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Back to Activity Guides : Get the Acrobat Version

OctaWeb™ Activity Guide

#1-88851

Introduction

The OctaWeb is an "a-maz-ing" portable skill center with a dynamic design making it the optimal octagonal for all ages and ability levels! Maximizing limited space, the spider web design provides a natural place for students to explore movement while building ball-handling and sports skills, and perceptual motor skills such as: body and spatial awareness, gross motor skills, coordination, balance, laterality, directionality, dimensionality, eye/hand and eye/foot and foot coordination.

Your students can use OctaWeb in so many imaginative and fun ways from individual skills to cooperative partner/group games and activities. They will be gaining movement proficiency, strength, endurance, flexibility, agility and stamina while "Running The Web", playing "Spider", "Spider Dodge", "Don�t Get Caught in the Web", and other exciting games and activities you will find in this activity guide.

Creating the Web

Follow the assembly instructions on page 4 for assembling the OctaWeb frame. Decide which of the designs described below you want to use; OctaWeb I, II, III, IV or V. The placement of the colored Bungee cords is very important for the most effective use. Each Bungee cord should be attached in this way: first attach one fastener of a bungee to a silver ring on the lime green rope circle. You will find included in your kit a package of 32 silver rings. Before attaching the Bungee cords out to the frame, place two of these silver rings on each cord in this manner: loop each ring on the Bungee by feeding the Bungee�s free end through the ring twice. These "slip rings" can easily be moved along the Bungee, though when finally positioned, they are secure. Next attach the fastener of the free end of the Bungee to the appropriate loop on the underside of the OctaWeb frame. Depending on the age and skill level of your students, choose one of these two levels for placement of your web. For a lower level web, place hook directly from the circle to the loop on the underside of the frame. For a higher level web, bring the Bungee over the top of the frame, around the outside of the frame, then hook the fastener to the loop on the underside of the frame.

Note: A challenge placement of the web can be achieved by combining the two levels of placement and alternating the high and low levels. The frame should not be stood upon.

OCTAWEB I DESIGN
Place the lime green rope circle in the center of the assembled frame. Attach one of each of the 16 colored Bungee cords to one of each of the 16 silver ring fasteners on the rope circle in this manner: two red, two purple, two yellow, two blue, two red, two purple, two yellow, two blue. Notice this creates sections of the same color across from each other. After installing two silver "slip rings" on each Bungee, stretch and attach each Bungee cord to frame, (either straight to the fastener on the underside for a lower level, or over the frame and around to the underside loop for a higher level). This design lends itself to dividing the class into four (4) different color groups. Each of these color groups can be divided into two equal numbered groups positioned across the web from each other at their designated color section.

Note: Four (4) or Eight (8) Bungee cords could be used to create larger sections. Color code appropriately.

OCTAWEB II DESIGN
Place the lime green rope circle in the center of the assembled frame. Attach one of each of the 16 colored Bungee cords to one of each of the 16 silver ring fasteners on the rope circle in this manner: four red, four blue, four purple, four yellow. Notice this creates four large colored areas. After installing two silver "slip rings" on each Bungee, stretch and attach each bungee as described in the OctaWeb I Design. This design lends itself well to dividing the class into four (4) large different color groups that work well with team games and activities that move in sequential order.

OCTAWEB III DESIGN
Position on each Bungee one of the silver "slip rings" halfway between the lime green rope circle and the frame. Tie one end of the long orange rope included in your kit to one of the slip rings. Now feed the orange rope through the positioned "slip rings" around the web forming a circle.

Note: Due to the length of the rope you will have excess rope, do not cut but feed through a second time as necessary. This design effectively gives 32 sections when using 16 Bungees, creating two circles in addition to the center circle and is useful for "fast" lane and "slow" lane moving activities.

OCTAWEB IV DESIGN
Position on each Bungee one of the silver "slip rings" approximately 14 1 /2" from the center lime green rope circle. Position the second "slip ring" approximately 14 1 /2" from this first "slip ring." This divides the Bungees into thirds. Now tie the orange rope to one of the "slip rings" nearest the frame. Feed the rope through the other rings nearest the frame stopping with the "slip ring" just before the ring you tied on to.

Note: This creates a circle with a small open section between the beginning ring and ending ring. Now feed the end of the orange rope up along the Bungee (toward the center lime green rope circle) through the ring directly in line with the ending ring. Create a second circle with the orange rope by feeding it through the �slip rings� closest to the lime green center circle and tie off this end of the orange rope.

You have three circles in addition to the center circle providing three lanes, one with a "lane change station" (this is the small open section described above). Try positioning the "slip rings" at different distances to create different size circles with different sections.

