Volleyball
Net & Wall Games | Years 3–4 | 6 Lessons
Volleyball Sessions
These volleyball sessions focus on developing striking, sending, receiving, movement and team work skills within small-sided games. Lessons are progressive and suitable for indoor or outdoor delivery.
Lesson Plans
Lesson 1: Introduction To Volleyball
Warm-up • Skill Development • Game
View Lesson Plan
Learning Objective:
- To be able to improve our co-ordination throughout the session
Success Criteria:
- I can use good hand eye co-ordination in the session
- I am able to strike the equipment with good accuracy
Key Words:
- Co-ordination
- Accuracy
Equipment:
- Cones for set up
- Small balls
- Balloons
- Hoops
Preparation Ideas (warm up) – Ball-extrix
Children should be in teams of 5-6 people with 2 tennis balls between the group. Set out cones in a circuit making sure the start and end of the circuit are attached (a circle may be the easiest way of doing this) and have each child stood on a cone.
Staying on their cone, the children will begin to pass the balls around the circuit from start to finish (you may want to begin with one ball and add a second in later). Children should look to catch the ball and then pass to the next person on the circuit. As you introduce the second ball, the aim is to not allow one ball to catch up to another. If this happens, the game ends and the children must restart. How long can they keep the circuit going?
Progression:
>Vary the distance size on the circuit with some short passes and some longer
>Allow the children to figure out different amounts of power needed for each pass
Skill Development
Individual balloon work
Set out a large area for the class to work in. Each child is given a balloon and is allowed to explore movements and keeping the ball up whilst they work. We want to see them tap the balloon to keep it up by using their fingers to push the balloon up above their head.
Make sure that as they are traveling, they are continuing to look where they are going as well as looking to keep the balloon up
When ‘volleyball’ is called, the children must stand and complete a set to themselves 3 times in a row
Progression:
>Can the children be creative with their strikes, changing the distance and height to challenge themselves.
>Can the children sit on the floor and keep up the balloon without moving. Sit them in a hoop. This is their area which they cannot leave. Can they keep up the balloon sitting down, whilst staying in their hoop
Pair work
Now get the children into pairs practicing tapping the ball to one another in their pairs. How long can they keep the balloon up for without the balloon dropping. Can they strike with more or less power to differentiate the height and distance at which the balloon travels
Progression:
>Can the children now use the set pass technique with their partner and keep the balloon up for as long as possible
>Can the children now sit on the floor to complete the passes to one another.
Game – Sitting/kneeling Balloon Ball
Set out a centre line for each pair (use 3-4 cones). They will now play a game of sitting/kneeling volleyball using the balloon.
They must strike the balloon back over the middle line to the space on the other side. If the balloon touches the floor on your side, your partner is awarded a point. You can only touch the balloon twice, use the set to set yourself up and then your fingers to strike the balloon across the centre line
Teaching Points:
- The set – Set your shoulders and feet to facing the target. Make a big diamond with your hands (look through it to see the ball coming to you). Contact the ball with spread fingers and push the ball up and out (creating a looped pass). Finish with your hands pointed towards the sky.
- We want to encourage the children to be creative with their movements with the balloon, ensuring that they are keeping the balloon up. Again, when we move onto the tennis or dodge ball, have the children explain how the ball acts differently to the balloon and how their reactions and accuracy need to change to keep the ball up
- When playing sitting volleyball, the children must keep a part of their body from their bottom to shoulder in contact with the floor. They can shuffle to change position but they must always have a part between those two in contact with the floor.
- Can we encourage the children to be accurate in finding spaces to try to win a point against their partner in the sitting volleyball game
Key Questions:
- What do we mean by the term co-ordination?
- What do we mean by the term accuracy
- Can anyone explain the set position to me?
- Why is it important to be accurate with your strikes in today’s session?
