Dodgeball is an extremely popular game with students. Students run around, throw and catch dodge balls, and use acrobatic dodging skills to evade their opponent's tosses. However, adults often cite dodgeball as a game promoting violence and unfairness. Whether it is the strong throwers picking on the weaker ones, face shots, or students who just stand in the back and don't participate, there are many reasons dodgeball is not many adults' favorite game. So why is there such a great divide between adults and children? Is there a way to bridge the gap?

            What if we keep the fun of throwing a ball as hard as we can at a target, but we replace the human target with a goal? Well, that's basically handball! With Rock Cycle Handball, the names of the types of rocks and the processes that the rock goes through to become other types of rocks are reinforced during the game. There is no winning or losing with Rock Cycle handball. If you score a goal, you transition to the type of rock you just scored on. To an observer, the game may look crazy, but the students will get loads of practice throwing at (non-human) targets and using silly movements to remember different types of rock!

Materials: 

·      Lots of Dodgeballs

·      Lots of orange cones or rubber disc dots

·      A large playing area (gym or field)

Prior Knowledge: This lesson could introduce the rock cycle or be a fun activity afterward.

Minimum Amount of Students Needed: This game could be played with as few as six people, but it is much better with an entire class (20+).

Age: All Ages