KEY INFORMATION

Recommended age group: 7–11
Time required: one to two 45–60 minute sessions
Equipment: cones (or cushions/magazines/coasters that can be turned over), staplers/glue, A3/A4 card.


ACTIVITY IDEA

These activities can be completed with large or small groups, (the Domes and Dishes activity needs 2+ players), in the classroom or at home.

Definitions

Respect

  • Admiration for a person’s or thing’s good qualities. Politeness or consideration. (Oxford School Dictionary)
  • This value includes respect for yourself and your body, for other people, for rules and regulations, for sport and for the environment. (International Olympic Committee)

Part 1

  1. Ask the group to spread out in a space. Dodging around each other they must move around the space. When the whistle blows, they must high five each class member they meet and call out their name. Do this for 30 seconds, before blowing the whistle again to stop.
  2. Repeat the activity, using low fives, or a mixture of both (for added challenge students must strictly alternate between high and low fives, finding matching students to greet – e.g. students must find a partner who also needs a high five, then low etc., keeping their hand clearly high or low ready for the high/low five). For an alternative starter/warm up in a small group, asking players to jog on the spot then react as fast as possible to high five each other on your call - building up more complex sequences e.g. one high five, one high five one high ten, high low low high five etc. 
  3. Gather the group to recap on the activity. Showcase how the activity shows a level of respect for classmates. Ask students what they think ‘respect’ means. Add suggestions and key words to the lower half of the torch template on the Respect Torch Base activity sheet, before adding a definition to the top of the torch base. Cut this template out and stick it up on a wall, ready to come back to later in the session.

Part 2

  1. Respect can be shown in many ways. Simple acts of thanks and gratitude in sport and play can be brilliant examples of how we can show respect to others. Using the Domes and Dishes activity guide, explore ways of showing respect in play. Non-participants can be given the role of ‘Assistant Umpire’ to watch the game for particularly good examples of pupils showing respect. 
  2. Hold a short discussion after each iteration of the game: was the game fun, fair and what opportunities were there of showing respect? Ask any assistant umpires what positive examples of respect they spotted. Ensure the group understands what is meant by respect and the different ways in which it can be shown.

Part 3

(Depending on time, you may wish to complete the following activities in a follow up session.)

  1. Once the class has completed the Domes and Dishes activity, divide pupils into smaller groups to complete the Rings of Respect activity (see activity guide below).
  2. In the small groups get young people to identify five examples of respect that they have witnessed at school. Each example will make up a ‘ring of respect’ to be presented back to the class.
  3. After listening to all the respect examples, get each young person to note one example down on a Respect Torch Flame activity sheet. These cards are to be cut out and placed above the torch flame base to complete your class Respect Torch.
  4. Older/more confident pupils may be able to extend the discussion from ways of respecting others to how a young person their age might respect themselves – this may include eating well, exercising, being self-confident, valuing your own abilities and trying your best.
  5. Review your definition of respect with the class, adding any further key words to your respect torch base.
  6. To finish the session, ask pupils to create a second flame stating one thing they will try to do more often to respect themselves or others. Ask pupils to stick this in their books as their personal Respect Torch. 

Key learnings

Stress that respect can help creative positive experience in in sport and games, at school, at home or elsewhere. For example, in sport respect can build a sense of team spirit, a positive and enjoyable atmosphere between teams and officials, and an equal/fair environment in which everyone can take part. Older/more confident pupils will also understand that respect includes self-respect, including respect for your body and abilities.  

EXTENSION

  • Task pupils to discuss the topic of respect with their parents/guardian.
  • Working with parents/guardians as appropriate, ask pupils are to come up with individual words that showcase or are examples of respect to create an acrostic to spell RESPECT and/or SPORT. Each word must start with a letter from the words RESPECT and/or SPORT.
  • Ask pupils to create two sets of words. One that represents: respecting others and one that represents: respecting yourself.
  • For example: Respecting Others
    • S: Smile
    • P: Polite
    • O: Open
    • R: Regard 
    • T: Thankful