Tennis Mini Tournament

Year Level

Year 6

Duration

60 minutes

Class Size

25 students

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Lesson Overview

This lesson is the 15th in a 16-lesson unit titled "Serve and Score: Tennis & Lacrosse." In this session, students will participate in a mini tennis tournament to apply and showcase the tennis skills they have developed throughout the unit. The mini-tournament will encourage friendly competition, fair play, and tactical thinking.

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Australian Curriculum Alignment

Content Descriptions

• ACPMP061: Apply movement concepts and strategies to develop and improve specialised movement skills
• ACPMP062: Practise and refine movement skills in modified and full games
• ACPMP066: Develop and apply rules fairly and seek feedback to improve performance
• ACPMP070: Work in collaboration with others to plan, implement and review movement sequences
• ACPPS060: Participate in physical activities that develop health-related fitness and enhance personal health and wellbeing

These align to Year 6 Physical Education and Health and Physical Education content codes, focusing on skill application, fair play, collaboration, and participation in physical activities that promote health and wellbeing .

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Learning Objectives

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

• Apply their tennis serving, rallying, and scoring skills in a competitive context.
• Understand and demonstrate fair play, sportsmanship, and respect for opponents and officials.
• Collaborate effectively in match settings, supporting their peers.
• Adapt gameplay strategies based on opponents’ strengths and weaknesses.

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Equipment Needed

• Tennis rackets (enough for all students)
• Tennis balls (enough for continuous play)
• Mini-tennis nets or markers for court boundaries
• Scorecards or match brackets
• Whistle or timer
• First aid kit
• Water bottles (encourage hydration)

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Lesson Structure

Time	Activity	Description	Australian Curriculum Focus
0-5 mins	Introduction and Warm-up	Brief welcome, lesson purpose explained. Dynamic warm-up including jogging, stretching and rally drills using forehand and backhand strokes.	ACPMP061, ACPPS060
5-10 mins	Rules and Tournament Briefing	Recap tennis scoring, proper conduct, rules for mini-tournament. Students in pairs or small teams are assigned matches. Explanation of rotation format.	ACPMP066, ACPMP070
10-45 mins	Mini Tennis Tournament	Students play short timed matches (5 minutes each) with modified scoring to suit the class size and time constraint. Students encouraged to demonstrate skills learned, teamwork, and positive communication.	ACPMP062, ACPMP066, ACPMP070
45-55 mins	Cool Down and Reflection	Group cool-down stretches. Class discussion/reflection on sportsmanship, teamwork, and what strategies worked during matches. Opportunity for students to share their experiences.	ACPPS060, ACPMP070
55-60 mins	Assessment and Feedback	Teachers give feedback on participation, effort, teamwork, and rule application. Students self-assess or peer-assess their fair play and communication skills.	ACPMP066, ACPMP070

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Detailed Activity Description

Warm-up (0–5 minutes)

• Lead students through dynamic stretches focusing on arms, legs, and torso.
• Include jogging and movement drills with a racket and ball to engage motor skills.
• Practice rally shots in pairs to prepare for gameplay.

Rules and Tournament Briefing (5–10 minutes)

• Briefly review tennis rules related to scoring and boundaries.
• Explain mini-tournament logistics: how pairs will rotate, match length, and scoring system.
• Emphasise fair play, respect for opponents, and safety.

Mini Tennis Tournament (10–45 minutes)

• Organise students into pairs or small groups.
• Each match lasts about 5 minutes or first to 5 points.
• Use modified scoring to maintain engagement (e.g., no-advantage scoring).
• The teacher acts as coordinator/referee, monitoring safety and rules.
• Encourage students to use strategic play and adaptations learned in prior lessons.

Cool Down and Reflection (45–55 minutes)

• Lead static stretches focusing on muscles used.
• Facilitate a group discussion about experiences: what they enjoyed, challenges faced, and how they displayed sportsmanship.
• Highlight themes of inclusion, fair play, and teamwork.

Assessment and Feedback (55–60 minutes)

• Provide verbal and written feedback to individual students based on observation during the tournament.
• Encourage peer feedback focusing on communication, effort, and teamwork.
• Invite self-reflection with prompts such as: "What skill did I use best today?" and "How did I show respect to others?"

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Assessment Strategies

• Formative assessment during gameplay through observation of skill execution, communication, and adherence to rules.
• Peer and self-assessment on sportsmanship and teamwork.
• Teacher feedback on performance, highlighting strengths and areas for further development.

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Inclusivity and Differentiation

• Modify court sizes or ball types for students requiring adapted equipment.
• Pair students of varying skill levels to encourage peer support.
• Allow alternative scoring or shorter rallies for students needing more support.
• Support students with additional needs by assigning peer buddies or adapting rules as needed.

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Safety Considerations

• Ensure students use equipment safely.
• Monitor for fatigue, provide water breaks.
• Play on appropriate surfaces, clear playing area of hazards.
• Ensure warm-up and cool-down are completed to reduce injury risk.

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This lesson plan ensures a holistic approach to skill application, fair competition, and social skills aligned with the Australian Curriculum (v9) for Year 6 Physical Education, particularly focussing on the standard codes ACPMP061, ACPMP062, ACPMP066, ACPMP070, and ACPPS060 to meet learning requirements .