Intermediate Swimming Lesson 4

Lesson Summary

Learning Intentions

  • Perform a tuck float for 5 seconds
  • Attempt to perform a surface dive
  • Pick up an object off the bottom of the pool

Skill Development Surface dive

Success Criteria

  • I can tuck float for 5 seconds
  • I can touch the bottom of the pool with my hands
  • I can pick up objects off the bottom of the pool

We are Learning...

to tuck, float and collect objects from the bottom of the pool.

Curriculum Links

L Describe what their body must do differently to float and submerge

N Float and count for 5 seconds and estimate time

NC Develop skills further to submerge and pick up objects

Equipment

  • Floats
  • Weighted objects to collect
  • Hoops

Key Questions

  • How can extending and straightening your body help you reach the bottom of the pool?
  • Why should we outstretch our arms when attempting to reach the bottom of the pool?
  • Can you suggest any water-based activities in which you might be able to use a surface dive?

Tuck Float

An image accompanying this article.

Teaching Points

✔︎ Tuck Float

  • Pull knees to chest and wrap arms around legs.
  • Take a deep breath and tip forward until the face is in the water.
  • Keep head tucked in, chin to chest, to maintain balance.
  • Stay rounded and compact to enhance buoyancy.
  • Keep muscles relaxed, especially in the back and shoulders, to aid floatation.

Teaching Points

✔︎ Surface Dive

  • Take 1 or 2 deep breaths.
  • Float on the front face in the water.
  • Bring knees up towards body which should begin to cause the head and body to tip forward.
  • Use breaststroke arms to pull forward and down.
  • Extend the body, so it is facing towards the bottom of the pool in a straight and streamlined position.
  • Keep arms extended in front of the head to avoid hitting the bottom of the pool.

Lesson Content

Starter Activity

Before starting the lesson, remind children of the safety rules around the pool.

Turn The Mill – The group stand in one circle. On the teacher’s instructions and facing the same way, walk around in a circle. The teacher says/chants:

“We count to 10, and the mill stands still….1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10” – On 10, the group should stop dead in the water. “We count to 100 and then go under…10, 20,30,40,50,60,70,80,90,100” – On 100, the group should dip their heads under. “We count to 1000 and the mill goes zoom….100,200,300,400,500,600,700,800,900,1000” – On 1000, the group starts running as fast as they can in the same direction.

Start again at the beginning and play as many times as suitable for the lesson and pupils. When the children get used to the words they can join in with the teacher.

Extension: Add in changes in direction and jumps or other actions.

Skill Development

Surface dive – Being able to surface dive is an essential skill, as swimmers should be able to propel themselves to the bottom of the pool without diving or jumping in. Being able to surface dive successfully allows swimmers to participate in a wide range of water-based activities, including water hockey or diving.

To surface dive pupils should be able to perform an effective tuck float with their face in the water.

Task: Tuck/Mushroom float – Ask the pupils to practise the tuck float using the teaching points. Once they are confident play shape float. Pupils start in a float say star float on their back, they must transition from this into a tuck float. Extend to the following

  • Star float on front to tuck.
  • Sculling to tuck.
  • Push and glide into tuck.
  • Touch the bottom of a deeper part of the pool with your feet, push up into tuck.
  • Jump in from side, submerge into tuck.
  • Exhale and sink to the bottom in tuck position.

Any other fun variations you can think of!

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Activity

Surface dive progressions – To start, swimmers should simply try and get into the correct position, bringing their knees up and getting the body to tip forward. As confidence increases, they can begin to pull forward and down, submerging their head.

Progressions

  • Swimmers hold hoops for one another to swim through at varying depths before attempting to touch the bottom.
  • Touch bottom.
  • Collect light objects from the bottom.
  • Collect heavier objects from the bottom.
  • Place objects at greater depths.
  • Collect more than one object at a time.
A guideline image demonstrating this lesson plan content