UNIT 2: ATHLETICS
Key unit competence: Develop tactical and technical skills of jumping
and apply rules and regulations of jumping.
1.1 Prerequisite (Knowledge, skills, attitudes and values)
Learners of senior five will learn better jumping exercises in athletics if
they have developed jumping techniques and abilities in senior four and
have performed other basic physical exercises learnt before.
1.2 Cross-cutting issues to be addressed
– Gender: Engage both women and men in physical activity and sports
exercises and help them to exploit their full potentials.
No activity is reserved only for women or men.
– Inclusive education: Identify the students with special education
needs, ensure interactive and inclusive discussion during practice of
physical activity and sport exercises.
– Financial education: Facilitate/guide students to make non cost
materials like ropes and balls from banana leave fibers and they can
also improvise hurdles for jumping exercises
– Standardization culture: Advise learners to use standardized
materials in prevention of injuries and accidents. Students have to
know how to choose and use safe sports clothes for their health (e.g.: safe sports shoes),
safe physical exercises (avoid bad body postures and forbidden body exercises,
adapted physical activities)
– Environment and sustainability: Train students on the culture of
protecting the environment surrounding the field/playground and
any other place they play on.
– Peace and values education: Encourage teamwork spirit, mutual
help, and respect of opinions of colleagues among learners.
– Comprehensive sexuality education: Provide physical activities and
set instructions that prevent sexual harassment, any kind of genderbased
violence like sexual abuse and physical contacts concerned with sexuality
intention in Physical Education and Sports activities.
– Genocide studies: Take time to explain to students how sports should be
used to fight against Genocide ideology and how to prevent it. E.g.: Organizing
Genocide memorial tournaments at school and giving the message related to the Genocide1.3 Guidance on introductory activity
With the help of this picture, teacher introduces the whole unit by asking questions or
giving activity related to athletics in order to help students to predict what to be
learnt and stimulate quick thinking and reaction.
Examples of questions:
– What are your observations on the image presented to you?
– What kind of athletic sports is being done?
– Why is it important to do such kind of sports?
– Mention other related athletic sports to the current?
2.4 List of lessons/sub-heading
Lesson 1: Long jump techniques and tactics exercises
a) Learning objective
Perform long jump techniques and tactics exercises.
b) Teaching resources
Cones, markers, field for jumps, whistles, sand, decameter or measuring tape
and videos related to jumping tactical skills.
c) Prerequisites/Revision/Introduction
Students of senior five will learn better long jump techniques if they can perform
jumping techniques and tactics learned in senior four.
d) Learning activities
Opening discussions
– Ask questions about jumping techniques learned in senior four.
– Introduce long jump techniques.
– Invite students to start warm up exercises.
Warm up exercises and stretching exercises
– Let students perform general warm up exercises and specific warm up based
on body’s parts to be used more while performing long jump techniques and
stretch their muscles properly.
– Guide them while performing warm up and stretching exercises.
– Help them/demonstrate/correct where is necessary.
e) Lesson body
Techniques of long jump
The teacher guides students in practicing long jump techniques.
– Demonstrate how to perform the techniques accurately.
Activity 2.1
Marking Your Starting Point
• Explain to the students the following:
Ask them to decide which foot they will take off with.
– Help students to decide the takeoff foot which is the one that hits
the takeoff board;
– Generally, a right-handed long jumper takes off with the left footwhile a left-handed takes off with the right foot.
• Request students to figure out the number of strides they will take.
– Help students to figure the number of strides that fits to their age
– Let them practice their run-up several times to determine how many strides
they will take before performing the jump
• Help students to determine their starting point- Help students to mark the point of their first stride.
– Request students to place markers at their starting point
– Students can put cones, small flags, brightly colored rocks, or
colored tape at their starting point.
Activity 2.2
Setting up the Approach run
Request students to begin with their takeoff foot forward. Ask students to:
– Lean forward slightly and stand with their back to the pit.
– Make sure they are positioned in the middle of the track.
Help students to run down the track.
– Remind the students that acceleration is key, and after a few strides
they should be in an upright sprinting position.
– Ask students to keep their head and eyes up rather than looking
down.
– Request students to run full speed until they reach the takeoffboard.
Lower your center of gravity on the second two last steps.
