Badminton
Net & Wall Games | Years 5–6 | 6 Lessons
Badminton Sessions
These badminton sessions progress from the previous unit of year 3/4, looking to keep improving our striking, sending, receiving, movement and team work skills, as well as being able to develop shot selection within small-sided games. Lessons are progressive and suitable for indoor or outdoor delivery.
Lessons
Lesson 1: Rally Play
Warm-up • Skill Development • Game
View Lesson Plan
Learning Objectives:
- To be able to perform skills with a partner, using good control and technique
Success Criteria:
- I can hold the racket correctly and send the shuttle over the net.
- I can maintain a rally with a partner using controlled shots.
- I can move to return the shuttle.
Key Words:
- Team work
- Rally
Equipment:
- Rackets
- Shuttlecocks
- Cones
- Tennis balls
Preparation Ideas (warm up) – Tennis Handball
Split the class into even teams of around 6-8 per team. You may want to set up multiple playing areas so each team can be playing at once. Set up an area with a target at both ends (this may be a small goal, a cricket wicket. Any target will do). 2 teams compete against each other looking to keep possession of the ball and strike their opponent’s target. To begin with, just allow the children to throw and catch the ball using the underarm throw only
Progression:
>The children will strike the ball using their hand, using a forehand volley to strike the ball to their partner who will catch it, rather than using the underarm throw
Skill Development
Partner rally
Split the class into pairs and give each pair a racket each and 1 shuttlecock. They will also need a set of 3-4 cones, spots or a bench to use as a middle line.
In their pair they must a forehand and backhand drive to keep the shuttle up as long as possible. They can only strike the ball once and once the shuttle touches the floor, they must start again.
Progression:
>Create a box for each of the pairs to stand in. They must stay inside of the boxed area and strike the ball to each other. If they step outside of the box, the rally ends. This is designed to make the children strike the ball with more accuracy.
Game – Group Rally
Get the children into groups of 6. Split the group into two groups of 3 and stand them 1 behind the other at the back of their area. The group will begin to rally 1 at a time. Once they have struck the ball across the middle line, they will join the back of their queue. The rally continues for as long as the shuttle does not touch the floor.
Progression:
>Instead of joining the back of their queue, they will join the group on the opposite side of the court.
Teaching Points:
- When working in their pairs, we want to see the children use good technique and control when playing their shots. Playing their shots with good accuracy will allow their partner to return the shuttle back over to them and therefore keep the rally going longer. When we lose the accuracy in our shot (either through the power or aim of the shot) our partner can struggle to return the shot
- When playing the group rally, we need to see good communication and team work in the group. This will make it easier for the group to keep the shuttle up for a longer period of time. T
- The groups will need to move quickly across the court to ensure they are ready to receive the ball. The group will also need to think about the types of shots they are playing, to give the players moving across the court time to get there and prepare for their shot.
Key Questions:
- How can we show good team work in today’s session?
- How can we help our partner to keep the rally going when working in our teams?
- When working in the group, how can we give our partner’s enough time to move across the court and prepare for the next shot?
National curriculum links:
- Using running, striking, throwing and catching in isolation and combination
- Develop control and technique through playing badminton
- Compare their score against a previous attempt, and attempt to look for improvements to their personal best
Social/environmental skills:
- Developing team work and collaboration skills
- Developing good communication skills
- Showing creativity in their work
- Developing resilience in their work by looking for improvements
Lesson 2: Ranging Serves
Warm-up • Skill Development • Game
View Lesson Plan
Learning Objectives:
- To be able to perform the different types of serve with good technique and control
Success Criteria:
- I can aim my serve towards different areas of the court.
- I can begin a rally using a controlled serve.
Key Words:
- Forehand
- Technique
- Accuracy
Equipment:
- Rackets
- Cones
- Hoops
- Shuttlecocks
- Nets if available or benches
Preparation Ideas (warm up) – Target Practice
Children to be in teams of 4-5 per team. Standing one behind the other in a line. Set out a target (a cricket wicket, cone, a spot, it could be anything) around 7-8m in front of each group.
