Grade 9Creative Arts & Sports

Athletics and Mosaic

Long jump (sail/hang technique); creating a mosaic on sport themes from recyclables.

📖 5 min read · 3 worked examples · 5 practice questions

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The lesson

By the end of today's lesson, you'll know what we aim to achieve and how we'll get there. First, this unit aligns with the CBC Performing strand for Grade 9, so everything we do connects directly to the curriculum. Next, we'll learn the long jump sail and hang technique—think of the sail as the moment you lift your legs, and the hang as staying balanced before landing. We'll also create a sport‑themed mosaic using recycled materials, turning everyday items into vibrant artwork that celebrates Kenyan athletics. Finally, we'll weave in local examples—like the annual Lewa Marathon and our own school track events—to make the learning culturally relevant. If you have any questions as we go, just raise your hand.

Welcome, everyone. First, let's talk about mosaic basics: tessellation—how small pieces fit together like the tiles on a running track—and colour balance, just like choosing the right kit colours for a soccer team. Next, we'll apply those ideas to Kenyan sport themes: the marathon's endless road, the fast‑paced kicks of soccer, and the dynamic movements in athletics. Finally, remember we can make these mosaics sustainably—using bottle caps, plastic beads, and newspaper scraps, turning everyday waste into vibrant sport stories. Any questions before we start creating our own sport‑inspired mosaics?

The purpose of the long jump is to test an athlete's ability to convert sprinting speed into horizontal distance. In Kenyan school competitions it's a staple because it showcases raw athletic talent. First, the rules: according to the KICD 2024 standards, the jump is measured from the nearest mark made in the sand pit to the take‑off line. Only one foot may touch the board, and fouls are called if you step over. Key performance factors include your runway speed, the take‑off angle (ideally around 20 degrees), and the technique you use in flight – the hang or the hitch‑kick. Kenya has produced impressive jumpers, like [insert notable record holder] who set the national school record at 7.45 m. We'll look at how local meets nurture that talent. Any questions so far? Remember, mastering the long jump starts with a strong sprint and ends with a controlled landing.

Class, let's dive into the two most common long‑jump techniques used by Kenyan athletes: the Sail technique and the Hang technique. First, the Sail technique. After take‑off, the jumper keeps the body upright, extending the legs and swinging the arms forward, like a sail catching wind. This helps maintain speed and a clean flight path. At this bar chart comparing average jump distances. You can see that athletes who favor the Sail technique typically achieve slightly longer jumps than those using the Hang, especially at the Grade 9 level. In summary, the Sail technique relies on staying upright after take‑off, while the Hang technique involves arching the back to lengthen the flight. Both have their strengths, and the chart shows how they perform in our Kenyan schools.

We've reached the Reflection & Next Steps part of our lesson. This is our chance to think about what we've learned and plan how to keep improving. First, record your personal long‑jump goals in a logbook. Writing them down helps you track progress and stay motivated. Next, sketch a draft of your upcoming mosaic project. A quick drawing lets you visualise the design before you start placing tiles. Finally, share your ideas with classmates. Talking it through can give you fresh insights and help you refine your plan.

Worked examples

Sail Technique

Let's work through our first example: the Sail Technique used by a Kenyan runner. The athlete runs at 7.2 metres per second and launches at an 18 degree angle. These are the values we'll plug into the projectile formula. Recall the range equation: distance = (v² sin 2θ) / g. Here, g is 9.81 m/s². Putting the numbers in, we get a jump distance of about 4.85 metres. That's a solid start, but we can improve by increasing the take‑off speed or optimizing the angle. Any questions before we move on?

Hang Technique

Let's dive into Worked Example 2: the Hang Technique for the long jump. We'll see how the runner's speed and launch angle affect the distance. First, the runner's speed is 7.2 metres per second and the launch angle is 22 degrees. Remember, we also need to include the arching phase when we estimate the total distance. Using the projectile formula d = \frac{v^{2}\sin(2\theta)}{g}, we plug in the values: v = 7.2 m/s and \theta = 22°. This gives us a basic flight distance, but the hang technique adds extra length during the arch. When we account for the extra stretch in the air, the total distance comes out to about 5.10 metres, which is longer than the sail example we saw earlier. The key takeaway: the hang technique can yield a longer jump because the athlete extends their body during flight, effectively increasing the horizontal distance.

Optimising Performance

Class, let's dive into Worked Example 3: Optimising Performance. We'll see how tiny tweaks in speed or angle can add valuable distance to a jump. First, increasing your approach speed by just 0.5 metres per second can give you about 0.35 metres extra in the landing. Think of it like adding a small push on a bicycle – a little extra effort goes a long way. Second, adjusting your take‑off angle by approximately 2 degrees adds around 0.20 metres. Imagine tilting the launch angle of a stone you throw; a slight change shifts how far it travels. Finally, use these numbers to set personal training goals: aim for that 0.5 m/s speed boost or the 2‑degree angle tweak, then track how your jump distance improves over each practice session. Any questions so far? Feel free to share which adjustment you think would be easier for you to work on.

Practice questions

  • Remember the main distinction between the sail and hang techniques: the sail lets the torso stay more upright while the lead leg extends forward, whereas the hang involves arching the back and pulling the legs up toward the chest. Keep that visual in mind for Question 1.
  • For the velocity problems, break the speed into horizontal (v cos θ) and vertical (v sin θ) components. With 8 m/s at 20°, the horizontal component is about 7.
  • First, think about colour. When you need a vivid bright‑red tile, which recyclable item gives you the most natural red tone?
  • Colour contrast. In a long‑jump scene, you want the jumper's orange shoes to pop against the runway and grass, while the sky provides a calm backdrop.
  • Finally, recall why tessellation is key: it keeps every piece snug, avoids gaps, and lets the image flow smoothly—much like the uninterrupted stride of an athlete. After you finish, we'll briefly discuss how planning the layout first saves time and material.

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