Sharks In The Water | Minor Game for all ages!

A high-energy game, that works for any age group Reception to Year 10. A minor game that can be a great warm-up for older students or a great minor game to teach younger students about decision-making, teamwork and high-pressure decision-making during physical activity!

There are many benefits to creating fun pressure situations in physical activity games. Not only does it encourage students to be active and increase their effort during the activity, it also prepares students for more complex games and structured sports when pressure may effect their decision making ability and technical skill. This minor game is a great teaching tool to unpack and discuss these dilemmas with your students and strategise ways to over come them not only in this game but also in future game play.

This game has been a staple in my programs across year levels as it requires minimal resources (that’s a big tick in my box!) and due to its fun creative storyline students tend to really enjoy this game. The way the game is explained in this resource is just a guideline, it can be modified and changed in many ways to suit the needs of your students and lesson objectives.

Have a read and let me know what you think!

What Do You Need?

Hula-hoops
Court space
Music (optional)

How To Play?

The teacher randomly places hoops around the playing area
Once hoops are placed, they cannot be touched or moved.
Hoops are ‘Reefs’ in the game
The rest of the playing space is considered the ocean
One student is selected to be a shark (Tagger)
When the game starts, all students have to move around the playing area and cannot stand still (Swim) or be around/in the hoops (reef). The shark (tagger) waits outside of the basketball court during this time.
The teacher will then yell ‘Sharks in the water!!’, when this happens all students will need to run to the reefs as quick as possible and step into the hoop to avoid being tagged by the shark.
When the teacher yells ‘Sharks in the water’ the shark runs from outside of the court and into the ocean trying to tag as many fish as he can before they get into the hoop.
Students are not allowed to push others outside of the hoop and if they fall out they can be tagged.
If the shark tags a student, they become a shark and the game continues not with more taggers. If the shark can not catch the fish that are not on the reef, the teacher can restart the game again.

Optional:

This game can be played with music- when the music stops that means ‘sharks in the water’
When the music is on, the fish are free to swim

When the teacher yells “Sharks in the water! (Or when the music stops)

What Is The Goal Of The Game?

Students to avoid being tagged by the shark
To make decision in high pressure situations
Reading the field of play to assess for successful outcomes

How Can You Modify It?

Make It Easier!

Students get two chances
Make the playing area bigger
Sharks stand further back to allow more time for students to find a reef

Make It Harder!

Slowly remove hoops
Limit how many students can be in a hoop at a time
Boys can only be in a specific-coloured hoop and girls in a specific-coloured hoop

What Are The Main Skills Being Utilised?

Technical Skills:

Fundamental Movement Skills:

Locomotor- run, jump, dodge, lunge, side step, leap
Stability- turning, balance, stopping, bending, stretching

Tactical Skills:

Scanning the field of play to make decisions
Looking for gaps on the field to avoid being tagged
Cooperative play, supporting teammates
Following rules and structures of a game
Critical thinking through decision-making

Why are high pressure minor games beneficial for our students?

Managing Stressful Situations: Engaging in high-pressure P.E. games can help students develop effective stress management skills. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), exposure to controlled stress in activities like competitive sports can teach individuals how to handle pressure in a healthy manner. This can translate into improved resilience and coping mechanisms both in academic and real-life situations.
Better Outcomes in Pressure Scenarios: Participating in high-pressure P.E. games provides students with opportunities to perform under stress. Individuals who regularly faced high-pressure situations showed improved performance over time. The study suggests that exposure to pressure can lead to better performance outcomes, as individuals become more accustomed to managing stress and focusing on task execution (Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied, “Pressure Increases Performance”).
**Teamwork and Communication Skills: **High-pressure P.E. games often require teamwork and effective communication, which are essential life skills. Research indicates that team sports can significantly improve communication skills among adolescents. The pressure of competition encourages students to collaborate, strategize, and communicate effectively with their teammates to achieve common goals. These skills are transferable to various aspects of life, including academic settings and future careers (Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, “Team Communication”).