Heels Tap Notes, Quizzes & Revision
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Physical & Health Education — Straddle and Straddle Cross
Subtopic: Heels Tap (age 10 — Kenyan primary classroom / school playground)
What students will learn (Specific Learning Outcomes)
- Identify and show the basic straddle position and the straddle cross action safely.
- Perform a simple "heels tap" drill while in standing and small straddle jumps to improve timing and balance.
- Follow teacher instructions for warm-up, practice and cool-down; use safe space and correct footwear.
- Work with a partner to give and accept simple feedback on posture and landing.
Key terms (simple)
Straddle — legs apart, toes pointing up or forward. Straddle cross — small jump or step where legs cross briefly in the air. Heels tap — quick touching of the heels to the floor (or to each other) as a rhythm drill.
Equipment and place
- Flat playing surface (school hall, playground, or mat).
- Comfortable shoes or barefoot on mat; no jewellery.
- Cones or chalk to mark starting spot (optional).
Safety & teacher notes
- Warm up well (5–7 minutes): jogging, ankle circles, leg swings.
- Use soft surface for first attempts (mats). Keep distance between children.
- Watch knees and land with knees slightly bent. Stop if any pain occurs.
Teaching steps — Heels Tap progressions
- Explain and show: Teacher demonstrates standing straddle, small hops and heels tap slowly.
- Step 1 — Seated practice: Sit with legs in straddle to feel the position and point toes upward. Hold 10 seconds.
- Step 2 — Standing heels tap (stationary): Stand feet shoulder-width, lift toes slightly, tap heels lightly forward on the floor twice in rhythm (count: 1-2). Repeat 8–10 times.
- Step 3 — Straddle hop: From standing, bend knees, jump to a small straddle (legs apart) and land softly. Repeat 6–8 times.
- Step 4 — Straddle jump with heels tap: Jump to straddle and while in the air or landing quickly bring heels toward each other to tap once then return to straddle. Start small — low jumps first.
- Step 5 — Straddle cross (advance): When confident, practise a small jump and cross one leg over the other mid-air briefly, then return to straddle. Use heels tap beforehand for timing practice.
Simple visual guide
(small picture to show feet movement — left: start straddle; middle: heels come in to tap; right: return)
Common mistakes and corrections
- Mistake: Landing stiff-legged — Correction: Bend knees slightly when landing to absorb shock.
- Mistake: Feet not wide enough in straddle — Correction: Keep legs wider than shoulder width; point toes up or forward.
- Mistake: Rushing the jump and crossing too early — Correction: Do slow practice jumps first; use counts (1-2-3) to time tap.
Suggested learning experiences / activities
- Warm-up relay: Teams of 4 do ankle circles, then run back — helps prepare ankles for taps.
- Station practice (teacher-led): Stations — Station A: seated straddle stretches; B: standing heels tap; C: straddle hops. Rotate every 3 minutes.
- Partner feedback: Partners watch each other for 2 things (knee bend, foot position) and give simple praise and one tip.
- Mini performance: Each pupil does 3 straddle hops with heels tap and teacher records one thing done well and one improvement.
- Cool-down: Gentle leg stretches and breathing for 3 minutes.
Assessment ideas (age 10 friendly)
Use a simple checklist for each pupil:
- Can show straddle position — Yes / No
- Performs 3 small straddle hops with soft landings — Yes / No
- Performs heels tap with clear rhythm (countable) — Yes / No
- Follows safety instructions — Yes / No
Teacher tips — Kenya context
- Use school assembly space or playground early in the day when surface is dry and clean.
- Encourage local games that use rhythm (clapping, singing) to help children keep the heels tap timing.
- Group pupils by ability so faster pupils can try straddle cross while others repeat basics.