Ideas to Try
1. Ask the children to bring in examples of as many bats, rackets and types of ball as they can. Encourage the children to consider the following questions:
Bats/Rackets
- What materials have been used to make this bat/racket?
- What is the weight of the bat/racket?
- What is the length of the bat/racket?
- Why is the bat/racket designed in this way?
- Why are some bats/rackets strung and others solid?
- Why are some bats/rackets heavier/longer than others/
- What is the function of the bat /racket in the game it is designed for?
- What techniques do players use in the specific game?
Ball
- What is the weight of the ball/shuttlecock, etc?
- How does that weight relate to the bat/racket designed to hit it?
- What effect does the ball /shuttlecock have on the design of the bat/racket?
- What materials have been used to make the ball/shuttlecock?
- Contrast the bounce of the various balls/shuttlecocks.
- Encourage the children to try out the different balls/shuttlecocks with different bats/rackets. What do they observe?
- Is the particular ball/shuttlecock effective with the bat/racket designed for it? If so, why?
- Could either the bat/racket or the ball/shuttlecock be improved in any way?
2. An interesting activity would be to ask the children to invent a new game using an unorthodox bat/racket and ball/shuttlecock combination. They should devise rules for the game and ask other children to try it out and report their findings.
3. As in cricket, most traditional games have evolved over a period, often with changing rules and equipment. Encourage the children to research into the development of a game of their choice.
4. Give the class the opportunity to produce observational drawings/sketches of equipment of their choice using charcoal, felt pen, fine line pen or pencil.
