Jackrabbit Level 1 – Lessons 1 – 7
Chelsea Nordiq
Jackrabbit Level 1 Lesson# 1
Activity | Description/ Location | Time |
Warm Up | Get the skiers moving – jumping, balancing on one foot, clapping hands, wiggling like jello
Trains, Planes & Automobiles -move like vehicles (airplanes, motorcycle, bus etc.) |
5 min. |
Review Skill
-falling and rising star turn |
Falling -remind skiers to fall like they are sitting down
Rising – tuck skis close to bum, lean forward with hands on skis and stand up Star turn -arms out for balance -stepping in one direction -tips apart and tails together |
5 min. |
New Skill
-ready position |
Motorcycle race (start motorcycles individually so everyone will win)
-skiers stand in ready position -arms and hands forward, knees and ankles slightly bent, relaxed upper body -on signal skier skis forward to finish line (flags or a finish ribbon to ski through) |
10 min. |
Game/Review
– ski in the tracks – movement on skis |
Ski a small loop that includes:
Skiing in tracks -skis parallel, walking motion Movement on skis -skis parallel, walking motion Herringbone position –tips apart, tails together |
10 min. |
Ski Destination | Ski to a special snack location | 10 min. |
Snack | 10 min. | |
Free Ski | Ski back to meeting point
Ball juggling -skiers toss large ball into the air as they ski forward (could try with other objects –bean bags, hats etc. |
10 min. |
Extra activity | What time is it Mr. Wolf?
Make sure all skiers who want to get a chance to be the wolf, two wolves at a time works well Timber -skiers are trees, when coach calls “timber” they all fall over and get up |
Notes or Comments on lesson:
Chelsea Nordiq
Jackrabbit Level 1 Lesson#2
Activity | Time | |
Warm Up | Pack a Suitcase
-skiers form a circle -skiers take turns to ski forward to put something in the imaginary suitcase that they will take on the trip (chocolate, bathing suit, toothbrush etc.) then ski backwards to their place Take a trip -you can fly to get there or take the train, motorcycle etc. |
5 min. |
Review Skill / Practice
-ready position -falling and rising, -star turn, -side stepping |
Review ready position
Practice circle for falling and rising and star turn Side stepping Body in ready position, balance on one ski, step sideways with the other leg -Balance on second leg, bring skis parallel -Side step in opposite direction |
5 min. |
New Skill
movement on skis (running step) No poles |
Running step -Set up cones in flat play area to make a square
-skiers ski in a running motion around the area marked out Encourage -bent knees and ankles -jogging motion with arms |
5 min. |
Game | Pie tag
-skiers run on skis -make a herringbone position and say the name of a favourite pie to keep from being caught -skiers are only safe for 5 seconds |
10 min. |
Ski & Snack | Troll bridge
-Ski a distance to have snack in a different area -at “bridge” (real or imaginary) skiers must answer a riddle that the troll asks (ex. What can you do to keep warm while skiing?) |
45 min. |
Free Play | Obstacle Course: ski under a rope between two poles, side step a log, ski under rope, herring bone on flats | 15 min. |
Extra activity | Chase the dragon – coach or adult wears a rope around their waist, skiers try to catch the rope
Toss -throw a soft ball (or a stuffed animal) in an arc to skier, such that they have to move forward to catch it -skier does a star turn when they catch the ball |
Notes or Comments on lesson:
Chelsea Nordiq
Jackrabbit Level 1 Lesson#3
Activity | Description | Time |
Warm Up | Tippy toes
-skiers rock forward and back between their tows and their heels -skiers try to find the best balance point Reach for the sky -skiers reach for the sky going up on their toes Practice circle: falling and rising, star turn, side stepping, ready position |
5 min. |
Review Skill
movement on skis (running step) No poles |
Running step
-skiers keep knees and ankles flexed -bob up and down in one spot to demonstrate this as a dynamic position (shocks on a car, bumpy bus ride) -ski a small loop with the running motion |
5 min. |
New Skill
-herringbone, -rising on a slope -free glide. *No poles |
Duck walk
-Practice herringbone on flat terrain On a gentle slope demonstrate herringbone -maintain a “V” with skis -skis edged, knees bent. Rising on a slope -skis parallel, under the body and perpendicular to fall line -skier moves onto hands and knees -skier edges skis to stand up Demonstrate free glide -hands forward, skis parallel -hands on knees |
10 min. |
Game | Slide tall slide small
-skiers descend the slope standing tall, squatting down. Pick up -place small objects to the side of the ski slope -skiers attempt to bend and pick them up as they slide down |
10 min. |
Other/ Event/
Ski Destination |
Adventure ski
leader takes group on a ski pointing out -trees, snow types, wild life, wild life signs (tracks) alter the terrain by: -taking group off trail, -skiing around a tree etc., interesting objects can be placed around trail to keep skiers interested in what they will see next |
20-30 min. |
Snack | 10 min. | |
Free Play/ Extra activity | Free play on the slope,
-gliding down and through the hoop -leader can tow skiers up the hill with a rope Penguins-herringbone up a slope walking like a penguin slide down on belly or bum! |
20 min. |
Notes or Comments on lesson:
Chelsea Nordiq
Jackrabbit Level 1 Lesson#4
Activity | Description | Time |
Warm Up | Falling tag
– coach is it when tagged the skier has to fall over |
5 min. |
Ski / Practice:
-falling and rising, -star turn, -side stepping, -ready position, -movement on skis (running step) |
Skill ski
-ski on rolling terrain using appropriate techniques for certain areas -coach signals skiers (whistle) skiers stop and do a skill (falling and rising, star turn, side stepping, ready position, running step.) Tunnels– skiers follow leader on a ski in tracks and out through a series of tunnels (some natural, some made by placing ski poles etc). |
30 min.
