Teaching sequence

Work through this resource material in the following sequence:

10 minutes

Tune In: Swimming

20 minutes

Find Out: Out-of-pool training

25 minutes (plus training time)

Take Action: The results

5 minutes

Reflection

Learning intentions

Students will:

practise core swimming skills
track their changes in ability over time.

Success criteria

Students can:

plan and conduct a statistical investigation.

Preparation:

This is a split lesson, with the Tune In and Find Out sections happening first. Students will explore swimming and out-of-pool training exercises that will help build strength and endurance for swimming. They will create a training program and measure their progress over a set period of time. We recommend at least 4 weeks, but it could be up to a term.

Tune In: Swimming

Step 1

Show the following video about swimming events at the Commonwealth Games.

Swimming - #B2022 Sport Explainer Video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xy8wvLaTfYo)

Step 2

Ask your students, ‘If you are a professional athlete preparing for a swimming race, what does your training look like?’. Discuss with your students that training is more than just swimming laps. It involves:

in-pool training
out-of-pool training
strength training
endurance training
mental preparation
diet
sleep and rest.

Find Out: Out-of-pool training

Step 1

Discuss with your students the specific skills needed for the different strokes and the different elements of the race. For example:

starts
turns
the different types of kicks
the different arm strokes
breathing

Step 2

Let’s explore the training routines of swimmers who have represented Australia at the Commonwealth Games.

Example 1: Melissa Wu

Example 2: Matt Levy

Example 3: Shayna Jack

Divide the students into small groups and give each a different athlete’s training routine. Students need to look at the different elements of the routine and identify how they help this athlete with different parts of the swimming race.

For example:

bike ride - endurance, cardio
gym session - strength for take-offs, stretching for flexibility and range of motion
meditation - mental preparation, breathing

Step 3

Now it’s their turn! Using the Weekly Training Planner, students can design a training routine that would help their swimming performance. As part of their training plan, students will need to answer the following questions:

What data will they track to measure their efforts and improvements?
How will they track this data? Pen and paper? Digital spreadsheet?
What will be the most suitable visual display to present this data?

If students can access a pool, they can record their initial times for lengths and strokes. They can then choose a specific race (eg, 100m backstroke) and create a training routine targeting that specific race.

Learning extension: Students can also consider fuel for their bodies, sleep schedules, rest days, and mental preparation.

Take Action: The results

Step 1

Students implement their practice plan across a predetermined period of time. We recommend a minimum of 4 weeks, and up to a whole term. As they progress through the program, they track their data and update their training plan as required.

If students have access to a pool, they can record their times again after completing the program and compare them to their initial times.

Step 2

Students create an infographic and use digital tools to create their data displays. This infographic needs to describe the process of their statistical investigation (training plan and implementation), the types of data they collected and the tools they used to collect this data, at least 1 data display, and an interpretation of their data.

Reflection

If progress was linear, how long would it take them to reach the same level as the Commonwealth Games Athlete?
Is progress linear?
What was the most difficult for you?
What did you enjoy the most?
What would you do differently next time?

Train for the Commonwealth Games

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Summary

Lesson Guides and Printables

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