Unit Curriculum Plan -PickleBall

Karly Colenzo

Vanguard University AST Credential Program

EDUG-534-88-23FA

Professor Rose

December 13, 2023

 Aspect Details

Grade Level/Content High School 9th Grade

1.2 Demonstrate proficient movement skills in aquatic,

rhythms/dance, and individual and dual activities.
Standards 3.6 Identify the effects of individual differences, such as age, gender,
ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and culture, on preferences for and
participation in physical activity.

Students will develop adept ball manipulation skills with pickleball

equipment, equipping them with the necessary proficiency to engage in
the sport of pickleball.
Objective
Students will adapt their hand-eye coordination to build upon their
pickleball skills becoming more confident in their athletic abilities.

- Developing as a player takes practice of smaller skills which

Enduring combined into larger skills (to get better at something takes time and
Understanding practice)
- Sports contribute to cultural aspects of different demographics

- How does learning basic ball manipulation skills of pickleball

Essential Question
contribute to our overall enjoyment and success in the game?

Assessment and - Daily observations of individual and team performance

Feedback - Q&A sessions to assess understanding
Aspect Details

W - Where:Objective: Students will understand the purpose of the

lesson, including developing fundamental skills, teamwork, and
sportsmanship in pickleball.

● Evaluation: Provide a clear outline of the skills and behaviors

that will be assessed, such as individual skills, teamwork, and
engagement.

H - Hook:

● Activity: Begin the lesson with a quick trivia or fun fact about
pickleball's history, sparking curiosity.
● Introduction: Share an exciting anecdote about the sport or
present a brief video highlighting the athleticism and teamwork
involved.

E - Experience:

● Activity: Demonstrate proper paddle grip and wrist movements,

engaging students in a hands-on experience.
● Drills: Implement engaging drills (UPPIES, DOWNIES, etc.)
that allow students to practice skills independently.
● Guided Practice: Provide teacher-guided practice on the courts,
ensuring students experience success and gain confidence.

R - Reflect:

● Discussion: After each drill, initiate a brief discussion on what

worked well and areas for improvement.
● Individual Reflection: Ask students to reflect on their
performance and identify one thing they will focus on
improving.

E - Express:

● Activity: Encourage students to express their understanding by

demonstrating a specific skill to the class.
● Self-Evaluation: Introduce a self-assessment component where
students rate their performance after each drill.

T - Tailor:
Aspect Details

● Differentiation: Provide additional guidance to students who

may struggle with certain skills and offer challenges to those
who excel.
● Feedback: Offer personalized feedback during the drills to
address individual strengths and areas for growth.

O - Organize:

● Structured Progression: Begin with teacher-guided activities to

establish foundational skills and gradually move to independent
applications.
● Conceptual Emphasis: Shift the focus from superficial coverage
to developing a deep conceptual understanding of pickleball
techniques.

Lesson

Students will be assigned seating on the courts according to roll call.

They will be provided with paddles while seated.

1. First, I will demonstrate the proper paddle grip by instructing

students to hold it as if offering a handshake. Following the
demonstration, students will replicate the grip while seated.

2. Next, I will demonstrate the correct form for forehand and backhand
wrist movements. Students will then mimic these movements while
remaining in their seats.

3. Subsequently, I will illustrate several drills that they will

independently practice:

- UPPIES: Consecutive hits aiming upwards

- DOWNIES: Consecutive hits aiming downwards

- BACKHAND UP: Consecutive hits using the backhand upward

- BACKHAND FOREHAND: Alternating consecutive hits between

backhand and forehand, aiming downwards

- UP AND LET BOUNCE: Hit the ball and let it bounce

- Backhand forehand let it bounce.

 Aspect Details

4. Students will then be assigned to various courts to practice each skill

for 1-2 minutes before switching to the next skill.

5. Following the individual drills, students will walk around the court,
sequentially performing each skill until instructed to switch.

6. Throughout these drills, I will closely observe and assess their form,
providing necessary adjustments to ensure proper technique.

