PALATINE COMMUNITY SPORTS

COLLEGE
KEY STAGE THREEE
SWIMMING SCHEME OF WORK

This swimming scheme is designed on the postulation that the majority of students entering
Year 7 will have met those requirements set out in the National Curriculum for England at
Key Stage Two for swimming activities and water safety. Namely that each pupil should be
taught to:

a) pace themselves in floating and swimming challenges related speed, distance and
personal survival.

b) swim unaided for a sustained period of time over a distance of at least 25m

c) use recognised arm and leg actions, lying on their front and back

d) use a range of strokes and personal survival skills

It is recognised that some pupils will not meet these requirements and as such appropriate
support will be given to ensure that these pupils will have access to a safe and enjoyable
swimming education.
DAY: DATE: PERIOD: GROUP:
Swimming Scheme of Work
Year 8 Lesson One
Starter Activity:
Pairs re-cap – Q what pool rules do you know? Discuss with your partner.
Whole class re-cap to pool rules and pool procedures:
- Basic pool rules
- Hygiene issues
- Emergency procedures
In small groups; Perform mobility exercises; remember to start with small actions and
move to larger ones

Lesson Objectives: By the end of this lesson students will be able to:
 Discuss the safety rules and procedures for using the Palatine Sport Centre pool.
 Demonstrate good front crawl technique over short distances.
 Demonstrate two different shapes for entering deep water.
Description of Lesson:
Self-assessment: Have the student place themselves on a swimming continuum;
The more confident towards the deep end, less confident near the shallow.
Re-cap the physical dimensions of the swimming pool:
(Remind students; that if not confident with action talk to the teacher)

5x mini-widths on fc. Q. What are the key things to remember when swimming front
crawl? BLABT
5x mini widths on an alternate stroke.
Deep water entry: demonstrate different shapes jumping into the pool i.e. tuck,
straddle, pike, ½ tuck. Aim: plenty of height, and straight on entry.
Re-cap diving pit rules:

5min: 25m swims and walks – emphasis NOT ON SPEED, but technique. Swimming
two at a time, climb out shallow end and walk back to deep end. Keep going for 5
min. Q what affect has this to your HR? Why do we need more O2 in the muscles?
(more able: focus on breathing rates, long strokes and relaxing into stroke)

Q. What other strokes? Demonstrate an alternate stroke to front crawl. Less able to
use floats/ woggles as required.

Key Words/Questions:
Q what affect has this to your HR? Why do we need more O2 in the muscles? What
is lactic acid?
Q. Why do we cool down?
Plenary:
Cat and mouse; Students work out their own order. Aim: 5 sec gaps can you catch
the person in front of you? Have 3 groups to make it fairer.
Shallow end: basic aqua aerobics Q
Gifted and Talented Extension Work:
Demonstrate effective techniques for water skills,
- How high can they jump when entering the water?
- Increase range of strokes employed)

Resources/Equipment:
Whistle, reach pole, Hair bands, woggles for less able, spare goggles

DAY: DATE: PERIOD: GROUP:

 Swimming Scheme of Work
Year 8 Lesson Two
Starter Activity:
Q why do we warm-up? What could we do as an activity?
In small groups; Perform mobility exercises; remember to start with small actions and
move to larger ones
Emphasis on names of muscles: Q how many can you name?
Lesson Objectives: By the end of this lesson students will be able to:-
 Discuss how interval training can be used to w/up in swimming.
 Demonstrate basic back crawl start leading into leg kick
 Demonstrate basic sculling action over short distances.
Description of Lesson:
Q What do we mean by interval training? How can that be used to w/up?

Pairs: Mini-widths – alternate swimmers. Which pair is the first to reach 20 mini-
widths? (Winners are the first pair to be sat on the side, arms crossed).

Push and glides on their backs: Can you reach the lane ropes (pairs; one swims, one
watches; Q what is their body shape like? Are they getting as strong push off the
wall?
Peer Assessment - Pairs: One swim, One watch: Introduce the basic back crawl
start. TPS – strongest foot higher than other/ bottom tucked in tight. Throw hands
back and arch your back.
Practice on the side across 2 widths: Most should be able to reach the lanes.

