Volleyball PE Unit: 6 Lesson Plans (Ages 11–14)

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.

Lessons

6 × 45 minutes

Ages

11–14

Main game

4 v 4 on a small court

Students per ball

2 is ideal

Skills

Pass, set, serve, attack, rally

Choose a lesson

Unit goals

By the end of the unit, students will be able to:

1. Pass a ball with a forearm platform to a target.
2. Set a ball using an overhead “window” hand shape.
3. Serve underhand over the net from a shortened distance.
4. Play a cooperative and then competitive rally using three contacts.
5. 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)

• 15 volleyballs or more (lightweight trainer balls or soft volleyballs work best for this age)
• 2–4 nets or ropes (badminton nets or a rope between posts work for small courts)
• 20–30 cones or poly spots
• Bibs (pinnies) in 4–6 colors
• Hula hoops or floor tape for targets
• Whistle, timer, clipboard or tablet for assessment
• 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.

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

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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

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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)

Deep dive: make it work in a crowded 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.

Watch: teaching volleyball basics in youth PE

Video: Prime Coaching Sport on YouTube. Learn Volley is not affiliated with this channel.

Frequently asked questions