Teacher Notes

Pickleball Lesson Rubric

Criteria 4 - Exemplary 3 - Proficient 2 - Developing 1 - Beginning

Student
Student struggles
consistently Student generally Student has
with consistency in
demonstrates performs individual difficulty
executing individual
excellent form and skills with performing
Individual Skills skills,
control in executing proficiency, individual skills,
demonstrating
all individual skills showing good form showing minimal
some form and
(UPPIES, DOWNIES, and control form and control
control
etc.)
 Student
Student shows a Student has some
demonstrates a Student has limited
solid understanding of
Knowing Proper comprehensive understanding of
understanding of proper form but
Form understanding of proper form for
proper form, with may struggle to
the proper form for pickleball skills
occasional lapses consistently apply it
pickleball skills

Student
Student generally Student displays
consistently Student struggles
displays good limited teamwork
exhibits excellent with consistent
Teamwork and teamwork and and
teamwork and teamwork and
Sportsmanship sportsmanship, sportsmanship,
sportsmanship sportsmanship,
with occasional often disrupting the
during drills and requiring reminders
lapses flow of the game
matches

Student actively

participates in all Student Student's

Student is passive
activities, participates participation is
Participation and and minimally
demonstrating a willingly in most inconsistent, with
Engagement engaged in
high level of activities, showing periods of
activities
engagement and good engagement disengagement

enthusiasm

Student reflects on Student struggles

personal growth Student reflects on Student's reflection to reflect on

Reflection on Own throughout the day personal growth is limited, and personal growth

Skills and assesses their and assesses their self-assessment of and struggles to

own progress in own application of learned skills is assess their own

applying learned learned skills minimal application of

skills learned skills

 Lesson Title Pickle Ball Lesson #2

Grade Level/ Content High School PE 9th grade

Standards Demonstrate proficient movement skills in aquatic, rhythms/dance, and individual

and dual activities.

Objective Students will build upon their individual skills by focusing on advanced techniques,
strategies, and the rules of pickleball.

Enduring Understanding

Players refine their techniques, make thoughtful decisions, and

collaborate effectively, they not only enhance their personal performance
but also contribute positively to the overall dynamics of the game. The
enduring understanding is that continuous improvement in advanced
skills

Essential Question

How do getting better at pickleball moves and making smart decisions

make the game more fun and help our team play better?
Assessment and Feedback Self Assessment listed down below

Learning Experiences ● Opening (Hook):

● Begin with a brief quiz or question related to advanced
(Label WHERETO)
pickleball strategies to engage students' interest.
● Share a video clip showcasing professional pickleball players
applying advanced techniques and strategies.
● Body:
● Where: Objective and Evaluation
● Clarify the objectives for the day, emphasizing the
importance of advanced techniques and strategic
thinking.
● Highlight the evaluation criteria, focusing on the
application of advanced skills in gameplay.
● Hook: Activity and Introduction
● Conduct a quick review of the previous lesson's key
concepts.
● Begin with a thought-provoking activity or question to
capture students' enthusiasm for advanced skills.
● Experience: Activity, Drills, and Game Simulation
● Demonstrate and explain advanced techniques such
as dinks, volleys, and lobs.
● Introduce and guide students through group drills:
● Partner bouncers hit forehand and backhand
with carry shots.
● Forehand and backhand partner rallies.
● Smash ball: Players rally until the ball hits the
ground on opposing sides.
● Four Square: Players rally to each side until the
ball bounces twice or passes the opposing
partner.
Closure/ Application ● Reflect: Discussion and Peer Feedback
● Lead discussions after each drill and mini-match,
encouraging students to reflect on the effectiveness
of different strategies and techniques.
● Facilitate peer feedback sessions, promoting
constructive comments on each other's
performances.
● Express: Activity and Self-Evaluation
● Allow each student to lead a short drill for their peers,
showcasing their understanding of advanced
techniques.
● Implement a self-evaluation component where
students reflect on their strategic choices and shot
execution.
● Tailor: Differentiation and Feedback
● Offer additional challenges for students ready to
advance further in their skills.
● Provide extra guidance and support for students who
may need additional assistance.
● Organize: Structured Progression and Conceptual Emphasis
● Structure the lesson to progress from technique
review to guided practice and independent application.
● Emphasize the strategic aspects of the game,
encouraging critical thinking about shot selection and
court positioning.

Lesson

● Briefly discuss the key skills to be focused on during the lesson:

forehand and backhand shots, rallying, and smash techniques.

Drills and Activities:

 ​ Partner Bouncers - Forehand and Backhand
● Partner A hits forehand shots to Partner B, who then carries
the shot.
● Partner A hits backhand shots to Partner B, who carries the
shot.
● Switch roles and repeat the process.
​ Partner Rally - Forehand and Backhand
● Partners take turns rallying forehand shots with each other.
● Partners take turns rallying backhand shots with each other.
​ Smash Ball
● Players take turns hitting smashes to each other.
● Players continue rallying until the ball hits the ground on the
opposing side.
● Emphasize proper technique for executing smashes.
​ Four Square
● Divide players into pairs and assign them to one of four
squares on the court.
● Players rally with each other within their square.
● The objective is to keep the ball within their designated
square and avoid letting it bounce twice or pass their partner.
● Rotate players between squares after a set time

Teacher Notes ● Monitor individual and group progress during drills.

