Lesson Notes By Weeks and Term v3 - Junior Secondary 2
The striking games (table tennis and tennis)
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The striking games (table tennis and tennis)
Download the Lessonotes Mobile Nigeria 2025 app for faster lesson access on Android and iPhone.
Subject: Physical & Health Education
Class: Junior Secondary 2
Term: 2nd Term
Week: 8
Theme: Basic Human Movement
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demonstrate the basic skills and techniques in volved in striking games. apply the rules and regulations governing striking games. list the of ficials for striking games and the ir functions.
Striking games are sports where players use an implement (like a racket or bat) to hit a ball or shuttlecock over a net or against a wall, typically within a defined playing area. This lesson focuses on two prominent examples: Table Tennis and Tennis (Lawn Tennis). This section outlines specific activities for both the teacher and students to facilitate understanding and practical application of the lesson content.
Teacher Activities: Introduction (10 minutes): Introduce the topic: Striking Games (Table Tennis and Tennis). Engage students by asking what sports involve hitting a ball with a racket/bat. Review safety precautions relevant to physical activities and introduce specific safety aspects for striking games. Explanation and Demonstration (25 minutes): Explain the key concepts of Table Tennis: equipment, basic skills (grips, stance, service, forehand, backhand drive/push), rules, and officials. Use diagrams, illustrations, or videos if available. Demonstrate the basic grips (Shakehand, Penhold) using a racket or an improvised bat. Demonstrate the ready stance and shadow swings for forehand/backhand drives and pushes. Explain the scoring system with practical examples. Repeat the explanation and demonstration process for Tennis: equipment, basic skills (grips, stance, service, forehand, backhand groundstrokes, volley, smash), rules, and officials. Highlight the differences and similarities between table tennis and tennis.
Supervised Practice (30 minutes): Divide students into small groups. Lead students through warm-up exercises.
For Table Tennis: Guide students to practice the Shakehand grip and ready stance. Instruct students to perform shadow services (tossing an imaginary ball, swinging the racket). Have students practice shadow forehand and backhand drives/pushes. If equipment is available, guide students to practice hitting the ball against a wall or to a partner over an improvised net.
For Tennis: Guide students to practice the basic grips (Continental, Eastern). Instruct students to perform shadow services (tossing an imaginary ball, full body swing). Have students practice shadow forehand and backhand groundstrokes, emphasizing body rotation. If space allows, set up simple "net" using string/rope and have students practice throwing balls over it, then mimicking hitting them. Rule Application and Officiating Role-Play (15 minutes): Present simple game scenarios for both table tennis and tennis. Ask students to identify the correct score or rule application. Assign roles of Umpire/Chair Umpire and players, and have students briefly role-play a game situation, focusing on calls and scoring.
Review and Conclusion (10 minutes): Recap the key skills, rules, and officials for both table tennis and tennis. Address any student questions or misconceptions. Emphasize the importance of practice and fair play.
Student Activities: Active Listening and Observation: Pay close attention during explanations and demonstrations.
Participation in Warm-up: Engage fully in warm-up exercises.
Skill Mimicry: Practice grips, stances, and shadow swings/strokes for both table tennis and tennis as demonstrated by the teacher.
Partner Drills (if equipment available): Practice serving and hitting balls with a partner, focusing on technique rather than competition.
Rule Application: Answer questions on rules and scoring during class discussions and scenario role-play.
Officiating Role-play: Take on roles of players and officials in mock game situations, practicing making calls and keeping score.
Questioning: Ask questions for clarification on any aspect of the skills, rules, or officiating. This section provides scaffolded practice questions to help students solidify their understanding of the topic, followed by detailed solutions and commentary.
Question 1 (Skills - Table Tennis): During a school sports practice session in Port Harcourt, your coach asks you to demonstrate three basic table tennis skills. List any three basic skills a player needs to perform in table tennis. a) Demonstrate the Shakehand grip using an imaginary racket. b) Describe how a legal service is executed in table tennis.