10 min. |
Review Skill
-herringbone, -free glide. With poles |
Spend some time on a gentle slope
Herringbone -maintain a “V” with skis -skis edged -knees bent -poles behind skis. Free glide -hands forward, skis parallel -pole handles down and in front of body, pole tips behind |
10 min. |
New Skill
-snowplow braking |
Snow bites -Demonstrate edging by have skiers roll knees and ankles to press inner edge of ski into the snow (facing down the slope)
Snowplow braking (demonstrate) -form wedge with ski tips together and tails apart -control speed by braking (make bigger wedge and edge skis) |
10 min. |
Game | Gates – set up pairs of poles (1m apart) down a slope leaving 2 metres between pole pairs
-skiers ski down the slope free gliding between poles and braking in the spaces between pole pairs |
10 min. |
Snack | 10 min. | |
Ski Play | Freeze and glide
-skier takes 4 or 5 strides and freezes on one leg and glides to a stop Freeze tag -skiers stand on one leg if they are tagged -frozen skiers can be tagged to be unfrozen |
15 min. |
Extra activity | Snowplow pie tag –skiers are safe if they make a snowplow pie shape and name their favourite pie |
Notes or Comments on lesson:
Chelsea Nordiq
Jackrabbit Level 1 Lesson#5
Activity | Description | Time |
Warm Up | Simon Says
-If coach says “Simon says jump” skiers jump -if coach says “jump” skiers do not jump |
5 min. |
Review Skill
-snowplow braking |
Nibbles and Bites *On flat, untracked terrain
-skiers stand with skis parallel in ready position -skiers use varying degree of edge to make nibbles (small amount) and bites (more edge) -edge left, right and both inner edges Ridges and valleys -skiers now push ski to the side(tails apart) and make a ridge -skiers switch when coach says “change” Stomp Fest -skiers push snow vigorously to the side one ski at a time -goal is to create a large snow pile Snowplow braking * on gentle slope -form wedge with ski tips together and tails apart -control speed by braking (make bigger wedge and edge skis) Gates -practice alternately braking and free gliding |
10 min. |
Game | Chain tag-coach catches a skier and they hold hands and chase together continue until all skiers are caught
Blob tag– same idea but once the chain has 4 skiers the group splits into two and continues chasing |
10 min. |
Ski /Practice
falling and rising, star turn, side stepping, ready position, movement on skis (running step), herringbone, free glide |
Story ski
-tell a story as you ski to your destination stopping to bring group together to tell the next part of the story (adaptation of Hansel and Gretel, Snow Gnomes hiding in the forest etc.) |
35 min. |
Snack | 10 min. | |
Free Play | Soccer
-use more than one ball and no goalies (to keep everyone moving) -part way through have the skiers take one ski off and switch after 5 min. |
20 min. |
Extra activity | Ring the bell– attach a bell to the top of a hoop or archway in the snow- skiers ring the bell as they glide through the arch
One ski tag –skiers take off one ski to play tag |
Notes or Comments on lesson:
Chelsea Nordiq
Jackrabbit Level 1 Lesson#6
Activity | Description | Time |
Warm Up | Treadmill
-skiers run in place on their skis starting slow and gradually getting faster Sizzling snow -skiers stay in one place and quickly step from ski to ski trying to have only one ski on the “burning” snow at one time -skiers “hiss” when their ski is on the snow |
5 min. |
Practice | Practice circle: falling and rising, star turn, side stepping, ready position. | 5 min. |
New Skill
-double poling *supplementary technique |
Double poling
-both arms reaching forward -poles planting at the same time -legs relatively straight throughout the poling action One legged Ski -skiers imagine that their legs are tied together move from one side of the play area to the other using poles only to move them forward |
10 min. |
Ski Destination/ Practice
-movement on skis, -herringbone, -free glide, -snowplow braking. |
Ski on rolling terrain that allows for opportunity to practice skills during ski:
-play on the hills going up and down -run on the spot to keep faster skiers busy while gathering the group together -encourage the running step Stop to do balance activities along the route: Pendulum swings -stand on one leg while swinging the other leg back and forth Combo swing -when the skier stands on their left leg, the left arm swings in the same direction as the right leg and the right arm swings in the opposite direction (like walking) |
45 min. |
Game/join another group | Soccer -Invite another level 1 group to play soccer | 15 min. |
Snack | 10 min. | |
Free Play/ Extra activity | Statues
-skiers ski around until leader calls “statue” -skiers stop and hold whatever position they are in last person to move becomes the caller |
Notes or Comments on lesson:
Chelsea Nordiq
Jackrabbit Level 1 Lesson#7
Activity | Description | Time |
Warm Up
Evaluate -ready position -falling and rising -star turn -side stepping |
Favourite warm up activity
Ready position
Falling and Rising on a gentle slope
Star Turn
Side stepping (both directions)
|
5 min.
5 min. |
Evaluate
-movement on skis -tracking |
Movement on skis
Tracking
|
10 min. |
Evaluate | Set up pole “gates” (poles 1m apart) space the gates 2m apart down a gentle slope
-skiers free glide through the “gate” and snowplow brake between gates Mark an area with cones where the skiers herringbone up the slope Herringbone |
10 min. |
Ski Destination/Review & Snack | Double poling -review while skiing to the group’s favourite destination
-discuss when you would want to use this technique (when you are on a slight downhill or on the flats and want to go faster) |
50 min. |
Free Play/ Extra activity | Obstacle course or play favourite game | 10 min. |
Notes or Comments on lesson: