NITROBALL UNIT PLAN

Oscar Esposito
CHICOPEE HIGH SCHOOL
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Psychomotor Unit Reference Content to be taught Assessment
Outcomes MA CF &
NASPE
Standards
by #

Students will be able to MA CF 2.17 Serving Check List

demonstrate the following Hitting ball to open space
nitroball skills: serves, NASPE Spike passing Self-Assessment
Standard 1, Overhand/underhand
volleyball underhand pass, Quiz
3,5 passes
volleyball overhand pass,
downward spike.

Cognitive Unit Outcomes Reference Content to be taught Assessment

MA CF &
NASPE
Standards
by #

By the end of the unit, MA CF 2.17 Strategy of combining Teacher observation

Students will know the different shots
rules and strategies of the NASPE Correct skill cues Exit Slip
game of nitroball. Standard Be able to correctly
2,5 Quiz
identify the rules of
nitroball Self-assessment
Be able to identify 2-4
strategies that are good
to use when playing
nitroball

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Affective Unit Outcomes Reference Content to be taught Assessment
MA CF &
NASPE
Standards
by #

By the end of this unit, MA CF 2.26 Teamwork. Daily Observation

SWBAT work cooperatively
with partners during NASPE
gameplay. Standard 5

By the end of this unit, MA CF 2.26 Nitroball class rules. Teacher observation.
SWBAT demonstrate Sportsmanship
sportsmanship by NASPE Rubric grade
respecting their opponent, Standard 5,
partner, and equipment 6
during gameplay.

Psychomotor: NASPE 1, 2, 5 Day 1: History, rules, and

Students will be able to MA CF 2.1, 2.2, handouts. Serve. Handouts
demonstrate the following 2.7
nitroball skills: serves,
volleyball underhand pass,
volleyball overhand pass, Day 2: Under hand, Overhead and
downward spike. spike passes

Day 3: Serve and passes in Post long serves and

combination for game play clears check sheet.
strategy.

Day 4: Review
Skills check list.
Types of passes.

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 Serve

Day 5: Teaching Deep and short Exit slip

serves in game

Off. /Def. strategies.

Day 6: Review of skills Quiz

Round Robin Tournament.

NASPE 4 and 5 Day 1: Following teacher Closure informal

Affective: MA CF 2.1, 2.6 directions questioning
By the end of this unit, MA CF 2.26 Display full effort with partners Rubric grade
SWBAT demonstrate
sportsmanship by
respecting their opponent, Day 2: Students will demonstrate Closure informal
partner, and equipment safe and appropriate behavior questioning
during gameplay. Rubric grade
By the end of this unit, Day 3: Students will demonstrate
SWBAT work cooperatively safe behavior by following class Rubric grading
with partners during rules.
gameplay. Closure informal
Day 4: Making sure there is no questioning
student arguments or quarrels Rubric grade
when the rules have been properly
set.

Day 5: Demonstrate safe and

appropriate behavior throughout Rubric grade
the entire class

Day 6: Showing respect to the Rubric grade

equipment. Show good
sportsmanship throughout the
tournament.
MA CF 2.7 Day 1: Go over the boundaries of
Cognitive: NASPE 5 the nitroball court.
Students will enhance their Only hitting the ball once on each
understanding of the rules shot. Skill cues for passing.
and strategies of the game
of nitroball.
Day 2: Passes during game play.
The point system of the game. Teacher checklist
Day 3: Pass selection for best pass
placement.

Day 4: Understanding different

strategy, when and why to use Closure: Discussion

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 different shots at what times
during the game

Day 5: Cover the rules of serving

Skill cues for short and deep serve.
Serving below the waist Self Assessment

Day 6: Know the rules of the game,

know and be able to keep track of Closure: Questioning
the scoring,

Quiz

Grading Policy

Effort (90%)- Student comes to class prepared every day with proper attire and footwear.
Student shows consistent effort and participation. Student follows direction and respects others
throughout entire lesson.

Knowledge (10%)- Student correctly completes written/oral assessments with basic knowledge
of nitroball.

