“Gym Class with ED Fizz”

Abstract

A s students entered the gymnasium, they were ordered by their gym teacher, Mr. Ed Fizz, to sit against the wall in alphabetical order. Once the students were quietly seated, Mr. Fizz began his roll call, using this opportunity also to identify those students who came to class without a change of clothes. After the unprepared students completed 20 push-ups and twice copied the basic rules of basketball, they were allowed to participate in the remaining five minutes of class. As the rest of the students began their 10-lap warm-up, Mr. Fizz searched in the equipment room for some flat volleyballs. Using the volleyballs, the students completed their warm-up by playing a full-on game of dodgeball. Once all students, save one, were eliminated, the victor was recognized and the class responded to the whistle by congregating around Mr. Fizz at a basketball hoop. Sitting there for 10 minutes, they listened as he spoke about his previous experiences in basketball, beginning with his days as the captain of his school team and ending with his tenure as a championship coach. After modeling foul shots with three successful baskets, he sent his class off to practice. In groups of five with a single ball, the students waited in line until it was their turn to shoot. Some students clearly did not listen to the detailed instructions, so Mr. Fizz assigned five push-ups for every missed shot to help them improve. After observing the students' shooting abilities for 15 minutes, Mr. Fizz separated the class into two groups, which he labeled "A" and "B." He then selected the two best players from each group to pick teams. Once the teams were formed, games began on each half of the gymnasium, and Mr. Fizz officiated the "A" game….