Rationale
Rock climbing offers a rich platform on which to teach students many facets integral to a quality physical education program. Climbing challenges students, strength, coordination, flexibility, and endurance. Socially, students must work together cooperatively and take responsibility for both themselves and their peers. Strong personal and emotional relationships are built between climbing partners as they trust one another and give one another encouragement and support during challenging endeavours. Climbing is an activity children take up enthusiastically building students development of intrinsic motivation for physical activity (Mosston & Ashworth 2002). Positive risk-taking and cooperative skills helps students build a strong self-concept, engaging the affective domain of the child. Goal setting is integral to a climbing program and the success students find setting and reaching physical challenges inspires them to enjoy challenging physical activity and also helps to increase self-confidence. Perseverance is exercised as students attempt increasingly difficult challenges and routes and the problem solving necessary to solve difficult routes engages students cognitively.
As students climb they effectively work within each domain (cognitive, affective, physical, social) simultaneously challenging and strengthening each domain as they work to balance them all in unison. The student who is reading their route ahead of time and communicating with their spotter/belayer, receiving encouragement and cues, while assessing for risk and physically exerting themselves while demonstrating control is a student fully immersed in a deeply valuable physical educational experience.
Scope for Key Skills
These are suggested entry and exit abilities for the elementary years. They can be tailored to the needs and motor development of your class. A kindergarten class can focus on may off-the-wall activities that prepare them for climbing. Many gymnastic activities can be incorporated into a lesson. A lesson may consist of gymnastic and climbing stations as the skills worked on transfer effectively.
Grade 1/2
Entry: Students will enter with the ability to move through general space while maintaining some control, they will able to change body positions to different levels and work cooperatively with one another, they will also be able to respond appropriately to instructions and safety guidelines while participating in physical activity.
Exit: Students will be able to spot one another with effective technique, they will be able to work in partners as spotters and take responsibility for the safety of others. They will be able to begin to climb on a traverse wall according to basic safety guidelines and demonstrate some basic foot and arm technique.
Grade two to five
Grade 2/3
Entry Abilities: Students will be able to spot one another with effective technique, they will be able to work in partners and take responsibility for the safety of others. They will be able to climb on a traverse wall according to safety guidelines and demonstrate some basic foot and arm technique.
Exit Abilities: Students will be able to demonstrate increased arm and foot technique, edging, straight arms, small steps, climbing with legs, weight over feet, balancing, resting. They will be able to set challenges for themselves and others on the wall. They will learn to read their routes before they climb them, “climb with your eyes.” They will identify fitness goals to help them build their strength, endurance, and flexibility. They will demonstrate increased control during their climbing. They will be able to identify positive risk taking and be responsible for their own safety and the safety of others. They will begin to problem solve for climbing routes.
Grade 4/5
Entry Abilities: Students will be able to spot one another with effective technique, they will be able to work in partners and take responsibility for the safety of others. They will be able to climb on a traverse wall according to safety guidelines and demonstrate some basic foot and arm technique.
Exit Abilities: Students will be able to demonstrate increased arm and foot technique, edging, straight arms, small steps, climbing with legs, weight over feet, balancing, resting. They will be able to set challenges for themselves and others on the wall. They will learn to read their routes before they climb them, “climb with your eyes.” They will identify fitness goals to help them build their strength, endurance, and flexibility. They will demonstrate increased control during their climbing. They will be able to identify positive risk taking and be responsible for their own safety and the safety of others. They will begin to problem solve for climbing routes.