Turning is a movement involving rotation around the long axid of the body.
Turning exercises assist the body to develop flexibility of the spine and strengthen muscles.
They also help to keep a correct body poise.
Maintaining body control balance during turning is important.
Teaching points for turning skill.
From the starting position maintain balance. Movement should be precise regardless of whether it is quarter, half or full turn. If done from a jump, ensure landing is soft with kness bent.
Before exposing learners to activities on turning, let them watch a video clip where performers make various types of turns. A good and relevant video clip to watch is one involving gymnastics performance because gymnastics involves a lot of turning. As much as possible let them watch video clip involving children, gymnastics so that they are able to identify with the performers and give them initial confidence and motivation to get involved in variety of activities that involve turning.
Types of turning
Trunk turning
Learners occupy personal space within the marked space,stand with both kness straight and feet firmly on the ground. The body is turned as far back as possible first to the right, holding the position to a count of 5,then left to a count of 5.
Repeat the activity a few times
The head should also turn as the trunk is turned.
During the turn,there should be no pause in the forward position.
Learners to reflect on the activity performance and be assisted in correcting mistakes.
2. Multiple directions turn
Demonstrate every activity during turning while all learners are watching then let volunteer learners to also demonstrate.
Learners find free space within the marked space and perform directional turned following signals.
From standing position, turn the body to the right, left, anticlockwise and clockwise, repeat several times ensuring control and balance maintenance throughout.
On signal learners respond to teacher's commands, turn north, south, east, west. Teacher should accompany the verbal communication with a sign posted on field makers or canes to indicate the direction. Repeat action severally.
Learners stand on one foot, turn shortly and then turn round keeping good balance and body control. Repeat several times.
3. Jump and turn side to side
Instructions on performing the activity.
Demonstrate the skill while learners watch.
Learners spread freely within the marked space,on signal they take a high jump and turn to the left and land softly. On another signal they jump, turn to right and land softly.
Emphasize straight body form. To encourage a good turn, ask learners to bounce an imaginary Ball with each other. Activity can be repeated facing a partner jumping and turning opposite direction.
4. Stepping over and turning under the stick.
Instructions on performing the activity
In pairs, learners stand facing each other, holding the end of a cane / stick with both hands.
They step over and turn under the stick without letting go.
5. Hip turning
Instructions on performing the activity
Demonstrate the skill while learners watch.
Ask one learner to volunteer and demonstrate.
All learners get their free personal space lie on the ground facing up, feet together and arms stretched sideways, then turn the hips from side to side (left to right). Return to starting position and turn the head only from side to side slowly. Repeat the activity all the way from the beginning.
6. Head turning
Instructions on performing the activity
Demonstrate the skill while learners watch. Ask learners to demonstrate too. All learners then find their free space, sit with crossed legs and erect body. Knees are bent outwards and pressed down,hand resting on the knees grasping the toes under the knees. From an erect position the learner turns the head from side to side several times but in a controlled manner.
7. Trunk – arm swinging upwards
Demonstrate the skill for the learners to understand it.
All learners on free space, start on kneeling position, then turn the head and trunk sideways and upwards with arms fully stretched. Activity should be repeated several times. Ask learners to vary the speed of turning from slow to fast,then fast to slow.
Making Simple Costumes
Learners to make simple costumes they can use in the skill of turning.
Learners are guided to look at pictures of simple costumes they can make.
Learners to watch video clips on how to make simple costumes from locally available materials.
Locally available materials that can be used in making simple costumes are; -
Sisal
Old cloths
Newspapers
Sacks
Carrier bags
Cardboards
Ropes
Strings
Skins
Learners to look at pictures of costumes then decide on which ones to make.
Pictures of simple costumes made from locally available materials.
Guide learners to collect the locally available materials and assemble them before they start working. Learners should not buy anything for this purpose.
Let learners cut the pieces according to sizes that they want.
Let them use different techniques to join the pieces together, they can use needle work, glue, cello tapes, adhesives to join the pieces.
Guide learners to display their work then put on the costumes.
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