B. Active Living / C. Movement Competence · Active Living and Movement: Train, Plan, Stay Safe and Play Smart

Know the Game: Rules, Skills and Fair Play Across Many Activities

C2 B1 A1.4About 40 minutes

Learning goals

I can explain the main rules of several activities and the skills needed to take part.
I can show fair play, including in self-officiated games like ultimate.
I can describe how sports are adapted so people with disabilities can take part.
I can learn a new activity by finding out its rules, skills and safety needs.

Words to know

rule
An official instruction for how an activity is played.

etiquette
Polite, respectful behaviour expected in an activity.

self-officiated
Played without a referee; players make and settle their own calls.

Spirit of the Game
Ultimate's idea that players are responsible for fair play and respect, even in competition.

adapted sport
A sport with changed rules or equipment so people with disabilities can play, like sitting volleyball or wheelchair basketball.

turnover
When possession changes to the other team, for example after a dropped pass.

Remember from Grade 6

In Grade 6 you learned about conventions and etiquette, took a turn as the official, and designed your own game.

In Grade 7 you'll learn the actual rules and skills of several real activities that you can play for life, including a game where players are the referees, and see how sports are adapted so that everyone can play.

Hook: no referee?

In most games of ultimate, there's no referee. If a player thinks there was a foul, they call it themselves, and the players talk it out. How could that possibly work?

It works because of a shared promise called the Spirit of the Game: everyone agrees to know the rules, play fair, and respect each other. It's one of the best examples of fair play in sport.

A white flying disc floats above a grass field while players in red and blue shirts run in the distance. — Ultimate is usually played without a referee: players call their own fouls and settle them by talking, using the Spirit of the Game. AI-generated image

Activity	Key rules	Key skills
Ultimate (territory)	Score by catching the disc in the end zone. You can't run with the disc: pivot and pass. The thrower has a stall count of 10 seconds. A dropped, blocked or out-of-bounds pass is a turnover. No contact. Players make their own calls.	Backhand and forehand throws, catching, cutting to get open, marking
Volleyball (net/wall)	Up to 3 touches per side. The same player can't touch the ball twice in a row. The ball can't be caught or thrown. A point is scored on every rally.	Forearm pass (bump), overhead set, underhand serve, ready position
Badminton (net/wall)	Serve underhand and diagonally. A point is scored on every rally. The shuttle must not touch the floor on your side.	Underhand serve, overhead clear, drop shot, footwork back to base
Disc golf (target)	Fewest throws wins. Throw your next shot from where your disc landed. The player farthest from the basket throws first.	Backhand drive, putting, choosing force and line
Soccer (territory)	During play, only the goalkeeper may use hands, inside their own penalty area. Throw-ins use two hands over the head with both feet on the ground.	Passing, receiving, dribbling, shooting, positioning

Rules and skills of five lifelong activities. Rules can be simplified for beginners, but knowing the real ones helps you join any game.

A classic volleyball rally on one side: bump, set, hit. No player may touch the ball twice in a row.

Adapted sports: everyone can play

Many sports have been adapted so people with disabilities can play. Some are also Paralympic sports:

Sitting volleyball: players play seated on the floor with a lower net; they must stay in contact with the floor when they play the ball.
Wheelchair basketball: players who use wheelchairs play on a regular court with a regular hoop; a player holding the ball may push their wheels no more than twice before passing, shooting or dribbling.
Boccia: a precision target game, similar to bocce, for athletes with significant physical disabilities.
Sledge hockey (para ice hockey): players sit on sledges and use two short sticks with picks on one end for pushing.

Anyone can try many of these. Playing sitting volleyball with your family is a great way to understand them.

Learning a new activity: four questions

Goal: How do you score or win?
Rules: How can you move with the object? What's a foul? How do you restart?
Skills: Which skills do you need, and which can you practise first?
Safety and etiquette: What gear is needed? What's the respectful way to behave?

Inuit and Dene traditional games are great examples of games with clear rules and skills that are still played and celebrated today, for example at the Arctic Winter Games. In the one-foot high kick, athletes jump, kick a hanging target with one foot, and must land on that same foot.

Making a call fairly

In a self-officiated game: call what you actually saw, speak calmly, listen to the other player's view, and if you can't agree, replay the point. Never make a call just to win. A respectful conversation keeps the game fun for everyone.