– On two last strides, request students to place their foot flat on the
ground, lower their hips, bend their knee, and flex their ankle to lower their center of gravity.
Remind students to make the last stride shorter.
Request students to:
– Shorten their last step to maintain speed.
– Place their foot flat on the ground out in front of their body.
– Flex the joints of their leg to raise their center of gravity.
Activity 2.3
Taking Off
Plant the takeoff foot flat on the ground.
– Remind the students that it is important that they plant their
takeoff foot flat on the ground, rather than using their heel or toe.
– Remind students that if they take off heel-first, their speed will be
reduced.
– Tell them that if they take off on their toes, their jump will beunstable and they are also at a higher risk for injury.
Swing the lead knee and opposite arm upward.
Request students to;
– Increase their force against the ground, swing their lead knee
(the one they takeoff with) and their opposite arm upward.– Keep the rest of their body in an upright position.
Jump for distance, not height.
Request students to:
– Concentrate on making their jump as long as possible rather
than as high as possible.
– Look ahead of them, rather than down at the board or the sand
to keep their momentum moving forward.
Activity 2.4
Landing the long jump
– Remind the students that the distance is measured by the part of
their body that lands the furthest back,
– Instruct them to try their best to avoid falling backwards ortouching their hands to the pit behind their body.
Cool down exercises
– Let students do light exercises and stretch their group of muscles
by insisting on most used parts.
– Guide them while stretching their muscles systematically.
– Help them/demonstrate/correct where is necessary.
Closing discussions (RCA)
Reflect
– What are challenges/advantages did you face during performing long
jump techniques and tactics exercises?
– How did you proceed to perform those exercises?
Connect
– Relate these long jump techniques and tactics to the techniques learnt
in the previous lessons
Apply
– Where do you think to use these techniques and tactics in your daily life?
Lesson 2: Triple jump techniques exercises
a) Learning objective
Perform triple jump techniques exercises.
b) Teaching resources
Cones, field for jumps, whistles, sandpit, decameter or measuring tape and
videos related to jumping tactical skills.
c) Prerequisites/Revision/Introduction
Students of senior five will learn better triple jump techniques if they can
perform long jumping techniques and tactics learned in the previous lesson.
d) Learning activities
Opening discussions
• Ask questions about jumping techniques learned previously.
• Introduce triple jump techniques.
• Invite students to start warm up exercises.
Warm up exercises and stretching exercises
– Let students perform general warm up exercises and specific warm up
based on body’s parts to be used more while performing triple jump techniques
and stretch their muscles properly.
– The specific warm up should focus on practicing single leg –hoping,
trying high knees, jumping drills
– Guide them while performing specific warm up and stretching
exercises.
– Help them/demonstrate/correct where is necessary
e) Lesson body
Activity 2.5
Triple jump techniques
The teacher as facilitator and guide organizes students and facilitates them
to perform triple jump techniques correctly following the steps:
– Hopping
– Stepping
– Jumping
Run up to the board and jump.
This will begin the first phase: “Hop”
Tell to the students to:
– Use their dominant foot.
– Get a running start (lasting about 17-18 strides) so they can
forcefully jump off the board.
– Pull their opposite foot up behind them.
– Make sure not to run beyond the board during their hop, as doing
so is considered a foul.– For the hop and skip, they will begin their jump with the same foot.
Request students to keep their arms extended in front of their body,
tell them the following instructions:
– While they are airborne during the hop, skip, and jump,
– Never let their hands drop lower than their chest or higher than their chin.
– Move both arms forward, as if they are grabbing something in front of them.
– If their arms are too high, they are more likely to fall out of position
when they hit the ground.
– Do not position they arms behind their back. Doing this will slow them
down during takeoff and landing.
Guide students while hitting the ground with their foot flat by instructing the following:
– During the hop and step, explain to the students that they will land
with their dominant foot flat or roll from heel to toe.
– Request students not to put too much pressure on either their heel or toes.
– Tell them that once they have touched the ground, roll forward onto the balls
of their feet and prepare for the step.
Guide students while starting their step with the same foot with the
following instructions:
– With their dominant foot, tell students to jump with their back leg
extended behind the body.
– Explain to them that they will keep your back leg’s heel up to prepare for the landing.
– Request them to land with their back leg forward to complete the step and
prepare for the final phase: jump.
