Design Workshop: Adapting a Traditional Sport for 7th Graders
Groups pick a traditional sport from the unit and design a 20-minute session for 12-year-olds, adapting rules, equipment and safety. They test it on classmates acting as younger students and improve it before teaching it for real.
How to play
- Setup: six groups choose a sport (hand pelota, raspall, galotxa, Canarian stick game, tug of war, lacrosse) and get a planning sheet: goal, one-sentence cultural context, warm-up, main game, safety and cool-down (4 min).
- Design: the group sets simplified rules, equipment and how they'll explain the game's origin in under a minute (12 min).
- Pilot test: each group leads 5 minutes of its plan with another group acting as 7th graders (15 min).
- Feedback: the 'student' group points out what was clear, what wasn't and one safety risk (5 min).
- Final tweak of the sheet with the agreed changes (4 min).
Rules
- The session must include at least one adaptation for students with disabilities.
- No hard equipment: soft balls and foam sticks only.
- Those playing 7th graders take part respectfully, no exaggerating or sabotaging.
- Every group member leads at least one part of the test.
Variations
Easier
Design only the main game using a guided sheet.
Standard
Full 20-minute session with every section.
Harder
Design two versions, one for 7th grade and one for 5th grade, and justify the differences.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: the student coordinates the design and leads the explanation from a fixed spot.
- Hearing impairment: the group makes visual supports (rule drawings) that help all the younger students.
- Anxious about public speaking: handles equipment and safety and co-leads a short task with a partner.
Learning goals
- Adapt rules and equipment to the age of the learners.
- Plan a session with safety and inclusion criteria.
- Take feedback and improve the plan.
Equipment for a class of 25
- cones: 30
- foam balls: 10
- pool noodles: 10
- ropes: 3
- planning sheets: 6
Teacher tip
Talk to the 7th-grade teachers beforehand to set the date for the real session. The usual mistake is over-explaining: cap the opening explanation at one minute.
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