Grade by Grade
B. Active Living / C. Movement Competence · Active Living and Movement: Fit, Safe and Skilful

Travelling: Levels, Pathways and Directions

C1 A1.4 A1.1About 35 minutes
Learning goals
  • I can travel in many ways at high, medium and low levels.
  • I can follow straight, curved and zigzag pathways in different directions.
  • I can travel with equipment, like a skipping rope or a hoop.
  • I can travel with a partner by leading, following, mirroring and shadowing.

Words to know

locomotor movement
A way of moving your body from one place to another, like walking, skipping, galloping or sliding.
level
How high or low your body is while you move: high, medium or low.
pathway
The shape of the path you travel on: straight, curved or zigzag.
direction
Which way you move: forward, backward, sideways, up, down or diagonally.
mirroring
Facing a partner and copying their moves at the same time, like a reflection in a mirror.
shadowing
Following behind a partner and copying their moves, like their shadow.

Remember from Grades 1 and 2

You know lots of locomotor movements: walk, run, hop, jump, gallop, slide, skip and leap. You travelled on straight, curved and zigzag pathways, moved forward, backward, sideways and diagonally, and changed speed.

This year you will mix it all together: travel at different levels, on different pathways, in different directions, with equipment and with others.

Move like an animal

Try these for 10 seconds each:

  • Walk on tiptoes, tall like a giraffe (high level).
  • Gallop like a horse (medium level).
  • Bear crawl on hands and feet (low level).
  • Crab walk with your tummy up (low level).

You just travelled at three different levels!

A brown horse galloping across a green fenced field.
A horse galloping across a field. Galloping is a locomotor movement at a medium level. Try it, then switch to a low bear crawl or a high tiptoe walk. AI-generated image

Levels

  • High: on tiptoes, arms up, or leaping and skipping high.
  • Medium: normal height: walking, jogging, galloping, sliding.
  • Low: close to the ground: bear crawl, crab walk, crawling, rolling, or walking with very bent knees.

Pathways

straightcurvedzigzag
Three pathways: straight, curved and zigzag. You can travel on any pathway using any locomotor movement.

Mix and match

A travelling pattern has three choices: a movement, a level and a pathway (plus a direction). You can make hundreds of combinations!

  • Skip at a high level on a curved pathway, forward.
  • Slide at a medium level on a zigzag pathway, sideways.
  • Crab walk at a low level on a straight pathway, backward.
With equipmentHow to travel
Skipping ropeSkip forward on a straight path, turning the rope as you go
HoopRoll the hoop and jog beside it on a curved path, keeping it rolling
Scarf or ribbonRun on a zigzag path and keep the scarf flying behind you
Beanbag or rolled socksWalk on tiptoes with it balanced on your head
Pool noodleGallop with it like a hobby horse, then slide sideways holding it over your head
Ideas for travelling with equipment.

Travelling with others

  • Follow the leader: one person leads, the other copies from behind.
  • Shadowing: stand behind your partner and copy their moves, like a shadow.
  • Mirroring: face your partner and copy their moves at the same time, like a mirror. If they step to their right, you step to your left!
  • Meet and part: start apart, travel toward each other, then travel away.

To stay together, watch your partner, talk ("Ready? Go!"), and go at a speed that works for both of you.

MIRRORINGface to faceZaraDadto HER rightto HIS leftSame way on the page!SHADOWINGone behind the otherleadershadowrightrightBoth step to their right.
Seen from above (the point shows which way each person faces). In mirroring, Zara's right and her dad's left are the same side of the room. In shadowing, you both use the same side.

Space and safety

  • Use lots of open space: a backyard, a park field or a cleared room.
  • Look ahead and around you. Keep a body length of space from others.
  • Move backward slowly and check over your shoulder.
  • Do bear crawls and crab walks on grass, a carpet or a mat.
Worked example

Let's build a travelling pattern

Make a pattern with three parts, each using a different movement, level and pathway, for your backyard or a park.

