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March Fun: Basketball Lesson Plans

If you can't beat 'em, join 'em! Make the most of your students' interest in the NCAA basketball tournaments with these cross-curricular lessons and activities. Included: Additional online resources about basketball.

The 2014 Men's NCAA Basketball Tournament, part of basketball's March Madness, starts March 18. The Women's NCAA Basketball Tournament begins March 22. Take advantage of student interest in the tournaments by adapting your classroom activities to the activity taking place on the basketball court. Basketball can be incorporated into almost every area of the curriculum -- from physics to poetry, from math to music!

 

Basketball Scavenger Hunt
 
Students build comprehension skills as they learn about basketball history. Printable student work sheet included.
 

A brief description of each activity appears below. Click any headline for a complete teaching resource. See additional lesson plan resources at the end of this article.

Figure the Winner
Students use math to predict the winners of the NCAA basketball tournaments. (Grade 9-12)

Basketball for Better Verse
Students write poems about basketball. (Grade 3-5, 6-8, 9-12)

The Team at Home
Students locate an NCAA basketball tournament team on a map, research the relationship of the team's name and mascot to the location of the college, and cheer the team to victory! (Grade 6-8, 9-12)

You've Got Game!
Students create new games that conform to specific, pre-set conditions. (Grade 3-5, 6-8, 9-12)

Basketball Notes
Students add the values of musical notes to win a chance to shoot a basketball. (Grade 3-5, 6-8)

 

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

NCAA Basketball

The NCAA Basketball site offers articles, schedules, scores, and other resources about both the men's and women's teams.

PE Central
This site provides physical education lesson plans, including several basketball-related lessons.

Basketball
Younger students learn how to mathematically calculate field-goal and free-throw percentages.

 

Updated 03/18/2015