National curriculum links:
- Use running and throwing in isolation and combination
- Develop control, balance and technique through playing volleyball
Social/environmental skills:
- Develop team work and collaboration skills
- Show resilience in their work by trying to improve
- Show creativity in their work
Lesson 2: Volleyball Set
Warm-up • Skill Development • Game
View Lesson Plan
Learning Objective:
- To perform a basic overhead set
- To improve hand-eye coordination
Success Criteria:
- I can position my hands correctly above my head
- I can push the ball upwards with control
- I can work with a partner to complete a pass and set combination
Key Words:
- The set
- Control
- Position
Equipment:
- Volleyballs/medium sized balls
- Cones for set up
- Hoops
- Bibs
Preparation Ideas (warm up) – Germs and medicine
Pick 3-4 taggers (germs) and the same number of releasers (medicine). Germs put on a bib and have to tag as many people as they can. Medicines are given a small ball each (preferably a tennis ball).
If you are tagged, stand still. To return to the game, a medicine will throw the ball to you, which you must catch, turning you into a medicine. Your job is then to release someone else who has been tagged
Skill Development
The volleyball set
Give each child a volleyball and ask them to find a space. They are going to practice the same technique as they did last week, however this time they are going to do it with a volleyball rather than a balloon.
If there aren’t enough balls to go around, ask the children to be in pairs, share a ball and attempt to set the ball to themselves 3 times before swapping over
Progression:
>Can the children sit on the floor and keep up the ball without moving.
>Sit them in a hoop. This is their area which they cannot leave.
>Can they keep up the ball sitting down, whilst staying in their hoop, using the set technique
The volleyball set in pairs
This time, we are going to ask the children to set them ball to one another using the volleyball. Get them to spread to around 3-4m apart from one another and look to set the ball to their partner. Their partner will then catch the ball and then set the ball back. When catching the ball, can the children be in the set position and then steady themselves before sending it back
Progression:
>Can the children now set the ball to each other without having to catch the ball. How many times in a row can they set the ball to each other without dropping it.
>Increase the distance at which the children are to each other
>Get the children to test each other by varying the height and distance at which they set the ball to one another
Game – Sitting/Kneeling Volleyball In Pairs
Set out a centre line for each pair (use 3-4 cones). They will now play a game of sitting volleyball using a volleyball. They must set the ball back over the middle line to the space on the other side.
If the ball bounces twice on your side, your partner is awarded a point. You can only touch the ball up to 2 times by using the set position to catch the ball and then perform a set across back to your partner’s side. If you want, you can also send the ball straight back over first time
Teaching Points:
- The set – Set your shoulders and feet to facing the target. Make a big diamond with your hands (look through it to see the ball coming to you). Contact the ball with spread fingers and push the ball up and out (creating a looped pass). Finish with your hands pointed towards the sky.
- Talk to the children about the difference between using the set with a balloon and with a volleyball. The ball travels much quicker so they need to react quicker and get into the set position
- We want the children to be controlled when using the set technique. We want them to take their time and ensure they are using the correct technique. If we rush, we may lose control of the ball, which we don’t want to happen
- When playing sitting volleyball, the children must keep a part of their body from their bottom to shoulder in contact with the floor. They can shuffle to change position but they must always have a part between those two in contact with the floor.
Key Questions:
- What do we mean by the term control?
- How do I (the teacher) see that you are in control of the ball?
- Can anyone demonstrate the set technique?
- How did the volleyball behave differently to the balloon we used last week? And why?
- What did we have to change in order to keep up the ball?
National curriculum links:
- Use running and throwing in isolation and combination
- Develop control and technique through playing volleyball
Social/environmental skills:
- Develop team work and collaboration skills
- Show resilience in their work by trying to improve
- Show creativity in their work
Lesson 3: The Serve
Warm-up • Skill Development • Game
View Lesson Plan
Learning Objectives:
- To perform an underarm serve with increasing accuracy
- To aim the ball into space
Success Criteria:
- I can hold the ball correctly before serving
- I can strike the ball with control
- I can serve the ball over the ‘net’ consistently
Key Words:
- Accuracy
- Technique
- Serve
Equipment:
- Volleyballs
- Cones for set up
- Bibs
- Small balls
- Hoops
Preparation Ideas (warm up) – Fire and Ice Tag
4 Taggers each with a dodgeball, 2 blue balls and 2 red balls. The Red balls are fire balls and blue balls are ice balls. If you get tagged by the red ball, you must do star jumps to cool down.
