Lesson plan of Swimming

Objectives (5 - 7 minutes)

1. Knowledge of Basic Swimming Techniques: Students should be able to identify and describe the main techniques used in swimming, such as the front crawl, breaststroke, backstroke and butterfly. This includes understanding the correct movements and the importance of each one for effective performance in water.

2. Understanding the Importance of Breathing in Swimming: Students should understand the importance of proper breathing during swimming. This involves understanding when and how to breathe in each swimming technique, as well as the awareness of the importance of breathing for overall performance in water.

3. Development of Practical Skills: In addition to theoretical knowledge, students should be able to apply the swimming techniques learned in class in a practical setting. This includes practicing the different swimming styles and gradually improving their skills over time.

Secondary Objectives:

• Promote the Importance of Swimming for Health: During the class, the teacher should emphasize the benefits of swimming for physical and mental health, encouraging students to adopt the practice as a form of regular exercise.

• Stimulate Collaboration and Communication: As swimming is often practiced in teams, the class should provide opportunities for students to work together, encouraging cooperation and communication among them.

Introduction (10 - 15 minutes)

1. Review of Previous Content: The teacher should start the class by reviewing the basic concepts of movement, balance and coordination that were addressed in previous classes. These concepts are fundamental for understanding and applying the swimming techniques.

2. Problem Situations:

   • Situation 1: The teacher can ask the students to imagine being in a swimming competition, where the ability to swim correctly and efficiently is crucial for success.
   • Situation 2: The teacher can also suggest that students put themselves in the situation of being at a beach or swimming pool, where the ability to swim safely is essential to avoid drowning.

3. Contextualisation: The teacher should highlight how swimming is a widely practiced recreational and competitive activity throughout the world. In addition, swimming is one of the most complete sports, as it works all the muscles in the body, improves cardiovascular and respiratory capacity, and promotes a sense of well-being.

4. Capturing Students' Attention: To spark students' interest, the teacher can:

   • Curiosity 1: Comment on how swimming is one of the oldest sports, with records of its practice dating back to 2500 BC in Egypt.
   • Curiosity 2: Mention that swimming has been an Olympic sport since the first modern Olympic Games in 1896, and that swimmer Michael Phelps is the most decorated Olympian of all time, with 23 gold medals.
   • Practical Application 1: Relate swimming to water safety, highlighting that the ability to swim can save lives.
   • Practical Application 2: Talk about the popularity of swimming as a recreational activity, mentioning that many people learn to swim in order to enjoy water activities, such as going to the beach, the lake, or the swimming pool.

Development (20 - 25 minutes)

1. Practical Activity 1: "Water Dance" (10 - 15 minutes)

   • Description: The teacher will divide the class into groups of 5 students. Each group will receive a different music to "dance" to in the water. Students should create a sequence of movements in the water, using the swimming techniques learned, that are synchronized to the music. They should take turns leading the choreography, allowing all members of the group to have the opportunity to practice leadership and cooperation.

   • Step by step:

     1. The teacher should divide the class into groups and assign a music to each group.
     2. Students should discuss and plan the sequence of movements in the water that they will perform, taking into account the swimming techniques.
     3. Each group should practice their choreography, making sure that all the movements are synchronized to the music.
     4. After practicing, each group should present their choreography to the class.

   • Importance: This playful and creative activity allows students to apply the swimming techniques in a fun and meaningful way. In addition, it promotes cooperation and communication among the group members.

2. Practical Activity 2: "Breathe and Win" (10 - 15 minutes)

   • Description: Still in groups, the students will participate in a swimming relay competition. Each member of the group must swim a lap in the pool, applying the swimming techniques learned. The challenge is that, every 10 seconds, one of the members of the group must stop swimming and remain in the "dead body" position (floating in the water without moving) for 5 seconds, while the other members of the group continue to swim. The group that completes the relay in the shortest time, maintaining the correct rotation and the "dead body" position, wins.

   • Step by step:

     1. The teacher should explain the rules and dynamics of the competition.
     2. Each group must decide on the relay order of the members and who will be responsible for maintaining the "dead body" position in each round.
     3. The teacher should time each group's time and ensure that the rules are followed.
     4. After the competition, the teacher should discuss with the class the importance of breathing in swimming and how it affected the performance of the groups.

