Objective:
- To develop students’ serving skills in pickleball by aiming at targets.
Materials:
- Pickleball equipment (paddles, balls)
- Targets (could be cones, hoops, or marked areas)
- Scorecards
- Adapted equipment for special needs (e.g., lighter paddles, bigger or softer balls)
Warm-Up (10 minutes):
Introduction (10 minutes):
- Briefly explain the rules of pickleball, focusing on serving.
- Demonstrate a proper pickleball serve, emphasizing the stance, grip, and swing.
- Light stretching and warm-up exercises.
Main Activity – Serving Range (30 minutes):
- Setup: Place targets at various distances and angles on one side of the court.
- Rules: Each student gets a set number of serves (e.g., 5) per turn to hit the targets.
- Scoring: Assign different points for different targets based on difficulty.
- Engagement: Keep score to encourage friendly competition.
Adaptations for Special Needs Students (Referencing APE Modifications knowledge source):
- Boundaries: Adjust the serving area’s boundaries to be smaller or larger.
- Distance and Height: Modify the distance to the targets and the height at which they are placed.
- Equipment: Use lighter paddles or softer, larger balls for better grip and control.
- Surface Contact: Increase the ball’s surface contact by using bigger targets.
- Peer Assistance: Allow peer assistance for students who need additional support.
Group Discussion (10 minutes):
- Discuss what strategies worked and what challenges were faced.
- Encourage students to share their experiences and learnings.
Cool Down (5 minutes):
- Gentle stretching to relax the muscles used during the activity.
Assessment:
- Observe students’ ability to hit the targets and their improvement over the course of the activity.
- Review the scorecards to assess accuracy and consistency.
