Mini Tennis Games

Year Level

Year 6

Duration

60 minutes

Class Size

25 students

Unit Context

Unit 2 of 16 in the "Serve and Score: Tennis & Lacrosse" series
Lesson 7: Mini Tennis Games

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Australian Curriculum Links

Strand: Movement and Physical Activity (ACPMP060)

• Content Description:
  • Practise and apply movement skills in different physical activity contexts (ACPMP060)
  • Use feedback to improve performance (ACPMP061)

Strand: Personal, Social and Community Health (ACPMP064)

• Content Description:
  • Worked collaboratively with others and described how cooperation affected outcomes (ACPMP064)

Elaborations:

• Adapt and modify fundamental movement skills such as forehand, backhand, and serving in dynamic situations【6:AC9HP6M01.md†Health and Physical Education】
• Apply feedback from teacher and peers to refine movement skills in game situations【19:AC9HP8M01.md†Health and Physical Education】
• Engage in teamwork, and develop strategic thinking in small-sided games【6:AC9HP6M01.md†Health and Physical Education】【19:AC9HP8M01.md†Health and Physical Education】

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Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

1. Demonstrate forehand, backhand, and serving techniques in mini tennis games with control and accuracy.
2. Apply basic tactical strategies to outplay opponents and support teammates in doubles games.
3. Work cooperatively with peers, demonstrating good sportsmanship and teamwork.
4. Provide and utilise constructive feedback to improve performance in real-time game situations.

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Equipment and Setup

• Mini tennis nets or low net alternatives (or cones to mark net boundaries)
• Lightweight tennis racquets sized for Year 6 students
• Foam or low-compression tennis balls for safer handling
• Marked mini tennis courts or defined play areas (smaller than standard tennis courts, approx. half size)
• Whistles, cones for boundaries, scorecards (optional)

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Lesson Structure

1. Introduction & Warm-up (10 minutes)

• Gather students and briefly explain the focus of the lesson: using forehand, backhand, and serving skills in mini tennis matches.
• Quick dynamic warm-up including jogging, side-stepping, arm swings, and wrist mobility exercises to prepare for racket use.
• Fun hand-eye coordination activity: "Ball tap challenge" – students tap the ball on their racquet 20 times without dropping.

2. Skill Refinement Stations (15 minutes)

• Divide students into 3 groups rotating every 5 minutes:
  1. Forehand practice: Focus on correct grip, swing path, and follow-through. Partner feeding balls underhand for controlled returns.
  2. Backhand practice: Introduce one or two-handed backhand depending on skill levels. Repeat underhand feeds.
  3. Serving practice: Teach basic underarm serve position, toss, and strike, focusing on accuracy over distance.
• Teacher and assistants provide specific feedback to refine technique, ensuring safe movement patterns.

3. Mini Tennis Games (25 minutes)

• Organise students in pairs or teams of four (doubles) to play mini tennis games on smaller courts.
• Match format: Short games to 7 points with ‘win by 2’, allowing multiple matches during the time.
• Encourage use of forehand, backhand, and serving skills practiced.
• Students rotate roles as servers and receivers.
• Teacher circulates providing tactical advice:
  • Positioning to cover court
  • Awareness of opponent’s weaknesses
  • Communication and teamwork strategies in doubles

4. Cool-down & Reflection (10 minutes)

• Gentle static stretching focusing on shoulders, arms, wrists, and legs.
• Group discussion to reflect on:
  • What skills were challenging or easy?
  • How did teamwork affect the game?
  • One personal goal to work on in the next lesson.
• Collect informal self and peer feedback by asking:
  • “What did you do well?”
  • “What would you like to improve?”

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Assessment

• Formative assessment through observation of student participation and skill execution during stations and games.
• Use a simple checklist or rubric for forehand, backhand, serve technique, and teamwork.
• Encourage students to self-assess their improvement and set targets.
• Provide specific, constructive feedback verbally during activities to guide learning.

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Differentiation

• Provide modified racquets and softer balls for students requiring motor skill support.
• Allow more experienced students to use competitive scoring and challenge games.
• Use peer mentoring for skill support.
• Offer extra practice time for students struggling with serve or backhand strokes.

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Safety Considerations

• Ensure sufficient spacing between courts for safe play.
• Demonstrate and monitor safe racket handling and swinging.
• Remind students to be aware of others’ space to avoid collisions.
• Enforce hydration breaks as needed.

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This lesson plan ensures students in Year 6 develop and apply tennis skills within a strategic, cooperative mini-game environment aligned to the Australian Curriculum v9 Health and Physical Education objectives. It fosters physical competence, teamwork, and critical thinking in sport through practical play, setting a strong foundation for later competitive tennis and lacrosse skills. The lesson also incorporates responsive feedback and the promotion of a positive and inclusive learning environment that teachers can readily adapt or extend for their specific class needs.【6:AC9HP6M01.md】【19:AC9HP8M01.md】