Vaulting with control and creativity
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can vault with control and creativity.
Key learning points
- Move: when vaulting, your push off needs to be strong and explosive to drive the body upwards.
- Move: when landing keep your arms out to the side or slightly in front to help with balance and control.
- Think: a faster run-up generates more power and height, providing extra time to complete more creative vaults.
- Feel: running fast at the springboard can be scary, but it leads to success, a sense of achievement and a better vault
- Connect: supporting others to build confidence in attempting the vault will also help you develop your own confidence.
Keywords
Vault - an activity in gymnastics where you run towards a springboard and jump on to or over a vaulting table performing various movements before landing on a mat
Lannding - touching the ground after performing a skill e.g. jump or dismount
Box top - a piece of apparatus used for vaulting with a flat or slightly rounded surface to jump over or on to
Common misconception
Pupils fear running at speed to jump on to the springboard or are reluctant to jump on to a vault/box top. Pupils have poor technique on the springboard. Pupils fear straddling the box.
Build confidence by breaking the skill down. Practise without the box top or with a lower box gradually increasing height. Develop good foot positioning on the springboard before adding in the box top. Pupils could straddle on to the box first.
Teacher tip
It is a good idea to approach vaulting lessons with 'stations' so you can provide lots of choice for pupils. Provide apparatus at different heights with some stations where there is no run up so you have an inclusive environment where everyone can achieve.
Equipment
1 mat between 2, 4 springboards (or as many as available), 4 tables/box tops, a buck (optional)
Content guidance
Risk assessment required - physical activity
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
Prior knowledge starter quiz
4 Questions
Q1.After your run up, which direction do you push off the springboard to gain height?
Q2.What should you always try to be before jumping off apparatus?
Q3.Which part of your body helps to generate more height when jumping?
Q4.Which skill helps with excellent timing when performing a pair sequence?
Assessment exit quiz
4 Questions
Q1.What is the stage of the jump called where you touch the ground after performing skill such as a jump or a dismount?
Q2.What could help you generate more power to stay in the air longer for your vault?
Q3.What could you do to help you make a vault easier if you are finding it too difficult?
Q4.How can you help others to improve their vaulting performance?
To help you plan your 7 physical education lesson on: Vaulting with control and creativity, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 7 physical education lesson on: Vaulting with control and creativity, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom.
Explore more key stage 3 physical education lessons from the Gymnastics: body control and paired sequences unit, dive into the full secondary physical education curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.