A–B. Active Living and Movement Competence · Active Living and Movement: Move Well, Train Smart, Stay Safe

Game Plans: Tactics, Problem Solving and Confidence

B2.2 B2.3 1.5About 75 minutes

Learning goals

I can use analytical and problem-solving skills to choose and apply tactics in individual, target, net/wall, striking/fielding and territory activities.
I can test a tactic, gather simple evidence, and adjust it.
I can explain how improving my movement skills, concepts and strategies builds my competence, confidence and desire to participate.
I can connect movement competence to staying active for life (physical literacy).

Words to know

tactic
A plan or action used in the moment to gain an advantage, like sending the shuttle to open space.

strategy
An overall game plan, often made before the game, that tactics help carry out.

give-and-go
A territory tactic: pass to a teammate (give), cut into open space (go) and receive a return pass.

goal-side
Defending from a position between the opponent and the goal you are protecting.

physical literacy
The motivation, confidence, physical competence, knowledge and understanding to value and take part in physical activity for life.

competence
Being able to do something well enough to succeed.

Remember from Grade 8

In Grade 8 you built a toolbox of tactical solutions (width, depth, support, pressure, cover, hitting to open space) and used simple statistics to test whether a tactic worked. Grade 9 asks you to devise tactics yourself using analytical and problem-solving skills (B2.2), and to reflect on how getting better changes your competence, confidence and motivation (B2.3).

Hook: the coach in your head

Two players have the same skills. One plays the same way all game. The other notices: "Their goalie always goes down early," "My opponent's backhand is weak," "I keep getting tired in the third set." Then she changes something. She's playing with a coach in her head. That inner coach is problem solving, and it can be learned.

A problem-solving process for tactics (living skill 1.5)

Observe: What's happening? What's the opponent's weakness? Where's the open space?
Plan: choose a tactic that uses the space or the weakness.
Try it: apply it for a few points or minutes.
Check the evidence: keep a simple count (points won, successful passes).
Adjust: keep it, change it, or try another tactic.

Category	Curriculum example of a tactic	Why it works
Individual	Adjust a movement sequence to improve the flow of a dance or fitness routine; choose a hiking trail suited to your experience or fitness level	Smoother transitions save energy and look better; the right trail keeps it safe and enjoyable
Target	Focus on the target and block out distractions to improve accuracy	Attention on the target improves aim; a pre-shot routine keeps focus steady
Net/wall	Send the object to the area the opponent has the most difficulty covering	Forces long, awkward movements and weak returns
Striking/fielding	Put spin on the ball so it's harder for the opponent to hit	Spin changes the ball's path and bounce
Territory	Give-and-go to get into open space and receive a return pass; on defence, position yourself between the opponent and the goal	The passer escapes a defender who watches the ball; goal-side defence blocks the direct path

Tactics for each category, from the curriculum. The thinking process is the same across all of them.

The give-and-go: A passes to B (give), then cuts past defender D into space (go), and B returns the pass ahead of A. Defenders tend to watch the ball, so the cut is hard to follow.

Net/wall tactic (badminton, from above): the opponent is deep in the back corner, so the front corner on the opposite side is the hardest spot to reach.

Worked example

Let's solve a badminton problem

Jasmine keeps losing singles games to Theo. She decides to use the problem-solving process.

Observe: she tallies the first game: Theo wins 9 of his 15 points with smashes when Jasmine's clears are short. Also, his backhand returns are weak.
Plan: hit high, deep clears to his backhand corner (to reduce smash chances and target the weakness), then a drop shot to the front when he's deep.
Try it for game 2.
Check the evidence: game 2 tally: Theo wins only 3 points with smashes; Jasmine wins 6 points after drop shots. She wins 21 to 17.
Adjust: Theo starts staying closer to the middle. Jasmine adds varied clears to both back corners to move him again.

Observation → plan → try → evidence → adjust. The tactic worked, and she keeps adapting as the opponent adapts.

Competence, confidence and motivation (B2.3)

B2.3 asks you to show, by taking part and exploring, how improving your movement skills, concepts and strategies affects how you feel about activity.

