Note that these are examples of lesson plans. Determining which is the best one to begin with depends on what your student’s needs are. Common Problems and Solutions below, will provide a few examples.
First Experience
| Objective: | Meet, greet and move! Relationship begins with your students and goals are established. Students gain comfort and mobility in the snow environment. |
| Terrain: | As flat as possible. First meeting may be at the Rental Shop, Snow School Desk or Meeting Area. |
| Safety: | Ensure students are dressed for the weather, fitness levels, input from parents about their kids’ needs. |
| Fun Factor: | Energy and attitude! Smile, be authentic, get to know your students. Keep them moving. Tune the intensity level to fitness level. |
“The time you take to greet your group, establish goals, and put students at ease is the foundation that the rest of your lesson will build upon. This relationship and trust will help your students build the confidence to try new things and persist when learning a new sport”.
Fundamentals
- Meet, greet
- Trust and confidence
- Equipment familiarization
- Use of all joints helps maintain balance
- Climbing a small slope
- Turning safely to glide down
Lesson Plan Examples
- Meet and greet your students with energy. Be approachable and learn names
- Find out how they feel, listen for apprehension
- Find location to introduce them to the environment, equipment and start mobility
- Create mobility through walking over various terrain, running, races, tag…
- Introduce equipment, how to put on, take it off
- Show how to fall over safely and how to get up
- Climbing (side stepping and/or herringbone)
- Start gate stance (bullfighter turn) – to setup safely for gliding
Common Problems and Solutions
Fear and apprehension
| Assessment: | Hesitant to try, they look nervous, they may be afraid (falling, other skiers etc) kids may cry, refuse to go with you |
| Development: | Be friendly, open and helpful to build trust and confidence Prime them for the fun they will have. Falling is part of it and it’s okay! Stay close to them for support and comfort Get down to kid’s eye level, goggles up, smile, talk about things that interest them |
Lack of mobility
| Assessment: | Difficulty moving around, awkward movements |
| Development: | Show them heel to toe stride in ski boots, dig heels or toes in on slopes Have them bounce up and down to flex boots Work on moving all joints, use examples like tennis, basketball etc Keep group active to keep them warm, take breaks if needed Play games with kids |
Can’t climb slope
| Assessment: | Skis slipping and not gripping enough |
| Development: | Roll ankle and knee of downhill ski inwards, so the edge bites Ensure they understand the effect of the “fall line” |
Difficulty turning around on a slope
| Assessment: | Hesitant or lack of correct movements to turn in place on a slope |
| Development: | Bullfighter turn Small multiple steps to maneuver skis into snowplow position Hands-on approach, you can assist students the first few times as they move to their start gate stance |
Equipment
| Assessment: | Incorrect use or setup of equipment, awkward handling, confused looks, boots hurt |
| Development: | Check that boots are done up correctly, pants over boots, not tucked inside etc Teach to scrape snow off on bindings and assist when needed Not everyone can afford the right equipment. Be empathetic with recommendations Show how bindings function and how to get in and out of them. Practice… Ensure bindings fit boots, but don’t adjust bindings yourself |
Straight Gliding
| Objective: | Students can glide and are confident with the sensation of “letting go”. |
| Terrain: | Flat or gently sloping. Concave or slight rise in outrun is ideal. |
| Safety: | Consider how fast the students might go without ability to slow or stop themselves. Are there hazards? |
| Fun Factor: | How far can you slide? How fast can you go? How about one foot? Jumping while sliding. |
| Fundamentals | Movements |
|---|---|
| First sensation of gliding | |
| Use of all joints helps maintain balance | Use range of movement in ankles, knees and hips |
| Balance on the foot | Flexed ankles, shin contact, ball and heel pad |
Lesson Plan Examples
- Show and have them try an athletic, centered stance before sliding
- Help them find cues such as shins on tongue of boots, weight in middle of each foot
- Push with poles to start sliding
- Maintain bend in all joints for balance, look forward, hands forward with arms relaxed
- Explore range of movement by utilizing joints
Common Problems and Solutions
Fear and Apprehension
| Assessment: | Hesitant to try, they look nervous, they may be afraid (falling, other skiers etc) Falling backwards when skis move |
| Development: | Stay close as they try, offer a hand or snowplow backwards in front of them Consider flatter terrain |
Falling
| Assessment: | Unbalanced stance, lack of flexion |
| Development: | Hands on knees for stability, shin pressure, go with the skis Balance on both feet, drag poles to assist balance |
Additional Information
Gliding is the essence of skiing. Don’t underestimate the exhilaration that a student will feel at this point in the lesson.