– Ask them to keep their knee high and parallel to their hips for correct form.
– For the step, tell to the students that their goal is to get off the ground as soon as possible.
Guide students when starting their steep with the same foot in the
following ways:
– Ask students to begin the final phase (jumping) with their opposite
foot, instruct the them that during the jump, they will leap with their
opposite (formerly back foot).
– Tell them to be close to the sandpit.
– Ask them to bring both feet together with their knees parallel to their
chest as they jump into the pit.
– Unlike the first two steps, request them to land the jump with theirheels first.
Application activity 2.1
Students on extended line perform individually triple jump exercises
following all learnt steps
Cool down exercises
– Let students do light exercises and stretch their group of muscles by
insisting on most used parts.
– Guide them while stretching their muscles systematically.
– Help them/demonstrate/correct where is necessary.
Closing discussions (RCA)
Reflect
– What are challenges/advantages did you face during performing triple
jump techniques?
– How did you proceed to perform those exercises?
Connect
– Relate these triple jump techniques to the techniques learnt in the
previous lessons.
Apply
– Where do you think to use these techniques in your daily life?
Lesson 3: Triple jump tactics exercises
a) Learning objective
Perform triple jump tactics exercises.
b) Teaching resources
Cones, field for jumps, whistles, sandpit, decameter or measuring tape and
videos related to jumping tactical skills.
c) Prerequisites/Revision/Introduction
Students of senior five will learn better triple jump tactics if they can perform
triple jumping techniques learned in previous lesson.
d) Learning activities
Opening discussions
– Ask questions about jumping techniques learned previously.
– Introduce triple jump tactics.
– Invite students to start warm up exercises.
Warm up exercises and stretching exercises
– Let students perform general warm up exercises and specific warm up
based on body’s parts to be used more while performing triple jump
tactics and stretch their muscles properly.
– Guide them while performing warm up and stretching exercises.
– Help them/demonstrate/correct where is necessary.
e) Lesson body
Activity 2.6
Triple jump tactics
The teacher as facilitator and guide explains to the students that to better
perform triple jump exercises, a combination of tactics needs to be applied.
He /she then helps students on how to apply the following
– Accelerate run up to the take-off board;
– Simplify a hope-step-jump sequence;
– Maintain speed throughout the jump;
– Focus on even phases in length and rhythm;
– Hold back on the height of the hop;
– Hop with the heel close to butt;
– Bound not step during the step phase;
– Hold up the head and torso during the step and jump take-offs;
– Hop and step further with flat-foot landings;– Heels hit the sand not toes.
Cool down exercises
– Let students do light exercises and stretch their group of muscles by
insisting on most used parts.
– Guide them while stretching their muscles systematically.
– Help them/demonstrate/correct where is necessary.
Closing discussions (RCA)
Reflect
– What are challenges/advantages did you face during performing triple
jump tactic exercises?
– How did you proceed to perform those exercises?
Connect
– Relate these triple jump tactics to the techniques learnt in the previous
lessons
Apply
– Where do you think to use these tactics in your daily life?
Lesson 4: High jump techniques exercises
a) Learning objective
Perform high jump techniques exercises.
b) Teaching resources
Cones, Field for jumps, whistles, measuring tape, videos related to jumping
tactical skills, hurdles, improvised hurdles and mattress.
c) Prerequisites/Revision/Introduction
Students of senior five will learn better high jump techniques if they can
perform triple jumping techniques learned in previous lesson.
d) Learning activities
Opening discussions
– Ask questions about jumping techniques learned previously.
– Introduce high jump techniques.
– Invite students to start warm up exercises.
Warm up exercises and stretching exercises
– Let students perform general warm up exercises and specific warm up
based on body’s parts to be used more while performing high jump
techniques and stretch their muscles properly.
– Guide them while performing warm up and stretching exercises.
– Help them/demonstrate/correct where is necessary.
e) Lesson body
Explain to the students that the high jump is a track and field event in
which competitors must jump unaided over a horizontal bar placed at
measured heights without dislodging it.
High jump techniques
Activity 2.7
Scissor kicks technique
Help students to perform the technique by following the basic steps
for doing the scissor kick technique in the high jump by respecting the
following instructions:
– Set a run-up of between 7 to 11 steps.
