*FANTASTIC NEW RESOURCE*

Gymnastics Skill Cards

Rolling is an important element of the Gymnastics strand of the PE curriculum. The PDST Primary PE Team have developed this set of skills cards to support you in safely teaching a wide variety of rolling techniques and progressions within gymnastics at all class levels.

1. Pencil/Log Roll
2. Egg/Tuck Roll
3. Dish/Arched Back Roll
4. Straddle/Teddybear Roll
5. James Bond/Shoulder Roll
6. Wonder Woman Roll
7. Forward Roll
8. Backward Roll

Instructional video clips to accompany the cards, showcasing the teaching points for each roll, are available to view on Scoilnet by clicking on the image above.

Click here or on the image above to download the set of cards. Further resources to support the teaching of rolling are available at the bottom of this page.

Click here to apply for a PE Advisor to visit your school to facilitate in-school gymnastics support (Croke Park Hours, whole staff training, in-class lesson modelling, SSE and planning support etc).

The strand units of the Gymnastics curriculum include:

• Movement
• Understanding and appreciation of Gymnastics

The Gymnastics strand outlines the movement activities for each class level and indicates how movement can be developed sequentially. The focus is on body action such as jumping, turning, swinging and balancing and with the control and management of body movements in increasingly challenging situations. Movement tasks should be set to match children’s stages of development and should provide all children with opportunities for achievement.

The gymnastics curriculum also emphasises the importance of safety when handling equipment.

The gymnastics curriculum also contains activities which refer to the teaching of specific skills e.g. forward roll, handstand, and cartwheel. Whereas all aspects of gymnastics have to be planned with an emphasis on the state of readiness of the child, this applies particularly to the teaching of specific skills. To be able to perform these with a degree of success, the child needs to be strong and supple and to be able to create tension throughout the body. The teacher should only teach these skills when the child is proficient in the introductory exercises.

While the PE Curriculum outlines the specifics of each of the strand units of Gymnastics across the class levels, the table below provides a summary of progression across the class levels

Gymnastics Progression

The approaches and methodologies for PE, outlined in the PE ‘Teacher Guidelines’ on pages 42 -100 are an excellent reference for teachers in organising Gymnastics lessons.

A thematic approach based on the language of movement is outlined on pp 74-75

A unit of work in Gymnastics outlining a ten week programme of work for senior infants is outlined on pp78-79

A unit of work in Gymnastics outlining an eight week programme of work for third and fourth classes is outlined on pp80-81

A unit of work in Gymnastics outlining a four week programme of work for fifth and sixth classes is outlined on pp82-83

In addition the PSSI lessons on Gymnastics for all class levels are an excellent resource for teachers and outline a comprehensive programme of work specific to each class lesson incorporating a variety of approaches and methodologies across the class levels.

• Gymnastics Workshop 2017
• The Fun Gym Circuit
• Specific skills: This handout details preliminary activities and specific teaching points for the specific skills of the gymnastics curriculum
• Gymnastics Skills Cards - Rolling 
• Gymnastics Workshop 2018 - Rolling
• Gymnastics Sequencing Card - Rolling
• Gymnastics Rolling Videos 
• Balancing Card - English
• Cárta Cothromaíocht - Gaeilge