The children will start the ball above their head with a straight arm and perform an overarm throw towards the target. If they strike the target the are awarded a point. Team with the highest number of points when the game ends, are the winners.
Skill Development
Serving practice
Get the children into groups of 4 with 2 players on each side of the court. Give the group 2 rackets and 4 shuttlecock. Split each side of the court in half to have a short serve and long serve. Allow the children to practice the 4 different types of serves across to each side of the court. The 4 types of serves are:
The forehand short
The forehand long
The backhand short
The backhand long
Game – Battleships
Split the class into teams of 4 and give each team 4 hula hoops each. They will face against another team on a tennis court. In their area on the court, we want the team to spread their hula hoops. We want 2 hoops at the front of the court and 2 at the back of the court. Each team and team members will then take it in turns serving the ball over the net to the other side, looking for the shuttle to land inside the hula hoop.
The first time the shuttle lands in the hula hoop, the team put a cone in that hoop. This means the battleship is damaged. The second time the shuttle lands in the same hoop, the team remove that battleship as it has been sunk.
The aim of the game is to remove the opposition teams battleships before they remove yours.
Progression
Swap teams to have the winners of 1 court play the winners of another court
Use smaller hula hoops to make it more challenging
Teaching Points:
- The forehand short and long – the short serve lands the ball at the front part of the opposition side of the court, near to the net. The long serve lands the ball towards the back of the court.
- The backhand serve – Same foot as the hand holding the racket slightly in front, hold the racket in a backhand position, with the head of the racket pointed at an angle towards the floor. Hold the shuttle with your thumb and index finger close to the racket. Flick the racket (the same as the backhand technique) as you drop the shuttle. Once served, set into the middle of the court in the ready position (defensive stance) ready to react to the return.
- When using the long and short serves, we want the children to understand that they need to make the decision tactically, as to which they use during the game. This will dependent on where the opponent is positioned and whether they want to attack the point. A short serve, although more likely to hit the net, can put you in an advantageous position by forcing the opponent to play a high defensive return, which you can then attack. The downside is that it is a high risk shot as you may hit the net or the shuttle may fail to reach the other side.
Key Questions:
- Can we name the 4 types of serves?
- Which one do we feel most comfortable with and why?
- What are the advantages and disadvantages of playing both the long and short serves?
- What tactics can we use to deceive the opponent when we serve?
National Curriculum Links:
- Using running, striking in isolation and combination
- Developing control and technique through playing badminton
Social/environmental skills:
- Developing team work and collaboration skills
- Showing creativity in their work
- Gaining confidence in trying new skills
Lesson 3: The Smash Shot
Warm-up • Skill Development • Game
View Lesson Plan
Learning Objectives:
- To perform a smash shot to attack and win a point.
Success Criteria:
- I can use an overhead action to hit the shuttle downwards.
- I can aim the smash into space on the opponent’s court.
- I can recognise when to use a smash during a rally.
Key Words:
- Smash
- Control
- Technique
Equipment:
- Rackets
- Hoops
- Cones
- Shuttlecocks
- Spots
- Nets if available or benches
Preparation Ideas (warm up) – Serve Distance
Split the class into teams of 3-4 per team. Set out 3 hoops at different distances from one another. We want one close, one long and one in between. Within each group, the players have 3 attempts to strike the shuttlecocks into each hoop. When you have stuck the shuttlecock, retrieve it and either attempt the same hoop if you missed, or move onto the next if you have landed it inside. They have to be completed in order and you get 1 point per hoop you land the shuttlecock in.
Progression:
Turn this into a race between groups. Each player has to land the shuttlecock into each hoop. Once they have struck into the 1st hoop, they attempt into the 2nd and so on. If they miss, they cannot move on. Ensure each team member has had a turn and the 1st team to have all players complete are the winners.
