Net and Court Games - Week 4
Early Stage 1
Equipment
Marker cones or ladder
Relay batons
Tennis balls and small coloured balls
8 volleyballs or similar
Download the Net and Court Games - Week 4 activity card to support teaching before and during the sport session.
FMS focus: Catch
Learning intention
Students are developing proficiency in the catch.
Success criteria.
Eyes focused on the object throughout the catch.
Feet move to place the body in line with the object.
Hands move to meet the object.
Hands and fingers relaxed and slightly cupped to catch the object.
Catches and controls the object with hands only (well-timed closure).
Elbows bend to absorb the force of the object.
Explicit teaching of the catch
About the skill
Catching is a manipulative skill that involves being able to absorb and control the force of an object with a part of the body, preferably the hands. The ability to catch proficiently is important to most sports and games that involve an object, for example, cricket, football codes, netball, basketball, rhythmic gymnastics and playground games.
View 'The Get Skilled Get Active - 'Catch' video to support the explicit teaching of the catch.
Model the skill:
Model the catch to students while explaining the movements needed to effectively catch:
Say to the students:
Watch the object move into your hands.
Cup your hands.
Move to the ball.
Relax your hands.
Point your fingers up for a high ball.
Point your fingers down for a low ball.
Bend elbows to absorb the force of the object.
Guided practice with immediate teacher feedback:
Captain ball
Students work in groups of four to six.
The captain stands facing their team and when the whistle goes they pass the ball to each team member who squats down after they pass the ball back.
Once the captain has passed the ball to the last team member they move to the front of line and the last team member runs to the captain’s position.
The activity ends when each person has had a turn as the captain.
Skill development games
FMS focus activity - Rebound ball
Skill focus: Catch
Equipment: One volleyball or similar per 3 students
How to play: A player throws a ball at a wall and stands back for a second player to catch the ball – the activity continues this way. Play with 2 or 3.
The first player throws the ball at the wall and moves quickly to the end of the team, allowing the second player to move up and catch the ball. Continue down the line.
Allow a period for players to experiment with the best method of throwing. Stop the practice and share ideas with the whole group, recommence play.
FMS consolidation activity - Racing relay
Skill focus: Sprint run
Equipment: Mini hurldes (15 - 30cm) marker cones, relay baton or similar
How to play: Players race each other in a relay, jumping over obstacles along the way.
In teams, players start with one leg, and their opposite arm, forward.
Players sprint to the other side, jumping over their obstacle as they go.
Race three times: first have obstacles at 5m, then 6m, then 7m from the start line.
Continue until all members have completed the relay.
Modified small-sided games
It's game time!
Teams play each other in the game outlined below.
Keep the ball up
Equipment: Tennis balls, targets, marker cones.
How to play: A group of players try to keep a ball off the ground by passing it to each other. Groups of 3 or more.
Start with a free-play version – rules can be decided later.
Introduce rules as required with
Change it.
Encourage a variety of passes – ‘hot potato’, where the ball is immediately hit away is a useful variation.
Reflection
2 stars and a wish
Ask students - what are 2 things you feel you did well today?
What are you going to try and improve on next week?
Students can answer reflection questions as a whole class, small group or in pairs.