– These steps should be in a straight line.
– The line should be around 25-30 degrees when compared with the bar.
– Request students to start their run from a consistent starting point.
– Ask students to keep their body tall and Centre of gravity high off
the ground.
– As they approach the bar, tell them that their legs should be
accelerating quicker.
– The last two steps should be the quickest.
– Remind them that their aim is to jump as high as possible.
– Ask them to drive their lead leg up with their knee (knee drive)
past the horizontal line of the bar.
– Tell them that once their lead leg is over, kick the other foot over the bar.– Remind them to land on their feet to complete the jump.
Activity 2.8
Belly roll high jump technique
As facilitator and a guide, organize students on the line and help them to
perform hurdle clearance.
– Tell the student to run toward the bar;
– Request students to place the lead leg at the last step;
– Request students to jump and slop with that leg
– Remind students to hop the supporting leg
– Remind students to roll their belly over the bar while facing down
– Request students to land with the hooped leg– Ask students to turn to receive on their back
Activity 2.9
Back roll high jump technique or Fosbury
The teacher organizes students accordingly and facilitates them to apply
the basics of Fosbury.
– Train to perfecting the run;
– Advise students to run in “Shape” according to their dominant legs;
– Students with right dominant leg should be to the right of mat;
– Students with left dominant leg should be to the left of mat;– Tell students to use the non-dominant foot to push off;
Request students to:
Drive the knee up;
– Pivot the body to face the sky;
– Tilt the head and upper back toward the mat;
– Arch your back up and lift your hips over the bar;
– Lift their feet up and over;
– Keep their arms close to their body;– Touch the mat with their back.
Cool down exercises
– Let students do light exercises and stretch their group of muscles by
insisting on most used parts.
– Guide them while stretching their muscles systematically.
– Help them/demonstrate/correct where is necessary.
Closing discussions (RCA)
Reflect
– What are challenges/advantages did you face during performing high
jump techniques?
– How did you proceed to perform those techniques exercises?
Connect
– Relate these high jump techniques to the techniques learnt in the
previous lessons.
Apply
– Where do you think to use these high jump techniques in your daily
life?
Lesson 5: High jump tactics exercises
a) Learning objective
Perform high jump tactics exercises.
b) Teaching resources
Cones, field for jumps, whistles, sand, measuring tape, videos related to
jumping tactical skills and Improvised hurdles.
c) Prerequisites/Revision/Introduction
Students of senior five will learn better high jump tactics if they can perform
high jump techniques learned in previous lesson.
d) Learning activities
Opening discussions
– Ask questions about jumping techniques learned previously.
– Introduce high jump tactics.
– Invite students to start warm up exercises.
Warm up exercises and stretching exercises
– Let students perform general warm up exercises and specific warm up
based on body’s parts to be used more while performing high jump
techniques and stretch their muscles properly.
– Guide them while performing warm up and stretching exercises.
– Help them/demonstrate/correct where is necessary.
e) Lesson body
Explain to the students that to overcome the high jump techniques,
you need to add tactical aspects that include the following aspects:
– How perfecting the Run;
– How clearing the bar using techniques acquired;
– How landing on the mat properly.
To better perfect the running technique before students attempt to jump
over anything, they need to practice by running towards a gymnastics mat
and behaving as if there was a bar in front of it.
Activity 2.10
How perfecting the Run
Prepare to run towards the mat.
Request students to do the following:
– To be sure to run in a “J” shape;
– To run straight toward the corner of the mat;
– To begin to curve so they will eventually be parallel with the bar
after about 3 strides;– Do not accelerate or decelerate.
Jump towards the mat.
Explain to the students the following:
– Tell them that this can also be called a “push off.”
– Request them to push off into the air with their non-dominant foot.
– Tell them that the non-dominant leg will automatically be extended asthey jump and they will drive up their opposite knee.
Activity 2.11
How clearing the bar using techniques acquired
Prepare to launch yourself over the bar
Explain to the students that:
– When they have finished the “J” run and are next to the mat, rotate
their back to the bar for the Fosbury Flop.
– As they drive their knee up and push off from their non-dominantleg, pivot their body to face the sky.
Clear the bar
During practice request students to respect the following:
– Tilt their head and upper back toward the mat.