If you get tagged by the blue ball, you are frozen still. You can only move when the fire ball tags you to free you. Once you are freed by the fire ball you do star jumps to cool down and you are free to go. Taggers can throw the ball using an underarm technique (ball below the waist).
Skill Development
Serving practice
Get the children into pairs with a ball between them. Standing around 4-5m apart, we are going to practice the serving technique to our partner, who will look to catch the ball, before returning a serve. This activity is about the children looking to improve their technique and accuracy and understanding how much power needs to be in the serve strike.
Progression:
>The person receiving the serve, rather than catching the ball, will complete a set and then catch the ball, so we want the serve to be quite high to give our partner the chance to complete a set
Game – Serve Into The Box
Set the class into 5/6 teams – Infront of each team there is a serve box (cones that are made into a square). The aim is the ball must land in the box. Inside the box, lay down equipment (this may be extra cones, bean bags, bibs etc. Each box should contain 10 items.
If the team land their volleyball in the area, they can take one piece of equipment. The first teams to collect all items from their box win.
Progression:
>Increase the number of items in the areas (this may differ from group to group depending on ability levels)
>Decrease the size of the service box meaning the children need to be more accurate with their serves (again, you may differ the size of each group’s depending on the ability levels)
>Sit the children on the floor/on their knees to serve.
Teaching Points:
- The serve technique – Make a fist with the serving hand and swing it back behind you. Hold the ball out straight in front of you with your other hand. One foot in front of the other (we want that foot to be the same as the hand holding the ball). Take a step forward and swing your arm through the ball, following through keeping your arm straight and pointed in the direction you want the ball to travel
- We want the children to show improvements through the session, so talk them through the technique and reiterate it throughout the session, especially if we see poor technique.
- We want to see good accuracy in our serves. We need to be thinking about the power and aim of our serve and whether we can reach the target we are intending to hit (either the box or our partner). We want the children to understand that both the power and aim of their serve will both be important throughout.
Key Questions:
- What do we mean by the term improving?
- Can anyone demonstrate the serving technique?
- What two things do we need to think about to make sure our serve is accurate?
National curriculum links:
- Compare your performance against previous attempts and look for improvements
- Develop control and technique through playing volleyball
Social/environmental skills:
- Developing resilience through trying to improve our skills
- Improving listening skills by following rules and instructions
- Showing encouragement and empathy when playing games against others
Lesson 4: The Spike
Warm-up • Skill Development • Game
View Lesson Plan
Learning Objective:
- To understand the purpose of a spike in attack
- To develop timing when striking a ball
Success Criteria:
- I can use the correct technique for the spike shot
- I can show good control when performing the spike shot, thinking about power and aim
- I understand when to use the spike shot in volleyball
Key Words:
- Spike
- Timing
- Attack
Equipment:
- Volleyballs
- Cones for set up
- Bowling pins/cricket wickets if available
Preparation Ideas (warm up) – Serve, Set, Catch
Split the class into groups of 3 and give them 1 ball for the group.
The game is simple, perform a serve, set and then a catch. The first person will serve the ball to the second, who will set the ball to the third person, who will catch the ball. That person will then serve back to the first person, who sets to the second, who will catch the ball. The game will run continuously
Progression:
>Increase the distance of each player
>Make the game a competition. How many times can the teams perform a full set in a row without the ball touching the floor
Skill Development
Practicing the spike
Keep the children in groups of 3 to practice the spike. The first person will perform a set to the second person, who will perform a spike shot to the third person, who will attempt to catch the ball. Make sure that the two people performing the set and spike are close to one another and that the catcher is standing around 4-5m opposite to the person performing the spike shot.
Progression:
>3 players sitting down and performing the skills.
