This free volleyball unit gives PE teachers six 45-minute lessons for students ages 11–14, building from forearm passing to a modified 4 v 4 game. Each lesson has clear objectives, a warm-up, skill activities, a small-sided game, common errors with quick fixes, and a quick check for understanding. Use lighter balls, lower nets and small courts so every student gets lots of touches.
Only have one half-court and 4 balls for 8 learners? Use the 45-minute example in the drill library, then adapt the catches, net and targets to your class. 45 minutes: 8 beginners, half a court, 4 balls.
Serve underhand over the net from a shortened distance.
Play a cooperative and then competitive rally using three contacts.
Explain basic rules (rotation, scoring, in/out) and show good sportsmanship.
These goals fit the aims of most school PE curricula: motor skills, movement concepts, social skills and personal responsibility. In the US, they map to SHAPE America's four national PE standards (Standards 1–4).
Equipment list (class of ~30)
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Optional: beach balls for the first lesson, wall space for wall passing
Optional: the rules summary, a session plan template and a plain court from Printables
Net height: Lower nets for this age so students can succeed. For recommended youth heights, see Court Dimensions. Many national federations publish youth net heights and ball recommendations — for example USA Volleyball, Volleyball England and Volleyball Canada. Check your own national federation.
Equipping a team or class? Our coaching equipment guide lists what to buy first (enough balls, a pump and gauge, cones and a whistle) and what can wait. This guide includes Amazon affiliate links, labelled as advertisements.
Safety (read before Lesson 1)
Clear the floor of loose balls between activities; stepping on a rolling ball is an easy way to turn an ankle.
Set a “ball stop” rule: when a ball rolls into another court, call “ball!” and play stops.
Space courts so students don't back into each other.
Teach a balanced “ready” stance. No diving is needed in this unit, so tell students to let a ball drop rather than dive for it.
Warm up every lesson (see Warm-Up). Any jumping: land on two feet with knees bent.
Students with injuries or medical restrictions get modified roles (scorekeeper, coach, line judge). See Common Injuries for general information.
Health note: General information, not medical advice. Young athletes should train under a qualified coach, and anyone with pain or an injury should see a doctor or physical therapist.
Lesson 1: Ball control and the forearm pass
Objectives: Students show a ready position and a flat forearm platform; pass to themselves and to a partner.
Warm-up (8 min): Jog and dynamic stretches; “ready position” freeze tag — when tagged, freeze in a low ready stance.
Skill intro (7 min): Demonstrate the platform: hands together, thumbs side by side, arms straight, angle the arms to the target, move feet first.
Activities (15 min):
Self-toss and catch on the platform (no bouncing yet), then 1 bump and catch, then continuous bumps.
Partner toss-and-pass: one tosses underhand from 3 m, the other passes back. Switch after 10.
Modified game (10 min): “Keep it up” — groups of 4 in a circle count how many passes they can make without the ball hitting the floor. Beat your record.
Closure (5 min): Ask: “Where should your arms point when you pass?” Thumbs-up check.
Watch for → fix: Swinging the arms at the ball → “Freeze your platform and move your feet so the ball comes to you.” Ball flies backward → “Thumbs down, and angle your arms at your target.”
Easier / harder: Use a beach ball or allow a catch between passes / pass to a partner who keeps moving.
Lesson 2: The overhead set
Objectives: Students form a “window” with their hands, contact the ball above the forehead and push with legs and arms.
Warm-up (8 min): Partner mirror footwork (shuffle, crossover); quick review of the forearm pass.
Skill intro (7 min): Hands up early, thumbs and index fingers making a triangle “window,” look through it, extend arms and legs up toward the target.
Activities (15 min):
Self-toss and catch in the window (feel the shape), then self-set 1, 2, 3 in a row.
Partner toss-and-set from 3 m.
Set to a hoop target.
Modified game (10 min): “Pass-set-catch” in groups of 3: one tosses, one passes to the setter, setter sets to the tosser who catches. Rotate jobs.
