B. Active Living / C. Movement Competence · Active, Fit and Skilful

Game Rules, Fair Play and Simple Tactics

C2 A1.4 A1.6About 35 minutes

Learning goals

I can explain that different activities have different parts: skills, rules, equipment, boundaries and safety.
I can follow the rules of individual and small-group activities and play fairly.
I can use simple tactics, like moving to open space, to help me do well.
I can speak kindly and encourage others while we play.

Words to know

components
The parts of an activity: the skills, rules, equipment, boundaries and safety.

tactic
A smart plan or idea you use during a game to help you do well.

open space
An empty place in the playing area where nobody is.

fair play
Playing by the rules, being honest, and treating everyone with respect.

boundary
The line or edge that shows where the playing area ends.

encourage
To say kind words that help someone keep trying.

Remember from Grade 1

You learned that games have skills, rules, equipment and boundaries, and that a strategy is a smart plan. You learned to dodge in tag and to say "Good game!"

This year you will compare the parts of different activities, follow the rules of individual and small-group activities, and choose tactics that fit the game.

Different activities, different parts

Every activity has components (parts). They change from activity to activity:

Component	Hopscotch (individual)	Tag (small group)	Two-square or 4-square
Skills	Hopping, jumping, balancing, tossing a marker	Running, dodging, stopping	Bouncing, hitting a ball with hands
Rules	Don't step on the lines; hop over the square with your marker	If tagged, you are "it"; gentle tags only	Ball bounces once in your square before you hit it
Equipment	Chalk, a small marker (stone or beanbag)	Maybe a soft pool noodle	A bouncy ball, chalk
Boundaries	The hopscotch squares	The edges of the play area	The squares drawn with chalk
Safety	Clear, flat ground	Look where you run, no pushing	Watch for others nearby

The same five parts, but different in every activity.

Tactics

A tactic is a smart idea you use in a game. Good tactics for Grade 2 games:

Move to open space so a teammate can pass to you, or so the tagger can't reach you.
Change speed and direction to dodge: go slow, then suddenly fast.
Send the ball where nobody is: in 4-square, aim for an empty corner of the other square.
Get back to the middle of your area after you play the ball, so you are ready for the next one.
Stay in the ready position: knees bent, eyes on the ball.
Talk to your team: call a name before you pass.

Three players are crowded together. The player with the arrow moves to the open space, where it is easier to get a pass or escape a tagger.

Fair play and kind words

Follow the rules and be honest ("Yes, you tagged me!").
Include everyone, and take turns being "it" or going first.
Use encouraging words: "Nice try!", "Great pass!", "You've got this!"
If someone breaks a rule, stay calm and talk about it. If you can't agree, rock-paper-scissors or ask a grown-up.
Say "Good game!" at the end, win or lose.

Worked example

Let's pick a tactic for 2-square

In 2-square, you and a partner each have a square. You hit the ball with your hands so it bounces once in their square. If they can't hit it back, you win the point. Your partner always stands at the front of their square. Where should you send the ball?

Look: Where is your partner? At the front.
Think: Where is the open space? At the back of their square.
Plan: Hit the ball a little harder so it bounces near the back of their square (still inside the lines).
After you hit: move back to the middle of your square, in the ready position.

Send the ball to the open space at the back of their square, then get back to the middle of your own. This is a tactic.

Your partner stands at the front of their square, so the open space is at the back. Send the ball there, still inside the lines.

Worked example

Let's solve a rule problem

In backyard tag, Noor says Ethan stepped outside the boundary to escape. Ethan says he didn't. They start to argue. What can they do?

Stop and breathe: both take a slow breath.
Listen: each one says what they saw, without yelling.
Decide fairly: they can't agree, so they use rock-paper-scissors to decide, or replay that part.
Make the boundary clearer: put down a skipping rope or cones so everyone can see it.
Keep playing with kind words.

They calm down, listen, decide fairly, and improve the rule by marking the boundary clearly. Then the game is fun again.

Just for fun

In rock-paper-scissors, paper beats rock, even though a real rock would rip right through a sheet of paper. Rules are rules!

Hands-on activity

Invent a small-group game

You need: 2 to 4 players, a soft ball or rolled socks, things to mark boundaries (shoes, rope, chalk), and a safe space like a backyard or park.

Skills: choose 2 skills (for example, rolling and dodging).
Equipment: choose what you will use.
Boundaries: mark the playing area.
Rules: write 3 simple rules, including one safety rule.
Play for 5 minutes. Then ask: Is it fair? Is everyone included? Is it safe?
Change one rule to make it better, and play again.
Each player shares one tactic that helped them.

Your turn

Name the five components of an activity.

What is a tactic?

In tag, why is it smart to move to open space?

Name two encouraging things you could say to a teammate.

What are the skills in hopscotch?

You and a friend disagree about a rule. Name one fair way to decide.

Do it and check: With a grown-up, play 2 minutes of tag. Use the tactic of changing speed to dodge.

More practice: warm-up

Is chalk a skill or equipment in hopscotch?

What do you call the line that shows where the playing area ends?

True or false: Fair play means being honest when you get tagged.

Is "no pushing" a safety rule?

What do you say at the end of a game?

More practice: on your own

How are the rules of hopscotch different from the rules of tag?

Hopscotch is an individual activity. Tag is a small-group activity. What is the difference?

In 4-square, after you hit the ball, where should you go? Why?

Why is it a good tactic to call a name before passing?

Kofi is always "it" and is getting upset. How could you change the game to be fairer?

Challenge

In a game of keep-away with 3 players (2 passers and 1 in the middle), what tactics help the passers?

Change one rule of tag to make it safer in a small backyard. Explain why.

Compare hopscotch and 4-square: give one way their components are the same and one way they are different.

Check your understanding

Quiz

Which is not a component of an activity?

What is a tactic?

In tag, where is the smartest place to run?

Your friend drops an easy catch. What is the best thing to say?

In 2-square, your partner is at the front of their square. Where should you aim?

Which is fair play?

For parents and teachers

Big idea: Grade 2 students learn that different activities have different components (skills, rules, equipment, boundaries, safety), follow the rules of individual and small-group activities, and apply simple tactics to increase their chances of success.

How to help at home:

Teach a game from your own childhood or culture and name its components together.
During play, ask "What's your plan?" to build tactical thinking.
Model fair play and kind words, especially when you lose!

Common difficulties:

Everyone chasing the ball in a bunch. Praise moving to open space.
Arguments about rules. Teach quick, fair solutions like rock-paper-scissors.
Losing gracefully. Name the feeling ("You're disappointed"), take a breath, and recall a fun moment.

Social-emotional link (strand A): speaking positively and encouraging others (healthy relationships, A1.4) and thinking critically to choose tactics and improve rules (A1.6).