Skill Development
Forehand Smash practice
Split the class into pairs with each given 1 shuttlecock, 1 racket. Set up a middle line using cones or a bench. Each player in the group has a different job – the setter and the striker. The setter on one side, the striker on the other. The hoops will be set in different positions on the setter & retriever’s side.
The setter will hold the shuttlecock by the feathers and use an underarm throw to throw the ball over the middle line to the striker. We want to ensure that the throw is high so the striker can perform the skill with good technique. The striker’s job is then to react and use a forehand smash to strike the ball back over the middle line. Each player has 5 turns before swapping roles.
Progression:
>Create a box area on the setter’s side using 4 cones to set out a half badminton court, which the striker must land the ball inside. This will make the player need to be a little more accurate with their strikes.
>Give the setter a racket and ask them to perform an underarm serve over the middle line, which the striker must react to and strike back over.
Game – Partner Rally
Create a box on both sides of the court and ask the partners to rally between them, using the forehand and backhand drive to keep the ball up as long as they can.
Progression:
Make this a game between them. If the ball lands on your partner’s side you get a point. If the ball lands outside the area, the opponent is awarded a point
Teaching Points:
- The smash technique – When the ball arrives high over the net, step into line with the shuttle, with one foot in front of the other (front foot should be the opposite to the hand holding the racket). Extend your spare hand up, pointing towards the shuttle, with the racket hand extended out above the shoulder. We want to make contact at the highest point, extending the arm up and out, using a ‘whip’ action, to strike the shuttle down and over the net to the other side.
- The smash shot is an attacking shot designed to try to win the point. We want to strike the shuttle down, making sure it clears the middle line/net. If executed well, it should make it difficult for the opponent to return the shot, and if they do return, it will most likely be a high return, allowing for another smash shot.
- Can the children control their shot and use good aim and power to send the ball back over the middle line, without it landing outside of the court. Pointing the racket face in the direction we want the shuttle to travel, not rotating the arm too fast, will control the aim and power of the strike.
Key Questions:
- Can anyone demonstrate the smash shot?
- When would we use the smash shot in a game of badminton?
- When striking using the smash shot, where should we be aiming? And why?
National curriculum links:
- Using running, striking, throwing in isolation and combination
- Developing control and technique through playing badminton
Social/environmental skills:
- Developing team work and collaboration skills
- Developing confidence in trying new skills
- Showing resilience in trying to improve their technique
Lesson 4: Drop Shot & Net Play
Warm-up • Skill Development • Game
View Lesson Plan
Learning Objectives:
- To use drop shots and net play to move opponents and create scoring opportunities.
Success Criteria:
- I can perform a soft drop shot that lands close to the net.
- I can control the shuttle during short net exchanges.
- I can use drop shots to move my opponent around the court.
Key Words:
- Consistency
- Decision making
Equipment:
- Rackets
- Cones
- Spots
- Shuttlecocks
- Nets if available or benches
Preparation Ideas (warm up) – Lily Pad Tag
Place spots around the playing area. Pick 2-3 taggers who will try to tag as many players as possible. If you are stood on a lily pad you are safe. To gain points, you need to move from 1 lily pad to another without being tagged. If you are tagged, your score returns to 0.
This game is about making good decisions. When should you move and when should you stay?
Progression:
>Remove any spare lily pads to make it more difficult to move from one to another
>Add in more taggers
Skill Development
The drop shot
Class to be split into groups of 4. Within the group, have a badminton racket, a shuttlecock, a bench or net and some cones.
Have the players line up on one side of the court, one behind the other. Place the bench/net in the middle and have a line of cones 1m from the bench/net on the opposite side.
Standing in the middle of their side of the court, the children will take it in turns to play a drop shot, which lands over the net, but within the coned area. If it lands in the area, they receive a point.
Allow each player 5 turns and see which player has the highest number of points
Progression:
>The children will position themselves further away from the middle of the court and look to place the drop shot in the coned area
>Introduce a player on the opposite side who will serve the ball over the net, with the player looking to return the ball over the net using a drop shot
Partner net play
Keep the same groups. Split the group with 2 players on one side, and the other 2 players on the opposite side. Taking it in turns, the teams will look to play around the net.
