Unit 3 Skill Development and Success Criteria
Click here for...
Click here for...
Click here to download the...
Balancing
Learning Cues: Establish a wide base of support (feet or hands). Lower body – bend knees or arms to lower the centre of gravity. Extend body parts to help counterbalance. Focus eyes on an object to help balance. Tighten (contract) muscles to hold balance.
Discovering
Children enjoy discovering balancing on the spot, while moving, making different body shapes on equipment and with others. Characteristics of balancing for the beginner phase are:
-
children tend to look down at their feet
-
overcompensate body parts to balance, (e.g. waving arms wildly)
-
can balance with support
-
balance is attained sporadically.
Developing
Children develop more confidence in balancing by practising different balances in problem-solving activities and balancing with others. Characteristics of balancing in this learning phase are:
-
eyes focus more on apparatus or target
-
children lose balance less often
-
arms used to balance
-
static balance is achieved more often on the dominant leg
-
children have dynamic balance – they can balance forwards and backwards, with considerable concentration and effort.
Consolidating
Applying the skills of balancing to games and sports like gymnastics is the focus of this learning phase. Children have become confident and proficient in balancing, demonstrating:
-
eyes focus on external target
-
arms and other body parts used to counterbalance
-
static balance is achieved with eyes closed and on both legs
-
in dynamic balance, movement is fluid and confident, and involves an alternate stepping action.
Dodging
Learning cues
Head up. Low body position. Plant one foot and quickly change direction (plant and go). Step/lean one way, go the other (fake). Move quickly. Bend knees to stop. Watching the hips of the runner in front to anticipate what their next move will be.
Discovering
Activities in this phase focus on children enjoying discovering dodging through different pathways, levels and speeds, and with others. Characteristics of dodging at the discovery phase are:
-
movements are stiff and segmented
-
knee bend is minimal and weight is on one foot only
-
feet often cross
-
no deception or fake is evident.
Developing
Children practise dodging skills and evading an opponent in simple tag games. Characteristics of dodging at the developing phase are:
-
movement is increasingly coordinated and there is some deception
-
children tend to dodge in one particular direction
-
upright stance is less frequent and feet occasionally cross
-
there is a little spring in the plant and go.
Consolidating
Children at this phase consistently apply dodging skills and other fundamental skills in a variety of contexts in a changing and dynamic environment. Activities presented include the use of strategy to solve problems in different scenarios. Characteristics of dodging at the discovery phase are:
-
dodging in this phase are:
-
knees are bent and body leans forward
-
movements in all directions are smooth, quick and coordinated
-
children fake with their head and shoulders.
Landing
Learning cues:
Land with feet apart. Bend knees. Land in the order of toes–ball–heel, wriggle toes. Pull stomach in – tuck bottom under. Stretch
arms out in front. Hold head up, look straight ahead. Hold for 3 seconds (counting ‘thousand’ for each second).
Discovering
Children in this phase explore different ways of landing from a variety of jumps and low obstacles. Having fun and being creative are the areas of focus for this learning phase. Characteristics of learning in this phase are:
-
no stable base of support is evident
-
children land with fl at feet
-
little ‘give’ with the knees is evident.
Developing
Children experience landing from various heights and distances, and recognise the importance of absorbing the shock of the landing. Characteristics of landing in this phase are:
-
stable base of support is evident
-
when landing on feet, the order of toes–ball–heel is more consistent
-
knees bend after heels contact the ground
-
children rotate forward on landing.
Consolidating
Children exhibit confidence and control in landing in a variety of changing and unpredictable situations. Characteristics of this phase are:
-
landing is controlled and safe
-
a wide base of support is evident
-
shock is absorbed through the ‘giving’ action of ankles, knees and hips.
Rotation
Learning cues
In turning/twisting activities, keep part of the body stable – the twisting action happens around this part. To increase the speed of a turn, twist or roll, pull arms and legs close to the body. Use the hands to support or push off evenly. Take care in rotating joints – avoid twisting/rotating hinge joints (e.g. knee, elbow). Rotate under control
Discovering
Developing
Consolidating
Children enjoy exploring and discovering the many ways their body and body parts can rotate, rock and roll. Children in this phase are challenged to rock backwards, rock in a round or ball-like position in preparation for rolling, and roll with a straight body. Characteristics of the rolling/rocking action for this learning phase are:
-
body tends to uncurl in rolling/rocking action
-
arms are not used or are uncoordinated with rolling/rocking action
-
children can’t ‘get over’ backwards or sideways.
Children become more confident in controlling their body and body parts when rotating, rolling and turning. In this phase, activities focus on rolling in different directions, using the hands and arms. Characteristics of rolling at this level are:
-
body is curled in a tight ball shape
-
body still uncurls at end of rolling action
-
hands and arms are used more
-
children can perform only one roll at a time.
Children in this phase can comfortably and safely perform rotation activities that are high-risk (on equipment), can sequence and connect different skills with rotation, and can change direction or speed in unpredictable situations. Characteristics of rolling in this phase are:
-
body remains in a tight ball position throughout the roll
-
arms are used to push off and for balance and coordination
-
momentum of the roll is carried through to the finish
-
children can perform controlled consecutive rolls.