Year 8 Physical Education

Physical Education
Topic		Gymnastics
No of lessons		6-8
When is it happening		Term 2 Year 8
What will students learn		Students will recap, refine and further develop their ability to perform gymnastic related skills such as travelling, balancing, rolling, jumping, sequencing and vaulting. They will also further develop upper and core body strength through press ups, sit ups and performing the plank. Students will explore a variety of cartwheels, headstand and hand stands etc. Students will develop the knowledge and understanding of how to correctly start and end a routine and be expected to increase their performance time and quality. They will further develop an understanding of gymnastic concepts such as body tension, aesthetically pleasing, height, body extension, vaulting, shape, group work, canon and unison. Students will further develop an understand of how the components of fitness are required to be successful at gymnastics e.g. strength, balance, power and flexibility.
Key Knowledge that students should know at the end of 'Topic'	This is the knowledge that students will meet for the first time in this topic	Recap the origin and historical context of gymnastics, (The term gymnastics, derived from a Greek word meaning “to exercise naked,” applied in ancient Greece to all exercises practiced in the gymnasium, the place where male athletes did indeed exercise unclothed). Students will understand the links with Gymnastics and the theory of Hinterland. E.g the need and role of Hunter gatherers in ancient times who would require speed, strength and coordination to retrieve food. Students will also link Gymnastics with modern trends and sports such as 'Freerunning' and 'Parkour' which involve rolls, vaulting and balances. Students will develop a deeper understanding by building upon knowledge of the health benefits that gymnastics has physically, mentally and socially. How skills can be learnt and transferred into other sports and everyday life, such as communicating, resilience, strength, flexibility, agility, problem solving and travelling. Students will further develop and refine skills related to gymnastics such as balancing, travelling, jumping, rolling, sequencing and vaulting. Students will explore new skills and equipment such as headstands, handstands, cartwheels, medium level vaulting, concepts of canon/unison, using larger apparatus and larger group work. Students/professional athletes performance will also be analysed to improve performance and help influence future routines. For example, Max Whitlocks Pommel horse performance
	This is knowledge that students may have met before but will need to deepen their understanding	Students will have knowledge of what components can make up a successful routine (travelling, balancing, jumping, rolling, working at different levels and body tension). They will further develop an understanding of gymnastic concepts such as body tension, aesthetically pleasing, height, body extension, vaulting, shape and group work and concepts of canon/unison and mirroring/matching. Students will show these skills on a variety of sizes of boxes, trampettes, springboards, mats, beams and benches. They will also show how to safely set up and pack away equipment with partners. Students will develop the knowledge and understanding of how to correctly start and end a routine and be expected to increase their performance time and quality in comparison to year 7. Students will have the knowledge to create a routine that demonstrates accurate replication and fluency from one movement to another. Students will have a good knowledge of the skills required to be successful at gymnastics and how these skills can correspond and improve performance in other sports. Students will show examples of components of fitness are required to be successful at gymnastics e.g. strength, balance, power and flexibility.
Key Skills that students should be able to demonstrate at the end of 'Topic'	This is the skills that students will meet for the first time in this topic	Classes will partake in a variety of activities that will refine and develop travelling, rolling, balancing, partner work, sequencing, vaulting and group work. Plus specific gymnastic skills such as forward/backward rolls, cartwheels, headstand/handstands and shapes/flight through the air. Strength training and conditioning to include plank, sit up, modified/full press up, lunges and squats. Importance of Warming up and Physical Benefits:· Raises heart rate to allow blood flow to increase to pump efficiently around the body providing oxygen to muscles. Also stretching the muscles ready for gymnastics. Importance of Cooling Down after Physical Activity. Muscle groups in relation to warming up and use in sports. Students will learn how to build and develop a routine ensuring there is is fluency, body tension, body extension, height/flight and it looks aesthetically pleasing throughout. Students will work at different levels and demonstrating an ability to perform the above skills professionally. Students will acquire knowledge through participating in practices, watching and performing in demonstrations, using task cards and analysing video footage of other class members and professional athletes. Students will develop an understanding of appreciating other performances and showing etiquette on watching/applauding others.
	This is skills that students may have met before but will need to develop	Students will develop the ability to hold their own body weight by improving upper, core and lower body strength. Again, this will be linked with Hinterlands theories of Hunter/Gatherers. They will recap, develop and find new ways to travel, balance, jump
Key vocabulary that students should know and understand		Rolling. travelling, balancing, jumping, tension, canon, unison, flight, landing, flexibility, aesthetically, sequence, levels, fluency, strength, speed, coordination, body composition
The Big Question		Explore the components of fitness that are required to be successful at gymnastics? Discuss how gymnastics requires similar skills to parkour.
Key questions that students should be able to answer at the end of the 'Topic'		How can you build upper body strength using body weight exercises? What about core strength? What about lower leg strength?
		What are the different ways we can travel? Can we do these on/off equipment?
		How many different ways to jump and land are there? What are they? Can we use these on/off equipment?
		Why is it important to travel at different levels? What is the importance of height? flight? and body extension?
		What are the different types of roll that we can use? can we include cartwheels? and/or backward rolls?
		Why is it important to trust your partner when balancing? How can you communicate with each other?
		What does fluency mean? What is body tension? Why is it important?
		When vaulting, what are different ways we can land onto boxes? on our knees/feet/straddle/hands? What shapes can we make when vaulting?
		How could you link different movements together to promote fluency?
		What does aesthetically pleasing mean?
		What is Canon? Unison? Mirroring? Matching?
		If you do not warm up correctly how will flexibility be effected? Why is flexibility an important component of fitness in gymnastics?