● Provide specific feedback on both technique and strategic
decision-making.
● Adjust the pace of instruction based on the overall progress of the
class.
Pickleball Self-Evaluation Rubric for Students Lesson 1&2

Criteria 4 - Awesome 3 - Good 2 - Okay 1 - Needs Work

I mostly use I'm working on I find it hard to

Understanding of I use advanced
advanced using advanced use advanced
Techniques techniques well.
techniques. techniques. techniques.

I make smart I usually make good I'm working on I struggle to make

Strategic decisions and decisions but making better effective

Decision-Making adjust strategies in sometimes forget decisions and decisions and

the game. to adjust. adjusting strategies. adjust strategies.

My shots are Most of my shots I'm working on I have difficulty

Execution of Shots precise, and I use are good, but I need improving my shots with precision

the right form. more precision. and form. and form.

I work well with my

I generally work well I'm trying to work I find it difficult to
teammates and
Team Collaboration but may forget to better with work with
contribute
communicate. teammates. teammates.
positively.
 I reflect on my
I'm trying to reflect Reflecting and
performance, I reflect on my adjusting are
but struggle to challenging for
Self-Reflection identify strengths, performance and
identify areas for me.
and make make adjustments.
improvement.
adjustments.

Lesson Title Pickleball lesson #3

Grade Level/ High School PE 9th grade

Content
Standards 1.1 Combine and apply movement patterns, simple to complex, in
aquatic, rhythms/dance, and individual and dual activities.

1.2 Demonstrate proficient movement skills in aquatic,

rhythms/dance, and individual and dual activities.

Objective ● By the end of the lesson, students will proficiently execute

the basic underhand pickleball serve, demonstrating
correct stance, grip, and swing motion, with a focus on
starting low and finishing high.
● Students will understand and apply strategic serving
variations, including the lob and power serves,
showcasing the ability to adapt serve techniques based on
game scenarios and opponents, by the conclusion of the
lesson.

Enduring
Understanding
Perfecting pickleball serving techniques is the key to taking control of the
game, initiating exciting rallies, and influencing the outcome on the court.
As players grasp the intricacies of underhand serving below the waist,
including the basic, lob, and power serves, they gain the ability to approach
diverse in-game situations strategically. The enduring understanding for
students is that a well-honed serve isn't just a skill but a game-changer,
significantly impacting their personal playing experience and contributing
to the overall enjoyment and success in pickleball. Again practicing overall
Essential Question

How do mastering different underhand serving techniques in

pickleball contribute to a player's ability to control the game,
initiate successful rallies, and strategically impact the outcome on
the court?

Assessment and
Feedback
Assessment down below

​ Positive Language
​ Encouraging a Growth Mindset
​ Adaptations/corrections

W - Where:
Learning
Experiences ● Objective Clarification: Begin by clarifying the objective of the
lesson - developing proficient underhand serving techniques in
(Label WHERETO)
pickleball.

H - Hook:

● Interactive Introduction: Engage students with a brief review of

pickleball serving rules and highlight the excitement of mastering
various serves.

E - Experience:

● Demonstration: Demonstrate the basic, lob, and power serves,

creating an experiential understanding of proper technique.
 ● Pairs Setup: Allow students to experience serving in pairs,
practicing each serve from the right side.

R - Reflect:

● Feedback Rotation: Rotate pairs and provide individualized

feedback, encouraging students to reflect on their form and
improvements.
● Discussion: Lead a brief discussion on the challenges and
improvements observed during the practice.

E - Express:

● Return Practice: Encourage students to express their skills in

return practice, alternating sides.

T - Tailor:

● Individualized Feedback: Tailor feedback to each student's form

and progress during serve practice.
​
​
​ Introduction :
● Briefly review the rules of pickleball serving, emphasizing
underhand techniques below the waist.
● Highlight the importance of starting with the paddle below the
wrist and clearing the net.
​ Demonstration :
● Demonstrate each of the four serves: basic, lob, power, and
return serve.
● Emphasize proper stance, paddle positioning, and
follow-through for each serve.
​ Explanation: Briefly explain the basic rules of a pickleball serve.
Emphasize that the serve must be underhand, below the waist,
and the paddle face should be below the wrist.
​ Demonstration: Demonstrate a proper underhand serve,
highlighting the key components: starting position, paddle grip,
and the motion of the serve.
 ​ Basic Serve Technique
● Stance and Grip: Teach students the proper stance - feet
shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent. Emphasize the
importance of a continental grip (like shaking hands).
● Starting Position: Instruct students to start with the paddle below
their wrist, ensuring the paddle face is pointing downward.
● Swing Motion: Guide students through the swing motion for a
basic serve - starting low and finishing high. Emphasize the use
of the whole arm, not just the wrist.

