Year 8 Athletics Unit

Key Concept Related Concept(s) Global Context

Development Refinement, Movement Scientific and Technical Innovation
and Adaptation
Statement of Inquiry
Technology can be beneficial in providing feedback to athletes, which can lead to development,
refinement and adaptation in an individual's movement and performance
Inquiry Questions
Factual:
What events are considered in Athletics?
What are the techniques used in each athletics event?
Conceptual:
How can a coach provide quality feedback to an athlete?
Why can performance be affected by feedback?
Debatable:
Which has the greater effect on an athlete’s performance technique or genetics in athletics?
 Athletics
Unit

Year 8
Use this presentation to complete your research and make
notes.You can use it to as an information source for your
final assignment.
 What is Athletics?
Athletics or Track and Disciplines of
Field, as its known in North
America, is the sport of
Athletics:
The current list of athletics events can
competing in track and field be found on the link below
events, including running - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_a
races and various thletics_events

competitions in jumping and

throwing.

Can you name any global events we would see athletics athletes perform in?
 Sprinting
Task: Research the athletes below, current Olympic champions. How does their
sprinting technique change for sprinting over the different distances.
Identify the key technical points and phases needed for each sprint race distance.

Watch: Lamont Jacobs (100m) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E895PNqSgEI

Andre Degrasse (200m) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qDntFzyEoY
Steven Gardner (400m) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55v4Jv6BBA0 (start it at 5 Minutes)

Lamont Jacobs Andre Degrasse Steven Gardner

 Sprint Starts
Standing Start: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5rySJSCayk
Three Point Start: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Ihg0il6gtw
Crouch Start: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwbPv91e6AY

Answer the questions below. You can use text, images and links. Reference your work.

Questions
1.What is the difference between the three
sprint starts?
2. How does your start affect your race?
3. Why is the crouch start more commonly
used in major competitions?
 Sprinting Challenge
1) Why is sprinting considered a “power” event?
2) Where, when and why is the power and force needed?

When: Where: Why:

 Jumping for Distance
Task: 1) Research the two different types of jumps for distance, long jump and triple jump.
2) Looking at Long Jump, research the phases for this jump. How does each phase affect your jump?
3) Research the different techniques just in the flight phase.

Differences in Jumps Phases of Long Jump Different flight techniques

 Jumping for Height
Task: 1) Research the two different types of jumps for height, high jump and pole vault.
2) Looking at High Jump, research the phases for this jump. How does each phase affect your jump?
3) Research the difference in jump technique between the Fosbury Flop and Scissor.

Differences in Jumps Phases of High Jump Differences in Fosbury Flop

and Scissor technique
 Shot Put
Task: 1) Look at the difference sizes of shot put, what would be the correct weight for your age
group?
Watch this video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTxoFSqIrfI
2) Describe the technique for a push throw.
3) What are the different phases of a shot put throw?

Challenge: Can you research and describe the two different approaches to a shot put throw?
Which of these do you think produces maximum power and why?
 Javelin
Task: 1) Research and look at the difference in grips for javelin. Discuss with a partner which
grip would be most comfortable for you.
Watch this video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WFqbVGYIXU
2) Describe the technique for a pull throw and how to use this technique to gain maximum
distance for your throw.
3) Research and describe the different phases of the javelin throw.

Challenge: Can you research the approach to a javelin throw?

Is there another athletics discipline that you can use to help with your approach?
 Distance Running
Research the different distances that are considered for Middle Distance and Long
Distance events in athletics.
Challenge: Which of our 5 fitness tests can have the biggest effect on distance
running?
Watch the videos below of Mo Farah 5000m and Faith Kipyegon (1500m):
Faith - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_Uzj2Zg1_w&t=11s (start at 5 minutes)
Mo -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C93qwVmBseE&t=302s
Can you describe the difference in race strategy? How was their pace? Where did they start
and finish? Compare it to how you run for distance.
 Relay Racing
Watch the follow relay races:
100m - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suE25yO5mHc
400m - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQIOyVQPd3I
With a Partner: 1) Discuss how the athletes handed the batons.
2) What was the difference in hand overs in the two distances.
3) Research the rules of running a relay race – how can you get disqualified?
4) Can you name the new relay races that were added to the Olympics in Tokyo 2021?
 Self Assessment of Your Skills
Athletics Discipline Definition of Discipline Techniques Required for Event Best distance or My Self
time Assessment
Score

Sprinting

Long Jump

High Jump

Shot Put

Javelin

Distance
Running
The Benefits of Warm up and Cool down
TASK: Discuss with a partner or in groups. Complete
some research and create a text box below to list and
the benefits of a warm up and cool down within
athletics. How would they differ with each event?

Benefits How do they differ for each

event?