Speed Management in Snowplow
| Objective: | Students can confidently manage their speed using a snowplow stance. |
| Terrain: | Flat to gently sloping. Concave or slight rise in outrun is ideal. |
| Safety: | Consider how fast the students might go if they aren’t successful. Are there hazards (trees, lifts, people)? |
| Fun Factor: | Red Light/Green Light, slow races, use rollers – maintain speed. |
| Fundamentals | Movements |
|---|---|
| Wide stance | Leg abduction |
| Turn legs inwards | Internal leg rotation |
| Blend above movements | Unification into a motor pattern |
Lesson Plan Examples
- Show and have them try an athletic, centered stance before sliding
- Help them find cues such as shins on tongue of boots, weight in middle of each foot
- Push with poles to start sliding
- Maintain bend in all joints for balance, look forward, hands forward with arms relaxed
- Explore range of movement by utilizing joints
Common Problems and Solutions
Tips cross
| Assessment: | Hesitant to try, they look nervous, they may be afraid (falling, other skiers etc) Falling backwards when skis move |
| Development: | Stay close as they try, offer a hand or snowplow backwards in front of them Consider flatter terrain |
Tips separate
| Assessment: | Tips too far apart. Legs don’t turn in. Student is sitting back. |
| Development: | Teach balance on inside of each foot Ensure student is turning legs in, ankles are bent, and they feel shin contact on boots |
Fatigue
| Assessment: | Students begin to fall more frequently, possible frustration |
| Development: | Limit amount of climbing, take breaks If safe to do so, use surface lift or stationary carpets Promote relaxed posture, tension burns energy |
Direction Change and Linking Snowplow Turns
| Objective: | Students can change direction “at will” in a snowplow. Excitement builds with control! |
| Terrain: | Gently sloping with space to link a few turns. Momentum is an important tool here. |
| Safety: | Consider where students might go if they make a mistake. Are there hazards (trees, lifts, people)? |
| Fun Factor: | Ski pole slalom, Simon says, cat and mouse, terrain features, use a lift if you can. |
| Fundamentals | Movements |
|---|---|
| Skis in snowplow | Basic snowplow position |
| Turn outside leg/foot | Internal femur rotation |
| Balance on outside ski | Lighten inside foot |
| Change of balance | Re-centering, flexion and extension of legs |
Lesson Plan Examples
- Same fundamentals as straight snowplow. Now use one side more than the other
- From a snowplow, rotate femur of outside ski and lighten the inside foot. Balance on outside foot as it turns
- Try turn in other direction, turn to a stop in both cases
- Vary quickness and amount of movement for control
- Explain and practice how to re-center and transfer balance from outside ski to outside ski by making inside foot light
- Slide across the slope, rise and flatten old turning ski and then roll foot and turn new leg, maintain momentum
Common Problems and Solutions
Student doesn’t turn, leaning in
| Assessment: | Balance is on the inside foot |
| Development: | Teach balance on outside foot Flex ankle and knee of the outside leg, gentle tail tap of the inside ski, touch knee on outside leg |
Doesn’t turn
| Assessment: | Outside ski slipping, too little edge angle |
| Development: | Teach balance on inside edge of outside ski Side stepping uphill to get feeling of inside edge, touch outside knee |
Doesn’t turn #2
| Assessment: | Student won’t or can’t initiate new turn |
| Development: | Develop re-centering movement and turning of new ski Rise up on both feet while extending, roll outside ankle inward |
No control of turn shape
| Assessment: | Upper body leading the turn, outside ski not gripping |
| Development: | Work on leg turning (femur rotation), rolling in of the ankle on the turning ski Turn thigh with hands, bottle cap analogy, focus on turn completion |
Introduction to Parallel
| Objective: | Students can glide confidently with enough speed to aid balance to the outside ski after the fall line. |
| Terrain: | Longer green to blue slope for medium speed. Consider confidence and athleticism of student. |
| Safety: | Stay away from, or work with the flow of traffic. Teach responsibilities and risks of being on the mountain. |
| Fun Factor: | Explore terrain, one ski turns, follow me, terrain features and turn shapes. |
| Fundamentals | Movements |
|---|---|
| Smaller snowplow | |
| Faster speed | |
| Inside ski edge change | Lighten inside foot and roll to opposite edge |
| Inside ski steered to match | Inside ski external leg rotation |
| Complete turn with parallel skis |
Lesson Plan Examples
- Add speed to linked snowplow turns through a larger turn, comfortable terrain
- Below the fall line make the inside foot lighter to promote balance to outside ski
- Lighten inside foot and roll to opposite edge
- Based on student ability, progress inside foot lightening and rolling further up the arc
- Ensure enough speed and momentum to promote good balance
Common Problems and Solutions
Speed not maintained
| Assessment: | Students can’t roll inside ski onto uphill edge, tail of inside ski catches on snow, snowplow is too big |
