the Three-Person Mark, explaining disc space and stalling. Once students get the rhythm of the drill, gamify it using the Variation described in the drill.

  4. Finish by playing Revenge Dodgebee to get students excited about the unit!

DAY 2: One-Handed Catching, Throwing to Moving Targets, and Catching While Moving (4-8) 

  1. Start by introducing the concept of the under cut (running away from, then towards the thrower in a /\-shaped pattern using chopping feet).

  2. Run the Under Cut drill. When students get the hang of throwing, add one or more defense components See the drill’s variations for adding defense.

  3. Gather for a spirit circle.

DAY 3: introducing the forehand (4-8)

  1. Introduce students to forehand throws. (See Video.) Also introduce stall counts and pivots. (See Rules of the Game.) Discuss the importance of stepping to the side as a receiver, so the thrower has a bigger target area to reach you.

  2. Run the Throwing Warm-Up (see Day 1, Step 2) except substitute backhands with forehands and allow both one- and two-handed catches.

  3. Play Avengers.

DAY 4: reinforcing forehands and introducing stall counts and pivots (4-8)

  1. Review the concepts of stall counts, pivots, and forehands. 

  2. Run the Three-Person Mark or play Possessions in 3v2 (three offense, 2 defense) if students are ready for more of a challenge. Otherwise stick with 3v1. When five or ten passes are completed (the teacher designates the number), switch who is on defense.

  3. Play Capture the Frisbee.

DAY 5: game play (4-8)

  1. It’s Scrimmage Day! There is flexibility in the size of the teams. Generally, if indoors playing on a basketball court, teams of 5 with subs work well. You could also run two games of 3v3, going horizontally across the court. If outdoors, run multiple games of 5v5 and possibly even 7v7. 

  2. Gather for a spirit circle.

DAY 6: pivot throwing and scrimmaging (4-8)

  1. Start with the Sundial warm-up. Students pair up. Student 1 is the thrower and the sundial. Planting one foot, they pivot on the other foot in a circular pattern, playing catch with Student 2, who is standing a few yards away and stationary in their spot.

  2. Run a Scrimmage or play Frisbee Baseball.

DAY 7: practicing skills competitively

  1. Start with Avengers.

  2. Do Relay Racing (Variation 1) in teams of three and with a twist. Normally, if the disc is not caught, the team cannot advance up the lane and the thrower must go back to the spot where they threw it and try again. Instead, require the thrower to go back to the beginning of the lane and start over.

  3. Finish by playing Possessions in 3v2 (three offense, 2 defense).

DAY 8: getting ready for tournament play by reinforcing key skills (4-8)

  1. Start with Torpedo Alley.

  2. Run the following drills with the variations that are the right fit for your students, especially the Randy Moss option. Emphasize the importance of putting the disc out in front of the receiver and throwing it flat. 

  3. Line up three cones, at the starting line and five and seven yards away. Divide students in groups of three. Position one as the thrower at the starting line, one at the middle cone (defender) and one at the far cone (catcher). At “go,” the catcher tries to get outside and open for the catch (by moving to their right or left), the defender tries to get inside, and the thrower passes to the catcher.

  4. Get students moving around sooner by starting each group at the starting line, and having the defender and catcher run to their cones to get in position. To make the drill quite advanced, add a fourth student who defends the thrower; this is the Ten Seconds of Defense drill but without stall counts.

  5. Add a Randy Moss component by switching to a deep cut pattern.

DAYs 9 and 10: tournament (4-8)

  1. Run a two-day tournament.

  2. Gather for a spirit circle.