Junior Cycle Project

LESSON ORGANISATION

PREPLANNING

It is obviously essential that the teacher engages in adequate planning before the session(s). In using the lesson materials included below the teacher should take into account a number of considerations:

Size of the group
Levels of ability
Range of ability
Experience of individuals

GROUPING

In order to optimise the learning experience and to facilitate effective teaching it is frequently necessary to group students. Groupings might be made on the basis of:

Technical ability
Endurance
Safety
Previous knowledge/experience
Water depth/individual height
Common strengths or weaknesses

PRACTICE

To avoid student fatigue and/or boredom it is recommended that students are not required to perform more than 4 widths of any task.

RESOURCES

In utilising the materials provided the teacher must take account of the following:

pool space available
equipment required
depth and temperature of water
numbers of students in the water
acoustics
number of teachers

HYGIENE AND CLEANLINESS

The teacher must ensure that students:

visit the toilet before the lesson
enter the poo/ in a good state of general cleanliness (especially nose, hands, feet)
wear a clean swimsuit
shower before and after swimming
don't swim if they have
- open wounds infectious diseases
- coughs, colds or related infections
- ear infections

Verrucae/Athletes Foot

Verrucae are only contagious before they are visible. Wearing pool socks does not prevent spreading verrucae and may only serve to increase the incidence of athletes foot. Pool socks may be worn to the side of the pool but it is not recommended in the water. (ASA Rule Book 1998).

FLOATATION LESSON PLAN

ENTRIES

STROKE

GAMES

SAFETY

· Ways to enter pool and stay head up In water
· Slip in
· Twist and Slip In (swivel entry)
· Straddle entry

· Breathing head position will influence floating look up legs sink, look to side
· Push 'n glide using float (note distance)
· Push 'n glide without float
· Push 'n glide off well on back (note distance)

· Float fill up lungs with air

· Float empty lungs (note difference)

· Vertical float- what happens? Kick flutter (Water can be used as resistance)
· Swing - head first feet first, stationary
· 'Sit' on bottom

· Vertical breast stroke arm action especially. useful for resistance training (legs off bottom in a cross legged position)

· Float and make the shapes XIYT

· Flotation aids
-where is it best to hold aid?
- what will keep you up!
- balls
-floats
- ring buoys.
- can buoys
- pull buoys
- tubes
- adapt to relay race game

· Game of floating tag - one identified catcher when caught must float (hold side if unable) to release, surface dive under
· Floatation circle:
- go prone to supine to prone (use of floats if people unable to float)
· Holding breath - how long can you float & hold breath in floating position

· Jellyfish float - go into mushroom float and then release arms
· What letters can you make with your body and still float

· Make shapes in the XIYT in water using your body.

· If unable to float-, due to bone and muscle density- use mushroom float

· Recap on help position must use a buoyancy aid

· Use clothes to make aid

· Shirt take off the shirt, tie top button around neck backwards, tie a knot in each sleeve, lift ends and bend down to gather aid

· Trousers take off trousers and tie a knot at the end of each leg
· Gather the Waist and blow into it to fill with air
· Or gather waist and bang down into water

PARTNER WORK LESSON PLAN

ENTRIES

STROKE

GAMES

SAFETY

· Follow the leader
· Match your partner
· Mirror your partner

(Focus on breathing practises) Development
· Practise any stroke breathing at the same time as your partner
· Practise Front crawl breathing to the same side each time as you look at your partner

· Swim breastroke towards your partner breathing at same time

Follow the leader strokes
a) Student choice of stroke
b) Teacher choice of stroke

Synchronise strokes

Partner Tag
One partner chases the other When tagged roles are reversed
Wheelbarrows (prone or supine)

One partner takes up a prone or supine position, with legs apart and partner stands between the legs and supports at the hips. The wheelbarrow may become passive or active as the pair cross the pool

Synchronised swimming routine
Students compose their own sequence which may include entry stroke, aquarobic activities

Towing in pairs
Partners take turns towing each other across the pool - on front & on back.

Balance and push
Students explore different methods of balancing on or against each other and then push away.

Land Based Rescues
Talk, Reach, Throw.

Students work in pairs with one acting as subject and the other rescues to the side - No direct contact. Use pole, towels, ring buoy, rope. Remind students that choice of equipment affects length of throw.