By Nils Strassmann, Nele Schlapkohl & Sarah Schmidt, Team GER
I CAN coordinate my movements, keep myself above the water surface, orient myself in the water and communicate with my team even under physical effort.
I KNOW how to use my movements in a controlled way, stay balanced in the water and support my team’s success through good timing and coordination.
I FEEL able to use my whole-body coordination efficiently and to move confidently and competently in the water
The success criteria are to enter deep water safely by jumping, to move calmly and in control, to stay aware of the group’s movement and to exit the water independently at the designated point.
The activity takes place in deep water, either in a 25-metre swimming pool or in open water at a freshwater lake with a clearly defined course. In open water, the course can be set up in the shape of a half-circle, leading back to the shore. The required equipment includes four swimming boards, two fixed mats, each measuring 10 centimetres in height, one metre in width and two metres in length, and a stopwatch to track the three-minute time limit. In open water, additional floating markers or buoys should be used to mark the route and ensure safety. Participants do not need to enter or exit the water by jumping in or climbing out, as the activity can begin and end directly at the shoreline.
The activity is designed for a group of at least ten students. Several groups can participate at the same time if space and safety allow. Within each group, students take turns transporting swimming boards and organizing the workflow to ensure continuous movement.
Before the exercise begins, the teacher has approximately five minutes to explain the rules, organise the group(s) and distribute the equipment. Each round of the activity lasts three minutes. After each round, the teacher needs about two minutes to record the results and reflect on how the students felt during the task. The total duration can be adjusted depending on the number of groups and rounds.
Basis Aquatic Skills: Learners should be able to enter deep water safely by jumping in and treading water, as well as propelling themselves through the water while maintaining spatial orientation and breath control. Learners should be able to enter and exit the water independently.
Social Skills: Cooperating in a group, making clear agreements, following assigned roles and managing time together.
Swimming-Pool: The activity takes place in deep water, covering more than half of a 25-metre lane. Nine children enter the pool one by one, jumping in without swimming aids. After the last child has jumped in, their teammate hands four swimming boards to the swimmers who are already in the water before entering the pool themselves. A maximum of four swimming boards can be in the water at any one time. As soon as the first swimmer reaches the end of the lane and exits the pool, the group must reorganise their positions as quickly as possible. They can move without holding a board, but they can also adjust their position while holding one. Before exiting the water, a swimmer may place their board at the poolside to make climbing out easier. Throughout the handover and transport, the board should not touch the water. Once the board reaches the front of the line, the swimmer may exit the pool using one of several options, each of which is assigned a different score. Using the ladder counts as one point. Climbing out over the pool edge counts as two points. Exiting via a mat securely fixed to the pool edge earns three points. Climbing onto a floating mat first and then out over the pool edge is worth four points. After exiting, swimmers walk back along the poolside to the starting area, hand the board to their next teammate and then jump back in.
Open Water:
The activity takes place in the open water of a freshwater lake. Participants follow a half-circle course marked with floating buoys, starting and ending at the shoreline. All ten participants enter the water together by walking in from the beach. Only the four participants at the back of the group carry a kickboard. As the group moves along the marked course, the kickboards are passed forward from swimmer to swimmer. Once a kickboard reaches the person at the front of the group, they exit the water at the shoreline with the board and walk back to the starting point. The person at the back of the group then receives the board and the process repeats. This process of passing and exiting repeats for three minutes. A maximum of four boards are in use at any time. The aim is to complete as many dry board deliveries as possible through smooth coordination, efficient handovers and calm movement in the water.