Game – Target Practice
Get the children performing in groups of 3 again. This time, set a target for the person performing the spike to hit (this may be a set of 3 balls on a cone, a set of wickets, a set of bowling pins. Anything that the children can strike over). The game works with the person setting being to the side of the person performing the spike. The catcher will be placed behind the target, ready to retrieve the ball. Make sure each role swaps after each shot.
Progression:
>Make this game into a team competition. One team performing against another, first to knock down their target a set number of times
>Increase the distance of the spike shot to the target
>Get the children sitting down/on their knees to perform the spike
Teaching Points:
- The spike technique – Bring your striking hand behind you into an almost overhand throw technique (scratch the ear). At the same time, point your non striking hand out in front for aim. Swing your arm forward and give the ball a big hi-5, making sure your arm is fully stretched out. If stood up, we can jump as we first perform the spike, to increase the power in our strike
- The spike technique is the attacking shot that allows us to win points in the game. This shot is usually performed over the net and when we do perform the shot, we want to be aiming for the spaces on the oppositions side.
- We want make sure the children are using the correct technique, so make sure to reiterate the technique throughout the session and correct any poor technique shown.
- We don’t want the children to swing their arm too fast in the beginning. They will be eager to swing as fast as they can for maximum power. Try to explain that placement and control is more important than power and that if in a game we can aim for the free space, we are more likely to win the point than just swinging and striking the ball with full power. As well, if we perform the spike shot too quickly and not with the correct technique, the shot is more likely to either hit the net or bounce out of bounds on the opposite side
- When we are setting for a spike, we want our set to be quite high to give the person performing the spike enough time to perform their technique correctly and fully stretch their arm
Key Questions:
- Can anyone demonstrate the spike technique?
- When will a spike shot be performed in a game?
- Why do we want good control when performing the spike shot?
- How do our skills and technique change when we are sat down?
National curriculum links:
- Use running, throwing and striking in isolation and combination
- Develop control, balance and technique through playing volleyball
Social/environmental skills:
- Developing team work and collaboration skills
- Developing good communication skills
- Developing confidence in trying new skills
Lesson 5: Sitting/Kneeling Volleyball
Warm-up • Skill Development • Game
View Lesson Plan
Learning Objective:
- To be able to understand and follow the rules, showing respect to others
- To be able to work as a team effectively
Success Criteria:
- I understand the rules involved in sitting volleyball
- I can compete in a game of sitting volleyball, following the rules of the game
Key Words:
- Rules
- Communication
- Respect
Equipment:
- Volleyballs
- Cones for set up
- Benches if available
Preparation Ideas (warm up) – The Floor Is Lava
Get the children into groups of 6. Set them up in an area and ask the children to be sat on the floor. The idea of the game is to keep up the volleyball, using the set and spike shots. How long can the children keep up the ball for without the ball dropping to the floor.
Skill Development
Sitting volleyball game practice
Keep the children in the same groups of 6 within the area they have been working in. Set out a middle set of cones. We are going to compete in a small sided and court version of sitting/kneeling volleyball. For this being the first time playing in a game, we are going to adapt some of the rules:
>You can catch the ball before producing a set for someone on your team. You cannot catch the ball and spike the ball over, but you can set a team mate to.
>The ball is allowed to bounce once on your side of the court. More than one bounce counts as a point for the other team
Get the children to compete in a game, one point awarded each time the ball bounces twice
Game – Sitting/kneeling Volleyball Game
The game works the same as above, however this time, we want the game to be on a larger scale. Split the class into teams of 5-6 per group playing on a larger court.
You will most likely end up with 4-5 teams, so play 2 teams on and 2 teams off, switching who they play each time. Rules will remain the same as above
Teaching Points:
- When playing in the games, we need the children to have good communication with each other. This will especially apply when the ball falls in between two players. We want to see the children clearly ‘labelling’ the ball by shouting their name. This will tell all other players that they are taking control of the ball.
- We want to see the children working together as a group. Can they communicate with one another and set up a spike shot for each other effectively
- We want to see the children understanding and following the rules of the game. Reiterate the rules throughout the session to try to get them to stick in the children’s minds.
