5/11/23

Grade Level Outcome for 4th Grade/5th Grade

Underhand • In 4th grade, the student should be able to apply the skill of
Throw underhand throwing.
• In 5th grade, the student will throw underhand using a mature
4 /5th Grade
th pattern in nondynamic environments, with different sizes and types
of objects.
Mykenzie Erstad
Spring 2021

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Critical Elements of Underhand Throwing What is needed biomechanically?

• Face target in preparation for throwing action • Balance:

• Arm back in preparation for action • When underhand throwing, the student must be able to maintain balance
while they are stepping in opposition.
• Step with opposite foot as throwing arm moves forward • The student will be in a stable equilibrium most likely at this age so it will take a
large force to disrupt their current state
• Release ball between knee and waist level
• Balance can be disrupted however when the student is taking their initial step
• Follow through to target to underhand throw.

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What is needed biomechanically? cnt. What is needed biomechanically? cnt.

• Inertia • Force-Motion Principle

• When underhand throwing, the student experiences inertia many times.
• Inertia is the tendency to stay unchanged, so when the student is throwing,
they are experiencing inertia by moving their arm backwards and forwards,
stepping from their initial stance, and also releasing the ball
• The ball also experiences inertia because the ball goes from an unmoving
state to a state of movement when it is released from the throwers hand
• The student can stay in rest, but in order to underhand throw they must act
upon the resistance and perform the movement
• The thrower experiences the force-motion principle while they are throwing
because they are changing their motion constantly.
• This principle states that different forces affect different motions.
• If the student needs to underhand throw farther, they will add more force to
their throw to get it a farther distance.
• The student throwing experiences all 3 of the Laws of Motion when they are
starting their throw and changing from a rested state, when they are adding
momentum to their arm to add force to their throw, and when they are
releasing their ball and accelerating through their throw.

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What is needed biomechanically? cnt. What is needed biomechanically? cnt.

• Force-Time Principle • Range of Motion

• The student will experience the force-time principle when they are throwing at
different speeds. The faster they throw, the more force that will be applied. If
the students arm goes back slowly during the throw, there will be less force
applied.
• The student will also notice that if they are underhand throwing for a longer
time, they will have a greater change in motion during their back swing and
forward swing.
• ROM is especially important for underhand throwers because they have to
have a good angular displacement in their shoulders to be able to add force
to their throw.
• Having strong joints and muscle flexibility allows the thrower to bring their arm
back in preparation and also follow through with their throw

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What is needed biomechanically? cnt. What is needed biomechanically? cnt.

• Coordination Continuum • Segmental Interaction

• The coordination continuum is important for students to utilize while they are
underhand tossing because if they have a good sequence to their throw, the
ball will be able to travel further and to the intended target.
• If a students movement is simultaneous, they will provide more force to the
ball and be able to focus on their target instead of focusing on each
individual movement
• If a students movement is sequential, the movement will flow nicely and the
student will be able to accurately make contact with their desired target.
• Segmental interaction is important for a student to have while they are
underhand throwing because the force that their body and hand is
producing is transferred through each body part and to the ball to accurately
throw the ball in the desired way.
• If the forces created act in a system of linked movements, the force can be
transferred through joints and links in the body.

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What is needed biomechanically? cnt. What is needed biomechanically? cnt.

• Optimal Projection • Spin

• A student underhand throwing must project their ball high enough or far
enough for their ball to reach the designated target.
• The student’s position, velocity at release, angle of release, and spin they put
on the object all affect the projection of the object they are underhand
throwing.
• Another factor influencing optimal projection is the air resistance.
• The higher the student releases the ball, the longer it will stay in the air, if the
student releases the ball at a low height, their ball will likely roll on the ground
more than be in the air.
• There is not a lot of spin needed on the ball that the student must produce
when underhand throwing at a young age.
• In older age groups, a student might need to add more spin to an underhand
throw to accurately get a bean bag on a board, or in underhand rolling in
bowling, knock specific pins down.
• Objects move from an area of high pressure to low pressure, which also
affects the objects spin.

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Qualitative Assessment of a Student Suggestions for Improvement

• This m ove r is p roficie nt a t und e rha nd throw ing . She

fa ce s the ta rg e t she is throw ing a t a ccura te ly, ste p s in
• To improve, the student should practice releasing the ball a bit
op p osition, a nd follow s throug h to the ta rg e t. She
re le a se s the b a ll a little b it a b ove the w a ist. The stud e nt
lower than her waist.
d oe s a g ood job of b ring ing he r a rm b a ck in
p re p a ra tion. • She could also improve her range of motion so that her arm can
• The stud e nt d oe s a g ood job of m a inta ining he r swing back farther before she releases the ball.
b a la nce a s she is throw ing . She ke e p s a g ood b a se of
sup p ort b e tw e e n he r tw o fe e t.
• The m ove r a lso a cts up on ine rtia w e ll a nd ke e p s he r
a rm s a nd le g s m oving w he n she is und e rha nd tossing .
• The m ove r ha s a g ood coord ina tion continuum a nd
se q ue nce s he r m ove m e nt w e ll. She ke e p s he r
m ove m e nt sim ulta ne ous, a nd he r und e rha nd toss
m ove m e nt is se q ue ntia l a s w e ll.

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