This or That Line Jump
The teacher calls out two choices ("beach or mountains?", "dog or cat?") and students jump to one side of a rope or the other; then each group moves in a different way and chats with someone on their side. It helps students discover shared interests while staying active.
How to play
- Lay a long rope across the middle of the blacktop and place two colored cones about 25 ft away on each side as the choice zones (1 min).
- The whole class straddles the rope. The teacher calls out two options and points to which side is which.
- On three, everyone jumps two-footed to their choice and travels to their cone with the given movement: frog jumps for one side, side shuffles for the other.
- At the cone, each student finds someone in their group and explains their choice in one sentence (30 seconds).
- Everyone jogs back to the rope and the next question is called. Play about 14 rounds (11 min).
- In the last rounds, a student volunteer makes up the question and the movement (2 min).
- Finish by talking about which question split the class the most and which one united almost everyone (1 min).
Rules
- There are no right or wrong answers: nobody laughs at anyone's choice.
- Jump over the rope without stepping on it so you do not slip.
- If you cannot decide, you may stay on the rope and explain why you like both.
Variations
Easier
Use picture cards for the two choices and let students move any way they like to the cone.
Standard
Call questions aloud, assign a different movement to each side, and add the one-sentence explanation.
Harder
Offer three choices with three cones, and students must find someone from another group to agree on a shared answer.
Adaptations
- Students who use wheelchairs point to their choice and travel with a partner; cones can be moved in to 12 ft.
- For students who are deaf or hard of hearing, show each option on a card with a picture and a word.
- For students who need more challenge, stretch the distance to 40 ft or add five squats at the cone.
Learning goals
- Express personal preferences and listen to others'.
- Make quick decisions and act on them with a specific locomotor movement.
- Discover things in common with classmates.
Equipment for a class of 25
- long rope: 1
- cones: 4
Teacher tip
Prepare questions ahead of time, from easy ("ice cream or chips?") to more personal, and skip any that might leave one student alone on a side.
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