Net and court games - Week 1
Stage 1 - Phase one
Equipment
20 marker cones
Bean bags, tennis balls, soft rubber or foam balls (1 per student)
Download the Net and court games - Week 1 activity card to support teaching before and during the sport session.
FMS focus: Overarm throw
Learning intention
Students are developing proficiency in the overarm throw.
Success criteria.
Eyes are focused on target area throughout the throw.
Stand side-on to target area.
Throwing arm moves in a downward and backward arc.
Steps towards target area with foot opposite throwing arm.
Hips then shoulders rotate forward.
Throwing arm follows through, down and across the body.
Explicit teaching of the overarm throw
About the skill
The overarm throw is a manipulative skill frequently used in many sports, such as cricket, softball and baseball. The action is also used in athletics with the javelin, with the overhead serve and smash in tennis, volleyball and badminton and passes in netball and basketball.
View 'The Get Skilled Get Active - Overarm video' to support the explicit teaching of the overarm throw.
Model the skill
Introduce students to the components of the overarm throw by modelling and explaining the movements needed. Say to students:
Look at your target.
Point to the target (with your non-throwing arm).
Stand side-on.
Step forward and throw.
Follow through, down and across your body with your throwing arm.
Swing your arm down and back as you prepare to throw.
Step, throw and follow-through down and across your body.
Guided practice
Students stand facing a partner and perform the overarm throw with a beanbag as the skill components are given:
Stand side-on and focus your eyes on the target
Throwing arm moves in a downward and backward arc
Step towards the target area with foot opposite throwing arm
Rotate hips and then shoulders forward
Throwing arm follows through, down and across the body.
Ask students what role the different body parts play in the throw. What difference do they notice in trying to throw for distance when sitting or kneeling?
Skill development games
Choosing teams
In a sport education approach, affiliation is promoted by students being a member of the same team over a period of time. It is intended that students remain in these teams for the duration of each sport program for the skill development and the modified small-sided games, so that they can develop and learn together.
Place students in equal teams, 4 teams is optimal, at the beginning of the skill development session. Strategies for forming groups can be found in the Game-based learning in sport and physical activity e-learning course.
To further promote affiliation students can decide on a team name.
FMS focus activity - Throw, throw, throw
FMS: Overarm throw
Equipment: Markers to separate groups, bean bags, tennis balls, or soft foam balls (1 per student)
How to play: 2 groups of equal size face each other. Each player has a throwing object (tennis ball, soft foam ball, bean bag). On a signal, players throw their ball or bean bag over a line in the direction of the opposite team. After a set period, balls are counted to see who has the fewest balls.
Divide the group into 2 teams.
Play for a set period (e.g. 30 seconds). That can be a lot of throwing!
Encourage different strategies (e.g. gatherers and throwers work together).
Players should ‘throw fast and throw smart’!
FMS consolidation activity - L-o-n-g throw
FMS: Catch
How to play: A cooperative game in which a ball is thrown between two players. If the ball reaches the catcher on the full, both the catcher and the thrower step back. If it is dropped, both take a step forward. The winning pair is the one that has retreated the furthest. One or more pairs.
Set up
Distribute one ball per pair.
Use 2 markers to establish a ‘gate’ that the ball has to pass through.
Players are equidistant from a marker.
Modified small-sided games
It's game time!
Teams play each other in the game outlined below.
No - go
How to play: Players are divided into 2 teams separated by a ‘no-go’ barrier. The ball is thrown across the barrier. The opposing team must catch the ball and send it back.
Set up the playing area as shown. The ‘barrier’ between the 2 teams is the no-go area.
Divide the players into 2 teams.
The ball is thrown across the barrier above waist height.
The opposing team must catch the ball on the full or after one bounce and send it back.
Players must catch and throw in one movement.
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.
