Boloencierro is a school-friendly version of the world-famous Running of the Bulls in Spain, enabling students to feel visually and emotionally the excitement of this celebrated cultural tradition. In Spain, the Running of the Bulls is a spectacle known for its daring and festive atmosphere. This lesson modifies the core of the activity with an aim to an object control using throwing soft foam "bulls". Participation in Boloencierro will guarantee that students identify with being spirited in celebrations as long as safe elements within cultural traditions. The lesson, besides promoting the learners' prior knowledge in object control, also imparts some cultural perspective through which the learners will be able to comprehend and learn about several vibrant cultures that are anchored within Spain.
Objectives
Motor: Students will accurately throw the pitching soft foam ball "bulls" to the targets during a Boloencierro game in ¾ trial when verbally prompted by the instructor.
Cognitive: Students will understand the ordeal of Running of the Bulls in Spain including the cultural background, some historical facts and necessity of safety issues during any cultural tradition through a classroom discussion, during the reflection portion of class when verbally prompted.
Affective: After a Boloencierro round, students that are runner and have successfully made it to the endline, will give another runner in that round a high five.
Focus skill: Object control through foam bull tossing, cultural awareness, precision.
Equipment
Soft foam ball("bulls") and indicated target areas.
Cage ball(alternative)
Open area
Cones
Activity Description
This sets background to one of the most famous Spanish Running of the Bulls tradition, underlining cultural action that must be accomplished safely.
Demonstrate proper tossing techniques with soft foam ball or "bulls" at controlled throws to designated target areas.
Pair or group students into pairs or small groups to play in Boloencierro using the skills learnt. These students will be the runner trying to avoid being targeted by the ball(bull). If there is access to a cage ball this can also be utilized as a bull where multiple students will be pushing it. Students that are the runners will be running about 100 meters towards an end line.
Emphasize the importance of cultural traditions being safe while focusing on ways that traditions can be modified to advocate for them as safe and fun activities.
Conclude with a reflection session where the students get to share how their object control skills, understanding cultural adaptations improved through participating in Boloencierro.
Modification
Challenge: Introduce variations such as the target could be placed at various distances from the thrower or have the students move the target around the game space for some strategic plays.
Simplified: Focus on basic tossing techniques and slightly shorter distances, provide more guidance to students who are newer to Boloencierro.
