SECOND GRADE – TUMBLING

REVIEW BALANCE ON THREE BODY PARTS AND INTRODUCE THE CONCEPT OF TRIPOD AND HEADSTAND: Part 1 – Review the Fun Stunts – “Crab Walk; Forward, Backward and Sideways, Bunny Rabbit Jump, Seal Walk, Frog Jump, Bear Walk and Elephant Walk and Inchworm“. Part 2 – Include a review of balancing points, and balancing on three body parts. Allow the class to create balances using various body parts. If a student creates a balance on two hands and their head, that would be a great time to point out the Olympic, or traditional balance, the headstand. (If no one tries this on their own, after sufficient review, introduce it anyway.) Begin having the class try a tripod. Review the Tumbling Stunt: “Frog Stand”. Explain the concept of rolling out of the balance, if they feel their weight falling toward their back they should tuck their chin and roll out from the fall. After a majority of the class can do the tripod balance, go ahead and introduce a headstand, again emphasizing safety and rolling out of the balance if their weight falls toward their back. DO NOT have the students spot for each other, and insist on one student on the mat at a time. Part 3 – Could be as simple as practicing the tripod and headstands. You could have the more advanced students try making different shapes with their legs while they hold the headstand position, or introduce various ways of getting into the headstand position, IE: Pike, Kick up, and up from the tripod position.

REVIEW-HEADSTAND, TRIPOD, FORWARD ROLL, BACKWARD ROLL AND SIDE ROLL: Part 1 – Body Balance Tag. Play using a three-part balance and have a mat available for students who want to try headstands or tripods. Part 2 – Review all the skills HEADSTAND, TRIPOD, FORWARD ROLL, BACKWARD ROLL AND SIDE ROLL. You can use stations during this portion. Be sure to review them verbally and physically. After sufficient review, and you are satisfied that all the students have the basic concept of the skills, move on to part three. Part 3 –stations where the students practice the rolls and balances, having a different task at each station. Set up six stations with two mats at each station. Some of the stations will need both mats, and others can have two sets of three students working on the same task. Use the six Balance and Roll cards.

ROLLING VARIATIONS WITH EMPHASES ON BODY SHAPE: Part 1 – Teach the Fun Stunts: “Coffee Grinder and Criss Cross Stand and Thread the Needle”. Part 2 – The typical body shape when you roll is curled. The basic neck and back position of tucked and rounded must stay the same when doing any forward and backward rolls, but it is possible to change the shape of the body other ways. Wide legs, straight legs, arms out wide, one leg bent, one leg straight, etc. An introduction to changing body shape, with you as the teacher giving one easy example to the class for each of the three rolls. Part 3 – Find at least two different shapes while doing each of the three rolls. Remind the class to keep chin tucked. The roll should stay fundamentally the same, the body parts that are rolled on and the direction that is used. As students naturally come up with ideas you will see some of the tumbling stunts. As you see them preformed by a student, take the time to show that off to the rest of the class and introduce it as a tumbling stunt. Tumbling Stunts: Forward Straddle, Backward Straddle, and Backward Pike”. As a culmination, you can have the students each choose their favorite roll and show it to the class.

REVIEW FLIGHT AND TURNING: Part 1 – Review the Fun Stunts; “Knee Slap and Heel Slap”. Part 2 – Refer to the lessons for first grade, reviewing the points of flight and turning. Part 3 – routines that uses the skills of jumping, turning, flight, rolling with variations and balancing on three body parts. If you use the station cards for flight, set up three stations with four mats each. You will have the students working 3 at a mat at each station. The first three cards you should work on are: 1. Jump, Make a Shape, Land and Balance 2. Jump, Turn, Land and Roll 3. Jump, Turn, Land and Balance. Spend at least five minutes at each station. If time permits, introduce the next three cards. 4. Jump, Turn, and Land, Roll and Balance 5. Jump, Do a Trick, Land, Balance, Roll and Balance. 6. Jump, make a shape, Land, Balance and Roll. Do not put all six stations out at once, as these are in a progression.

BALANCE ON TWO BODY PARTS: Part 1 – Do a circuit using all the fun stunts except the Mule Kick! Part 2 – Balancing on two body parts can begin with feet! Of course you can balance on your two feet, even though they are small body parts because of all the practice you have had. Balancing on other combinations of two parts might not be quite so easy! This should be similar in format to balancing on four and three parts. You begin by telling the students which parts to balance on. Balance on two knees, one foot and one knee, one hand and one foot, head and foot, elbow and knee. Discuss once again, how the body must be centered over the base of support, which in this case is the two body parts touching the mat. . Part 3 – Allow the students to choose which two parts to balance on. Someone will come up with two hands, (you should not require them to do this in part two) when they do, discuss the safety of falling back toward the direction they kicked up from. Introduce the Fun Stunt “Mule Kick”. Remind them that if they feel themselves falling toward their back, they should tuck their chin in, bend their elbows and roll out instead of fall out of the handstand. Do not allow them to help each other, and if a student is not willing to try kicking up to a handstand, don’t force them to. Remind those doing a hand stand that they should keep strong, locked elbows as they kick up to put their weight on their hands.

REVIEW SKILLS TAUGHT UP TO THIS POINT: Part 1 – Warm up with the fitness stations. Part 2/3 – Once again, stations with task cards would be best for this lesson. You can use any of the Tumbling Stunts Cards or the Fun Stunts Cards. Should include: Balancing on three body parts, which includes tripods and headstands. Balancing on two body parts, which can include kicking up to handstands. Rolling with variations of body shape. Each direction of rolling can have it’s own station. To help keep the students focused, you can inform them they will be creating a routine next lesson that includes one balance, one roll and a dismount. They should try a variety of ideas so they will have an idea of what they will include in their routine.

ROUTINE USING SKILLS TAUGHT: Part 1 – Warm up with a fun running game and some stretching. Part 2/3 – Explain that a routine has a definite start and finish. In both cases the body is in a still position. The routine must include a Jump with either a shape or turn in flight, balance on two or three body parts, a roll that shows variation in body shape from the traditional rolls. They can put the skills in any order. The students should write down what they finally work out as their routine, and practice it to show to the class for the next lesson.

ROUTINE USING SKILLS TAUGHT: Part 1 – Play a fun running game, and do a stretch circuit. Part 2 – Allow the students five to ten minutes to practice their routine. Ask them to hand in their written routine to you when they feel ready to perform. Part 3 – Talk to the class about being respectful watchers. If time allows, let each student do his or her routine with the class watching. If you are short on time, set four mats out, and have four students go at once. It is really important to clap and cheer for the people who perform. Any verbal or physical insults or making fun should be addressed immediately. Some students will be nervous and others will love this. If you have a student who is just really terrified, don’t force them at this point to perform, but encourage them by allowing them to go at the same time as someone else.