– Keep Angle of their head back and keep their chin un-tucked as they
clear the bar to avoid injury.
– Arch their back up.
– As they arch and lift their hips over the bar, their head will fall back.
– After their hips have cleared the bar they will naturally tuck their head
to their chest to help lift their feet over.
– To lift their feet up and over. Remind them that timing is critical here
as there may only be a small amount of clearance for getting their legs
over the bar.
– Tell them that as their hips cross the bar and come down, give their
legs a quick kick up and over to clear the bar.
– Try to keep their arms close to their body for a more solid center ofgravity.
Activity 2.12
How landing on the mat properly.
During practice, tell to the students the following;
– Touch the mat with their upper back first.
– After clearing the bar to land on their upper back and shoulders to
avoid injury.
– The rest of their body to follow and it may feel right to let the
movement turn into a backward tumble.
– To relax and try to roll into the tumble.
– push the roll to either the left or right side of their upper back
and put their body’s weight over the respective shoulder so the
pressure is distributed away from the neck.
– Keep their mouth closed. To avoid biting of their tongue.
Cool down exercises
– Let students do light exercises and stretch their group of muscles by
insisting on most used parts.
– Guide them while stretching their muscles systematically.
– Help them/demonstrate/correct where is necessary.
Closing discussions (RCA)
Reflect
– What are challenges/advantages did you face during high jump tactics
exercises?
– How did you proceed to perform those exercises?
Connect
– Relate these high jump tactics exercises to the techniques learnt in the
previous lessons.
Apply
– Where do you think to use these tactics in your daily life?
Lesson 6: Rules and regulations of jumping exercises
a) Learning objective
Apply rules and regulations of jumping exercises.
b) Teaching resources
Cones, field for jumps, whistles, sand, decameter or measuring tape,
videos related to jumping tactical skills and flags (red, green and white).
c) Prerequisites/Revision/Introduction
Students of senior five will apply rules and regulations of jumping exercises
if they can perform jumping techniques and tactics learned in previous lesson.
d) Learning activities
Opening discussions
– Ask questions about athletic rules and regulations learned previously.
– Introduce triple jump techniques.
– Invite students to start warm up exercises
Warm up exercises and stretching exercises
– Let students perform general warm up exercises.
– Guide them while performing warm up and stretching exercises.
– Help them/demonstrate/correct where is necessary.
e) Lesson body
Activity 2.13
Rules and regulations of jumping
As a facilitator, help students in the following ways:
– Form groups of five students.
– Assign to groups formed the expressions to discuss.
– Name the groups by numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, …
a) Odd numbers groups discuss Rules and regulations of long jump.
b) Even numbers groups discuss Rules and regulations of high jump.
Pass around groups by guiding and facilitating students.
– Ask groups to present their findings to the whole class by requesting
the group representative to write them on the chalkboard or flip
chart.
– Enable the class to ask questions related to the presented findings.
Initially, request the members of the groups which have presented to
respond to the questions asked; if they are not able to clarify, ask other
groups to contribute.
– After group’s presentation, teacher as a facilitator make a summary
of student’s findings and complete their information accordingly.
Application activity 2.2
Let’s students interpret the rules and regulations by becoming officials:
- Organize small competitions, some students become athletes (jumpers)
in different jumping competitions (long jumps and high jumps) and others
become officials where they will interpret rules.
- After some attempts, students respectively interchange roles.
Cool down exercises
– Let students do light exercises and stretch their body
– Guide them while stretching their muscles systematically.
– Help them/demonstrate/correct where is necessary.
Closing discussions (RCA)
Reflect
– What are challenges/advantages did you face during acting as judges?
– How did you proceed to perform that task?
Connect
– Relate these athletic rules and regulations to what learnt in the previous
lessons.
Apply
– Where do you think to use these athletic rules and regulations in your
daily life?
Summary of the unit
This unit covers technical and tactical skills of jumping. It provides horizontal
jump techniques and tactics of performing long jump and triple jump.
High jump tactics are also covered in this unit to help students performing
tactically scissor, belly roll and Fosbury. Applying rules and regulations of
jumping has also been dealt within the unit.
Techniques of long jump include:
– Marking the starting point,
– Setting up the approach run,
– Taking off,
– Landing the long jump.