Competence: when you can do a skill well, activities are more fun and you succeed more often.
Confidence: success builds belief: "I can do this." Confident people try new activities and keep going when things are hard.
Motivation: enjoyment and confidence make you want to participate, now and later.

This cycle is part of physical literacy: having the motivation, confidence, competence, knowledge and understanding to be active for life. Skills also transfer: a good badminton player picks up pickleball faster, and a confident skater tries hockey or ringette. The more skills you have, the more activities you can enjoy as an adult.

Improving competence builds confidence, which builds motivation, which leads to more participation and practice, which builds more competence.

Hands-on activity

Tactics lab and confidence journal

You need: a soft ball, 4 markers, 2 or 3 people, a park or yard, running shoes, a notebook, and a target (a bucket or a chalk circle).

Warm-up (5 min): jog, side shuffles, partner passing.

Give-and-go (10 min): in a 10 m by 10 m square, the attacker passes to a partner, cuts past the defender (a parent or friend) into space, and receives the return pass. Count successful give-and-gos out of 10. Then try with the defender watching the cutter instead of the ball: what changes?
Target focus (10 min): toss the ball into the bucket from 4 m, 10 times. Then make up a pre-shot routine (for example, one breath, eyes on the target, say "smooth") and toss 10 more while a partner tries to distract you with talking (no touching). Compare scores.
Problem solve (5 min): pick the weaker result. Use observe-plan-try-check-adjust to improve it, and try again.
Confidence journal (10 min): think about a skill you improved this term. Write: what I could do before, what I can do now, how I feel about the activity now, and one new activity I'd be willing to try because of it.

Safety: Non-contact only; play in a clear, flat space away from roads. Distractions must be words only.

Just for fun

The give-and-go might be the only situation in life where giving something away gets it back to you faster.

Your turn

List the five steps of the tactical problem-solving process.

What is the difference between a strategy and a tactic?

Describe the give-and-go.

Give the curriculum's net/wall tactic example.

What does "goal-side" defence mean?

Explain the link between competence and confidence.

Give an individual-activity tactic from the curriculum.

More practice: warm-up

Which category uses the tactic of putting spin on the ball to make it harder to hit?

Which category uses focusing on the target and blocking distractions?

What is physical literacy?

In the give-and-go, why is the cut hard to defend?

What is a pre-shot routine?

More practice: on your own

Your volleyball opponents keep two players back and nobody near the net. Choose a tactic and explain.

Why might choosing a trail that's too hard be a bad tactic for a beginner hiker?

Jasmine's evidence showed her tactic worked, but then Theo adjusted. What does this tell you about tactics?

Describe how improving your skating could affect your motivation to try other activities.

In a 3 v 3 soccer game, your team keeps losing the ball when passing. Use the problem-solving process to plan a fix.

Challenge

In game 1, a team completed 18 of 30 passes. After practising give-and-gos, game 2: 26 of 32. Calculate both completion rates and the change in percentage points.

Design a tactic for a striking/fielding game (like kickball or softball) for both offence and defence, and say what evidence you'd collect.

Write a short reflection (4 to 5 sentences) showing how B2.3 applies to you or to a made-up student.

Check your understanding

Quiz

Which is the curriculum's example of a territory tactic?

In net/wall games, a good tactic is to send the object:

The first step in tactical problem solving is to:

Goal-side defending means standing:

According to B2.3, improving movement skills affects:

Physical literacy includes:

For parents and teachers

Big idea: B2.2 asks students to use analytical and problem-solving skills to identify and apply tactics in individual, target, net/wall, striking/fielding and territory activities. B2.3 asks them to show how improving movement skills, concepts and strategies affects their competence, confidence and desire to participate. Living skill 1.5 (critical and creative thinking) is central.

How to help at home:

Watch a game together and ask, "What tactic is that team using? What would you change?"
Be the defender in the give-and-go drill.
Read your teen's confidence journal if they want to share it, and notice their progress.

Common difficulties:

Changing tactics without evidence. Encourage simple tallies.
Tying confidence only to winning. Focus on improvement and effort.

Safety: Keep drills non-contact, in a clear space away from roads.