A–B. Active Living and Movement Competence · Active Living and Movement: Train with Purpose, Play with Strategy

Flow and React: Linking Stability and Locomotor Skills

B1.1 1.1About 70 minutes

Learning goals

I can perform stability and locomotor skills in combination, smoothly linking one to the next.
I can respond to external stimuli such as cues, music and obstacles while staying balanced.
I can move through an obstacle course, perform a dance sequence to music, and explain the parts of a flip turn.
I can watch how my body position changes through a sequence and use it to improve.

Words to know

movement sequence
A series of skills linked together in order, such as run, jump, land, roll.

transition
The link between two skills. Smooth transitions keep momentum and balance.

tempo
The speed of the music or movement, often measured in beats per minute (bpm).

8-count
A dance phrase of eight beats. Dancers count "1, 2, 3, ... 8" to stay with the music.

streamline
A long, narrow body position with arms extended overhead that reduces drag in water.

anticipation
Reading cues early so you can prepare your body before you need to move.

Remember from Grade 9

In PPL1O you combined stability and locomotor skills while responding to external stimuli. You used base of support, centre of gravity and core bracing, and the sense → decide → move loop, in activities like lunges, aerobic routines and orienteering.

In Grade 10 the focus shifts to longer sequences with smooth transitions, and to responding to music and cues in real time.

Hook: watch the joins

Watch a parkour athlete, a figure skater or a good dancer. What makes them impressive isn't just each move; it's how smoothly one move flows into the next. No stopping, wobbling or resetting. The transitions are where skill shows.

In this lesson you'll practise the joins.

What B1.1 asks of you in Grade 10

Perform stability and locomotor skills in combination in a variety of physical activities, while responding to external stimuli. The curriculum's examples:

moving through the different stations of an obstacle course;
performing a sequence of positions and movements in a dance while following music;
performing a flip turn in aquatics.

Each example links balance (stability) and travel (locomotor), and each asks you to respond to something outside you: the next obstacle, the beat, the wall.

Keys to smooth transitions

Lower your centre of gravity before you change direction or land: bend your knees.
Look ahead (anticipation): eyes on the next obstacle, the next count, the wall. Your body follows your eyes.
Keep momentum where it's useful: carry speed from a run into a jump; don't stop and restart.
Absorb force on landings: land on the balls of your feet, bend ankles, knees and hips, and keep your knees over your toes.
Brace your core so your upper and lower body move as one unit through the transition.
Rhythm: many sequences have a natural rhythm ("run, run, jump"; "1-2-3-4"). Count it.

Responding to music: tempo and the 8-count

Most popular dance music is organized in groups of 8 beats. Dancers count "5, 6, 7, 8" to start together and then perform moves on counts 1 to 8.

Tempo is measured in beats per minute (bpm). At 120 bpm there are 2 beats each second, so an 8-count lasts 4 seconds. Faster music means less time for each move, so you need smaller, quicker steps and a lower, more stable stance.

Responding to music is responding to an external stimulus: you match your movements to the beat, and adjust if the tempo changes.

A sample 8-count. The grapevine on counts 1 to 4 (side, behind, side, touch) is locomotor (travelling); the step-touch on 5 and 6 keeps a stable base; the turn on 7 and the pose on 8 need balance at the end. At 120 bpm, the whole phrase takes 4 seconds.

The flip turn

In front crawl swimming, a flip turn lets you change direction at the wall without stopping. It combines stability (a tight tuck and controlled rotation) with locomotor movement (swimming and pushing off), and you respond to an external stimulus: the wall (and the T-shaped line on the pool bottom that warns you it's close).

Approach: see the T on the pool bottom, take your last stroke, and tuck your chin.
Tuck and roll: pull your knees to your chest and somersault forward, keeping the tuck tight so you rotate fast.
Plant: your feet land on the wall, knees bent, while you're on your back (or side).
Push off and streamline: push hard, arms stretched overhead in a streamline, and rotate to your front as you glide, then start kicking and swimming.

Learn and practise flip turns only in a supervised pool with a qualified instructor or lifeguard.

The four steps of a flip turn (simplified side view). A tight tuck makes the roll fast; bent knees on the wall store force for a strong push; a streamline reduces drag as you glide away.

Living skill: self-monitoring (1.1)

The curriculum suggests monitoring how your body position changes through the phases of a movement. Film a short sequence (with permission) and pause it at each transition. Ask: Were my knees bent before I changed direction? Where were my eyes? Did I stop between moves? Choose one thing to fix, then film again.

Worked example

Let's design an obstacle course with stimuli

Design a 6-station backyard obstacle course that combines stability and locomotor skills and includes external stimuli. Describe the transitions.