Just for fun

Funny but true: after many ultimate games, both teams gather in a "spirit circle" and say kind things about each other. Imagine doing that after a really close game of tag!

Worked example

Let's settle a call in ultimate

Mia jumps for a catch. Her defender bumps her arm and the disc falls. Mia calls "Foul!" The defender says, "I touched the disc, not you."

Stop play when the foul is called.
Each player calmly explains what they saw. Mia: "I felt contact on my arm before the disc arrived." Defender: "I think I got the disc first."
Agree or replay: if the defender agrees there was contact first, Mia gets the disc. If they truly can't agree, the disc goes back to the thrower and they replay the throw.
Shake it off: play on in good spirit.

A calm talk, honest calls, and a replay if needed. That's the Spirit of the Game.

How players settle a call in ultimate with no referee. If they truly can't agree, the throw is replayed: that's the Spirit of the Game.

Hands-on activity

Rule-and-skill tryout

You need: a flying disc (or a sturdy paper plate for short distances), a beach ball or volleyball, a laundry basket or bucket as a disc golf "basket", markers, and family or friends.

Warm up first (5 minutes): march or jog on the spot, arm circles, leg swings holding a wall, and a few gentle skips. Add short partner passes.

Mini disc golf: set out 3 "holes" in a yard or park (a start marker and a basket 10 to 25 m away). Play using the real rules: fewest throws wins, throw from where your disc landed, farthest player throws first.
Sitting volleyball: sit on soft grass or a carpet with a rope or string at about 1 m high between two chairs. Use a beach ball and the volleyball rules: up to 3 touches, no one touches twice in a row, keep in contact with the ground when playing the ball.
Mini ultimate: 2-on-2 with small end zones. Use the real rules, including the 10-second stall count. Make your own calls with Spirit of the Game.
Afterwards, rate your own fair play from 1 to 5, and write one rule you now understand better.

Safety: Throw only when the path is clear of people. Sitting volleyball: give each other space. Ultimate: no contact.

Your turn

How many touches does a volleyball team get on its side?

In ultimate, what must you do when you catch the disc?

In disc golf, who throws first after the tee shots?

What is the Spirit of the Game?

Name two adapted sports.

List the four questions to ask when learning a new activity.

More practice: warm-up

In soccer, who may use their hands during play?

How do you serve in badminton?

What wins in disc golf?

What does self-officiated mean?

What is a turnover?

More practice: on your own

In volleyball, Sam bumps the ball, then immediately sets it himself. Is that allowed? Why?

You're not sure whether your disc golf throw landed in or out of bounds and your opponent didn't see. What's the fair-play choice?

Why are adapted sports important, both for athletes with disabilities and for everyone else?

A soccer player's throw-in lifts one foot off the ground. What's the rule?

Use the four questions to describe tobogganing or skating at a public rink.

Challenge

Explain why ultimate can work without referees, and one situation where it might be hard.

A badminton rally: you win 7 rallies, your opponent wins 5. Using rally scoring, what's the score? How many more rallies do you need to reach 21 if you win every rally?

Design an adaptation of ultimate so a friend who uses a wheelchair can play on a paved court. Explain how it stays fair and fun.

Check your understanding

Quiz

In ultimate, after you catch the disc you must:

Which is true in volleyball?

What is the Spirit of the Game?

Which is an adapted sport?

In disc golf, who throws first after the first shots?

You and an opponent can't agree on a call in a self-officiated game. A fair choice is:

For parents and teachers

Big idea: Grade 7 students understand the rules and practise the skills needed for a variety of activities, show fair play, and learn how activities can be adapted so everyone can participate.

How to help at home:

Play mini disc golf or sitting volleyball as a family.
Watch a game together and ask your child to explain a rule.
Praise honest calls and good sportsmanship more than winning.

Common difficulties:

Making calls to win. Discuss honesty and replays.
Getting frustrated with unfamiliar rules. Use the four questions to learn step by step.
Assumptions about disability. Emphasize that adapted sports are high-level, competitive sports.

Social-emotional learning: Settling calls calmly and including everyone builds healthy relationships (A1.4); enjoying a wide variety of activities supports active participation (B1).