One of my favorite (and the students favorite) lessons was Types of Government basketball. Students enjoyed playing as different types of governments; each with its own unique scoring system. For example, an autocracy (dictatorship, monarchy, etc.) playing style featured one player’s basket was worth a 10 pointer, and all the other player’s baskets were only worth 1 point. In a democracy team, every player’s basket was worth 3 points. The other government styles included oligarchy, republic, and anarchy. The type of government chosen by the team heavily influenced the strategy of how the team would try and score points, but also how they would defend the other team. These strategies represented the strengths and weaknesses of each type of government.

However, we cannot play competitive basketball right now because we can’t have students in each others faces playing defense (not social distanced). I needed to come up with a way to still a play a fun, competitive game that could utilize the unique scoring systems to represent governments. After a lot of thinking and experimentation, I came up with a fun and engaging version of hockey that is social distanced, fast and engaging, promotes teamwork and passing, and allows players with not as good puck handling skills to still participate fully and enjoy the game.

I present to you Types of Governments hockey, which would be a perfect game to play considering the United States is having its election soon. Even if you decide not to use the government scoring systems, the novel hockey game mechanic is something you can use “as is” in your PE class during Covid.

Have fun!

Governments Hockey

Social Distancing Edition

Introduction:

A limiting factor for student’s ability to enjoy a sport is exposure. I might see this the most with a sport like indoor hockey. There always seems to be one or two students play hockey outside of school in some type of private league, and they love playing it and are the most skilled during that PE lesson. Then there are students who use their athleticism to make up for the lack of expertise with the equipment, and they still have a lot of fun. Then there is a large contingency of students who barely get to hit or touch the puck. Obviously they are not having as much fun. The only real solution I have used thus far was to make more games with fewer players per game, making the chance of getting the ball and being an important member of the game significantly increase. In this version of hockey, there will be lots of opportunities to hit the ball and shoot at a goal, which increase the likelihood of the students enjoying not only this game, but also other hockey games in the future.

One of the hallmarks of the lower and upper elementary students is the demand for fairness. Even during recess games, students will play by the “official rules,” whether it’s a collection of rules they came up with, or there is a student or adult acting as a ref.        

This demand for fair play is one of the reasons Government Hockey is so dynamic. Each team plays with different scoring systems that represent the style of the government. It is one thing to explain the differences of a government versus playing a game that demonstrates those differences in a competitive game that they love. This game is open-ended and does not emphasize one government system over another; each has their strengths, weaknesses, and strategies.  Most people would argue that a democracy is the most successful form of government, but in this game, it is not guaranteed it will win. This game will stimulate rich conversations on the pros and cons of each government style.

 

 Materials: 

·      A soft hockey puck or dodgeball

·      At least one hockey stick per student

·      At least two mini goals or cones that can be used for goals

·      A large playing area (preferably a gym or asphalt)

·      Scoreboard (analog or digital)

·      Stopwatch or phone with clock

 

Prior Knowledge: The students should have had some lessons on different government styles.

 

Presentation 

·      Divide the students into two even teams based on hockey playing ability. Explain to the students that they will be playing a version of hockey with a government type and style.

o   This version of hockey is fast paced and does not have direct contact with another.

o   There are certain sectors that can only be played by the offense and defense.

§  The defensive zone is where the defense can reside to try and block shots. They cannot step on any boundary line, as well as put their stick over the line. They can make walls to prevent shots, but cannot interact with the offense directly. The defensive zone is within the three point line. The defense cannot through the middle rectangle (which the “paint” in basketball); they must run around it. The goal is somewhere inside this area. If the defense team steps inside the rectangle or outside the boundary line, that is an automatic point for the offensive team, and they still retain possession of the ball. There are no goalies.

§  The offense can freely pass and shoot the ball around the three point line. The ball must be taken over the half court line before it can be shot. The offense will want to spread out and pass the ball as best as they can to draw the defense away and create clear shots. The offense may not step on the boundary line or put their stick over it. If they do, that is an automatic turnover.

o   When there is a turnover, the teams switch as quickly from offense to defense and vice-versa. The former offensive team will run to their goal side and inhabit the defensive territory, and the former defensive team will take or pass the ball up past half court and inhabit the offensive territory. Both teams will want to switch as quickly as possible to either score more easily or prevent an easy score.

