Introduction
The over all goal of this unit plan was to improve the soccer game play of grade seven students, as well as the game play of other territory invasion games, through a combination of tactical awareness games/drills and skill development games/drills.
By using the teaching games for understanding model we made a four lesson unit plan for a grade seven level that could be adapted to suit other grade or skill levels. In order to help students improve not only their soccer skill we have considered not just the motor domains, but also the cognitive, affective, and social domains. The major goal of the lesson plan is to expose all students to game situations and activities that can challenge them physically and cognitively, which will as a result improve their overall game play. The teaching games for understanding approach will offer students the opportunity to develop an appreciation and understanding of territory invasion game concepts before further developing game skills. We feel that it is just as important as knowing what to do and when to do it as it is to know how. When placed in game like situations students will be able to develop appropriate game awareness that will lead to appropriate decision making skills in further game play.
This soccer unit will help students to make better decisions in game play and a better understanding of off the ball movements. The unit plan will also give students more confidence in game play by giving them a better base knowledge of movement skills and tactical awareness in territory invasion games. Students will participate in activities that will challenge their current skill levels and at the same time change their understanding of how physical education can be presented, how skills can be learned, and how skill transfer can occur between games. Students are involved in activities which require them to be in pairs as well as small groups and large groups. This will initiate use of the social domain and will compel students to communicate resulting in an increase of personal and social responsibility as discussed in the BC Integrated Resource Package.
Rationale
The making of this soccer unit was done with a grade seven physical education class in mind.
