Turtle, Dog, Cheetah Speed Changes

A run around an oval course where the teacher holds up animal cards that each stand for a speed: turtle for walking, dog for jogging, and cheetah for sprinting. Students practice changing pace, responding to signals, and noticing how effort changes.

How to play

1. Mark an oval of about 60 m with cones and make three large cards showing a turtle, a dog, and a cheetah (2 min).
2. Explain the three speeds and practice them on a straightaway: turtle walking, dog jogging, and cheetah sprinting for a few seconds (2 min).
3. The whole class runs around the oval in the same direction; the teacher holds up a card every 15–30 seconds and everyone changes speed; cheetah never lasts more than 10 seconds (4 min).
4. Team game: 4 teams of 6, each with a captain who holds a set of cards; each captain leads their team for one lap, then a new captain takes over (4 min).
5. Ask during turtle: how is your heart beating now? Students put a hand on their chest after each cheetah (part of the game).
6. Final lap at turtle speed and discussion: which speed can you keep up the longest? (3 min).

Rules

• Always run in the same direction and outside the cones.
• Pass on the outside without pushing.
• When going from cheetah to turtle, slow down gradually, not all at once.
• Everyone runs at their own cheetah speed; no racing classmates.

Variations

Adaptations

• Students with limited mobility: do all three speeds in their own way of moving on a smaller inner oval.
• Students who are deaf or hard of hearing: the large colored cards are the main signal, with no need for voice cues.
• Fitness or skill level: tired students may stay at dog speed when cheetah comes up; stronger runners stretch out the jogging.

Learning goals

• Tell apart and keep up three running speeds.
• Respond to visual signals by changing speed.
• Notice how heart rate changes with effort.

Equipment for a class of 25

• cones: 12
• cardstock: 12

Teacher tip

At first everyone wants to be a cheetah; alternate carefully so they do not wear out. Big cards held high work better than a whistle on a noisy playground.

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