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By the end of this lesson, students will be able to explain the cultural significance of Peteca in Brazilian culture and demonstrate basic Peteca skills including proper hand positioning and serving techniques.

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This lesson aligns with Colorado Academic Standards:
Standard 1. Movement Competence and Understanding in Physical Education.
GLE: 1. Demonstrate the elements of movement in combination with a variety of locomotor skills
E.O.:  b. Demonstrate skipping, hopping, galloping, and sliding while transitioning on command (DOK 1-2)

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How do traditional games like Peteca reflect a country's culture and history? How can learning games from other cultures help us understand and appreciate diversity?

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Teacher will provide a brief history of Peteca, explaining that it originated with indigenous peoples in Brazil over 500 years ago. The game uses a hand shuttlecock called a 'peteca' which consists of a base weighted with sand or rubber and feathers. Show students examples of petecas and explain how the game is played in Brazil today.

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Peteca | Traditional Brazilian Sport | Trans World Sport

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Students will practice the following skill in pairs: Underhand hit
1. Proper hand position (flat palm, slightly cupped)
2. Serving the peteca upward from an underhand serve
3. Receiving a peteca from a partner
4. Continuous play with a partner

Teacher will circulate to provide feedback and assistance.

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Students will practice the following skill in pairs: Overhand hit
1. Proper hand position (flat palm, slightly cupped)
2. Serving the peteca straight or down from an overhand serve
3. Receiving a peteca from a partner
4. Continuous play with a partner

Teacher will circulate to provide feedback and assistance.

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Basic game of Peteca.

Each team member must hit/pass shuttlecock for awarded point

Must call out teammates name before passing

Sportsmanship and encouragement

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1) Psychomotor- TSWBAT- Hit the Peteca with their hands successfully, 3 out of 5 times, during all activities of the lesson.

SLO – What am I learning? How to hit a Peteca with my hand, successfully. Why do I need to know this? Peteca is a unique game that can be fun and competitive to play with friends. How will I know I learned this? I will be able to control my power and accuracy of hitting a Peteca with both of my hands.

2) Cognitive-TSWBAT- Develop an understanding of the culture, and skills of Peteca, throughout the lesson, by demonstrating the skills and doing a check for understanding quiz.

SLO - What am I learning? The culture and skills it takes to play Peteca. Why do I need to know this? To learn a new skill and learn a new, fun game.  How will I know I learned this? By answering the Check for Understanding about the culture and hitting the Peteca with my hand.

3) Affective- TSWBAT- Being aware of self, encouraging and supporting peers during the lesson of throwing basics.

SLO - What am I learning? Positive sportsmanship.. Why do I need to know this? To create an all inclusive safe environment.. How will I know I learned this? By feeling safe and communicating this to other students.

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Teacher will use a checklist to observe students demonstrating the following skills:
- Proper hand position
- Successful serves (3 out of 5 attempts)
- Successful returns (3 out of 5 attempts)
- Participation in team play

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Students will work in pairs to provide feedback on each other's technique using a simple rubric. Students will identify one strength and one area for improvement in their partner's peteca skills.

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Using a brief digital quiz on classroom tablets, students will answer 5 multiple-choice questions about the history and cultural significance of peteca in Brazil.

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Students will demonstrate their peteca skills in a final class activity, where each student must successfully serve and maintain a rally for at least 3 exchanges with a partner.

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Students will gather in a circle and discuss:
- What was most challenging about learning to play peteca?
- How is peteca similar to or different from games we play in the United States?
- What did you learn about Brazilian culture from this activity?

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Students will complete an exit ticket with these 3 prompts:
1. One new skill I learned today was...
2. One fact about Brazilian culture I discovered was...
3. Something I'm still curious about regarding peteca or Brazil is...

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Students will identify Brazil on a world map and explain at least three facts about Brazilian culture as it relates to the traditional sport of Peteca.

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This could be something to bring in parents to get a feel for games or activities that would work best for their children. What are some health and safety concerns they can help translate and represent for

their child? Allergies? Sleep issues? Disabilities?

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Our parents value education and their children's teachers

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Newcomer Tool Kit (U.S. Department of Education)

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Newcomer Tool Kit (U.S. Department of Education)

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From the Newcomer Tool Kit (U.S. Department of Education, 2017), I found several practical, trauma-informed strategies that can be easily applied in my physical education setting. The toolkit emphasizes creating a welcoming environment through multilingual signage, culturally diverse visuals, and personal greetings to help students feel represented and safe. In the PE classroom I am doing observations this semester, they have most of their signage in both English and Spanish. The school has welcomed numerous Newcomers from Venezuela where there is little to no English speaking or reading, making it important to embrace a learning environment.