Whole group demonstrate: Peer assessment – Three swimmers; which is the best
reverse torpedo? Why? – kick = long legs, floppy ankles, fast feet. G&T: aim of
fly kick instead of flutter.

How far can you travel as a torpedo? Deep to shallow; Split into flights. Q How might
you stop water going up your nose when under water?
Aim: 25m on back with flutter kick. If have problems roll onto front and finish the
length.

Key Words/Questions:

Streamline, Friction, drag, resistance and Torpedo (push and glide with FC
kicking action)
Q what shape goes best through the water? Long and narrow.
Back crawl start. Flutter and fly kicking action.

Plenary:
Sculling races: Introduce the basic sculling action: floating on backs. Push the
water to feet. (helps develop feel of water ready for next weeks lesson)

Gifted and Talented Extension Work:

Use as demonstrators for whole group demonstrations.
How far can they travel under the water before breaking the surface? Aim:
between 5m – 15m; add fly kick on streamlining instead of flutter

Resources/Equipment:
Whistle, reach pole, Hair bands, woggles for less able, spare goggles
DAY: DATE: PERIOD: GROUP:
Swimming Scheme of Work
Year 8 Lesson Three
Starter Activity:
Small Groups: discuss teaching points for flutter kick (long legs, fast feet and small
splashes. Q what teaching points might you give for back crawl arm action.
In small groups; Perform mobility exercises; remember to start with small actions and
move to larger ones
Lesson Objectives: By the end of this lesson students will be able to:-
 Discuss key teaching points for back crawl arm action
 Demonstrate good arm technique for Bk stroke over short distances.
 Analyse the back crawl stroke action of a partner using BLABT.
Description of Lesson:
Water Aerobics in shallow end: Aim: - lots of pushing and pulling of water
exercises to develop students feel of the water.

Whole group practice in shallow end: Focus on arms:

Find a space where you can stand and not in reach of someone else. Practice
alternating arm action: teaching point: Little finger enters first, straight arm brushes
ear, bent arm pushes out and down to feet. Thumb leaves the water, look at the
roof. More able: focus on the roll of the shoulders.
(any one not swimming straight focus on a straight line on the roof)

Peers assessment: Single arm float drills. Hold the float in one arm across the chest
while using the other to swim. In pairs swim and analyse arm technique for 25m;
focus on TPS and swap after each length. Have each group swim deep to shallow
(less able: use a under lower back woggles)
Use BLABT to break down the swimming stroke of their partner.

Pairs; 25m sprints: Who is the fastest? Where there is an obvious difference in pace
have the students judge when to set off so that they both finish at the same time)
Q&A each pair before setting them off to race regarding teaching points
Climb out shallow end and return to the deep end.
Best of 3 lengths
Key Words/Questions:
Body Legs Arms Breathing Timing “feel of the water”
Drills
Q. what are the main teaching points for Back crawl arms

Plenary:
Whole class feedback: use hand signals as to classes understanding: Thumbs
up, Thumbs down and flat palm. Yes, no and so, so. Use a range of closed
questions too assess develop of back crawl stroke.

Gifted and Talented Extension Work:

Bk Focus: Rolling shoulder, head remaining still, reaching for long strokes. How
many strokes
Resources/Equipment:
Whistle; reach pole, Hair bands, kick boards, woggles for less able, spare and
goggles.
DAY: DATE: PERIOD: GROUP:
Swimming Scheme of Work
Year 8 Lesson Four
Starter Activity:
Groups 3/4: Devise your own warm-up: It must contain two different strokes
one on the front and one on the back. It must last for between 5min and 7min.
No jumping or diving allowed.
In-corporate your own land mobilisation

Lesson Objectives: By the end of the lesson students will be able to:-
 Discuss the importance of “turning feet out” for swimming breaststroke
 Discuss the key teaching point for swimming breaststroke leg action.
 Devise a method of jumping into water and keeping their heads above water.
Description of Lesson:
W/up:
Small groups: Working on mini-widths; implement their planned warm-up session.
Q&A: why do we warm-up? What are the benefits?
Whole/part/whole:
Q who can swim breaststroke? 5x mini-widths best practice.

