There are different types of rolls in gymnastics, which include, forward roll, sideways roll, curled egg roll and a teddy bear roll. Rolls need to be smooth and flow at the same speed throughout. For a forward roll you should be able to move from the starting position into a roll and get back on your feet all in one motion. To extend the use of rolls you can: Stretch and extend legs during the roll Slow the speed of the roll Add a gymnastic skill to the start/finish of the roll
Learning Objective: To perform a roll with good body tension To evaluate their partners roll To complete a roll into a stretched position Children start by moving around the room on the balls of their feet in different directions avoiding contact with other children. On the teacher s indication children jump into the air then sink into a tucked position. Once in the tucked position children should travel around the room staying tucked until the teacher indicates when to spring up and travel in a stretched position. Repeat the game and encourage children to change the way they travel each time. Without the teacher s signal children must travel around the room trying to find a space. When space is created children must jump into the air, sink into a tucked position and travel tucked across the mat. Once off the mat children spring up into a stretched, tall shape and travel to a empty mat. Working in small groups sharing a mat children take turns to complete a sideways roll across the mat. Ask groups to comment on what they like about each others roll and then discuss what a perfect roll should look like. Children take turns to complete a forward roll. Remind children to have a good stretched start position, good strong hands on the mat, roll with tucked knees, both knees and ankles are together throughout the roll and stand up to a stretched finished position. Challenge some children to roll at different speeds. If children complete rolls with good control ask children to roll at the same time as a partner. Encourage children to sink from their starting position together, place hands on the mat and roll at the same time and rise and finish at the same time. Can children roll in a straddle or pike position through out their roll. Ask children to link a sideways roll and a forward roll with the use of a gymnastics skill.
Split the class into two (boys and girls). Group one must try and find places to show stretched shapes/balances for three seconds without touching the apparatus whilst group two show tucked up shapes around the room touching or on the apparatus. Change over after a few minutes. Children can use apparatus to find places to complete a sideways roll. Example, under a bench or on a large gymnastics table. Can children add a balance or shape to the start and finish of their roll. Encourage children to choose their shapes so the roll and shape sync neatly together. When travelling on apparatus remind children to show creative ideas to travel, dismount and enter each apparatus. Children can now explore different places to complete forward rolls. Example, jumping onto a mat then sinking into a forward roll or carefully rolling from a low gymnastics table placing your hands on the mat. Can children add a balance or shape to the start and finish of the roll like they did with the sideways roll. Challenge children to complete a balance, sideways roll, forward roll and a shape in the same place. Learning Objective: Spread skill resource cards out at the front of the room. Children must chose a skills card and include the skill during their small sequence of a sideways roll, shape and forwards roll. The skill can be performed at any chosen time during the sequence. To identify spaces to compete sideways and forward rolls Link gymnastic skills before and after a forward roll
Split the group into two groups. Group one must travel around the room making their body as tall or as wide as possible. Group two travel around the room making their body as low or as tight as possible. On the teacher s signal the groups swap roles. Swap groups roles every 60 seconds. Encourage children to try and travel different from their previous travel. Change the way children travel. Group 1 now travel around the room with the inclusion of jumps and group 2 travel low with the inclusion of sideways rolls. Continue to change the way the groups travel. Add conditions to their travels, for example, travel with only points touching the floor or sink into a shape using a tuck, straddle or pike every ten steps. Split children into smaller groups of around four or five. Give each group a piece of low apparatus to perform their sequence on and a mat. Children are free to include balances, travels, jumps, or spins but must include a forward roll and a sideways roll in their sequence. Once children have reached a decision children must create a good starting position for each child. For example, if groups consist of four children they could each start at a corner of a mat. Children must complete their sequence and finish in their starting position. Learning Objective: To perform a sequence in a small group with the inclusion of a low piece of apparatus Encourage children to use the surrounding floor space as well as their apparatus and mat. Encourage children to use spins, jumps or sinking to sync their rolls together. Allow time for children to practice their sequence and encourage children to work on their timings so that children move together. Challenge groups to keep everybody performing at all times avoiding children standing and watching. Ask groups to perform their sequence to the class. Ask other groups to describe what they liked about the performance highlighting timing, flow, space awareness, linking moves together, quality of travelling and balances and start/finish positions.
