New
New
Year 7

Forehands, backhands and volleys in action

I can hit forehands, backhands and volleys.

New
New
Year 7

Forehands, backhands and volleys in action

I can hit forehands, backhands and volleys.

These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

Switch to our new teaching resources now - designed by teachers and leading subject experts, and tested in classrooms.

These resources were created for remote use during the pandemic and are not designed for classroom teaching.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Move: sidestepping is a good way to move back and forth across the baseline.
  2. Move: it is more effective to hit forehands on your dominant side and backhands across your body than to run around.
  3. Think: hip and shoulder rotation combined with weight transfer forwards into the ball adds power.
  4. Feel: listening to feedback from others demonstrates self-belief.
  5. Connect: actively contributing and remaining engaged in group activities improves cohesion.

Keywords

  • Forehand - a shot made by swinging on the same side of your body as your dominant hand; the right side for right-handed players.

  • Backhand - a shot made by swinging the racket across your body. For right-handed players this means swinging on the left side.

  • Volley - hitting the ball before it bounces.

Common misconception

Pupils think they need to swing hard at volleys.

When approaching the net to volley you already have momentum moving forwards into the ball which adds power so a more effective technique is to block and sometimes even cushion the pace out of the ball whilst angling it back over the net.


To help you plan your year 7 physical education lesson on: Forehands, backhands and volleys in action, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

This lesson introduces more observation, analysis, coaching and officiating of skills and then match play so it helps to have a simple worksheet with key skills and rules of the sport available to groups.
Teacher tip

Equipment

1 paddle per pupil; 2 pickleballs each; badminton/tennis nets; floor markers; additional materials rule sheet; worksheet for analysis

Content guidance

  • Risk assessment required - physical activity

Supervision

Adult supervision required

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Prior knowledge starter quiz

Download quiz pdf

4 Questions

Q1.
What is it called when you perform a little jump and land with your legs shoulder width apart ready to react?
Correct answer: a split step
a volley
a dink
Q2.
What is it called when you take an extended step in to reach a ball, then push back towards the middle of the court?
flexible hips
Correct answer: a lunge
a return
Q3.
What is the person who officiates a game of pickleball called?
the referee
Correct answer: the umpire
the coach
Q4.
What side of the body does a right handed player hit their backhand on?
Correct answer: their left
their right
either side

Assessment exit quiz

Download quiz pdf

4 Questions

Q1.
What is a good way to move back and forth across the baseline?
Correct Answer: a side step, side step, side-step, a side-step
Q2.
What is it called when you hit the ball just after it bounces?
serve
Correct answer: groundstroke
volley
Q3.
What is having confidence in your abilities and trusting that you can achieve your goals called?
independence
arrogance
Correct answer: self-belief
Q4.
When hitting volleys, which of the following will improve accuracy?
a big swing
Correct answer: blocking the ball
hitting whilst moving

Additional material

Download additional material