Have 1 team in the middle of their court, with the other team close to the net. The player in the middle of the court will be playing a forehand and backhand drive, with the player at the net simply looking to keep returning the ball to their partner on the opposite side by playing drives, drop shots, overhead shots and smashes. How long can they keep up the rally? Make sure to swap both partners after each rally finishes, with the teams swapping roles after each player has had 5 turns at the net.
Game – 2v2 Badminton
Set up a badminton court for the teams to play 2v2 badminton in their area. Play up to 9 points per set with the serve alternating teams every 2 serves (each player serves once)
Teaching Points:
- The drop shot – is a soft, underarm shot, designed to fall to the playing area just after clearing the net. It requires the player to strike with great precision, making sure they have enough power and height to clear the net, without the opponent being able to return the shuttle.
- Net play – This is where the player will stand close to the net to return the ball. It requires great reaction times and good shot selection. Players have to be wary however, that their opponent does not play a ball to the back of the court, as when playing at the net, you leave a lot of space behind you.
- When playing 2v2 badminton, we want the children to make good decisions in their shot selection. Can they exploit the space left by the opposition or take advantage of the shot selection of the opposition. Is the ball high enough to play a smash? Are the opponents near to the back of the court to play a drop shot? Should we look to play near to the net? These are the decisions they must make with their partner
- When playing with a partner, we want to hear clear communication between the team, making sure they have their own area to protect. We don’t want to see players bumping into one another or leaving the ball thinking their partner would get it.
Key Questions:
- What is a drop shot?
- When would we play a drop shot in the game?
- When playing at the net, what skills do we need to ensure we are successful?
- What decisions did we need to make during the 2v2 games?
National curriculum links:
- Use running, striking, throwing in isolation and combination
- Develop control and technique through playing badminton
- Play competitive games against others, applying basic principles for both attacking and defending
Social/environmental skills:
- Developing team work and collaboration skills
- Developing confidence in trying new skills
- Improving their decision making skills
- Showing resilience in trying to improve their technique
Lesson 5: The Overhead Clear
Warm-up • Skill Development • Game
View Lesson Plan
Learning Objectives:
- To perform an overhead clear to move an opponent to the back of the court.
Success Criteria:
- I can hit the shuttle high and deep into the opponent’s court.
- I can use the overhead clear during rallies to create space.
- I can recover to a ready position after the shot.
Key Words:
- Overhead clear
- Accuracy
Equipment:
- Cones
- Rackets
- Hoops
- Shuttlecocks
- Nets if available or benches
Preparation Ideas (warm up) – Messy Bedrooms
For this game, you can have 1 or 2 games going on at the same. Create a court and create a middle line using either a net, benches or cones. There will be shuttlecocks scattered across both areas. The idea of the game is to pick up a shuttlecock and using their hands rather than a racket, strike the ball using a forehand technique across the net to the other side.
Play the game for a set period of time and when ‘STOP’ is called children place their hands on their heads. The team with the fewest balls on their side are the winners.
Skill Development
Overhead clear practice
Set up children into small groups of around 4 per group and have them lined up 1 behind the other. Set up an area around 8-10m away as a target area with 2 sets of cones. This is their target area which they must aim to land the shuttlecock in.
The player will throw the shuttle up and strike it using an overhead technique towards the area. If they do land it in the area, they gain a point for their team. Allow all players in each team to take 5 turns each. The team with the highest number of points at the end are the winners
Overhead partner practice
Set up a badminton court and split the class into teams of 4. The children will be split 2 on each side of the court. One person at the time will take it in turns on their side of the court. One player will underarm serve the ball over the net, high into the air. The receiver must then perform an overhead clear over their partner, landing the shuttle at the back of the court, making sure they don’t clear the back boundary.
Allow the pairs to swap roles throughout.
