Week 2 - Gymnastics
Session equipment
Class set of markers
12 skipping ropes
Gym mats or soft landing area
Download the Gymnastics - Week 2 task card to support teaching before and during the sport session.
Fast start - Freeze
Equipment
8 markers to set out playing area
Activity set-up
Set out the playing area (25 students = approximately 25m x 25m).
How to play
Students run around the playing area until the teacher's first call is ‘freeze’.
When freeze is called students stop, the teacher then makes a second call giving instructions as to which static balance to perform (angry cat, tuck sit, side lunge, arabesque, walking on hands, v-sit and arch).
The teacher must give direction for a different static balance to be performed each round.
Select card to download.
Skill development games
Activity 1 - Spot turns
Dominant movement pattern: Spring and landing
Skill focus: Dynamic balance and movement skills
Equipment: N/A
How to play: In pairs, players explore different ways of doing turns – ¼ turn (90 degrees), ½ turn (180 degrees), full turn (360 degrees, with spotting) and other turns on the spot in a clockwise and anti-clockwise direction.
Players form pairs, standing about 2 metres apart, facing one another.
Player A turns a full circle by performing 4 ¼ turns, while Player B holds up a number of fingers.
On each quarter turn, Player A calls out the number of fingers Player B is holding up.
Player A performs 4 ¼ turns while maintaining eye contact (spotting) with Player B.
¼ turn (90 degrees) to the right, looking over left shoulder
¼ turn to the right, looking over left shoulder
¼ turn to the right, change to looking over right shoulder
¼ turn to the right, now looking straight at Player B.
Repeat in the opposite direction (anticlockwise).
Swap roles.
CHANGE IT!!
Player B holds up coloured cards rather than fingers.
Have markers on the wall for players to use as a spotting aid.
Jump ¼, ½ and full turns.
Activity 2 - Team alphabet
Dominant movement pattern: Statics
Skill focus: Balance and teamwork
Equipment: N/A
How to play: Players are challenged to form groups in the shape of as many letters of the alphabet as possible during the allocated station time.
Players work together in a designated area.
Collaborating as a group, players use their bodies to form letters of the alphabet.
They hold the letter position for 5 seconds, then stand up and repeat for another letter of the alphabet.
Teaching tips:
Letters that are easier to form are: A, C, D, E, F, H, I, K, L, N, T, U, V, Y, Z
Letters that are harder to form are: B, G, J, M, O, P, Q, R, S, W, X
Activity 3 - Skip to my lou
Dominant movement pattern: Spring and landing
Skill focus: Springing, landing and coordination
Equipment: 1 skipping rope per player, 1 stop watch per group
How to play: Players challenge themselves to skip within a time limit.
A designated player indicates players should begin skipping, players skip for 1 minute, doing a single two-footed jump.
Each time, players should be aiming to beat their last score (number of jumps/skips).
CHANGE IT!!
Jump on 1 leg instead of 2, jump rope while running, jump in time to music, crisscross the feet while jumping or crisscross the rope in front of the body before jumping over it.
Partner up – have participants pair up, with 1 player turning the rope while they both jump it.
Safety tips:
Make sure players are a safe distance apart (allow 3 metres minimum).
Make sure players hold the ends of the rope and that they have their elbows bent and close to their body.
Have players jump on the balls of the feet, with their feet together and knees slightly bent.
Air jacks - an action where the participant springs from two feet and explosively makes a wide star shape while airborne and then returns to the safety landing position of the ‘motor bike’.
Scorpion kick - This is a term that describes a fun locomotion inversion skill that can also be undertaken as a progression for handstands. The participant places outstretched hands on the floor and raises one leg in line with the body, momentarily supporting their body weight. The action is repeated traveling forward as the remaining support leg springs.
Walking on hands - Players move forwards in the plank position using hands, followed by feet.
Activity 4 - Coach says
** TEACHER NEEDED AT THIS STATION
Dominant movement pattern: Statics, spring and landing
Skill focus: Fundamental motor skills development
Equipment: Any suitable large flat surface, including mats, or a soft grassed area
How to play: Using the rules of ’Simon says’, teacher calls out commands for players to perform various locomotion and spring movements shown on the left.
Ask small groups of players to demonstrate how to perform various locomotion and spring movements, giving students feedback on performance.
Use role models to demonstrate the movements that are most like what you are after.
Direct students to move around designated area using a designated locomotor movement. Call out various locomotion and spring movements for students to perform using 'Coach says' as in the traditional game of Simon Says.
Safety
Ensure students have plenty of room and movements are performed by all students in the same direction.
When walking on their hands, players must have strong arms and must not arch their lower back.
Players should land in the safety ’motor bike’ position when performing air jacks.
Modified small sided games
It's time for competition!
Teams compete against each other in the relay game outlined below.
Allocate 4 points for a win, 3 points for second, 2 points for 3rd and 1 point for 4th for each relay game played. You may also award alternative scoring points; a team can score a point for teamwork, skill in performing balance, encouragement of others and displaying sportsmanship.
Record results and points in the School sport program results spreadsheet.
Remember, to give students an update of the leader board each week.
Tunnel crawl
Skill focus: Statics and teamwork
Equipment: Any suitable flat surface, including mats, a floor or a soft grassed area
How to play: Similar to tunnel ball but players crawl through their tunnel then execute a nominated movement at the end.
Players are positioned side-by-side, performing a front support hold.
Player at the end of the line, crawls through 'tunnel'.
Once in front, the team member performs an air jack next to the player they have just crawled under and shouts ’GO!
A team has finished when all players have crawled through the tunnel and performed an air jack. Team signals they are finished by all members performing a tuck sit.
CHANGE IT
Players can be on their knees rather than their toes when performing the front support hold.
Rather than performing a front support hold, players stand with their legs apart, extend their arms and place their hands on the shoulders of the team member in front of them.
Reflection
TAG
Ask students to form pairs with a student from their team.
Inform students they are going to give feedback to their partner using 'TAG'.
Tell your partner something they did well in today's session.
Ask your partner the question: Ask your partner the question: What did you find tricky today? How can I help?
Give your partner some feedback on a skill they could focus on during next weeks session.