Peer assessment: choose three swimmers to demonstrate breaststroke legs.

Rate the swimmers. Which do you think is the best; why? (justify statement)

Penguin feet: Have students line up along the poolside. Have them all turn their feet
out. (Toes pointing out). Heels together, either policeman bobbing or ballet curtises.
Develop into penguin marching.

Self-assessment: - issue students with woggles and using them in a armchair style
practice breaststroke leg action. TPS drawing circles with heels, or heels to bum, turn
feet out and around to straight.

Swap onto front. Keep woggles and add basic arm action: Circles with hands.
Aims: basic breaststroke over 25m

Key Words/Questions:
Straddle jump entry, turn feet out breaststroke, Screwkick
Q what element do you need for a warm up?
Q. How can you jump into the water and keep your head dry?
Q. Why do we want to keep our head dry?
Plenary:
Challenge: Devise a method of jumping into the water that allows you to keep your
head above the water. Deep water: 2 at a time. Observe each other. What works,
what does not?
Q&A: breaststroke technique.
Gifted and Talented Extension Work:
Demonstrate good breaststroke technique over 25m.
Count the number of arm strokes that it takes to swim a length. Aim: to reduce the
number and introduce a gliding element to their stroke.
Focus: Once basic stroke is obtained. Relax long strokes with a glide. Power coming
from the legs not the arms.
Resources/Equipment:
Whistle, reach pole, Hair bands, woggles for all, spare goggles,
DAY: DATE: PERIOD: GROUP:
Swimming Scheme of Work
Year 8 Lesson Five
Starter Activity:
Groups 3/4: In small groups; Perform mobility exercises; remember to start with
small actions and move to larger ones
List names of muscles: emphasis on Deltoids, Trapezius, Latissimus dorsi and
abdominals.
Re-cap; Q What teaching points for breaststroke leg kick.
Lesson Objectives: By the end of the lesson the students will be able to:-
 Discuss several methods for treading water.
 Demonstrate their favourite method of treading water
 Discuss the different methods for maintain body heat in water.
Description of Lesson:
W/up: Paired relay: 5 min: Task – how far can you can your partner swim in 5
minutes? Swimming mini widths (2 lanes wide; there and back = 1) one swims while
partner rests. You decide when you swap, however cannot swim more than 5 mini-
widths without swapping. Group with most mini-widths get merits.

Re-cap breaststroke technique: 5x mini widths.

Self assessment: Deep water: Introduce 4 main style for treading water:
Explore; which style do you prefer? 1. Flutter, 2. Breaststroke, 3. Egg-beater 4. Fly. Q
what are the advantages and disadvantages to each? Play Simon say’s to distract
from time.
Q. Where do we lose most of our heat from when in the water?

Introduce the H.E.L.P. technique for keeping warm. Can they keep the position for
2min?

Q. If there are more than one of you, how might keep yourself warm?
Small groups: Develop the huddle concept with 3 / 4’s.
(Remember: hold float in left hand, hug with right)
How can you make the huddle from? Join groups together to make bigger groups.
Record so far 22 students.

Key Words/Questions:
Deltoids, Trapezius, Latissimus dorsi and abdominals.
Treading water, flutter, breaststroke, egg beater and fly HELP position, Huddle
Which was your favourite way of treading water? Where do you lose heat from in
your body? What does HELP stand for?
Plenary:
Q&A: Which was your favourite way of treading water? Where do you lose heat from
in your body? What does HELP stand for?

Gifted and Talented Extension Work:

Fly treading water; can they do it? Can they tread water without using their arms?
How high can they get while swimming egg-beater?

Resources/Equipment:
Whistle, reach pole, Hair bands, Kick-boards, woggles for less able and spare
goggles.
DAY: DATE: PERIOD: GROUP:
Swimming Scheme of Work
Year 8 Lesson Six
Starter Activity:
Groups 3/4: re-cap last week: Q which methods did you like best? Why? What does
HELP stand for? Where do we lose heat from while in the water?
Perform land based mobility exercises before showering.
Split into two groups ready for warm-up.
Lesson Objectives: By the end of the lesson the students will be able to:-
 Demonstrate good technique for a surface dive
 Discuss how equalising can be used for safety in the swimming pool.
 Demonstrate a basic diving action into deep water.
Description of Lesson:
Q What is equalising? Relate to air travel. Shallow or “pop” your ears if it gets
painful when at the bottom of the pool.

