Unit Plan 12 (Grade 7 PE): Tennis/Pickleball — Serve, Rally, & Shot Selection

Focus: Develop consistent contact, stronger serving and rally skills, and smarter shot selection by adjusting force, angle, and placement in mini-court pickleball/tennis play.

Grade Level: 7

Subject Area: Physical Education

Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 45–55 minutes per session

I. Introduction

In this Grade 7 Physical Education unit, students build racket and paddle skills that help them keep the ball in play, control rallies, and make more thoughtful shot decisions. Instead of simply hitting hard every time, students learn how to create an advantage by changing angle, force, height, and placement. Through forehand and backhand practice, progressive serving work, and mini-court games, students begin to understand how drop shots, clears, and angled shots can move an opponent and open space. The unit emphasizes that successful racket play depends not only on clean contact, but also on balance, recovery, and the ability to read what the opponent is giving you. By the end of the week, students should be able to explain how shot choice affects rally success and identify personal strengths in racket or paddle play.

Essential Questions

• What helps create consistent contact on forehand, backhand, and serve attempts?
• How can players adjust force, angle, and timing to keep rallies going or create an advantage?
• When is it better to use a drop shot, clear, or angled shot instead of simply hitting hard?
• What personal strengths or preferences do I notice in tennis or pickleball play?

II. Objectives and Standards

Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:

1. Strike balls consistently with a paddle or racket using forehand and backhand form aimed at specific targets.
2. Serve with increasing control and appropriate trajectory into the correct service area.
3. Combine movement, ready position, striking, recovery, and shot selection fluidly during extended mini-court play.
4. Adjust force, angle, and timing of serves and rally shots based on court space, opponent position, and game goals.
5. Use simple offensive shot choices such as drop shots, clears, and angled shots to move opponents and create open space.
6. Reflect on activity preferences and identify individual strengths or improvement areas in racket or paddle sports.

Standards Alignment — Grade 7 PE (SHAPE America-based custom)

• PE:S1.7e – Striking with Implements for Placement, Power & Consistency Strike stationary and moving objects with paddles, rackets, bats, or sticks to consistently send them to intended areas with appropriate speed, spin, and trajectory.
  • Example: In tennis or pickleball, a student uses a controlled forehand to send the ball deep, then follows with a softer angled shot to move an opponent out of position.
• PE:S1.7f – Integrating Multiple Skills Fluidly During Extended Play Combine locomotor, manipulative, and stability skills in extended game play, maintaining control and appropriate technique even when fatigued or under pressure.
  • Example: In a rally, a student moves to the ball, strikes with control, recovers to ready position, and prepares for the next shot without losing balance.
• PE:S2.7c – Adjusting Effort, Force, Angle & Timing to Game Conditions Adapt effort level, force, angle, and timing of passes, shots, serves, and runs in response to defensive pressure, distance, and scoring/placement goals.
  • Example: In racket games, a student chooses a softer angled shot to pull an opponent out wide, then uses a deeper shot into open space on the next contact.
• PE:S2.7d – Offensive Strategies: Creating & Exploiting Opportunities Select and apply offensive strategies such as using screens, give-and-go, overlaps, switching fields, and recognizing mismatches to create scoring chances.
  • Example: In pickleball or tennis, a student notices an opponent is deep, uses a drop shot, then places the next ball away from the recovering player.
• PE:S5.7a – Identifying Preferred Activities & Personal Strengths Identify physical activities they enjoy and areas of strength and use this insight to make activity choices and set personal improvement goals.
  • Example: A student recognizes they enjoy racket sports and notices that placement is a strength, then sets a goal to improve serve consistency.

Success Criteria — Student Language

• I can make more consistent contact on forehand, backhand, and serves.
• I can change force and angle to keep the ball in play or create better shots.
• I can choose between a drop shot, clear, or angled shot based on what the opponent is doing.
• I can move and recover after hitting so I am ready for the next ball.
• I can identify one strength and one improvement goal in tennis or pickleball.