Gopher Exclusive Product
Active Academics Cross-Curricular Parachute Activity Set
Combine physical activity with math and language learning for a more engaging classroom experience. This innovative PE parachute helps students stay active while reinforcing essential academic skills through movement-based activities!
Blend Movement with Math and Literacy
Featuring 16 panels with the full alphabet and 32 numbers, this parachute allows teachers to integrate spelling, number recognition, and problem-solving into physical education. Students stay actively involved as they respond to prompts, making learning more dynamic and interactive.
They also need to work together to complete movement challenges like running or crawling, encouraging participation and teamwork. These flexible game options build coordination while reinforcing academic concepts in a fun and memorable way.
Durable Design for Daily Use
Constructed from durable polyester, this 30' diameter parachute is built to last in school environments. A 1/2" rope sewn into the edge improves grip, while triple-stitched, dual-layered construction adds strength and stability. Clear printed letters and numbers ensure easy visibility during activities.
Key Specs and Benefits
- Construction: Encourage teamwork while combining math and literacy learning for interactive, cross-curricular activities
- Material: Durable polyester construction with reinforced stitching provides long-term durability
- Sizing: 30' diameter supports full-class participation with 16 panels that feature the alphabet and 32 numbers
- Handles: 1/2" rope along the perimeter to grip without handles
- Compliance: N/A
- Storage: N/A
Bring academics into your PE program with a versatile, engaging solution. Add the Active Academics Parachute Set today and make every lesson more interactive and impactful.
There are endless activity options for your program! You can easily integrate parachute games into warm-ups, cooperative units, or movement exploration lessons. The following activities develop coordination, helping to teach locomotor, non-locomotor, manipulative, and body control skills in both small and large group settings. Let the games begin!
- Popcorn Pandemonium: Place small, lightweight balls on top of the parachute. Students work together to shake the parachute and pop the balls into the air, erupting like a volcano to teach arm strength, timing, and coordination. Have students use waves to push objects to the other side or attempt to catch them as skills progress.
- Wave Maker: Students create waves of different sizes or follow rhythm-based cues together, helping develop timing, cooperation, and upper-body coordination. Assign weather types (ex: Thunder = Hard Shaking, Rain = Slow Up & Down, Sun = Standing Still) to keep students engaged.
- Exploration Stations: Call out colors, numbers, categories or more and have students run or crawl under the parachute to switch spots before it falls. This will teach students listening skills, quick decision-making, and agility—and is easy to adjust for varying skill levels!
- Umbrellas, Mountains, and Igloos, Oh My! Students lift the parachute high to make a mushroom shape, then bring it down to trap air to create different variations; create a mountain by sitting with knees around the edge of the parachute, an umbrella by stepping underneath the dome, and then an igloo by sitting around the inside edge. This will help develop timing, cooperation, and spatial awareness skills!
- Cat & Mouse Chase: Students move around or underneath the parachute playing tag games. A "mouse" moves underneath while a "cat" tries to find them with guidance from the group, teaching locomotor skills, reaction time, and strategic movement. Need more direction? This blog has a demonstration!
- Skill-Building Bulls-Eye: Incorporating this versatile parachute will allow students to turn cooperative movement into precision-based games. Develop control and endurance or catching/tossing skills using specific color zones to create cross-curricular lessons!
Looking for ideas for older students? Team Critter Quest is a great lesson plan from PE Teacher Tim Mueller, who details how to play here, or join us on PE Universe to connect with other PE teachers to find new ideas!