Know the Game: Rules, Skills and Common Features

Remember from Grade 4

In Grade 4 you sorted games into four categories: target, net/wall, striking/fielding and territory. You learned that games in the same category share features, so skills transfer from one to another. You also learned about individual activities like dance, swimming and skating.

This year you will dig into rules: why they exist, how to learn a new game's rules fast, and how to change rules fairly so everyone can play.

Joining a new game

You arrive at a park and some kids invite you into a game you've never played. What do you need to know before you start?

You don't need to know everything. If you ask a few smart questions, you can join in quickly, and you probably already have many of the skills you need.

Why do games have rules?

Rules do four big jobs:

1. Safety: no hitting, no high sticks, no pushing from behind.
2. Fairness: both teams get the same chances. Everyone follows the same rules.
3. Flow: the game keeps moving, with clear ways to start, restart and score.
4. Fun and challenge: rules make a game hard enough to be interesting. Without a rule against running with the ball, basketball would be pretty boring!

Games have rules about boundaries, scoring, how you may move with the object, contact, equipment and fair play.

Same category, different rules

Here are three territory games. Look at what's different, and what's the same:

Common features help you learn faster

Once you find the common features, you can transfer what you know:

• Territory: spread out, move to open space, give-and-go, mark a player. Works in basketball, soccer, ultimate, hockey and lacrosse.
• Net/wall: send to open space, return to a ready spot. Works in badminton, pickleball and volleyball.
• Striking/fielding: hit to the gaps, back up teammates. Works in softball, kickball and cricket.
• Target: choose the right force and aim. Works in bocce, curling and disc golf.
• Individual activities (running, swimming, skating, cross-country skiing, dance) share features too: good technique, pacing yourself, and working toward a personal goal.

Lacrosse: a game from this land

Lacrosse was first played by Indigenous peoples in North America, long before it became a modern sport. Many Haudenosaunee people call it the Creator's Game, and for many First Nations communities it has deep cultural and spiritual meaning. Lacrosse is Canada's national summer sport, and the Haudenosaunee Nationals team competes in international lacrosse today.

Lacrosse is a territory game: players use a stick with a net pocket to cradle, pass and catch a ball, and shoot into a goal. Many skills transfer from other territory games, like moving to open space.

Changing rules so everyone can play

Good players and leaders adapt rules so everyone can take part and have fun:

• Space: a smaller field so younger players aren't always running far.
• Equipment: a softer or bigger ball, a lower net, a bigger target.
• Rules: "Everyone touches the ball before we shoot," or "Catch and throw instead of hitting" (like newcomb).
• Sports adapted for people with disabilities: people who use wheelchairs play wheelchair basketball, with the hoop at the regular height and a rule that you dribble, pass or shoot after two pushes of your wheels. Sitting volleyball is played sitting on the floor with a lower net. Both are played at the Paralympic Games.

The best way to adapt a game for someone is to ask them what would work.