Rubric Daily grading

A-Absent- Student is absent from class and receives a 0 unless excused

M- Medical student may not participate for medical reason

AEX- Student is excused from participating

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- negative points- Points are taken off from a total of 15 points a day. Reasons may include
swearing, un-sportsmanship, conduct, chewing gum or any behavior or action warranting points
taken off

+ Plus points- Students may gain points for a number of reasons. Participating even when not
changed, helping other students or the teacher, doing good deeds, volunteering etc.

1- No Participation- Student is unprepared to participate, does not change or does not have the
right shoes to play nitroball in.

Formative Assessment- Checklist (Underhand pass cues) Note* X marks complete*

Student Name Cue 1: Bend Cue 2: Prepare Cue 3:Strike the Grading scale 1-3
knees for the nitroball nitroball
upwrads

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 Results of Assessments

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 Nitroball self - Assessment

WHICH LEVEL ARE YOU WORKING AT?

A Level 3 player can:

Know some of the names of different shots

and when they are used
Understand the purpose of a warm up
Use some kind of scoring system to keep a game going
Understands basic rules
Can use a variety of shots well

A Level 2 player can:

Start to use different shots to try to beat your opponent

Watch your opponent and see what they are strong and weak
at and use this when playing them

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 Warm up properly
Know the court

A Level 1 player can:

Use the different passes well, most of the time

Play to your strengths and understand some of your weaker areas
Play a basic game
Start to move your opponent around the court

Nitroball Handout
History:
1. NitroBall was created in summer of 2005 in Sarasota, Florida. And was first known as
inverted volleyball
2. Created by Peter Boucher and became Nitroball at Canton High School in Massachusetts

Number of Players:
General guidelines are 6-8 players per team. Can be played with as little as 4 players.

Scoring:
Uses rally scoring in which a point is awarded each time the ball is served. The first team to
score 21 points wins (team must win by 2 points)

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Serving
Players take turns serving in a clockwise rotation, with the server standing behind the service
line. The ball must be served underhand either out of hand or off a bounce

Game Play
Once the ball is served, players can move in any formation on the court. The serving team
continues to serve until the opposing team scores a point; the serve is then awarded to that team.
A service fault occurs if the ball fails to make it over the net, touches a player of the serving
team, lands out of bounds, or the servers footsteps over the serving line. If this occurs, the serve
is awarded to the other team.
The ball MUST bounce off the court before EVERY strike (except the serve)
The player may not hit the ball consecutively
Kicking or heading the ball is not allowed
Blocks are illegal as the ball must hit the ground before every strike
The ball can be struck with one hand or two hands
A point is scored when:
The ball bounces twice on the opponents side
The opposing team is unable to return the ball within three hits
The opposing team cannot legally return the ball into the court
The opposing team hits the ball out of bounds
The opposing team commits a fault or foul

Scoring and Serving System Quiz

Name: ______________________________ Period: _________________

1) The first team to reach how many points wins the game?
a) 21
b) 12
c) 11
d) None of the above
.

2) A team may get _____ hits before hitting the ball back over the net.
a) 1
b) 2
c) 3
d) 4

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 3) Name 3 ways a point may be scored

4) a) Jump serves are permitted. T F

b) The ball must be contacted below the waist on a serve. T F

c) The serve must fall into the service court diagonally opposite T F

d) You can serve overhand or underhand. T F

e) A server loses the point if they fail to hit the ball on the first attempt. T F

References

Couturier, L., Chepko, S., & Holt/Hale, S. (2014). Elementary School-Level Outcomes
(9-12). In National Standards & Grade-Level Outcomes for K-12 Physical
Education (p. 56-59). Champaign, Illinois: Human Kinetics.

NitroBall Activity Instructions. Gopher Sports. Retrieved November 3, 2017, from

https://www.gophersport.com/files/original/Nitroball_Instruction_Booklet_Final_2.pdf

Nitroball/ Gopher Sport YouTube. (2015, July 16). Youtube. Retrieved November 4, 2017,
From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9blxvDpetpc

NitroBall Instructional Video YouTube. (2013, April 30). YouTube. Retrieved November 4, 2017, from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93gAd3VODmk

NitroBall Study Guide. (n.d.) Kentucky School for the Deaf. Retrieved November 3, 2017, from
http://www.ksd.k12.ky.us/userfiles/7/NitroBall%20Study%20Guide.pdf

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