Station 1 (zig-zag run): run around 4 markers. Transition: lower your centre of gravity at each turn.
Station 2 (two-foot jumps over a rope): jump, land softly, keep going. Transition: carry running speed into a two-foot take-off.
Station 3 (balance walk): walk heel-to-toe along a garden hose or a line, arms out. Transition: slow down before you step on.
Station 4 (reaction card): a partner holds up a card: 1 = shuffle left, 2 = shuffle right, 3 = backpedal. External stimulus: you must read and react.
Station 5 (crawl under): bear-crawl under a broom resting on two chairs. Transition: drop low smoothly.
Station 6 (stick the landing): hop on one foot for 3 hops and freeze on the landing for 3 seconds.

The course links balance (balance walk, frozen landing) and travel (run, jump, shuffle, crawl), with external stimuli from obstacles and the partner's cards. Smooth transitions come from lowering the body, looking ahead and keeping momentum.

Worked example

Let's do the tempo math

A dance routine has four 8-counts. (a) How long is it at 120 bpm? (b) At 96 bpm? (c) Which is easier for a beginner and why?

Total counts: 4 × 8 = 32 beats.
(a) 120 bpm: 120 beats per 60 s = 2 beats per second. 32 ÷ 2 = 16 seconds.
(b) 96 bpm: 96 ÷ 60 = 1.6 beats per second. 32 ÷ 1.6 = 20 seconds.
(c) At 96 bpm each beat lasts 60 ÷ 96 = 0.625 s instead of 0.5 s, so there is more time per move. Beginners can focus on positions and balance, then speed up.

16 s at 120 bpm and 20 s at 96 bpm. The slower tempo is easier for learning.

Hands-on activity

Obstacle course and 32-count dance

You need: 4 to 6 markers (cones, shoes or bottles), a skipping rope or garden hose, two chairs and a broom, 3 cards numbered 1 to 3, music with a steady beat, a phone to film (with permission), a partner, and a flat grassy area or clear room.

Warm-up (5 min): jog, side shuffles, leg swings, ankle circles, a few squats.

Obstacle course (15 min): set up the 6 stations from the example. Run it 3 times. Your partner changes the reaction cards each time. Time each run, but focus on smooth transitions.
Film and fix (5 min): film one run and check one transition. Fix it and run again.
Dance sequence (15 min): choose a song with a clear beat. Create four 8-counts using step-touches, grapevines, a turn and a pose, and include at least one balance move (holding a pose or a turn). Perform it to the music, then try it at a faster song.
Flip-turn shapes (5 min, on a mat): practise only the tight tuck (lying on your back, knees to chest, chin tucked) and the streamline (lying on your front, arms overhead, one hand on the other, upper arms against your ears). Don't do somersaults on land; save rolls for a supervised pool.

Safety: clear the area of hazards, use soft markers, keep the broom low and stable, land softly, and keep music volume reasonable. Stop if anything hurts.

Just for fun

Why do dancers always count to eight and never to nine?

Because nine would be one step too far.

Your turn

Name the three Grade 10 examples for B1.1.

What is a transition in a movement sequence?

Give two keys to a smooth transition.

How long is one 8-count at 120 bpm?

List the four steps of a flip turn.

What is the external stimulus in a flip turn?

Why does a tight tuck help in a flip turn?

More practice: warm-up

Is a hop a stability or locomotor skill?

Is holding a pose a stability or locomotor skill?

What does bpm stand for?

What is a streamline position?

What do dancers count before starting together?

More practice: on your own

Find the length of a 64-count routine at 128 bpm.

A student wobbles every time she changes from a run to a balance walk. Suggest two fixes.

Explain why obstacle courses with reaction cards are better practice for games than fixed courses.

During a dance, the music speeds up. What should you change in your movement?

Why should knees be bent when the feet land on the wall in a flip turn?

Challenge

Design a 32-count dance sequence (four 8-counts) that includes at least two locomotor moves, two balance moves and a level change. Write it count by count.

A swimmer stops at the wall and turns slowly. Using the four flip-turn steps, explain what to teach and why each step saves time.

You're running an obstacle course and your partner holds up cards. Explain the sense-decide-move loop for one card, and how anticipation can make it faster.

Check your understanding

Quiz

Which is a Grade 10 B1.1 example?

At 120 bpm, how long does one 8-count last?

Before changing direction quickly, you should:

In a flip turn, the feet plant on the wall when the swimmer is:

Which is an external stimulus?

A streamline position helps because it:

For parents and teachers

Big idea: Expectation B1.1 asks students to combine stability and locomotor skills while responding to external stimuli: an obstacle course, a dance sequence to music, a flip turn. Grade 10 focuses on smooth transitions and responding to music and cues.

How to help at home:

Be the "card holder" for the obstacle course and change the cards often.
Watch the dance sequence and ask your teen to teach you one 8-count.
If your family has access to a supervised pool, encourage a swim lesson to learn flip turns safely.

Common difficulties:

Stopping between moves. Encourage looking ahead and keeping momentum.
Landing stiff-legged. Remind them to bend ankles, knees and hips.
Rushing to fast music. Learn slow, then speed up.

Safety: clear the space, keep obstacles low and stable, and do no somersaults on land; flip turns are practised only in a supervised pool.