  1. Part 1: Skip at a high level on a straight pathway from the tree to the fence.
  2. Part 2: Slide sideways at a medium level on a zigzag pathway along the fence.
  3. Part 3: Bear crawl at a low level on a curved pathway back to the tree.
  4. Check: 3 different movements (skip, slide, bear crawl), 3 levels (high, medium, low), 3 pathways (straight, zigzag, curved). ✔

Skip high and straight, slide medium and zigzag, then bear crawl low and curved. Every part is different!

Worked example

Let's mirror with a partner

Zara and her dad face each other. Zara leads. She slides to her right, then crouches low, then reaches high. What should her dad do?

  1. Mirroring is like a reflection. When Zara slides to her right, her dad slides to his left, so they stay face to face.
  2. When Zara crouches low, her dad crouches low too.
  3. When Zara reaches high, he reaches high.
  4. Zara moves slowly so her dad can keep up. They switch leaders after 1 minute.

Her dad slides to his left, crouches low, then reaches high, at the same time as Zara. Slow moves help partners stay together.

Just for fun

Why don't bears ever get lost during a bear crawl?

They always keep their bear-ings!

Hands-on activity

Travel dice game

You need: two dice (or paper slips in two cups), a skipping rope or a hoop, open space (yard, park or cleared room) and a partner.

Make two lists:

  • Movement die: 1 = skip, 2 = gallop, 3 = slide, 4 = hop, 5 = bear crawl, 6 = jog
  • Pathway and level die: 1 = straight high, 2 = straight low, 3 = curved high, 4 = curved medium, 5 = zigzag medium, 6 = zigzag low
  1. Roll both dice. Travel that way for 20 seconds. (Not every combo is possible: if you roll bear crawl and "high", choose a different level and explain why!)
  2. Roll again. This time, do it with a partner by shadowing or mirroring.
  3. Roll a third time and add equipment: skip with the rope or roll the hoop.
  4. Talk about it: Which combination was hardest? How did you and your partner stay together?

Your turn

1

Name the three levels.

2

Name the three pathways.

3

Give an example of travelling at a low level.

4

What is the difference between mirroring and shadowing?

5

Name one piece of equipment you can travel with, and how.

6

Do it and check: Gallop at a medium level on a curved pathway.

7

Do it and check: Slide sideways on a zigzag pathway.

More practice: warm-up

1

Is a crab walk a high or low movement?

2

What pathway looks like the letter Z?

3

What should you do before moving backward?

4

Name two locomotor movements.

5

In follow the leader, who copies?

More practice: on your own

1

Your mirror partner steps to their left. Which way do you step?

2

Make up a travelling pattern with 2 parts that uses 2 levels and 2 pathways.

3

Why is skipping a hard movement to do at a low level?

4

Your partner is much faster than you when shadowing. What could you say?

5

Draw (or describe) a pathway around your living room that uses curved and zigzag parts.

Challenge

1

Create a 4-part travelling routine for a partner pair that uses mirroring in one part, shadowing in another, at least 2 levels and equipment in one part.

2

Explain why changing pathway and direction is useful in games like tag.

3

Lucas says, "Mirroring is easy, you just do the exact same side." Is he right? Explain.

Check your understanding

Quiz

1.

Which movement is at a low level?

2.

Which is not a pathway?

3.

In mirroring, where is your partner?

4.

In shadowing, you...

5.

Which is a safe way to move backward?

6.

Rolling a hoop and jogging beside it is travelling...

For parents and teachers

Big idea: Grade 3 students perform a variety of locomotor movements with and without equipment, alone and with others, moving at different levels, using different pathways and travelling in different directions. The new challenge is combining these elements and moving in coordination with a partner.

How to help at home:

  • Play the travel dice game or call out combinations ("gallop, low, zigzag!").
  • Be your child's partner for mirroring and shadowing. Let them lead too.
  • Use a park or yard: a tree, a bench and a fence make great markers for pathways.

Common difficulties:

  • Mirroring confusion (left vs right). Start very slowly with arm movements only.
  • Gallop vs skip. Gallop: the same foot always leads. Skip: step-hop, alternating feet.
  • Bumping into things. Remind them to look ahead and keep a body length of space.

Social-emotional learning: Partner travelling builds communication and cooperation: agreeing on speed, taking turns leading, and noticing how a partner feels.