   • Importance: This activity promotes the Development of swimming techniques, especially breathing. In addition, it reinforces the importance of cooperation and strategy in a competition.

Feedback (8 - 10 minutes)

1. Group Discussion (3 - 4 minutes)

   • Description: The teacher should gather all the students and facilitate a group discussion about the practical activities carried out. Each group should share their experiences, challenges faced and solutions found during the activities. Students should be encouraged to ask questions of each other and to provide constructive feedback.
   • Step by step:
     1. The teacher should invite each group to share their experiences, challenges and solutions during the practical activities.
     2. Students should be encouraged to ask questions to the other groups and to provide constructive feedback.
     3. The teacher should mediate the discussion, ensuring that all students have the opportunity to speak and that the environment remains respectful and productive.

2. Connection with Theory (2 - 3 minutes)

   • Description: After the group discussion, the teacher should review the main theoretical concepts covered in class and how they were applied in the practical activities. The teacher should highlight the importance of proper breathing in swimming, the need for coordination and cooperation in a team, and how constant practice leads to improvement of skills.
   • Step by step:
     1. The teacher should review the main theoretical concepts of the class.
     2. The teacher should highlight how these concepts were applied during the practical activities.
     3. Students should be encouraged to make connections between the theory and the practice, thus reinforcing their understanding of the concepts.

3. Individual Reflection (2 - 3 minutes)

   • Description: The teacher should propose that students reflect individually on what they have learned in the class. Students should think about which concepts were most meaningful to them, what questions they still have, and how they plan to apply what they learned in class in their future swimming practices.
   • Step by step:
     1. The teacher should propose the reflection questions.
     2. The students should have a moment of silence to reflect on the questions.
     3. Students may choose to share their reflections with the class, if they wish.

4. Feedback and Closing (1 minute)

   • Description: To conclude the class, the teacher should thank the students for their participation, reinforce the main points learned, and give brief feedback on the class performance. The teacher should also reinforce the importance of continued practice and remind students to bring their swimwear for the next class.
   • Step by step:
     1. The teacher should thank the students and commend them for their effort and participation.
     2. The teacher should reinforce the main points learned in class.
     3. The teacher should give brief feedback on the class performance.
     4. The teacher should remind students to bring their swimwear for the next class and dismiss the class.

Conclusion (5 - 7 minutes)

1. Content Summary (2 - 3 minutes)

   • Description: The teacher should summarize the main points covered during the class. This includes reviewing the swimming techniques (front crawl, breaststroke, backstroke and butterfly), the importance of proper breathing, the connection between theory and practice, and the promotion of cooperation and communication among students.
   • Step by step:
     1. The teacher should recap the main swimming concepts and techniques.
     2. The teacher should recall the importance of proper breathing during swimming.
     3. The teacher should highlight how the class promoted the connection between theory and practice.
     4. The teacher should reinforce the importance of cooperation and communication among students.

2. Connection of Theory with Practice (1 - 2 minutes)

   • Description: The teacher should explain how the class connected theory, practice and application. It should be discussed how the practical activities allowed the students to apply the theoretical concepts in practice, and how the group discussion and individual reflections allowed the students to deepen their understanding of the theory.
   • Step by step:
     1. The teacher should explain how the practical activities allowed the students to apply the theoretical concepts.
     2. The teacher should discuss how the group discussion and individual reflections deepened the students' understanding of the theory.

3. Extra Materials (1 minute)

   • Description: The teacher should suggest extra materials for students who wish to deepen their knowledge about swimming. This could include videos demonstrating swimming techniques, articles about the importance of breathing in swimming, and swimming training books.
   • Step by step:
     1. The teacher should suggest the extra materials.
     2. The teacher should briefly explain how these materials can complement what was learned in class.

4. Relevance of the Subject (1 minute)

   • Description: To conclude the class, the teacher should highlight the importance of swimming in everyday life. This could include water safety, the benefits for physical and mental health, and the fun and enjoyment that swimming can provide.
   • Step by step:
     1. The teacher should highlight the importance of swimming for water safety.
     2. The teacher should mention the benefits of swimming for physical and mental health.
     3. The teacher should emphasize the fun and enjoyment that swimming can provide.