Kiwi Tag Kick-Off

Overview

This first lesson introduces Kiwi Tag as a non-contact invasion game and establishes the knowledge, skills, safety expectations, and health-promotion ideas needed for the unit. Students learn and apply basic rules through progressive activities before playing a short modified game.

Learning intentions

Students will:

• understand the purpose, basic rules, roles, and safety expectations of Kiwi Tag
• practise passing, receiving, evading, tagging, and spatial awareness
• explain how regular physical activity supports hauora and wellbeing
• communicate respectfully and apply fair-play behaviours in a modified game

Success criteria

• I can explain the main rules and safety expectations of Kiwi Tag.
• I can pass and receive safely while moving into space.
• I can use an effective evasion or defensive movement in a game.
• I can describe one way physical activity can support my hauora.

Curriculum links

• Health and Physical Education: Aotearoa New Zealand Curriculum Level 8, with emphasis on hauora, health promotion, interpersonal skills, and responsible decision-making.
• Health and Physical Education: Developing Practical Knowledge through movement skills, spatial awareness, and applying rules in a physical activity context.
• Health and Physical Education: Relationships with Other People through communication, cooperation, fair play, and sensitivity to others.
• Demonstrate understanding of dance performance practices: applying rehearsal, communication, refinement, and reflection processes to physical performance skills.

Lesson structure (50 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Hook and purpose. Teacher welcomes students at the playing area, displays the provocative question “Can a game be competitive, strategic, and safe without tackling?”, and opens the introduction and hook slides. Students discuss the question with a partner, then identify what they already know about tag games and physical activity.

2. 5–12 min · Rules, context, and safety. Teacher uses the Kiwi Tag rules and safety slides to explain that Kiwi Tag is a non-contact, invasion-style game involving two teams, passing, running, tagging, and scoring; clarify the local rules for tags, forward passes, out-of-bounds, restarts, and scoring. Students use the Kiwi Tag rules and hauora worksheet to record three key rules, two safety expectations, and one question they still have. Emphasise no tackling, pushing, pulling clothing, deliberate obstruction, or dangerous diving; tags are removed with controlled hands only.

3. 12–18 min · Movement preparation. Teacher leads a dynamic warm-up using changes of speed, direction, balance, and reaction, checking readiness and reminding students to keep eyes up and control their bodies. Students move in the marked area, respond to visual or verbal cues, and practise stopping safely, changing direction, and finding space while maintaining personal boundaries.

4. 18–27 min · Skill stations in groups. Teacher divides the class into five groups of five and demonstrates a short lateral pass, soft hands for receiving, a “pass and support” movement, and an evasion using a change of speed or direction. Students rotate through three teacher-directed activities: passing while moving, receiving and running into space, and attacker-versus-defender evasion with controlled tagging; observers give one specific piece of feedback using “What worked?” and “What could be clearer?”

5. 27–40 min · Modified Kiwi Tag game. Teacher sets up three small fields and organises five teams of five, with two games operating while one team completes an officiating or observation role; explain that possession changes after a tag, forward pass, dropped ball, or ball leaving the area. Students play short three-minute games, rotate roles, and focus on safe tagging, accurate passing, support play, communication, and finding space. Pause briefly between rounds to ask teams to identify one successful tactic and one adjustment.

6. 40–46 min · Health promotion and reflection. Teacher returns to the hauora and reflection slides and prompts: “How did the activity affect your physical, mental, social, or emotional wellbeing?” and “What could make Kiwi Tag inclusive for more people?” Students complete the final section of the Kiwi Tag rules and hauora worksheet, linking participation to energy, fitness, confidence, relationships, stress management, or enjoyment.

7. 46–50 min · Cool-down and exit check. Teacher leads a gradual cool-down and gathers responses using the reflection prompts cards, selecting prompts such as “What did I learn today?” and “What is my next step?” Students submit a brief oral or written response stating one rule, one skill they used, and one personal goal for the next lesson.

Resources

• the Kiwi Tag introduction deck
• the Kiwi Tag rules and hauora worksheet
• Soft Kiwi Tag or rugby balls
• Tag belts or ribbons
• Cones for three small playing areas
• Bibs or coloured team bands
• Whistle and stopwatch
• First-aid kit and drinking-water access
• the reflection prompts cards

Assessment

• Observe students during passing and evasion activities, checking control, spatial awareness, communication, and safe tagging.
• Question students during rule teaching and game pauses to assess whether they can explain decisions, turnovers, and fair-play expectations.
• Review worksheets and exit responses for accurate rules, a relevant hauora connection, and a realistic next-step goal.

Differentiation

• Support students with a visual demonstration, concise rule reminders, reduced playing areas, extra time to receive, and a less-complex ball where appropriate.
• Pair students strategically and allow learners to begin as an observer, communicator, or referee before entering play; provide clear options for participation where injury, disability, or anxiety affects movement.
• Extend confident students by challenging them to lead a team warm-up, officiate consistently, identify attacking patterns, or justify a tactical adjustment.
• Use mixed-ability groups, repeat instructions while students are stationary, and check understanding individually for students requiring additional processing time or language support. Encourage students to use key terms such as possession, support, space, tag, restart, and hauora.