Solution 1: Basic Skills:
1. Shakehand Grip (or Penhold Grip)
2. Ready Stance
3. Service (Forehand or Backhand)
4. Forehand Drive/Smash
5. Backhand Drive/Smash
6. Push/Chop (Teacher's
Commentary: Any three from the list above are acceptable. This assesses knowledge of fundamental techniques.) a)
Demonstration of Shakehand Grip: Hold an imaginary racket as if shaking hands with it. The 'V' shape formed by the thumb and index finger should be on top of the racket, facing the shoulder. The index finger should rest along the rubber at the bottom of the blade. (Teacher's
Commentary: Observe student's hand position for accuracy, ensuring comfort and proper finger placement for control.) b)
Legal Service in Table Tennis: The ball must be held on an open palm, above the playing surface, and behind the server's end line. The server must toss the ball upwards, vertically, by at least 16 cm (about 6 inches) without imparting spin. As the ball descends, the server must strike it so that it first touches their own court, then passes over the net (or around the net assembly) and touches the opponent's court. The service must be performed such that the opponent can see the ball clearly at all times (not hidden by the body). (Teacher's
Commentary: Emphasize the vertical toss and the two-bounce rule for a legal serve. This checks understanding of a critical rule.)
Question 2 (Rules - Tennis): A tennis match is being played at the National Stadium, Abuja. The score in a game reaches "40-40". a) What is this score called in tennis? b) Explain what happens next until one player wins the game.
Solution 2: a)
Score Name: The score "40-40" in tennis is called Deuce. (Teacher's
Commentary: This tests knowledge of the specific terminology used in tennis scoring.) b)
Winning from Deuce: From deuce, the player who wins the next point gains "Advantage." If the player with advantage wins the next point, they win the game. If the player with advantage loses the next point, the score returns to deuce. Play continues in this manner (deuce -> advantage -> deuce or game) until one player wins two consecutive points from deuce. (Teacher's
Commentary: This requires a clear understanding of the 'advantage' rule and how a game is ultimately won from a tied score.)
Question 3 (Officials - Both Games): Imagine a major sports festival in Nigeria, where both table tennis and tennis competitions are ongoing. a) List two officials for a table tennis match and state one function for each. b) List two officials for a tennis match and state one function for each.
Solution 3: a)
Table Tennis Officials and Functions:
1. Umpire: Enforces the rules, keeps score, makes calls on points, and ensures fair play throughout the match.
2. Assistant Umpire: Checks for legal serves (e.g., ball toss height, hitting table edges), and may call 'lets'.
3. Scorer: Keeps track of the points and service rotation, typically using a scoreboard. (Teacher's
Commentary: Any two of the above with a correct function are acceptable. This tests recall of officiating roles.) b)
Tennis Officials and Functions:
1. Chair Umpire: The primary official, oversees the entire match from a high chair, makes final calls on points, enforces rules, and keeps the official score.
2. Line Judges: Stationed around the court, responsible for calling whether a ball is "in" or "out" on their assigned lines.
3. Net Judge (optional): Checks if serves touch the net. (Teacher's
Commentary: Any two of the above with a correct function are acceptable. This the above with a correct function are acceptable. This tests recall of officiating roles.) b)
Tennis Officials and Functions:
1. Chair Umpire: The primary official, oversees the entire match from a high chair, makes final calls on points, enforces rules, and keeps the official score.
2. Line Judges: Stationed around the court, responsible for calling whether a ball is "in" or "out" on their assigned lines.
3. Net Judge (optional): Checks if serves touch the net. (Teacher's
Commentary: Any two of the above with a correct function are acceptable. This demonstrates knowledge of tennis officiating.)*
Health and Fitness Promotion: Participation in striking games like table tennis and tennis is an excellent way to maintain physical fitness, improve cardiovascular health, agility, hand-eye coordination, and reflexes. In Nigerian communities, where sedentary lifestyles are becoming more common, these sports provide accessible and engaging avenues for physical activity, helping to combat non-communicable diseases.
Career Opportunities and Economic Impact: Beyond recreational play, striking games offer professional career paths for talented individuals in Nigeria. This includes becoming professional players, coaches (e.g., coaching at schools, private academies, or sports clubs), sports administrators, or qualified umpires/officials. The demand for sports equipment also creates economic opportunities for local businesses involved in manufacturing, importing, and selling rackets, balls, and apparel. School sports events and national competitions (like the National Sports Festival) further stimulate the local economy through tourism and trade.
Social Cohesion and Character Development: Striking games foster critical social skills such as sportsmanship, fair play, discipline, and respect for opponents and officials. Participating in these games, whether at school or in community clubs, provides opportunities for social interaction, building friendships, and promoting a sense of community. The mental resilience required to strategize and perform under pressure also builds character, which is transferable to other aspects of life in Nigeria.