Unit Overview
This unit develops pupils’ fundamental athletic skills through a range of running, jumping and throwing activities.
- Develops sprinting, endurance running and relay skills
- Introduces different jumping techniques for distance and height
- Develops throwing skills using a range of equipment
- Encourages pupils to improve performance through practice and effort
- Introduces measuring, recording and comparing performances
- Promotes fair competition, teamwork and personal challenge
Unit Outcomes
By the end of this unit, pupils will be able to:
- Run at different speeds over short and longer distances
- Perform a range of jumping actions for distance and height
- Throw a variety of objects with control and accuracy
- Improve performance through practice and effort
- Measure, record and compare results
- Demonstrate positive attitudes towards competition and personal challenge
Lesson Plans
Lesson 1: Throwing – Javelin
Warm-up • Skill Development • Game
View Lesson Plan
Learning Objectives:
- To gain an understanding of angles
- To understand and apply correct throwing technique.
Success Criteria:
- I can hold the javelin correctly (grip and point).
- I can step forward with the opposite foot when throwing.
- I can throw with control and aim for distance or a target.
Key Words:
- Technique
- Angles
- Power
Equipment:
- Javelins
- Cones for set up
- Bean bags
Preparation Idea (warm up) – Tidy My Bedroom:
Split the class into two teams and have a dodgeball type court set up. Spread bean bags around the area on both sides. Explain to the two teams that their area is their ‘bedroom’ and that the bean bags represent mess in their room. The idea is, using an underarm throw, to throw the bean bags into the other team’s bedroom. You can only pick up one bean bag at a time to throw and you must be standing up to throw the bean bag
Skill Development:
Javelin technique
>Standing with one foot in front of the other (make sure the front foot is the opposite foot to the hand holding the javelin). >Slightly bend the front knee and keep the back leg straight.
>Extend the arm holding the javelin straight behind with your other arm out in front pointing in the direction we want to throw.
>Lean back and then extend the javelin in front in a quick motion for extra power
Practice throw
Get the children in teams of 4-5 (this number will be determined by how many javelins you have available). Have a safety line, then 2-3m in front a throw line (this will stop those who’s turn it isn’t being hurt/in the way).
Each child takes it in turn to have a go at throwing the javelin
Progression:
>Add in a start line. This will mean we have a safety line for those not throwing, then a start line and finally a throw line.
Children start on the start line and jog to the throw line before throwing their javelin.
Game – Javelin Competition
Keep the children in their groups and mark out 4 zones in the area the children will throw to. They will attempt their throws 3 times each and mark their score as well as their team score
>Zone 1 = 1 point
>Zone 2 = 2 points
>Zone 3 = 3 points
>Zone 4 = 4 points
>Beyond zone 4 = 5 points
Each zone is marked at the 5m point meaning beyond zone should be beyond 20m.
Progression:
>Each child will look at someone in their groups technique and explain to that person how they can improve their throw. Is it to do with their angles? Is it to do with them leaning back. Do they need to add power?
Teaching points:
- Javelin to start above the shoulder with a bent arm. Grip the javelin in between the middle and back (around 1/3 from the back of the javelin)
- Pull the javelin behind until your arm is fully extended. When throwing, keep the javelin close to the shoulder
- Make sure they lean back in their stance before they throw. This will increase the power in their throw.
- Talk about angles – we want to throw at the perfect angle (0 degrees being straight, 90 degrees being pointed straight up, so what angle is the perfect angle? 45 degrees). This will ensure that we have the perfect height and distance when throwing. Make sure that our non throwing hand is pointed at 45 degrees which will help us to throw the javelin perfectly.
- When jogging with the javelin, we want to stay in the start position and pull the javelin back when we are close to the throwing line
Key Questions:
- What angle do we want to throw the javelin at?
- What can help us to achieve this angle? – using our non throwing hand pointed towards 45 degrees
- How can we increase the power in our throw?
National curriculum links:
- Using throwing in isolation and combination
- Compare their performance against previous attempts and demonstrate improvements
Social/environmental skills:
- Developing resilience in trying to improve their scores/technique
- Developing confidence in trying a new skill
Lesson 2: Jump Session – SLJ & STJ
Warm-up • Skill Development • Game
View Lesson Plan
Learning Objective:
- To understand how to generate power using arms and legs.
- To measure and compare jump distances.
