Physical Education · Works with Tennis

SEL activities for Tennis

16 Physical Education activities you can teach during a Tennis unit. Each one builds one Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) skill in about 20 minutes, inside the movement you already teach.

PE Course 1

• Pressure on the Court Responsible decision-making · Week 5During a partner challenge, students rehearse short scripts for responding when peers push them to skip a safety step or mock a classmate.
• Nerves and Performance Self-awareness · Week 9Students attempt a target throw once calmly and once under a loud countdown, then analyze how nerves changed their focus and technique.
• Heat Smart in the Valley Social awareness · Week 11During a shaded, low intensity circuit, students learn the warning signs of heat illness in the Coachella Valley and practice checking in on a partner and following the class heat plan.
• Practice Plans That Work Responsible decision-making · Week 21After a quick skill check in an individual activity, students write a short practice plan based on their own results and test it for one round.
• Choosing Partners Fairly Social awareness · Week 25Students try several fair partner selection methods in badminton and journal about how it feels to be chosen first, last, or at random.
• Calling Lines Honestly Relationship skills · Week 26In self-officiated pickleball, students make their own line calls and journal about a call that tested their honesty.
• When the Rally Gets Heated Relationship skills · Week 27Partners practice a pause, name it, and fix it routine during a competitive rally game and journal how to repair after a frustrating moment.
• Strategy With a Partner Relationship skills · Week 28Doubles pairs huddle to plan offensive and defensive positions, play a short game, and adjust their plan through clear communication.
• Winning and Losing Well Self-management · Week 29After a round robin tournament, students assess which strategies worked and practice gracious responses to both winning and losing.
• Adapting the Game for All Social awareness · Week 30Groups redesign a dual activity so that players of every ability can take part and then test their version together.
• Fitness Resources Near Me Responsible decision-making · Week 34After a walking warm up, students map nearby parks, trails, and early morning or indoor options in the valley and choose one to try.

PE Course 2

• Mistakes and Momentum Self-management · Week 15Teams practice a quick reset routine after errors during a game and analyze how emotions affect individual and team performance.
• Self Officiating With Integrity Responsible decision-making · Week 16In self-officiated ultimate, players make their own calls and resolve disagreements calmly, then journal about a call that tested their integrity.
• Coaching a Younger Player Responsible decision-making · Week 24Pairs plan a simple, modified activity they could teach to a younger child and practice explaining it with patience.
• Training Smart in Desert Heat Social awareness · Week 30Students adapt a training session for Coachella Valley heat with shade, water breaks, and partner check ins and practice spotting signs of heat illness.
• Community Fitness Map Responsible decision-making · Week 34Students rate the availability and quality of fitness resources in their part of the valley and propose one way to improve access.

Some activities are set in this sport. Others work in it with no changes, like a calm breathing reset or a self officiating routine.

RoseThread Connect activities are drafted with the help of AI and shaped by educators. Students never have to share anything personal. Our five SEL skills are informed by CASEL's SEL Framework; RoseThread Learning is not affiliated with or endorsed by CASEL.