It also recommends establishing peer buddy systems so newcomer students can learn routines, rules, and expectations from supportive classmates—something that fits naturally into partner or station-based PE activities. This is something that I have also observed in the school. Whether it be naturally, by children choosing to partner with other like students or done through the assistance of the teachers. It is incredible to see the kids helping each other out, wanting each other to have fun in PE.

Another key takeaway is the importance of using visual supports and predictable routines, such as posting a visual schedule for warm-up, activity, and cool down, to help students who may be adjusting to a new language or environment. This is naturally done with Physical Education. Students can see others running, skipping, jumping; movement is universal and does not need a translation to establish.

The guide also highlights the value of providing calm-down spaces for emotional regulation and promoting family engagement by inviting caregivers to participate in PE events or share cultural games. Overall, these strategies from the Newcomer Tool Kit reinforce the idea that consistent structure, inclusion, and empathy create a safe foundation for all students—especially those navigating a new school community.

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My lesson plan on peteca—a traditional Brazilian game—is culturally responsive because it introduces students to a sport outside of the typical American PE experience. By bringing in peteca, I’m not just adding a new activity; I’m showing students that sports from all cultures deserve space and value in our curriculum. This connects directly to Gloria Ladson-Billings’s work on culturally relevant teaching, which encourages teachers to draw on students’ backgrounds and cultural experiences to make learning more meaningful and fair for everyone (Ladson-Billings). Since most students haven’t played peteca or similar net games, I make sure to scaffold the lesson by starting with simple striking skills and then building toward movement, teamwork, and more complex challenges. This follows what Abraham Victor Steiner explains about effective culturally responsive PE teachers—they adjust instruction to support all learners, no matter their skill level or background (Victor Steiner).

The lesson is also trauma-informed because it is designed to feel safe, predictable, and relationship-based. Before jumping into competition or game play, students warm up, practice with partners, and learn expectations in a low-pressure way. These choices help reduce stress, build trust, and support students who may feel anxious or overwhelmed in fast-paced or competitive environments.

Throughout every stage—introduction, skill practice, gameplay, and reflection—I differentiate based on ability, comfort level, and prior experience. Students who are new to Brazilian games get extra modeling and explanation, while students who learn quickly can try extension activities, like longer rallies or advanced rules. I also invite students to think about how peteca might connect to games from their own cultures or families, helping them see themselves in the lesson. Overall, the peteca lesson blends cultural relevance, inclusivity, and trauma-informed practices in a way that supports engagement, belonging, and access for all students, which is exactly what research says effective teaching should do.

But That’s Just Good Teaching! The Case for Culturally Relevant Pedagogy, econedlink.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/LadsonBillings_Culturally-Relevant-Pedagogy.pdf. Accessed 1 Dec. 2025.

“Fisher Digital Publications.” Site, fisherpub.sjf.edu/education_ETD_masters/. Accessed 1 Dec. 2025.

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Focal Student Analysis and Lesson Reflection: Peteca Cultural Sport Lesson

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Focal Student Analysis and Lesson Reflection: Peteca Cultural Sport Lesson

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1. Aaliyah Thompson (she/her)

Aaliyah is a fifth-grade Black student from a single-parent household, information she shared during a beginning-of-year relationship-building activity. She displays strong visual-spatial awareness, patience, and thoughtful observation, often assisting peers through quiet, supportive gestures. Aaliyah’s primary learning needs relate to assertive communication and taking risks when tasks feel challenging. She tends to withdraw during fast-paced activities and may hesitate to voice confusion or advocate for support. Because she internalizes stress, she benefits from predictable structures, gentle check-ins, and opportunities for private or low-pressure participation.

2. Mateo “Teo” Ramírez (he/him)

Teo is a bilingual second-grade student whose family immigrated from Guatemala, information shared during family intake interviews. His strengths include high energy, creativity, imaginative problem-solving, and strong empathy toward peers. However, Teo sometimes struggles with emotional regulation, especially during transitions or competitive elements of a lesson. He may experience frustration when routines shift unexpectedly, and he benefits from clear visual schedules, structured movement breaks, and scaffolds that help him manage disappointment in skill-based tasks.

