Central CT State University Physical Education Lesson Plan

Created by: ______Brendon Quirion___________ Date: ____4/12/16______

Unit topic: ______Tennis_________________________

Key skill(s) or concept(s) for this lesson:

Overhand serve
Scoring using the overhead serve
How to keep score
Rotation

Grade level: high school

Lesson #: 4

Specific provisions for safety:

Be aware of players in courts next to you so you do not run into anyone.
Be aware of your partner so you do not run into each other, communicate with partner.
Have enough personal space when practicing skills.

Equipment needed:
Tennis rackets (1 per student).
Tennis balls (at least 1 per student).
Tennis net.
Poly spots (8 per court).

References:
John C.- USTA
Dr. Amy Gagnon
https://www.usta.com/Coaches-Organizers/Coaching-Resources/QuickStart/9_10_Overhand_Serve_Progression/

Learning Nat'l Objectives Assessment Strategies When?

Domain Stand
.
1,3 SWBAT perform an overhead serve by Peer assessment:
Psychomotor

IA
starting off with your opposite foot forward, When working
arm bent, racket behind head, swinging with with partner keep LF
a straight arm, contacting the ball at its track of how many CA
highest point, and following through and successful
2 SWBAT answer questions at the end of Exit slip:
Cognitive

IA
class about how to keep score in tennis and Explain the point
how to rotate in singles and doubles tennis, system of tennis? LF
as noted by exit slip given at the end of How does it start? CA
class. What are the

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 Central CT State University Physical Education Lesson Plan

4,5 SWBAT show good sportsmanship and Teacher observation:

IA
Affective
respect to their classmates by congratulating Watch students to
all of their opponents and teammate when make sure they LF
done with the activity by shaking rackets show good CA
and saying good game, as noted by sportsmanship and

Initiation:
Good morning ladies and gentlemen. How is everyone doing today? Thats great, I am doing great thanks
for asking. Today we will be continuing our tennis unit. Last class we went over the forehand and
backhand hits in tennis. Without a racquet or ball can you all demonstrate how to hit a ball on your
forehand? That looks great, knees are bent, on the balls of your feet, hands are in front of you, shift your
body to your side swing across your body. How about on your backhand? Excellent! Just like forehand
you want your knees bent, on the balls of your feet, hands in front of, shift your body to your other side
and swing across your body. As if you are pulling a sword out of its holster. Today we are going to learn
how to properly start a tennis match, with a serve. We will be going over how to properly do an overhead
serve from the right position. But first, I have an introductory activity for us to play first. Lets get started!

Introductory Activity
(Time allotted- 5-7 )

Description of learning tasks: 1) Organizational diagram(s):

T
Messy Backyard:
Every student has a racket and 2 tennis
balls.
Split class into 2 teams. One team on
X X
each side of the net. X X
You must overhead hit the ball in order X X
X X
to get it over the net and onto the other X X
X X
teams court. X X
At the same time both teams begin to X X
hit tennis ball back and forth overhead
style.
Students may hit from anywhere on
their side of the court. Be careful of
being right in front of the net, multiple
tennis balls will fly by or hit person. T=Teacher
Students may not try to forehand or X= Student
backhand return a ball. Can only
overhead hit balls that are already
stopped and on the ground. 2) Instructional cues:

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After 2 minutes, stop the game and

Overhead.
count up how many tennis balls are on Strike at highest point.
each teams side. Over the net.
The team that last the least amount of Start with arm bent and racket behind.
tennis balls on their side win. Swing with straight arm.
Play 2 games.
3) Questions to ask:
What made you successful in getting the ball
over the net?

Differentiated Instruction:
Simplified- If students are having difficulty getting the ball over the net. Move students
in closer to the net.

Challenge- If students are exceeding and mastering this game, allow students to return
shots with backhand or forehand strikes.
Accommodation: Adapting for Special Needs
For a child with downs syndrome allow them to work with a partner. Have the partner
throw the ball in the air for the student to hit out of midair.
Or with a child with downs syndrome allow them to over hand throw the ball over the net.
Throwing a ball overhand is similar to hitting a tennis ball overhead.

Lesson Focus
(Time allotted- 10-15 )

Description of learning tasks: 1) Organizational diagram(s):

Overhand serve
T
Have students start off in partners.
First begin by throwing the tennis ball
back and forth and allowing it to
bounce before catching it. Throw,
bounce, and catch.
Toss, Touch, Freeze- Staying in same X X
partners, have 1 student 2 feet away
from the net and the other partner on X X
the other side of the net.
Partner who is 2 feet away from the
net will throw a tennis ball in the air
with non-dominant hand. Will then