- If we see any disputes from teams in games, reiterate the need for good sportsmanship and respect between groups. You can also go through the incident with the groups to determine what the outcome is
Key Questions:
- What do we mean by the term respect?
- How can we show good communication with others?
- Can anyone give me a rule in sitting volleyball and how we adapted some rules for our games?
National curriculum links:
- Use running, throwing and catching in isolation and combination
- Play competitive games against others, applying basic principles for attacking and defending
- Develop control, balance and technique through playing volleyball
Social/environmental skills:
- Developing team work and collaboration skills
- Developing good communication skills
- Showing good sportsmanship throughout the session
- Showing respect to others in the session
Lesson 6: Volleyball Games
Warm-up • Skill Development • Game
View Lesson Plan
Learning Objectives:
- To apply skills in a competitive game situation.
- To follow rules and play fairly.
- To demonstrate teamwork and respect.
Success Criteria:
- I can play volleyball games following the rules.
- I can show fair play and respect to others.
- I can use movement, striking and serving in a game.
Key Words:
- Rules
- Respect
- Sportsmanship
Equipment:
- Volleyballs
- Cones for set up
- Benches if available
Preparation Ideas (warm up) – The Floor Is Lava
Get the children into groups of 6. Set them up in an area and ask the children to be stood spread around the area. The idea of the game is to keep up the volleyball, using the set and spike shots.
How long can the children keep up the ball for without the ball dropping to the floor. They are allowed to catch the ball twice as a group however, the third catch counts as the ball hitting the floor and they must begin again
Skill Development
Volleyball game practice
Keep the children in the same groups of 6 within the area they have been working in. Set out a middle set of cones. We are going to compete in a small sided and court version of volleyball. For this being the first time playing in a game, we are going to adapt some of the rules:
>You can catch the ball before producing a set for someone on your team. You cannot catch the ball and spike the ball over, but you can set a team mate to.
>The ball is allowed to bounce once on your side of the court. More than one bounce counts as a point for the other team
Get the children to compete in a game, one point awarded each time the ball bounces twice
Game – Volleyball Games
The game works the same as above, however this time, we want the game to be on a larger scale. Split the class into teams of 5-6 per group playing on a larger court.
You will most likely end up with 4-5 teams, so play 2 teams on and 2 teams off, switching who they play each time. Rules will remain the same as above and can be adapted throughout
Playing with 6 teams
| Court 1 | Court 2 | Court 3 |
| 1 v 2 | 3 v 4 | 5 v 6 |
| 1v 3 | 2 v 5 | 4 v 6 |
| 1 v 4 | 2 v 6 | 3 v 5 |
| 1 v 5 | 2 v 4 | 3 v 6 |
| 1 v 6 | 2 v 3 | 4 v 5 |
Playing with 4 teams
| Court 1 | Court 2 |
| 1 v 2 | 3 v 4 |
| 1 v 3 | 2 v 4 |
| 1 v 4 | 2 v 3 |
Teaching Points:
- When playing in the games, we need the children to have good communication with each other. This will especially apply when the ball falls in between two players. We want to see the children clearly ‘labelling’ the ball by shouting their name. This will tell all other players that they are taking control of the ball.
- We want to see the children working together as a group. Can they communicate with one another and set up a spike shot for each other effectively
- We want to see the children understanding and following the rules of the game. Reiterate the rules throughout the session to try to get them to stick in the children’s minds.
- If we see any disputes from teams in games, reiterate the need for good sportsmanship and respect between groups. You can also go through the incident with the groups to determine what the outcome is
Key Questions:
- What do we mean by the term respect?
- How can we show good communication with others?
- Why is good communication key when playing volleyball?
- Can anyone give me a rule in volleyball and how we adapted some rules for our games?
National curriculum links:
- Use running, throwing and catching in isolation and combination
- Play competitive games against others, applying basic principles for attacking and defending
- Develop control, balance and technique through playing volleyball
Social/environmental skills:
- Developing team work and collaboration skills
- Developing good communication skills
- Showing good sportsmanship throughout the session
- Showing respect to others in the session
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