Keeping knees and ankles together helps to show good body tension when travelling under, over and through apparatus. Showing good body control will help children start and finish their gymnastic skills with accuracy and posture To extend the use of control you can: Change the supporting body part when travelling Travel over apparatus slowly with a soft quiet landing Finish gymnastic skill with knees and ankles together
Learning Objective: To travel with quiet/soft touches on the floor To find ways to travel under or over keeping their knees and ankles together Lay mats in random spaces around the room. Children start by moving around the room without touching the mats. Encourage children to travel with soft touches on the floor and change direction frequently without touching the mats or any other child. Children can now travel across the mats. Children must select a different body part to travel on each time they cross a mat. Ask children to explore different ways to travel across the mat with knees and ankles together. Highlight good work by asking selected children to demonstrate to the class. Remind children to keep good posture with head up and toes pointed. In pairs ask children to create as many different ways to travel under or over their partner whilst keeping their knees and ankles together. Encourage children to change the way they travel under and over their partner and also the child making the low or tall shape. Encourage groups to change the shape of the child creating the bridge or low shape. Split children into groups of four. Children select different shapes and try to create their shapes by combining their bodies together to make a large outline of that shape (see picture). Children must select different shapes after each completion. Challenge groups to pick and create three shapes. Children create ideas to transition smoothly from one shape into the next. When in transition encourage children to keep knees and ankles together. Ask children to create a start and finish position for their small sequence.
Learning Objective: To create different ways to travel under, over and through whilst touching the apparatus with different body parts To show good control and body tension whilst passing over apparatus Children move around the apparatus without touching it. Children must find different places to hold a shape for three seconds keeping knees and ankles together. Encourage children to create stretched shapes under, over and through apparatus. After each shape children should change the way they travel keeping both knees and ankles together. Children can now travel under, over or through apparatus with just their hands touching the apparatus. Encourage children to go over the apparatus as slow as possible using strong arms to control the speed. Place benches and gymnastic tables next to the mats that are already spread out. Ask children to create different ways to travel under, over and through each bench with their knees and ankles together. Encourage children to travel around the room looking for the biggest space to show their work. Children can now explore different ways to travel along the benches. Can children create different ways to exit the bench or table keeping both knees and ankles together. Encourage children to travel and exit on different body parts. Ask children to create new ideas to enter onto the bench whilst keeping both knees and ankles together. Children can now enter, travel and exit the bench with ankles and knees together. Ask children to add something to the bench sequence. For example a jump with knees and ankles together or a spin with knees and ankles together.
Children travel around the room changing direction at every available opportunity. Children must travel for ten steps or slides then change the way they travel. Children must create ways to travel keeping knees and ankles together. The teacher now calls out a body part children must travel on this body part with knees and ankles together until the next body part is called out. If the same body part is called out children must try and create a different way of travelling using the same body part. Children create a small travelling sequence. Children select three body parts to travel on. After ten steps or slides children then change to their next chosen body part. Encourage children to create neat ways to transfer into their next way of travelling Children create a sequence of six ways to travel but still only using three body parts. Encourage children stretch out any unused body parts when travelling. As a class use a large board to list as many things as you can where you would need to keep your knees and ankles together. Example, jumps, spins, rolls, rocks, tucked position, cat leap, different travels. Now split children into groups of three or four. Children select four of the examples from the board to include in their sequence. Learning Objective: To use different parts to travel in a sequence To evaluate other sequences and highlight strengths and provide suggestions on how to improve After performing one of the examples (knees and ankles together) in their sequence children must show an immediate contrast by showing a balance or travel with wide bodies. Ask children to constantly change how they move as a group. Example, all group members travel at the same time then split into two pairs producing two different ways to travel in separate directions. Groups perform their sequences to the class. Encourage other groups to give feedback at the end of each performance.
Assessment and expectations Gymnastics Show control and creativity when travelling. Use a variety of different body parts to travel on. Select different body parts to travel over, under or along apparatus. Link gymnastic skills together when using apparatus. Support body weight using different body parts. Perform a variety of skills and travels whilst using a ribbon. Perform a forward roll. Meets these expectations
Expecting Emerging Exceeding Assessment and expectations