SCIENCE CONCEPT:
- The size of a tennis court is regulated by consistent
dimensions. The lines that border the court - the baselines and
sidelines are common to all courts. The lines of the court create a
series of rectangles. These rectangles are viewed by the players as
triangles when they are diagonally divided in the players mind during
play. The consistent size of the court is viewed by the players in
geometric divisions and because of these dimensions the court has an
impact on the placement of the tennis ball.
STUDENT OBJECTIVE:
- The student will observe the dimensions of the tennis
court with their eye and then measure with a tape measure. The court is
divided into a series of rectangular shapes which are viewed by the
players in geometric terms. The student will observe these geometric
shapes that are created on the court.
OVERVIEW:
- The student will measure the dimensions of a tennis court
using a measuring tape. The outside dimensions as well as the inner
court divisions will be measured and recorded.
TEACHER TEXT:
- All tennis courts are alike in dimension. However, they
have a wide variety of playing surfaces. The four most common surfaces
are hardcourts, either asphalt or cement, red and green clay courts, and
grass courts, such as at Wimbledon. The dimensions remain consistent.
The lines that border the court, the baselines and sidelines are common
to all courts. Court surfaces vary from place to place, and even two
adjacent courts with the same surface can have individual characteristics
that affect play.
The geometric shapes that make up the playing surface of
the tennis court are used to define when shots are in or out. In
singles, the alley on both sides of the court is not part of the playing
dimension. In doubles, the alley is a part of the playing court. The
left service court and right service court are used to determine whether
a served ball is good or not, and in doubles these same court areas
determine the field of play for each player in the doubles match. The
baseline is the place where the serve is initiated and the center mark at
the baseline helps the player determine his/her placement of the ball in
the back court.
Each dimension within the tennis court plays a
significant role in the game of tennis. These geometric shapes determine
the depth of various tennis shots. A serve that is wide or deep of the
service box is a fault. After the serve, any shot that lands outside the
dimensions of either the singles or the doubles court is also out.
The other major geometric factor in determining the
nature of the shots in tennis is the net. The ball must first clear the
net before landing in the opponent's court. Any ball that fails to clear
the net is a lost point for the player hitting that ball. The net across
the center of the court is 3 feet high at the center strap. For
tournament play it is 3 feet 6 inches at either the edge of the singles
or doubles court.
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PREPARATION TIME:
- 15 minutes.
LESSON TIME:
- 45 minutes.
TEACHER PREP:
- Gather materials
WORDS TO KNOW:
- base line
- side line
- left service court
- right service court
- fore court
- service line
- back court
- center mark
- alley
- geometric shapes(for the younger children)
- net
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