The Teaching Games for Understanding (TGfU) Sample Unit Plans illustrate how educators may organize instruction to support students in developing their physical literacy. The focus of the learning in these sample units is on fundamental and transferable movement competence skills, concepts, principles and strategies that can be applied across a variety of games within the same game category and a variety of individual and recreational pursuits. The sample units use the Design Down Model as the foundation of effective unit design and the TGfU approach uses the game form as the common element versus a sports-specific focus.
This resource aligns with Grade 9 curriculum expectations from The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 9-12, Health and Physical Education, 2015, and includes five sample units: Net/Wall Games, Striking/Fielding Games, Target Games, Territory Games and Individual and Recreational Pursuits.
Educators may adapt these units to guide planning for Grades 10-12 by substituting the curriculum expectations for the appropriate grade and by increasing the challenge of the activity or substituting the activity for one that is more relevant to the age and developmental stage of students in other grades.
These sample units may be used along with the Movement Competence Posters.
The TGfU Sample Unit Plans use novelty-type equipment in the suggested activities rather than sports-specific equipment to help shift the learning to focus on strategies and tactics versus sports-specific skills. Teachers may choose to substitute a variety of equipment, depending on the focus of learning.
Each sample unit is organized to encompass a 7 period cycle of learning, culminating with a final performance task. These units are not necessarily meant to be delivered on successive days or to encompass the full extent of the learning. Depending on student needs, interests and their progress in achieving the learning goals, instruction may be shorter or longer than seven periods. For example, educators may consider planning other small blocks of 3-5 days throughout the year that extend the learning within a game category and more toward identified sports within that category. For example, a 3 day block focusing on territorial games such as soccer, lacrosse, ultimate, field hockey, flag rugby or a three-day block focusing on net/wall games such as badminton, pickleball and volleyball. Selection of identified sports may depend on student interest, experience and competence levels while at the same time exposing students to new game forms/activities.
The sample units also model a student-centered approach that supports students in developing their critical thinking skills and becoming their own assessors. The guiding questions located at the beginning of each period provide educators with sample questions that may be posed to students during a brief break in an activity to help students think strategically about their performance. Asking good questions throughout the learning helps teachers gather evidence of student learning related to the learning goals and co-constructed success criteria that were established at the outset of learning and encourages tactical talk amongst students. Teachers may choose two or three questions to pose to students during a lesson from the sample questions provided or create their own questions, depending on the focus of learning for the period.
These sample units are meant to guide educators’ thinking when creating their own unit plans when teaching Movement Competence: Skills, Concepts and Strategies in accordance with the H&PE Curriculum expectations. They are not meant to be fully developed, comprehensive units.
