Week 4 - Gymnastics
Session equipment
Class set of markers
12 skipping ropes
Gym mats or soft landing area
Download the Gymnastics - Week 4 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 - Get into it
** Set up Station 1 and 2 next to each other so that teacher can monitor this station.
Dominant movement pattern: Rotation
Skill focus: Forwards and backwards safety rolls
Equipment: 6 gym/scatter mats per group
How to play: Players in threes stand on points of a triangle and perform two safety rolls one at a time to one another.
One player performs 2 forward safety rolls (on scatter mats) towards another player in their group.
The pattern continues around the triangle.
Repeat with backward safety rolls.
Safety
Players must not roll on their head when performing rolls.
Rolls must always be performed on a mat.
Limit the number of rolls to avoid players fatiguing and compromising on technique.
Teaching tip
When performing a forward safety roll, have legs slightly apart, get low to the ground, keep hips high when starting, and rotate over one shoulder.
When performing a backwards safety roll, have legs slightly apart, get low to the ground, turn the head to one side and roll over one shoulder. Spring up, rather than out, at the end.
Activity 2 - Coach says
** TEACHER 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.
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’.
Walking on hands - Players move forwards in the plank position using hands, followed by feet.
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. OR if student's are confident and ready to:
Activity 3 - 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 4 - 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 indicated 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, criss cross the feet while jumping or criss cross 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.
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.
Stone, bridge and tree relay race
Dominant movement pattern:
Skill focus: Rotation movements, teamwork
Equipment: An indoor/outdoor playing area 20 metres in length, a starting cone for each team and three cones spaced 5 metres apart.
How to play: Players race each other in a relay using various static and movements skills.
Teams of 6–8 players line up behind their starting cones.
When teacher says ’GO!’, the first player from each team runs out to their first cone and forms a stone.
The second player from each team jumps over their ‘stone’, and then runs to the second cone to form a bridge.
The third player from each team jumps over their ‘stone’, crawls under the ‘bridge’, and then runs to the third cone to form a tree.
The fourth player jumps over the ‘stone’, crawls under the ‘bridge’, runs around the ‘tree’ and back to take the place of the ‘stone’. The ‘stone’ takes the place of the ‘bridge’. The ‘bridge’ then takes the place of the ‘tree’, who then runs to the end of the line.
The game finishes when all players have had a turn at each of the positions.
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.