W/up Aim: see which students are able to retrieve objects from the pool floor safely.
Two teams: ( seaslugs and sea cucumber; see whether more are able to achieve this
in deeper water)
 Two hoops set in shallow end: Can only return one object at a time, no object can
be thrown. Any cheating and objects will be returned to the pool.
(Vary the location of objects; more able in deeper water, less able; shallow end.
Pool specific: Monitor by the ramp in case students going deep than realise)

Whole class demonstrate: choose two students; rest of class sat on the side.
Discuss teaching point for surface dive.

Peer assessment: Coach and diver – take turns one dives and the other feeds back.
More able working in deeper water.
Challenge: How far can you swim under water? Swim to the 5m point and surface
dive followed by swimming under the water. Use the markers as a guide, to distance.
Q what technique would be best for swimming under water?
Re-play starter game: Move more of the objects into deeper water.

Key Words/Questions:
Equalising, Surface dive, Q. What technique would be best for swimming under
water?
Track start, grab start.
Plenary:
Diving practice: Deep water – re-cap the 4 stages from year 7.
Self assessment; where do you place yourself on the diving continuum?

Gifted and Talented Extension Work:

Retrieving objects from deeper water.
Demonstrate either a track or a grab start. Aim looking for distance and time
out of block. Explosive power.

Resources/Equipment:
Whistle, reach pole, Hair bands, Kick boards, woggles for less able, spare goggles,
2x hoops, and a range of different weighted objects.
DAY: DATE: PERIOD: GROUP:
Swimming Scheme of Work
Year 8 Lesson Seven
Starter Activity:
Groups 3/4: Complete muscles worksheet: See which muscles they know and which
they are unsure of.
Perform mobility exercises; remember to start with small actions and move to larger
ones
Q&A: What skills do you need to be a good swimmer?
Lesson Objectives: By the end of this lesson the students will be able to: -
 Demonstrate 25m Back crawl with good technique.
 Demonstrate a basic surface diving action into deep water
 Discuss key teaching points for swimming Breaststroke
 Name and locate several main muscle groups.
Description of Lesson: By the end of the lesson the students will be able to:
W/up: re-cap the swimming level descriptors to class as seen in year seven. Have
the student estimate where they feel they appear on the level descriptors. Have their
partners do the same. Do they match?

Assessment: Pairs of similar ability: - Starting in water 25m back crawl.

Looking at technique not speed. More able: rolling shoulders head still.
Remember the level descriptors and what is expected.

Surface Diving practice: self assessment: Sit on the poolside at the depth you
are happy at picking up an object. Demonstrate one group at a time.

Treading water games: Demonstrate your favourite method of treading water.

Hand a small ball for catch and pass.

25m Sprint races: Pairs of similar ability: diving entry, more able using either a
track or grab start.
Key Words/Questions:
Pectorals, Trapezius, gluteals, biceps, triceps, Latissimus dorsi, Deltoid,
abdominals, hamstrings, gastrocnemius and quadriceps. technique

Q. What methods can be used to keep warm in the water? How would you
perform a surface dive? What does BLABT stand for?
Plenary:
Q&A: teaching points for surface diving, breaststroke legs kick, diving actions.
What methods can be used to keep warm in the water?

Gifted and Talented Extension Work:

Demonstrate effective back crawl; demonstrate good breaststroke leg kick
technique. Grab or track diving start.

Resources/Equipment:
Whistle; reach pole, Hair bands, woggles (for less able) and spare goggles. Small
ball, several weights
Name Form

Test your knowledge of the major muscle groups!

Match the
letters to
the right
muscles
 1. Pectorals

2. Trapezius

3. Gluteals

4. Quadriceps

5. Biceps

5pts: Q. Which of the leg muscles is missing?

6. Triceps

7. Latissimus dorsi

8. Deltoid

9. Abdominals

10. Hamstrings