Triple jump techniques include:
– The hoping
– The stepping
– The jumping
Triple jump tactics include:
– Accelerate run up to the take-off board;
– Simplify a hope-step-jump sequence;
– Maintain speed throughout the jump;
– Focus on even phases in length and rhythm;
– Hold back on the height of the hop;
– Hop with the heel close to butt;
– Bound not step during the step phase;
– Hold up the head and torso during the step and jump take-offs;
– Hop and step further with flat-foot landings;
– Heels hit the sand not toes.
High jump techniques include:
– Scissor
– Belly roll
– Fosbury
High jump tactics:
– How to perfect the run;
– How to clear the bar;
– How to land properly.
2.5 Additional information to the teacher
The long jump is a track and field event in which athletes combine speed,
strength and agility in an attempt to leap as far as possible from a takeoff point.
Along with the triple jump, the two events that measure jumping for distance
as a group are referred to as the “horizontal jumps”.
Techniques of long jump
There are five main components of the long jump: the approach run,
the last two strides, takeoff, action in the air, and landing.
The approach run: The approach run is aimed to gradually accelerate to a
maximum controlled speed at takeoff
Last two steps: The objective of the last two steps is to prepare the body
for takeoff while conserving as much speed as possible.
Takeoff: The objective of the takeoff is to create a vertical impulse through
the athlete’s center of gravity while maintaining balance and control.
There are four main styles of takeoff: the kick style, double-arm style,
sprint takeoff, and the power sprint or bounding takeoff.
Kick: The kick style takeoff is where the athlete actively cycles the leg before
a full impulse has been directed into the board then landing into the pit.
This requires great strength in the hamstrings. This causes the jumper
to jump to large distances.
Double-arm: The double-arm style of takeoff works by moving both arms
in a vertical direction as the competitor takes off. This produces a high
hip height and a large vertical impulse.
Sprint
The sprint takeoff is the style most widely instructed by coaching staff.
This is a classic single-arm action that resembles a jumper in full stride.
It is an efficient takeoff style for maintaining velocity through takeoff.
Power sprint or bounding
The power sprint takeoff, or bounding takeoff, is one of the more common elite styles.
Very similar to the sprint style, the body resembles a sprinter in full stride.
However, there is one major difference. The arm that pushes back on takeoff
(the arm on the side of the takeoff leg) fully extends backward,
rather than remaining at a bent position.
This additional extension increases the impulse at takeoff.
The “correct” style of takeoff will vary from athlete to athlete.
Action in the air and landing
There are three major flight techniques for the long jump: the hang, the sail,
and the hitch-kick.
The triple jump is a track-and-field competition in which athletes attempt
to cover the farthest distance using a running start and sequence of three jumps
The triple jump requires the competitor to complete a long jump in three
stages: the hop, the step and the jump. This is done from a running start,
much like the beginning of the long jump.
Triple jump techniques
There are four important sections of the triple jump that athletes must practice
in order to perform a successful jump.
Approach: This is arguably the most important part of a triple jump. The
athlete sprints down the runway to the take-off line, which is where the
jump is measured from. This part is important as they need to maintain
a good speed throughout the whole jump.
Hop: This part of the jump begins when the athlete leaves the take-off mark on one
foot, and propels themselves forwards with as much momentum as possible.
Step: When the athlete lands the hop stage, the step stage begins.
They have to use the momentum from the hop to jump forwards and upwards.
They should pull their leg up as high as possible to make the furthest jump they can.
Jump: When the athlete’s step has landed, they move onto the jump.
This part is very similar to the long jump, and they will land in a sandpit as they finish.
The jumper should try not to sit backwards or place their hands behind their feet
in the sandpit after they land to help with measuring the distance.
End unit assessment 2.6
Setting exercises and games aimed to observe whether students are able
to perform technical and tactical skills of jumping and interpret rules and
regulations of jumping
2.7 Additional activities
2.7.1 Remedial activities
Regular performance of horizontal and high jump gymnastics exercises with agility,
strength and flexibility to improve confidence of working on gymnastics apparatuses.
2.7.2 Consolidation activities
Execute and harmonize horizontal and high jump gymnastics exercises with agility,
strength and flexibility.
2.7.3 Extended activities
Request students to participate in gymnastic competitions organized by the school
and evaluate their performance level.