Closure (5 min): Exit question: “What's the difference between a pass and a set?”
Watch for → fix: Slapping the ball → “Catch it in your window first, then push.” Contact at the chest → “Hands up early, ball at your forehead.”
Easier / harder: Catch and push the ball back up from the window / set to a moving target or count sets in a row.
Lesson 3: Underhand serve and serve receive
Step 0 / 6
Three cone lines inside the court, each farther from the net. Student S starts at line 1.
Set out three cone lines inside the court. Every student starts at the line closest to the net.
Underhand serve over the net (let the ball go, then hit it): good serve number 1.
Good serve number 2.
Good serve number 3.
Three good serves, so the student steps back to line 2 and starts counting again.
After three more good serves, the student steps back to line 3.
Objectives: Students serve underhand over the net from a shortened line; receivers pass the serve to a target.
Warm-up (8 min): Shoulder circles, arm swings; partner passing review.
Skill intro (7 min): Stand with the foot opposite your hitting hand forward (left foot for right-handers), hold the ball low in front of your hitting hip with your other hand and swing the hitting arm like a pendulum. Just before contact, let the ball go with a tiny drop (no high toss), then hit it with the heel of the hand. The ball must leave the holding hand before it is hit; hitting it straight out of the hand is a serving fault.
Activities (15 min):
Partner serves across a gym line (no net) from about 4.5 m.
Serve over the net from a cone line inside the court. Students who succeed 3 times step back.
Serve-and-pass: server serves, a receiver passes to a hoop.
Modified game (10 min): “Serve targets” — teams score 1 point for an in-court serve and 3 for landing in a hoop.
Closure (5 min): Ask students to explain how the server knows when to move back a cone.
Watch for → fix: Tossing the ball up and missing it → “Use a tiny release, a small drop just before contact; no high toss.” Hitting the ball while it is still in the holding hand → “Let go first, then hit.” Serve goes into the net → “Swing low to high and follow through toward the target.”
Easier / harder: Serve from closer to the net or practice the drop-and-hit slowly without a net first / aim at a hoop or try an overhand serve.
Lesson 4: Three contacts and the rally
Step 0 / 4
One team of three on a small court, seen from above. The teacher (T) tosses in from the other side.
Blue dots = one team of three students. T = teacher.
The teacher tosses the ball over the net. The back player calls “Mine!” early and loud.
Touch 1, pass: the back player passes high to the middle of the court, near the net.
Touch 2, set: the middle player sets the ball high to the left front.
Touch 3, send: the left-front player sends the ball over the net.
Objectives: Students use pass–set–send over the net and call “mine!” to communicate.
Warm-up (8 min): Dynamic stretches; “Keep it up” circles from Lesson 1.
Skill intro (5 min): Show the pattern: first contact passes to the middle, second contact sets high, third contact sends it over. Teach the “mine!” call.
Activities (17 min):
Cooperative rally 2 v 2 over a low net: count how many times the ball crosses the net. Bonus if a team uses all three touches.
Toss-in 3 v 3: teacher tosses in, team must use 2 or 3 contacts before sending over.
Modified game (10 min): 3 v 3 “catch volleyball”: the first contact may be caught and tossed to yourself to pass, so rallies last longer.
Closure (5 min): Discuss: “Why do teams use three touches instead of one?”
Watch for → fix: Two players freeze and the ball drops between them → “Call ‘mine!’ early and loud.” First touch goes straight over the net → “Pass it high to the middle of your own court.”
Easier / harder: Allow a catch on every contact / require all three contacts before the ball goes over.
Lesson 5: The attack and simple rules
Objectives: Students show a basic 3-step approach (or a standing attack) and learn rotation and rally scoring.
Warm-up (8 min): Skips, high knees, low two-foot jumps with soft landings (land on both feet, knees bent).