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lightly swing racquet at the ball trying T

to make contact at its highest point.
After contact student will freeze their
racket in order to see where contact
was made. Student should look for
X X
their racket to be facing the
appropriate service box and arm at full
extension. X X
Student on opposite side of net will
catch with the face of their racquet.
Then serve to their partner just like
before.
Toss, touch, follow through, and trap- X=Student
Position server 4 feet away from net. T=Teacher
Similar to before have student start in
proper serving stance. Have student 2) Instructional cues:
Serve, bounce, and catch on racket.
concentrate on lifting their back foot
Over the net.
heel off the ground and rotating their
Strike at highest point.
hips forward. Partner catches the serve
Opposite foot forward.
on their racquet and serves it the same Arm starts bent and racket behind head.
way back. Hit the ball in front of your body.
Step, serve trap- going off of the last Lift back heel.
activity. If student completes the serve Rotate hips.
and successfully gets the tennis ball
over the net and in legal territory. Take 3) Questions to ask:
a step back. Partner catches tennis ball What did you have to do with your body when
on racquet and serves it back, also you had to change from serving straight to
takes a step back. Continue to step serving diagonally?
back until at the baseline. In singles, after serving in the right box. Where
do you serve from next?
Tennis rotation When you are not serving in a doubles game,
Singles- but your partner is serving. Where is a good
Server begins on right side of the place to stand?
court, hitting to the diagonally
opposite service box.
After point is scored the server
remains the server and switched to the
left side of the court, hitting to the
diagonally opposite box.
The server remains the server until the
game ends. One individual getting the
game point
After game point a new game starts.
Now its the other individual who

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serves for the entire next game.

Doubles-
The serve rotates from team to team.
One player on team A serves the first
game. Then one player on team B
serves the second game. Then the other
player who hasnt served on team A
serves the third game. Then the other
player who hasnt served on team B
serves the Fourth game. Then it keeps
going in a loop.
When player is serving, he/she serves
from behind the baseline and towards
the diagonally opposite service box.
When the server is behind the base
line, their partner is standing on the
opposite side of the middle line.
After the point the server switches to
the other side his/her partner switches
to the other side also.

Differentiated Instruction:
Simplified- If student cannot hit the ball over the net from behind the baseline, move
student up to the top of the service box.

Challenge- If students are excelling at the activites, allow for partners to rally off the
serve, allow students to hit back and forth until the ball cannot be returned.

Accommodation: Adapting for Special Needs

For a student with downs syndrome, allow student to work with a partner of their choice.
Have partner throw the ball in the air and have the special needs student to try to
overhead swing the ball in the air.
For student with downs syndrome, for returning the serve allow student to work with a
partner of their choice. Have partner lightly throw a tennis ball over the net and have
special needs student to forehand or backhand return the ball.

Culminating Activity
(Time allotted- 10-15 )

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 Central CT State University Physical Education Lesson Plan

Description of learning tasks: 1) Organizational diagram(s):

Doubles tennis game
Have students play a game of doubles
tennis.
Serves should be overhand and from
behind base line. If student cannot reach X
X
the tennis ball over the net. Allow student
to move up and over hand serve from a
closer distance.
Place 2 poly spots on the side of each X
service box. The edges of the box are the X
best places for the ball to land. Is tough for
opponent to reach them.
If serve hits the poly spot, 1 extra point is
awarded.
2) Instructional cues:
Scoring in tennis
Diagonally across court.
The score begins at Love-Love (0-0). Overhead serve.
The first point scored is 15 (15-Love). Strike at highest point.
The second point scored is 30 (30-Love). Opposite foot forward.
The third point scored in 40 (40-Love). Start with arm bent and racket behind head.
The fourth point scored is called game Hit ball in front of your body.
point which wins the game. Forehand.
If the score is tied at 40-40 (40 all) (deuce). Backhand.
You must win by scoring two points in a
row. 3) Questions to ask:
If it is tied and you score a point it is called
my ad which means my advantage. Then What is the proper score for 0-0?
if your opponent scores it goes back to Why is serving the tennis ball towards
deuce. the edges of the court give you the
advantage as the server?

Differentiated Instruction:
Simplified- If a student is struggling to get the ball over the net. Move the student closer
to the net.

Challenge- If students are excelling at a full game of tennis teach them how to put

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different spins on the ball in order to mess up their opponent.

Accommodation: Adapting for Special Needs

For a student with downs syndorme have the student work with a partner of their choice and two
opponents of their choice. Have them play an easy game of tennis for the student. Hitting it
lightly at all times.

Closure:
That was an excellent class today ladies and gentlemen. Can someone tell me one part of serving a tennis
ball? Thats right, leading with your opposite foot. Can you all show me leading with your opposite foot?
Perfect, can someone else tell me another part of serving? Exactly, starting with your arm bent and the
racket behind your head. Everyone show me your arm bent and the racket behind their head. Someone
else name me another part of serving? Excellent, swinging with your arm straight. When serving you
want to contact the ball at its highest point. So without a ball everyone show me with their racket how
they would serve the ball in an overhead motion. Excellent, place your rackets in the bag and the ball in
the basket and I will see you next class where we will discuss defense in tennis.

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Reflective lesson analysis:

Overall I thought this lesson went well. My introductory activity with messy backyard works
well with learning how to serve. The lead ups to actually learning how to serve work well
together. The tennis game at the end where you are trying to aim for the poly spots gives students
an extra challenged and is an ideal placement for your serve. The lead ups in a normal class
setting with give students plenty of opportunities to respond and to bring in all into a game at the
end. Students are able to learn how to score in tennis, since scoring in tennis is different than
most other sports. Students can also learn rotation which is different than other racquet sports.
Only thing I would have changed during my teaching was ask more questions that were more
open ended instead of yes/no answers.

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Revised: June 2014