| Development: | Choose flatter terrain, encourage smaller snowplow and faster speed Tap the tail of inside ski to promote balance on outside ski Use “follow me” to promote effective turn shape |
Tipping inside
| Assessment: | Skis not matching, balance on inside foot |
| Development: | Teach balance on outside foot Touch downhill knee with hands, one ski turns, airplane turns |
No control of turn shape
| Assessment: | Upper body leading the turn, outside ski not gripping |
| Development: | Work on leg turning, rolling in of the ankle on the turning ski Turn thigh with hands, boot arch’s in snow, bottle cap analogy, drag outside pole |
Difficulty matching ski
| Assessment: | Balance on inside ski, skier is tipped inside |
| Development: | Start lightening inside ski earlier in turn Step-up turns, bike pedaling, rollerblade turn |
Additional Information
With athletic students, faster speed on gentle terrain can naturally produce inside ski matching later in the turn. Encourage this and have the student reflect on what happened (skis are now on corresponding edges)
Pole Plant
Only applicable if your students have poles and learning a pole plant will be beneficial to development
| Objective: | Students can time pole plant to assist with balance and linking of turns |
| Terrain: | Green and blue runs. Teach pole plant on terrain that students are very comfortable with. |
| Safety: | Pole straps adjusted correctly to protect the thumb. |
| Fun Factor: | A secret weapon for our skiing. |
| Fundamentals |
|---|
| Arms forward, slightly to side Swing downhill pole from forearm and wrist Timing of pole touch is at edge change |
Lesson Plan Examples
- Stationary practice of pole swing and touch. Only swing with forearm and wrist. Arms stay quiet
- Create a light inside foot with the timing of the pole plant
- Practice above sequence in a traverse or on a cat track
- Apply to turns
Common Problems and Solutions
Planted on uphill side
| Assessment: | Planted on uphill side |
| Development: | Explain correct side Have student follow and copy/mirror you |
Incorrect timing
| Assessment: | Timing not at edge change |
| Development: | Time pole swing with the rising motion (leg extension) Stork turns, step-up turns |
Loss of separation and balance
| Assessment: | Upper body rotates around with pole swing, inside hand/arm falls back |
| Development: | Swing pole only with forearm and wrist – not arm Keep/push hand forward after pole touch, keep hands in view, double pole plant |
Additional Information
- A pole plant is necessary to progress to advanced skiing. It improves balance by creating a larger base of support, helps with timing, stabilizes upper body and can enable a stronger turning force in the legs
- A pole plant can be taught before or after Parallel
- Ensure students understand how to correctly wear the pole straps
Linking Parallel Turns
| Objective: | Students ski with more agility and efficiency by turning both skis at the same time. |
| Terrain: | Green and blue runs. Consider confidence and athleticism of student. Convex rolls help turn initiation. |
| Safety: | Stay away from, or work with the flow of traffic. Teach responsibilities and risks of being on the mountain. |
| Fun Factor: | Exploration, one ski turns, follow me, terrain features and turn shapes, increase speed. |
| Fundamentals | Movements |
|---|---|
| Slightly faster speed | |
| Release COM across BOS | Through leg extension |
| Simultaneous edge release | Roll ankle inward |
| Balance to outside ski (separation, angulation) | Rotation of femurs, roll foot inward |
Lesson Plan Examples
- Beginning at previous turn completion
- Recentre COM over BOS through leg extension management
- Edges release simultaneously with crossing of COM over BOS
- Incorporate leg turning to promote balance on outside ski
- Balance on outside ski throughout turn by keeping inside foot light
- Increase edge angles with separation and angulation as required for direction and speed management
Common Problems and Solutions
Too slow
| Assessment: | Students speed too slow to execute a parallel turn |
| Development: | Choose flatter terrain to encourage faster skiing Have student follow you and keep up, encourage larger turns |
Late balance transfer
| Assessment: | Student stemming, COM not rising at turn initiation |
| Development: | Lighten inside foot to transfer balance earlier in the turn (turn initiation) Stork turns, drag uphill pole, berms or sidehills |
Not releasing both skis together
| Assessment: | Student stemming, COM not rising at turn initiation |
| Development: | Practice simultaneous edge release Side slips on and off, focus on release of downhill ski, use convex terrain, rollerblade turns on flats |
No control of turn shape/speed
| Assessment: | Upper body leads into the turn |
| Development: | Work on leg turning Leg turning exercises, hockey stops, diagonal side slips |
Additional Information
- Speed is important. It’s very difficult to turn the skis simultaneously at slow speeds
- A pole plant can assist with the releasing of both edges. It helps with timing and balance (committing to new outside ski) and enhances internal turning effort (point of contact with the ground)
COM = Center of Mass
BOS = Base of Support
Originally posted by the CSIA: CSIA Lesson Plan (csia-lesson-plan.com)