Lob Serve Technique

● Explanation: Introducing the lob serves as a variation. Explain

that the lob serve involves starting higher and hitting the ball
farther and deeper into the court.
● Demonstration: Demonstrate the proper technique for a lob
serve, showcasing the difference in starting position and the
trajectory of the shot.
● Practice: Have students practice the lob serve, focusing on the
higher starting position and the gentle lift of the ball.

Power Serve Technique

● Explanation: Introducing the power serves as a more advanced

technique. Explain that the power serve involves using the torso,
twisting, and lifting up to generate more force.
● Demonstration: Demonstrate the proper technique for a power
serve, highlighting the involvement of the torso and the explosive
upward motion.
● Practice: Have students practice the power serve, encouraging
them to engage their torso and utilize the entire body for added
power.

Body:
​
 Group Practice :

● Pairs Setup: Divide students into groups of four. Each pair will
stand on opposite sides of the court.
● Serve Practice: Students will take turns practicing each of the
four serves (basic, lob, power) from the right side. Each pair will
switch after a set number of serves.
​ Rotation and Feedback :
● Rotate pairs to ensure all students have a chance to practice each
serve.
● Provide individualized feedback on form, emphasizing the
importance of starting low and finishing high for the basic serve,
hitting the ball farther and deeper for the lob serve, and utilizing
torso movement for the power serve.
​ Return Practice:
● Call students back in and transition to return practice.
● Starting with the right-side serve, the opposing team will allow
the ball to bounce once and then hit it over the net, alternating
sides.

​ Reflection:
Closure/ ● Ask students to reflect on their serving practice. What did they
Application find challenging? What improvements did they make?
​ Discussion :
● Lead a brief discussion on the importance of effective serving in
pickleball.

Connect serving skills to overall game strategy and the significance of

a strong start in each rally.

Teacher Notes
 Criteria 4 - Exemplary 3 - Proficient 2 - Developing 1 - Beginning

- Student

demonstrates - Student struggles

- Student performs - Student has
excellent form and with consistency in
serve techniques difficulty performing
control in executing executing serve
with proficiency, serve techniques,
Serve Technique all serve techniques techniques,
showing good form showing minimal
Proficiency (basic, lob, power), demonstrating
and control, with form and control,
(Individual) with consistent some form and
occasional lapses with significant
adherence to control issues and
in adherence to deviations from
proper stance, grip, deviations from
proper techniques. proper techniques.
and underhand proper techniques.

serving rules.

- Student

consistently
- Student generally - Student struggles
exhibits excellent
displays good with consistent - Student displays
teamwork and
teamwork and teamwork and limited teamwork
communication
Collaborative communication, communication, and communication,
skills during paired
Practice (Pairs) with occasional requiring reminders often disrupting the
practice, providing
lapses in providing to provide feedback flow of paired
constructive
feedback or taking and take turns practice.
feedback and
turns effectively. effectively.
effectively taking

turns serving.
 - Student
- Student has
demonstrates a
- Student shows difficulty - Student struggles
high level of
proficiency in consistently with returning
proficiency in
returning serves, returning serves, serves, showing
Return Practice returning serves,
with occasional demonstrating minimal proficiency
Competency consistently
lapses in strategic challenges in in strategic
allowing the ball to
decision-making or strategic decision-making
bounce once and
shot execution. decision-making and shot execution.
executing strategic
and shot execution.
shots over the net.

- Student reflects

on personal growth - Student reflects on

- Student's - Student struggles
throughout the personal growth
reflection is limited, to reflect on
lesson, providing and acknowledges
Reflective and application of personal growth,
insightful some
Engagement learned skills is and application of
observations about improvements
minimal in learned skills is
challenges faced made during the
self-assessment. lacking.
and improvements lesson.

made.
 - Student actively

contributes to the - Student

- Student's - Student is passive
discussion on the participates
participation is and minimally
importance of willingly in the
inconsistent, with engaged in the
Discussion effective serving, discussion,
periods of discussion,
Contribution articulating insights providing relevant
disengagement contributing
and connecting contributions with
during the minimally to the
serving strategies occasional lapses
discussion. topic.
to overall game in articulation.

success.