OCTAWEB V DESIGN
Now that you are familiar with positioning the "slip rings" and using the orange rope, tie one end of the orange rope to the frame and create a spiral design by appropriately positioning the "slip rings" around the frame and up to the lime green rope circle in the center.

OCTAWEB ACTIVITY IDEAS

Once you have your OctaWeb set up, we know you will be able to think of endless possibilities for practicing and reinforcing individual, partner, group and team skills. OctaWeb can be used to build the physical skills of dribbling, throwing, catching, passing, kicking, shooting, bouncing, trapping, volleying, rolling, etc. that are integral in sports. Below you will find activity ideas for suggested use with your OctaWeb. Please choose activities appropriate for your students� age and ability level. Use these as a springboard for you and your students to come up with other creative uses of your OctaWeb.

Physical Skills

EXPLORING THE WEB IDEAS

Make sure students are told they are to accomplish the activities below without stepping on the Bungee cords or the frame.

  • Set your web up as part of an obstacle course.
  • Have the students travel over the Bungee cords on the inside of OctaWeb using various locomotor movements. Do these skills forward, backward, sideways, clockwise and counterclockwise.
  • Use locomotor movements traveling around the OctaWeb while straddling the frame.
  • Travel around the OctaWeb alternating moving inside and outside of the frame�s edge without touching the frame or the Bungees.
  • A variation of the above activities is to create a sequence of moves that repeats in a pattern while traveling the OctaWeb.
  • Any of these activities could also be done as "Timed" skills.
  • A fun activity is to travel around OctaWeb using a spider walk, (only hands and feet touching the floor). A challenging and fun activity is to "spider walk" the Octa Web with a partner creating an eight-legged spider.
  • Using OctaWeb III or IV designs, have them travel across OctaWeb. Also repeat the above activities utilizing the smaller sections now created in these designs.

BALL HANDLING ACTIVITIES IDEAS

  • Run inside the web, not touching any of the Bungees, while dribbling a ball close around the outside edge of the frame.
  • Run the web and pass a ball to a partner. Do this activity again and pass/catch the ball only at predetermined color sections.
  • Have your students practice skills and drills of throwing, trapping, catching, kicking, hitting, volleying, rolling, etc. using OctaWeb by traveling over, around (both inside and outside the frame), through and across it.
  • Have partners bounce a ball to each other across the web in a designated section of the web.
  • Have your students practice the above listed skills near to and far from the outside of the frame using the OctaWeb as a "basket" or "goal".

    Suggestion: Use the OctaWeb in the same manner as described above using different manipulatives such as bean bags, spider balls, small foam balls, etc.

    GROUP GAMES

    "Spider Dodge" � Play an OctaWeb version of "Dodge Ball." Have all players, (the "flies"), stand around the outside of the OctaWeb frame (throwing distance which is age/ability appropriate) with a soft foam ball. The person who is it (or the "spider") stands in the center of the lime green circle.

    "Spider" � This is a variation of "Horse" where players use a bean bag. They must designate what area of the web they will be throwing the bean bag into before they demonstrate the type of throw that must be done. A spider ball can also be fun to use. OctaWeb Design IV gives many options.

    "OctaSquare" � Play an OctaWeb version of "Four Square"

    "Don�t Get Caught In The Web" � Play an OctaWeb version of tag.

    TEAM & RELAY GAMES

    Give relays a different "spin" by having teams maneuver through, around, over, across, etc. the OctaWeb. Students have fun while trying to balance objects, using manipulatives, or linking with a partner and traveling the web.

    EARLY CHILDHOOD GAMES & ACTIVITIES

    "Spin A Story" � Use literature to have students discover the web. A suggestion is The Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle. Another suggestion is to use a "Spider" puppet to tell the life story of a spider beginning with the egg and ending with spinning a web. Young students love to act out the story as the "spider" puppet tells it. Use resource books and visuals to enhance this experience.

    "Spider Math" � Explore geometric shapes, counting, etc. through use of the OctaWeb.

    "Musical Spider" � Using musical accompaniment, have students travel the web while the music plays. Have them do various skills when the music stops, such as: axial movement skills, balancing skills, going to a certain color section, etc.

    "OctaWeb Spider Poem"� Have students practice Axial and Locomotor movements by changing the words in bold in the poem below.

    OctaWeb Spider Poem
    by Bonnie Berman & Sally Loo

    Jump little Spider
    In Your OctaWeb space
    Freeze!
    And make a happy face

    Note: You can replace the word Jump with axial or locomotor movement words. You can replace the word happy with any emotion or feeling word.

     

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