Home›Lesson Plans›PE & Health›Movement Skills · Grade 2

How to Catch a Ball

Second graders learn that catching is a skill with a few clear steps, from keeping their eyes on the ball to using soft hands, and put the catching steps in order.

Grade 2How to Catch a Ball45 minutes1 class periodSHAPEExplicit teaching4 StandardsSHAPE
Start the Lesson
Assign or share this lesson
Share to Google Classroom Share to Microsoft Teams

Copy link works with Canvas, Schoology, Moodle and any other LMS — paste it in as a resource or assignment.

Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Keep eyes on the ball.
  • ✓Make a target with your hands.
  • ✓Use soft hands.
  • ✓Order the steps.
Essential Question

A ball comes toward you. Catching feels tricky, but it is a few clear steps done in order. What do you do from eyes-on-the-ball to pulling it in?

0
Lesson Phases
0
Vocabulary Terms
0
Standards Aligned
0
Interactive Task
Order the Steps · Interactive

Order the Steps

Project this and put the steps of catching a ball in order — tap each one from watching the ball to pulling it in.

🏐 Put the steps of catching a ball in orderTry it
Tap the steps for catching a ball in order, starting with your eyes.
The Lesson · Health & PE Flow (Warm-Up · Learn · Practice · Apply · Cool-Down)

45 minutes, five moves

Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.

1

Hook — Eyes on the Ball

5 min

A ball comes toward you. Do you turn away, or reach out and grab it? Catching feels tricky, but it is really a few simple steps done in order. What do you do first?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Toss a soft ball up.
  • Ask what your eyes do.
  • Set the goal.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Watch.
  • Share.
  • Get ready.
2

Use — Order the Steps

12 min

Students put the catching steps in order.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send students to Order the Steps.
  • Order the steps.
  • Name each one.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Order.
  • Say.
  • Note it.
3

Modify — Soft Hands

13 min

Students practice giving with the catch.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Catch a slow toss.
  • Give with your hands as it lands.
  • Say what soft hands felt like.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Catch.
  • Give.
  • Say.
4

Create — My Catching Practice

15 min

Students design a catching drill.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Pick a way to practice catching.
  • Start easy, like a bounce or a roll.
  • Make it a little harder each time.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Pick.
  • Start.
  • Build.
5

Reflect — Making the Catch

5 min

Students reflect on catching.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Why keep your eyes on the ball?
  • What do soft hands do when you catch?
  • Complete the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Say it.
  • Say it.
  • Complete the exit ticket.
Standards Alignment

Built to the standards you report on

Aligned to the SHAPE America National Standards for Health Education and Physical Education.

SHAPE
PE.1

Demonstrate catching a ball using correct technique.

SHAPE
PE.2

Apply movement concepts of tracking an object and giving with the catch.

SHAPE
PE.3

Practice to improve a manipulative skill over time.

SHAPE
PE.5

Show focus and effort while learning a skill.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Step picture cards.
  • Sentence frame: “First I ___ , then I ___ .”
  • Order two steps at a time.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Start by catching a slow bounce.
  • Practice one step together.
  • Add one step at a time.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Catch from farther away or faster tosses.
  • Catch with one hand.
  • Coach a partner using the steps.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Projector / board
  • 🏐Soft balls to catch
  • 💻Order the Steps
  • 🧸Beanbags for easy catches
  • ✏️Pencils
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

catchto stop and hold a ball that comes to youtrackto follow the ball with your eyestargetthe shape your hands make for the ball to land insoft handshands that give a little so the ball does not bounce outgiveto let your hands move back as you catchmanipulative skilla skill that controls an object, like catchingready positionstanding balanced and prepared to movefocuskeeping your attention on the ball
Evaluate

Exit Ticket

Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.

QUESTION 1
Why do you keep your eyes on the ball?
So you can track where it is going and move your hands to the right spot to catch it.
QUESTION 2
What do soft hands do when you catch?
They give a little as the ball lands, so it does not bounce out of your hands.
QUESTION 3
What is the first step in catching a ball?
Watch the ball and keep your eyes on it.

Create: my catching practice.

Have students pick a way to practice, start easy with a bounce or roll, and make it a little harder each time, so catching improves with repetition. A printable catching worksheet is in the PE & Health library.

Study · Flashcards

Study the key terms

Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.

🃏 How to Catch a BallFlip
Card 1
Term
Tap to flip →
Meaning
0

Nice work!

Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.

📝 How to Catch a BallQuiz
Score: 0
1 / 6
Question 1
0%

Nice work!

Practice · Worksheet

Printable worksheet

A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.

🖨️ How to Catch a BallPrint
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: catch, focus, give, manipulative skill, ready position, soft hands, target, track
  1. hands that give a little so the ball does not bounce out
  2. to let your hands move back as you catch
  3. standing balanced and prepared to move
  4. keeping your attention on the ball
  5. the shape your hands make for the ball to land in
  6. a skill that controls an object, like catching
  7. to stop and hold a ball that comes to you
  8. to follow the ball with your eyes

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. Why do you keep your eyes on the ball?
  2. What do soft hands do when you catch?
  3. What is the first step in catching a ball?
Answer key — Part A: 1) soft hands · 2) give · 3) ready position · 4) focus · 5) target · 6) manipulative skill · 7) catch · 8) track
Part B: 1) So you can track where it is going and move your hands to the right spot to catch it. 2) They give a little as the ball lands, so it does not bounce out of your hands. 3) Watch the ball and keep your eyes on it.