§  Turnovers happen when the defensive team gets possession of the ball. This happens from either a blocked shot that can be recovered inside the defensive territory (if it rolls back into the offensive territory, both teams remain in their respective territories), an offensive player steps on the boundary line, or a missed shot that stays in the defensive territory where the offense is unable to reach. If a goal were scored, that would also constitute a turnover because the scored on team would go on offense and the scoring team would go on defense.

§  Neither team is allowed to interact with each other during the transition from offense to defense. The area between the three point lines of either side is where students would be running through during transition. Accidental interaction (a defensive player gets hit with a ball that was meant as a pass) is not penalized, but the defensive player cannot respond to the ball in this area, and must get into the defensive territory. On purpose interaction by a transitioning defense player is an automatic point and the offense retains possession of the ball.

o   Advantages to this style of hockey is that less skilled players do not have to worry about the ball being stolen from them since the offense and defense must stay in their territories. Because those players do not have to worry about the ball being stolen, they are more likely to actually engage and move the ball down the court, pass, and shoot since they cannot be directly defended.

·      The government type will be selected randomly, but they are allowed to choose the style to compliment the type. If the team is successful in achieving the objective of the government style, they get bonus points at the end of the game. Here are the governments types:

o   Autocracy: The instructor picks the ruler of this team. Picking a student who is very good at hockey would be an example of a charismatic despot, dictator, King/Queen who the people like. Choosing a student who is not as good could provide the instance for a revolt against the ruler if the team is not satisfied with their effort. When the ruler scores a goal, it is worth ten points. Any other player’s goal is worth 1 point. If the ruler needs a substitution, they must nominate a new ruler. If everyone on the team does not approve of the ruler, they may overthrow the ruler and choose a new ruler. There can only be one ruler on the court at a time.

o   Oligarchy: The two oldest players on the team become the oligarchs. When an oligarch scores a goal, it is worth five points. When any other player scores a goal, it is worth one point. There must be at least one oligarch on the court at all times, and both oligarchs can play at the same time. A new oligarch can be nominated to replace an old oligarch, but both old oligarchs need to be in agreement.

o   Republic: The team votes for two players to become senators. When a senator scores a goal, it is worth four points. When any other player scores a basket, it is worth two points. Each quarter or half of the game, everyone votes on which two players should become the new senators. The senators may vote as well, and the old senators may win by reelection.

o   Democracy: When any player scores a goal, it is worth three points.

o   Anarchy: When any player scores a goal, the teacher/referee flips a coin. If it is heads, it is worth one point and the teacher flips again. Every time a heads is flipped, another point is added to the total until a tails is flipped. If a tails is flipped the first time, the scored goal is worthless. This is to represent the chaotic and unpredictable nature of anarchy.

§  Government styles are things that a team wants to achieve by the end of the game. If they do, award some type of bonus at the end of the game. To make it more interesting, if the team does not achieve their goal, there could be a penalty. Here are the government styles:

§  Capitalistic: one player scores more goals than the total of the rest of the team

§  Communistic: All the players score the same amount of goals

§  Socialistic: Every player on the team scores at least one goal                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

·      How long games last depend on how many students, teams, and goals are available for the game. Typically twenty-minute games work well because this will allow three games in an hour timespan or two games for a forty-minute timespan. Once one game is over, have the teams’ select new government types to play in the next game.

 

Aims:

Direct:    To reinforce concepts on government types and styles

Indirect:   Listening and following directions

                Teamwork

                Communication

                Strategy

 

 

Physical skills practiced: 

·      Dribbling, passing, and shooting a hockey puck or ball with hockey sticks

·      Running

 

 Control Of Error: 

The scoreboard will be use to keep track of the score. The instructor will also act as a referee and scorekeeper. If the scoreboard is analog, the teacher should keep time with a watch or phone.

 

Points of Interest: The students will love playing this non-contact version of hockey, but will be extra motivated trying to use different strategies against each other based on the government style of their opponent.

 

Age: 9-12 or middle school