develop an increased awareness of how their bodies move and use this knowledge in problem solving (2B1);
recognise how helping others enhances relationships between individuals and within groups (2C1).

Underlying concepts

Socio-ecological perspective

Recognising the need for mutual care and shared responsibility between themselves and others.

Possible learning activities

This is a game that involves actively helping others. The students choose a challenging pathway to move along, taking responsibility for Hogsnort (a beanbag) as they move. The goal of this activity is for the students to help their classmates while completing the pathway.

Explain the whole activity (see below) to the students and give them time to practise moving with their Hogsnort beanbag balanced on their heads. The students could consider how well they can balance and what they have to do or how they have to move in order to balance Hogsnort on their heads.
Discuss with the students where and how they could take Hogsnort on an adventure, such as to the beach, through the bush, or on the ocean, and what sort of challenges and problems this might involve. The students could then move around the area, each balancing Hogsnort on their head and following their chosen adventure at their own pace.
If Hogsnort falls off a student's head, that person is stuck to the spot. Without dropping their own Hogsnort, another student must pick up the fallen Hogsnort and replace it on the "stuck" student's head so that they can continue their journey. Younger students may find it easier to hold their own Hogsnort while helping another.
Suggest ways for the students to move along their chosen adventure pathway, such as moving backwards, slowly, faster, sideways, stiffly, smoothly, low, or high.
At different stages throughout their journey, the students can say how many Hogsnorts they have returned to another person's head, how many times their own Hogsnort has been replaced on their own head, and how it feels to help others and be helped (2C1).

Variations and extensions to this activity could include the following:

Use music as an added stimulus to explore different ways of moving.
The students could hold onto a partner's hand and maintain contact as they move.
Add more challenging equipment to extend more able students.
Add a second Hogsnort to be balanced on the back of the students' hands.
Encourage the students to venture out into the playground, as their confidence grows, to move over fixed objects and different terrain.

Assessment opportunity

Students respond to the following questions.

How did it feel to help others?
How did it feel to be helped by others?
What else could you do to help others?
Who helps us? Who do we help? (2C1)

Teachers' notes

The resources required for these activities could include:

one beanbag (or similar) per person;
a selection of obstacles suitable for the students to move around, through, over, under, and between, such as cones, hoops, lines on the pavement, benches, boxes, or the adventure playground.

Movement skills

This activity allows the students to explore dynamic and static balance.