3. Jada Williams (she/they)

Jada is a fourth-grade multiracial (Black and white) student who uses she/they pronouns and lives with two fathers, an identity Jada shared in a beginning-of-year writing activity. They excel in rhythmic movement, balance, and reflective thinking, and they bring a patient, steady presence to partner tasks. Jada’s learning needs relate to social and physical risk-taking. They may avoid unfamiliar partners or hesitate to try new skills without feeling fully prepared. Predictability, autonomy in partner selection, and reflection-based learning activities help Jada feel confident in participating.

4. Elijah “Eli” Park (he/him)

Eli is a third-grade Korean American student whose family owns a local bakery, information he shared through a family poster activity. His strengths include attention to detail, strong coordination, and the ability to focus intensely during skill drills. Eli’s primary challenge is limited social flexibility; he prefers working with a small group of familiar peers and becomes anxious with unexpected partner changes or open-ended social tasks. He benefits from structured group assignments, advance notice of transitions, and defined roles within partner activities.

Critical Discussion: Differentiated Lesson Fit Through Windows and Mirrors

Aaliyah: What Works and What Doesn’t

The Peteca lesson provides meaningful mirrors for Aaliyah through its structured skill demonstrations, which align with her strengths as a careful observer. She thrives in partner work where she can support peers in quiet but effective ways. The cultural component of the lesson also offers windows into Brazilian Indigenous traditions, expanding her understanding of global perspectives. However, the lesson does not fully support her communication needs. Rapid partner rotations and competitive mini-games may overwhelm her, and the existing lesson structure does not incorporate explicit supports to help her advocate for herself. Additional check-ins, visual communication tools, and slower-paced progressions would strengthen her engagement.

Teo: What Works and What Doesn’t

Teo experiences strong mirrors in this lesson’s cultural content, which validates his bilingual, multicultural background. The creative flexibility embedded in exploration stations aligns with his imaginative learning style. Partner work also provides windows into peers’ communication and emotional strategies. However, frequent transitions and unpredictable group shifts may trigger emotional dysregulation. Without consistent transition routines or clear expectations, Teo could become frustrated or disengage. Adding visual schedules, countdown warnings, or co-created “challenge” stations would better support his needs.

Jada: What Works and What Doesn’t

The reflective and cultural aspects of the Peteca lesson offer powerful mirrors for Jada’s analytical and thoughtful identity. Their strength in rhythmic movement aligns well with Peteca’s coordination-based skill sequences, and the cultural conversation deepens engagement. The lesson also provides windows through peer interactions and exposure to a new sport. However, required partner rotations and fast-paced gameplay may push Jada too far outside their comfort zone, reducing confidence rather than expanding it. Allowing choice in partner selection and offering opt-in challenge levels would make the lesson more accessible.

Eli: What Works and What Doesn’t

For Eli, the technical and structured components of Peteca strongly align with his need for predictability and detail-oriented learning, creating mirrors that validate his strengths. Through partner activities, he encounters windows into collaborative practice and communication styles. Yet, abrupt partner changes or unstructured gameplay may heighten his anxiety. The existing differentiated plan lacks explicit routines to support his social flexibility needs. He would benefit from previewing partner assignments, clearly sequenced drills, and defined roles during group tasks.

Conclusion

Overall, the differentiated Peteca lesson successfully provides cultural windows for all focal students by introducing a non-Western sport and its historical context. It also incorporates skill scaffolds that offer mirrors for students who thrive with creativity, rhythm, or structured motor tasks. However, the lesson could more fully support students with communication challenges, emotional regulation needs, or social flexibility difficulties. By integrating predictable routines, intentional partner assignments, and optional challenge levels, the lesson can better meet the diverse strengths and needs of students like Aaliyah, Teo, Jada, and Eli. These adjustments would enhance the lesson’s cultural responsiveness while supporting equitable access for all learners.

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For an ideal Physical Education gym, my vision begins with plenty of natural light. The school where I am currently observing has no windows in the gym, and it often feels dark and enclosed, almost like a dungeon. I would prioritize large windows to create a bright, welcoming environment. I would also include a spacious equipment closet that keeps materials secure and out of students’ reach. Inside the closet, wide shelves and clear organization systems would help maintain consistency when accessing equipment and planning movement-skill lessons.

The gym itself should have enough open space for students to move safely, including areas outside the main play zone where students can wait their turn without being in the way. Ideally, elementary classes would be small enough to use the space safely and effectively. I would also invest in quality basketball hoops that are both height-adjustable and retractable so they can be tailored to different grade levels or moved aside when not in use.

Finally, I would choose real hardwood flooring instead of clay or carpet, both for safety and performance. At the center of the court, I would feature a large school logo to promote school pride and honor the surrounding community.