Training Journals Insight

Unit Context:

Unit: Athlete Development Mastery (Lesson 2 of 30)
Subject: Physical Education
Year Level: Year 11
Class Size: 25 students
Duration: 90 minutes
Australian Curriculum Version: 9 (Health and Physical Education, Years 11-12 focus)

Learning Objectives

Aligned with Australian Curriculum (v9), and specifically targeting athlete development mastery, students will:

Understand the purpose and importance of training journals in athlete development
(Aligned with AC9HP10M01 - Analyse, adapt and refine movement skills for performance enhancement)
Identify and describe key components of an effective training journal (e.g., goals, training details, recovery, nutrition, progress notes)
(Supporting self-management and reflective practices embedded in the Australian Curriculum’s focus on student responsibility for wellbeing and skill development.)
Develop skills to maintain their own training journal to track personal progress effectively
(Linking knowledge to personal application and performance improvement in line with curriculum elaborations on performance analysis and self-management.)
Reflect on the significance of consistent record-keeping for motivation and targeted athlete development
(Supports critical reflection and self-monitoring competencies in PE).

Curriculum Reference

Australian Curriculum: Health and Physical Education
Year Level: Years 11-12
Content Descriptor Reference: AC9HP10M01: Analyse, adapt and refine their own and others’ movement skills in a range of challenging movement situations to enhance performance.
General capabilities integrated: Literacy (language for workplace and learning), Personal and Social capability (self-management, self-reflection), Critical and Creative Thinking (problem-solving and planning progress), ICT capability (using technology to maintain journals)

Lesson Structure (90 mins)

1. Introduction & Lesson Overview (10 mins)

Briefly introduce the concept of athlete development and the integral role of training journals.
Present the lesson objectives and outcomes.
Show examples of professional athlete training journals (anonymised or historical examples).

Engagement Strategy: Ask students if they have ever tracked a sport or exercise routine and their thoughts on its usefulness.

2. Components of a Training Journal (20 mins)

Interactive brainstorming activity on what information should be logged in a training journal. Use whiteboard/Smartboard to record ideas.
Introduce the essential components:
- Training goals (short and long-term)
- Daily/weekly training plans (including drills, exercises, sets, reps, duration, intensity)
- Physical and mental status (energy, mood, motivation levels)
- Performance outcomes and reflections (what worked, what needs improvement)
- Recovery strategies and nutrition notes
- Injury tracking and management notes
Highlight the importance of clarity, honesty, and consistency in entries.

Curriculum link: Understanding nuanced components reflects analysis and refinement of performance at a sophisticated level (AC9HP10M01).

3. Demonstration & Modelling – Creating an Entry (10 mins)

Teacher modelling: Create a sample training journal entry on the board/projector featuring different sections.
Demonstrate how to evaluate a session honestly, set goals for next training, and note recovery.

4. Guided Practice – Students Make Their Own Entry (20 mins)

Students create their own mock training journal entry based on a hypothetical or personal training session.
They include at least 3 key components: Training details, reflections, and recovery.
Use template handouts or digital forms for journal entry.

5. Group Discussion – Significance & Challenges of Training Journals (10 mins)

Spoken reflection: Why is tracking progress through journals vital?
Discuss benefits: Motivation, spotting patterns in training/performance, communicating with coaches, injury prevention.
Discuss challenges: Time commitment, honesty, privacy considerations.

6. Peer Review & Feedback (10 mins)

Students swap journal entries with a partner for peer feedback focused on clarity, depth, and constructive reflection.
Emphasise positive reinforcement and suggestions for development.

7. Digital Tools for Training Journals (5 mins)

Brief discussion about using apps or digital platforms for training logs.
Highlight benefits of multimedia entries (photos, videos, voice notes).

8. Independent Task – Journal Commitment Plan (5 mins)

Students draft a personal commitment statement outlining how and when they will maintain their training journal over the next week.
Include goals for consistency and honesty.

9. Lesson Recap and Q&A (5 mins)

Summarise key points on training journal purpose, components, and maintenance.
Open floor for any questions or clarifications.

Assessment Opportunities

Formative Assessment: Review of mock journal entries and peer feedback session.
Observation of student engagement during discussions and activities.
Review personal commitment statements for clarity and realistic goal-setting.

Resources Needed

Whiteboard/Smartboard and markers
Sample journal entry templates (printed or digital)
Projector for sample journals
Paper/notebooks or digital devices for journal entries
Timer or clock to manage pacing

Differentiation and Inclusion

Provide scaffolding templates for students needing structure.
Allow digital or handwritten journal formats.
Support reflective writing through sentence starters.
Encourage collaboration for students requiring peer support.

Additional Teacher Notes

Emphasise the link between self-monitoring and athletic performance improvement as per AC9HP10M01.
Encourage students to connect journal keeping to real-life athlete practices.
Remind students that training journals are dynamic and evolve with their athletic experience.
Consider integrating technology tools commonly used by athletes for journal keeping in future lessons.

This lesson plan is designed to engage Year 11 students actively in understanding and maintaining training journals as a critical tool in athlete development mastery, fully aligned with the Australian Curriculum (v9) Health and Physical Education content and elaborations for senior students.

Teaching Instructions