Grade 5 Physical And Health Education Volleyball – Under-arm Serve Notes
Physical & Health Education — Volleyball
Subtopic: Under‑arm Serve (for age 10)
- Know the purpose of an under‑arm serve in volleyball (to start play safely).
- Perform an under‑arm serve with correct foot position, ball hold and arm swing.
- Send the ball over the net into a target area on the opposite court at least 6 out of 10 times.
- Follow safety rules and show fair play during serving practice and small games.
- 1 soft volleyball or school ball per pair
- Cones, chalk or tape to mark service line and target zones
- Net (if available) or a rope/imaginary line at correct height for practice
- Flat, clean playing surface (school playground, tarmac or grass)
- Warm up before practice (light running, arm circles) for 5–7 minutes.
- Keep space clear around the server; do not stand directly in front of someone's swing.
- Use soft balls for beginners to avoid injuries.
- Wear comfortable shoes or go barefoot on grass for grip.
- Stand behind the service line. Place your non‑dominant foot slightly forward (step position).
- Hold the ball in the palm of your non‑dominant hand at waist height, fingers relaxed.
- Keep your serving arm (dominant arm) bent at the elbow and swing it backwards slightly.
- Step forward with your dominant foot and swing your serving arm forward in a smooth motion.
- Hit the ball with the heel of your hand (the lower part of your palm), aiming to send the ball over the net.
- Follow through with your arm and watch where the ball goes. Stay balanced after the serve.
Step forward, swing the arm and hit the ball with the heel of your hand toward the target.
- Demonstration (5–8 minutes): Teacher shows correct stance, footwork and arm swing. Use slow motion and repeat.
- Shadow practice (5 minutes): Pupils practice foot-step and arm swing without ball — teacher watches posture.
- Paired practice (10–15 minutes): Pupils work in pairs: one serves 5 times while partner calls where the ball landed (left/middle/right). Swap roles.
- Target practice (10 minutes): Place cones or draw 3 target zones on the opposite court. Give 3 points for center, 2 for sides. Keep a simple scorecard.
- Small game (15 minutes): Play 4 v 4 mini‑game. Encourage students to use under‑arm serve to start each rally. Rotate servers every 3 serves.
- Peer feedback & reflection (5 minutes): Pupils tell each other one good point and one thing to improve.
Practical tips for Kenyan schools:
- If no net is available, mark a tape line at the correct height for the ball to pass over during practice.
- Use soft, older school balls for beginners to build confidence.
- Group children in mixed ability pairs so stronger pupils help others.
- Hitting the ball too high: Correction — keep the ball low in front of the body and swing forward under the ball.
- Pushing the ball with fingers: Correction — use the heel of the hand to strike; keep wrist firm.
- No step forward: Correction — practice stepping forward at the same time as the arm swing (shadow drill).
- Off balance after serve: Correction — keep eyes on ball during contact and finish with a stable stance.
Use these quick checks during lessons:
- Observational checklist: correct foot position, hold, arm swing, contact point and balance (tick each).
- Performance test: from behind the service line, perform 10 under‑arm serves; passing score is 6 successful serves into target area.
- Peer feedback: partner names one strength and one thing to improve for each pupil.
Practising the under‑arm serve builds teamwork, fair play and self‑confidence. Encourage pupils to support each other and celebrate improvement.