Skill intro (7 min): Approach “left-right-left” (for right-handers), arm back like drawing a bow, contact high in front of the hitting shoulder. Students not ready to jump can do a standing “down ball.”
Activities (12 min):
Toss-and-hit against a wall or into an open court.
Set-to-hit: partner tosses or sets, hitter attacks a down ball over a low net.
Rules mini-lesson (5 min): Rally scoring (a point every rally), rotate clockwise when you win the serve back, lines are in. See Volleyball Rules for Beginners and Court Zones.
Modified game (13 min): 4 v 4 games to 7 points, rotating every time the team wins the serve back (see the box below).
Safety: Limit jumping volume; land on two feet; keep nets well clear of walls.
Watch for → fix: Running under the ball → “Start later and hit the ball in front of your hitting shoulder.” Landing on one foot → “Land on both feet, knees bent.”
Easier / harder: Standing down ball from a tossed ball / full approach from a partner's set.
Lesson 6: Modified tournament and assessment
Objectives: Students apply skills and rules in a 4 v 4 game and show respectful play.
Warm-up (8 min): Student-led warm-up in teams (use Warm-Up ideas).
Tournament (30 min): 4 v 4 round robin on small courts. Games to 11 (rally scoring) or 6 minutes. Rules: underhand serve from a shortened line, one re-serve allowed, every player serves in order, teams rotate when they win back the serve (diamond rotation from Lesson 5). Teacher and student “coaches” use the rubric.
Closure (7 min): Self-assessment card and a team “shout-out” for good sportsmanship.
Watch for → fix: Serving out of order → “Whoever rotates to the back serves.” Arguing calls → “Replay the point and move on.”
Assessment rubric (score each skill 1–4)
Skill
1 – Beginning
2 – Developing
3 – Competent
4 – Advanced
Forearm pass
Swings arms, ball goes anywhere
Platform forms but ball is erratic
Flat platform, ball reaches partner most of the time
Moves feet to the ball and passes to target consistently
Overhead set
Slaps or catches the ball
Window shape forms but contact is low
Contacts above forehead, ball goes up and forward
Sets accurately to a target with leg drive
Underhand serve
Rarely contacts the ball
Gets the ball over from a short line
Serves in from the class serving line (the distance you set in Lesson 3) most of the time
Serves in consistently and can aim at a zone
Game play
Stands still, doesn't call the ball
Moves to the ball sometimes
Calls “mine!” and uses 2–3 contacts
Reads the play, covers teammates, uses 3 contacts
Sportsmanship
Needs reminders often
Follows rules with some reminders
Follows rules and encourages teammates
Leads by example, helps others improve
Deep dive: make it work in a crowded gym
Small courts across the gym
Four small courts, 4 v 4
Run small courts side by side across the gym width, and keep spare balls in a bin, off the floor.
With 30 or more students, give each pair a ball and use the walls: wall passing and wall setting keep everyone busy while you coach small groups. Run small courts side by side across the gym width. Rotate in pairs instead of lines so no one waits more than a minute. Changing the ball (lighter), the net (lower) and the court (smaller) is the fastest way to raise success rates for beginners.
Sitting volleyball is a distinct form of the sport, played from the floor on a smaller court with a lower net. Start with an accessible, cooperative session and learn its rules separately from standing volleyball.
Use these 12 sessions as a sequence of choices, not a promise to master volleyball in six weeks. Repeat a task when needed, simplify it when control breaks down, and fit the work into the team's existing schedule.
Frequently asked questions
What ball should I use for PE with 11- to 14-year-olds?
Use a lightweight trainer or soft volleyball. Lighter balls hurt less and help students keep rallies going.
How many students per court?
Small-sided games of 2 v 2 to 4 v 4 give the most touches per student.
Do students need knee pads?
Not for this unit, because there's no diving. Teach safe movement and keep the floor clear of loose balls.
How do I grade the unit?
Use the 1–4 rubric for passing, setting, serving, game play and sportsmanship during the Lesson 6 tournament.
