Rowan University Department of Health and Exercise Science

UNIT PLAN

ROWAN UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND EXERCISE SCIENCE

HEALTH & PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Teacher: Christopher Gero
Unit Title: Volleyball
Grade level: 9/10 Number of classes: 10 Duration of classes: 40 minutes; No. of Students: 24

SECTION A. (Overview)

Unit Overview

Unit Framework: Students are put into teams at the start of the unit and those teams will remain the same throughout the unit. Students will learn the forearm pass, overhead pass, serve, spike, and different offensive and defensive, and serving and receiving formations throughout the unit. At the end of the unit they will play in a tournament.
Rationale (importance of unit): The unit is important because volleyball is a sport that many people play. Students will learn strategies and will be equipped with the knowledge and skills of a sport that they can play for the rest of their lives.
Previous experience in this type of activity: Students should have played this game previously in school and many have probably played outside of school as well. They may not know all the rules, formations, and strategies and may need practice with their skills.
Anticipated difficulties and how they will be addressed:
Problem: Students may not have the chance to practice their skills in games because students will try to hit the ball over in one hit.
Solution: Institute a rule that if there is not a block, the team must use their three hits before hitting it over.
Problem: The ball may be too hard for the practicing of the forearm pass.
Solution: Use softer balls until the students are used to the skill, and then put in regulation balls.
Resources, Equipment and Materials:
-Volleyball nets
-Regulation volleyballs-15
-Softer balls-15
-Floor tape
References:
Tom Dougherty’s Sample Unit Plan

Student Characteristics

General abilities/skill proficiency level: Many students have probably played volleyball so it will not be starting from scratch with most of them. However, students may need to be taught the skills of volleyball and they will then need to practice these skills. They should become proficient in these skills and then will be taught the formations, which will make for better gameplay.
Student background: Students may not be athletically talented and therefore may lack interest in the game of volleyball. However, as it is a game that is hard to master if you don’t practice and play on a regular basis, most students should be on the same playing level, which will make for even competition.

SECTION B. (Essential Questions & Objectives, CPIs & Assessment)

Unit Goals
Essential Questions:
What are some effective ways to serve?
What are some different serving and receiving formations?
What is the best way to block against a kill attempt?
NJCCCS CPIs Addressed:
2.5.12.A.1 Explain and demonstrate ways to transfer movement skills from one game, sport, dance, or recreational activity to another (e.g., striking skills from/to tennis, badminton, ping pong, racquetball).
2.5.12.A.2 Analyze application of force and motion (weight transfer, power, speed, agility, range of motion) and modify movement to impact performance.
2.5.12.B.1 Demonstrate and assess tactical understanding by using appropriate and effective offensive, defensive, and cooperative strategies.
2.5.12.C.2 Develop rule changes to existing games, sports, and activities that enhance safety and enjoyment. / Content Statement:
Standard 2.5 Grade 12 Stand A
Movement skill performance is primarily impacted
by the quality of instruction, practice,
assessment, feedback, and effort.
Standard 2.5 Grade 12 Strand B
Individual and team execution in games, sports,
and other activity situations is based on the
interaction of tactical use of strategies, positive
mental attitudes, competent skill levels, and
teamwork.
Standard 2.5 Grade 12 Strand C
Self-initiated behaviors that promote personal
and group success include safety practices,
adherence to rules, etiquette, cooperation,
teamwork, ethical behavior, and positive social
interaction.
Unit Objectives: What students will know and be able to do by the end of the unit
Cognitive:
-Students will describe the proper ways to serve.
-Students will describe two different offensive formations and two different defensive formations.
-Students will identify what type of pass is best used in different situations.
-Students will identify the best formations during game play.
-Students will rules and skills of volleyball and apply them throughout the unit.
Affective:
-Students will shake hands before and after games with the opposing team.
-Students will provide their teammates with positive reinforcement.
-Students will say “good luck” and “good game” before and after games.
-Students will provide constructive feedback to their fellow students.
-Students will show good sportsmanship throughout the unit. / Psychomotor
-Students will demonstrate a proper float serve.
-Students will perform a proper spike during gameplay.
-Students will demonstrate proper passes during different situations.
-Students will perform proper service formations.
-Students will demonstrate different offensive formations.
Assessment Evidence
Performance Task(s): Students will be fully engaged throughout the unit as a player, referee, or scorekeeper. All will be necessary for the tournament at the end of the unit.
Other Evidence: See Appendices.

SECTION C. (Learning Activities & Instructional Strategies)

