Review the proper form for throwing overhand, emphasizing that they must step with the opposite foot. Set up 5 cones on opposite sides of the gym. Set a mini plastic pumpkin on top of each cone. Divide the students into two teams. Each team has to stay on their side (I tell them they can't go past the half court line on the floor). If you don't have lines on the floor mark it off with tape or more cones so the students will know their boundaries. The object of the game is to stay on your side and try to throw the ball to the opposing team's side and knock a pumpkin off the cone. Once you throw your ball you may not cross over to the opposing team's side to retrieve it. However, the students may pick up and throw any thrown ball that may land on their team's side. If a pumpkin gets knocked over tell the students they have to put it under the cone (OUT OF SIGHT). The game is over when a team has no pumpkins in sight.

The game starts by reciting the poem "Five Little Pumpkins Sitting on a Gate":

Five little pumpkins sitting on a gate.
The first one said, "Oh, my it's getting late."
The second one said, "There are witches in the air!"
The third one said, "I don't care."
The fourth one said, "Let's run and run and run."
The fifth one said, "I'm ready for some fun."
OOOOOOO went the wind and OUT! went the lights.
And five little pumpkins rolled out of sight!

As soon as the poem is over, toss out the balls and have fun!

VARIATIONS:
• Start by having the students roll the ball to the cone rather than throw. The pumpkins will still fall down even if the ball hits only the cone.
• Tell the students that they can only power walk, gallop or skip to get a ball to throw.
• Vary the size of the cones used to make the "fence."

Use a skill checklist to observe proper overhand throwing form.