Progression:
>Make this into a game between the two pairs where they are awarded a point for clearing their partner on the opposite side and landing the shuttle inside the court
Game – 2v2 Badminton
Set up a badminton court for the teams to play 2v2 badminton in their area. Play up to 9 points per set with the serve alternating teams every 2 serves (each player serves once)
Teaching Points:
- The overhead clear – This technique is the same as the smash technique, however this time instead of pointing the racket down to strike towards the floor, we will be aiming slightly up, to clear our opponent, forcing them to play a backwards shot.
- We want to see good accuracy when playing this shot. We want to ensure we have enough height and power in our strike to clear our opponent and force them to play a backwards shot, but not too much so that we clear the back boundary of the court. If we fail to clear our opponent, we could be setting them up for a smash shot back to us.
- When playing 2v2 badminton, can we use the array of different shots we have been practicing, including the overhead clear, drop shot and net play to win points. Ensure we are communicating with our playing partner so we aren’t in each other’s way or leaving shots for each other.
Key Questions:
- When would we play an overhead clear?
- Why does our overhead clear need to be accurate?
- How can we work well as a team in the 2v2 badminton game?
National curriculum links:
- Use running, striking, throwing in isolation and combination
- Play competitive games against others, applying basic principles for both attacking and defending
- Develop control and technique through playing badminton
Social/environmental skills:
- Developing team work and collaboration skills
- Developing confidence in trying new skills
- Improving their decision making skills
- Showing resilience in trying to improve their technique
Lesson 6: Badminton Games
Warm-up • Skill Development • Game
View Lesson Plan
Learning Objectives:
- To apply skills, rules, and tactics in competitive badminton games.
Success Criteria:
- I can use skills taught in previous weeks within games.
- I can follow rules independently.
- I can work positively with my team.
Key Words:
- Compete
- Respect
Equipment:
- Rackets
- Cones
- Shuttlecocks
- Nets if available or benches
Preparation Ideas (warm up) – Strike & Back
Get the children into groups of 4-6. Within each group, split them into pairs standing facing one another. Have a race set up with the start and turning point being around 10-15m apart. One pair at a time in their group will perform forehand volleys to catch (1 person with a racket, the other with a shuttlecock) to each other whilst racing against other groups.
They must race up to the top of the area and back, constantly performing a set. Once back, they swap with the next pair until all have had a turn. First team back are the winners.
Game – Tennis Pyramid
Set up enough courts so that all teams are constantly playing if possible. We want the children to be in pairs playing against other teams. You may need to change to teams of 3 with one player swapping after each game. An example of the courts may be
Champion court Court 1 Court 2 Court 3 Court 4 Court 5
You can be creative with the names, allowing the class to come up with suggestions. If your team wins, you move up a court. If you lose, you move down the court. We will play first team to 9 points (if the score goes to 8-8, the team need to win by 2 clear points)
To help teams, set a middle line on each side of the court using spots. The teams can use this as a reference point to if themselves or their partners can strike the ball.
Teaching Points:
- We want to see the children work as a team in their group. When in their pairs, we want to see them each take and be responsible for an area in their court. We then want to see them working together to set each other and strike the ball back across to the opposition team.
- We want to ensure they are using good technique with all of their strikes including the forehand, backhand and overhead shots.
- Can they react quickly, staying low to react quickly and use good communication by calling their name for the ball when the ball is on their side of the court.
- Reiterate the rules throughout the session so that they children can be reminded of them and remember them when playing
Key Questions:
- How can we work as a team to win the game?
- Why is communication important when playing doubles badminton?
- Can we name a rule in badminton?
National curriculum links:
- Use running, striking, throwing in isolation and combination
- Play competitive games against others, applying basic principles for attacking and defending
- Developing control and technique through playing badminton
Social/environmental skills:
- Showing good sportsmanship to others
- Developing team work and collaboration skills
- Developing good communication skills
- Showing creativity in their work by coming up with tactics
- Showing and developing leadership skills
- Showing resilience in their work by looking for improvements
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