Daily outline of Content, Procedures (management, transitions), & Instructional Strategies – Include introductory activities, learning focus activities, culminating activity and closure
Day 1. Teams, Intro to Volleyball, and Overhead pass
Opening Activity: Teams
Divide students into 4 teams of 6. Have the teams spread out in the gym so that they have their own space. Tell them to come up with a team name, mascot, and slogan. These teams will not change throughout the unit. Ask the students what they know about volleyball and what they hope to learn throughout the unit. Explain some background information on volleyball and briefly tell them what the unit will consist of. (10 minutes)
Fitness Activities: See Appendix I (5 minutes)
Learning Focus Activity: Overhead pass
Tell students to get into partners and get one ball. Have the partner with the ball toss it to their partner. The partner gets under it and overhead passes it back to their partner. The first partner catches it and then does it again. Have the students do this 3 times and switch. Then have the first partner toss the ball to their partner so the partner can overhead pass it back to them. However, instead of catching it, now the partners overhead pass it back and forth to each other. (10 minutes)
Culminating Activity: Overhead pass
With the students still in their partners from the previous activity, have them set a goal for how many overhead passes they can get without missing one or having to catch any. Have them try it. If they reach or surpass their goal before time is up, have them try to beat their new goal. (10 minutes)
Closure:
Have students gather in the middle of the gym. Review some of the basics of volleyball that you went over in the opening activity. Ask the students what they did to make the overhead pass easier and what made it more difficult. Briefly explain what the students will be doing the next class. (5 minutes)
Day 2. Passing: Overhead and Forearm
Opening Activity: Overhead passing
Tell students to get into partners, a different partner than the previous day. Have them practice their overhead passing by doing the culminating activity from the previous lesson. Then tell the students the importance of the forearm pass and when it is used in gameplay, as that will be what today’s skill is. (10 minutes)
Fitness Activity: See Appendix I (5 minutes)
Learning Focus Activity: Forearm pass
Tell students to get back into partners and get one ball. They are going to do the same activity as they did for the overhead pass except that they are going to use the forearm pass instead. Tell them to go through the progressions of tossing the ball to each other and catching it when their partner forearm passes it to them. Then try hitting it back and forth. (10 minutes)
Culminating Activity: Forearm pass and overhead pass
With their partners have the students set a goal of how many forearm passes they can get without missing one or catching it. Then have them use the overhead pass if the forearm pass they receive is too high, and see how many they can get that way. (10 minutes)
Closure:
Tell the students to gather in the middle of the gym. Review when to use the forearm pass and when to use the overhead pass. Explain the importance of knowing how to do both. Tell the students what to expect for next class. (5 minutes)
Day 3. Passing and Serve
Opening Activity: Overhead pass and forearm pass
Tell students to get into partners with one ball. Have them practice their overhead and forearm passes. Tell them that they will be introduced to serving today and that they will also be assessed today on the forearm pass. (10 minutes)
Fitness Activity: See Appendix I (5 minutes)
Learning Focus Activity: Serve
Have students get back into partners with one ball. Introduce them to the skill of serving and tell them the different types of serves they may use. Have them practice these back and forth with their partners with no net. Then have them serve to their partner and have their partner pass it back with either the forearm or overhead pass. (10 minutes)
Culminating Activity: Passing Assessment
With the students still in their partners have half the class line up on the sideline with their partners across from them. Have the partner with the ball toss it to their partner and their partner forearm passes it back. Repeat this 5 times then switch. After each partner has done it 5 times, Switch again so they each get 10 passes. While they are doing this, you are videoing them so that you can assess them after classing using the forearm pass assessment. (see Appendix II) (10 minutes)
Closure:
Gather the students in the middle of the gym. Positively reinforce them about their assessments. Review the basics of the serve and tell the students that serving will be the main focus for the next lesson. (5 minutes)
Day 4. Serving
Opening Activity: Serve
Tell students to get into partners with one ball. Have them practice serving back and forth to each other and passing it back. Tell them that they will serve on a net today and trying different spins on it. (10 minutes)
Fitness Activity: See Appendix I (5 minutes)
Learning Focus Activity: Serve
Have students get into their teams and each team goes on their side of the nets. Tell students to serve over the net to the team on the other side, then that team serves the balls back. After a few minutes stop them and have them try different spins on their serves, using back spin, top spin, side spin or no spin. (10 minutes)
Culminating Activity: Serve
Tell the students as a team to come up with how many serves they can get in, in five minutes. Then have two of the teams serve with the team opposite them rolling the balls back to them under the net. After five minutes, switch and let the teams on the other side do it and try to beat their goal. (10 minutes)
Closure:
Tell the students to gather in the middle of the gym. Review the mechanics of serving, and ask the students which serve worked best for them. Tell them that they will start working on spiking in the next lesson. Tell them to work on a poster for their team that will be due at the start of the tournament. (5 minutes)
Day 5. Spiking and Blocking
Opening Activity: Jumping and Footwork
Have teams line up opposite each other in front of the net. Explain spiking and blocking and the importance of both. Then have them practice their footwork and jumping for both spiking and blocking. (5 minutes)
Fitness Activity: See Appendix I (5 minutes)
Learning Focus Activity: Spiking and Blocking
In their teams have the students designate a setter. The setter will stand in the middle of the court in front of the net. The rest of the team will line up on their strong side. The setter will then toss the ball up to their teammate who will try to spike it. After everyone has gone, change setters so the setter has a chance to spike. After going through once, have the team opposite them try to block the spikes. Have the spiker toss the ball to the setter and the setter overhead pass it to them for the spike. After everyone has gone 3 teams have the teams switch spiking and blocking. (10 minutes)
Culminating Activity: Power vs. Power
Still in their teams, have the spiking team line up with a setter and spikers on their strong side. Have the blocking team line up with three blockers. Have the spiker toss the ball to the setter and the setter overhead passes it to them for the spike. The blocking team tries to block it. If it is blocked the spiking team can try to set up another spike if they can. If it is blocked and the spiking team can’t control it, it is a point for the blocking team. If it is spiked in bounds and not blocked, it is a point for the spiking team. Have the three players rotate out on each side and the blocking team now tries to spike. Tally up the points at the end to determine the winner. (15 minutes)
Closure:
Gather the class in the middle of the gym. Remind them that at the end of every competition to be sure to shake hands with the opposing team. Review the mechanics of setting, spiking, and blocking. Tell them that tomorrow they will be assessed on serving and spiking. (5 minutes)