Paper Scissors Rock Relay

Year Levels

Years 3–4 (ages approx. 7-9)

Duration

60 minutes

Class Size

35 students

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Overview

This lesson is the eighth in the unit Oma Roa: Journey to Fun Run. The focus is on building running endurance through fun, cooperative activities. Students will engage in a relay race integrated with the traditional game "Paper Scissors Rock" (also known as "Rock Paper Scissors") to make the activity more interactive and enjoyable.

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Learning Objectives (WALT - We Are Learning To)

• Incorporate enjoyment and teamwork in physical activity to build running endurance.
• Understand and apply the rules of a relay race with an embedded decision-making game.
• Demonstrate cooperation, turn-taking, and fair play in a team-based physical activity.

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Success Criteria

By the end of the lesson, students will:

• Complete the relay race as part of a team with cooperation and encouragement.
• Use the "Paper Scissors Rock" game correctly to decide which team member runs next.
• Show endurance by maintaining running effort throughout their leg of the relay.

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Curriculum Links

Health and Physical Education Curriculum (Level 2/3 – Years 3-4)

• Movement concepts and motor skills: Participate in partner, group, and team activities demonstrating cooperation and movement skills (Run, jump, throw) for endurance and fitness.

• Active participation: Value participation in physical activity for enjoyment and social interaction.

• Personal and social competence: Understand and apply rules, demonstrate fair play and cooperate with others during physical activity.

• Key Competencies: Participating and contributing in group activities and Managing self through regulating effort and motivation in physical tasks.

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Equipment Needed

• Cones or markers to set up running relay lanes.
• Visual prompts showing the "Paper Scissors Rock" hand gestures.
• Stopwatch or timer (optional, for pacing).
• Whistle for start and signals.
• Dyslexia-friendly printed activity instructions with clear images and minimal text.

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Lesson Breakdown

Time	Activity	Details	Differentiation & Supports
5 min	Warm-up	Gentle jogging around field + dynamic stretches (arm circles, high knees). Teacher models and calls movements.	Offer visual and verbal prompts. Pair slower students with peers for support.
10 min	Introduction & Explanation	Explain relay rules and how "Paper Scissors Rock" determines runner order. Demonstrate gestures and play a sample round as a class.	Use clear, concise language and display hand gesture images. Provide dyslexia-friendly instructions that use symbols and minimal text.
30 min	Main Activity: Paper Scissors Rock Relay	- Divide class into 7 teams of 5 students. - Each team lines up behind start line. - Two teams line up opposite each other. - At "Go", first runners from opposing teams play "Paper Scissors Rock". Winner runs their leg first, then the next runner is decided by next game. - Continue until all team members complete the relay. - Encourage positive communication and encouragement among teammates.	Differentiate based on student ability: - Allow short walking breaks for students needing less endurance. - Assign roles such as scorekeeper or umpire for less active participants. - For advanced learners, add a requirement to increase speed by a certain amount each leg or keep time and compare to previous sessions.
10 min	Cool-down & Reflection	Slow walking and stretching. Group discussion: - What helped your team work well? - How did playing "Paper Scissors Rock" make the relay fun? - How could you improve endurance for next time?	Encourage all students to share thoughts; use sentence starters to support expressive communication.

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Differentiation Strategies

• Physical accommodations: Shorter relay distances or allow students to walk or jog sections as needed.
• Cognitive supports: Use clear, visual aids for game rules; break down instructions into small steps.
• Social-emotional: Pair students who might be shy with supportive teammates; emphasise encouragement and positive language.
• Language: Use key vocabulary posters with images: relay, endurance, cooperation, ready, go, win, team.
• Dyslexia-friendly: Provide instructions and rules using large clear fonts, pictures, and simple sentences.

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Assessment Opportunities

• Formative Assessment: Observe participation, cooperation, and understanding of game rules during activity. Use a checklist for teamwork, rule-following, and effort.
• Self-assessment: After the relay, students share how well they think they worked with their team and what they learned about endurance.
• Peer feedback: Students provide one positive comment to a teammate after the activity.

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Extension Activities

• For students showing advanced endurance and coordination, introduce variations such as:
• Increasing the distance for each relay leg.
• Incorporating obstacles to run around safely.
• Introducing a scoring system to keep track of games won during "Paper Scissors Rock".

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Additional Notes

• This lesson promotes resilience and motivation by integrating a delightful decision-making game, enhancing student engagement with running skills.
• The use of "Paper Scissors Rock" ties in cognitive skills such as prediction and strategic thinking alongside physical endurance.
• This lesson aligns well with the New Zealand Curriculum focus on holistic wellbeing and physical education that fosters lifelong enjoyment in active play and exercise.

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This lesson plan is designed to energise students whilst fostering teamwork, cooperation, and endurance in a playful, culturally familiar format that meets the New Zealand Curriculum and caters to diverse learners in your class.