Success Criteria:
- I can bend my knees and swing my arms to generate power.
- I can land safely with bent knees and balance.
- I can link hop, step and jump in a simple triple jump sequence.
Key Words:
- Power
- Control
- Technique
Equipment:
- Cones
- Spots
- Metre sticks
Preparation Idea (Warm Up) – Lily Pad Tag
Place spots all around the area. As many as there are pupils in the class. Pick 3-4 people to be taggers. They cannot stand on a spot (lily pad). Everyone starts off the spots.
The game is a simple tag game. Every time someone reaches and stands on a spot for at least 3 seconds, they receive one point. When standing on a spot, you cannot be tagged but to gain another point, you need to move to another spot. When you are running in between spots, you can be tagged. If you are tagged, your score returns to 0.
Progression:
>Add more taggers
>Remove spots
Skill Development
Speed bounce
For this activity you will need the speed bounce mats. If you do not have access, a line of cones or a hurdle can be used. The idea of this activity is for the children to jump from one side to the other continuously for a set period (normally 30secs-1min).
We are looking for good balance and speed whilst doing this activity. Children must land on two feet each time for the score to count. Allow the children to experiment with their speed and balance. Can they find a way of improving themselves.
Challenge:
>In pairs have one complete the task, the other is given a stopwatch. Set the children a task to complete as many jumps in 30-60 secs (anything in between that time is fine). Child with the stop watch is the time and score keeper
Game – Standing Long & Triple Jump
Long Jump
Get the children into pairs. They will be given 3 cones between each group. Try to make the cones all different colours. Use one as a starting position and the other two to measure. Children will look to measure each other’s jumps and record their score by placing the cone at their heel.
Allow the children to experiment with their jumps. Can they find different ways of improving their jumps without their jump being voided (remember we need to land still with two feet)
Challenge:
>Make the practice competitive by getting the children to not only compete against themselves (trying to beat their own score) but also against their partner
Triple Jump
Get the children into pairs. They will be given 3 cones between each group. Try to make the cones all different colours. Use one as a starting position and the other two to measure.
Children will look to measure each other’s jumps and record their score by placing the cone at their heel. Allow the children to experiment with their jumps. Can they find different ways of improving their jumps without their jump being voided (remember we need to land still with two feet)
Progression:
>Can we score keep for both types of jumps. Bring out a pair or two at a time to get an official measurement. Have a start line marked out along with measuring sticks/tape. Get the children to do a standing long jump & triple jump, ensuring that they land still on two feet. Measure their scores.
Teaching Points:
- For the speed bounce, we want to see a mix of speed and balance. Children to bend their knees as they jump and land, using their arms for balance as they jump from side to side over the mat/cones
- For the standing long jump, stand with feet slightly apart, bend the knees, swing arms and jump as far forward as possible, landing still on two feet. If they land and fall backwards, the score is taken from the furthest point back (whether its hands, feet etc.) so it is important that they land still
- For the standing triple jump, Hop, step and jump. Start with one foot in front of the other, bend knees and swing arms, the first movement is to hop onto one foot, step using the opposite foot and land with two feet standing still. Same as the standing long jump, the score is taken from the furthest point back so we want to land still and balanced.
- To add extra power into their jumps, the children will need to bend their knees more, swing their arms more forceful and ensure that all of the momentum in their jump is forward (when swinging the arms, jump when swinging forward so that your momentum is forward)
Key Questions:
- How can we remain balanced when landing?
- Why is it important to land still?
- How can we generate extra power to allow us to jump further?
National curriculum links:
- Using jumping in isolation and combination
- Develop technique, balance and control through athletics
- Compare their results against previous attempts and look to improve their best score
Social/environmental skills:
- Working together to measure each other’s score, developing team work skills
- Developing resilience in trying to improve their score
- Committing to continual improvement throughout the session
Lesson 3: Sprint Session
Warm-up • Skill Development • Game
View Lesson Plan
Learning Objective:
- To develop sprinting technique over short distances.
- To understand the importance of reaction and acceleration.
Success Criteria:
- I can use my arms to drive forward when sprinting.
- I can run on the balls of my feet.
- I can maintain speed through the finish line.
Key Words:
- Energy
- Technique
- Momentum
Equipment:
- Cones
Preparation Idea (warm up) – Remote Control Game
Get the children into a space in the playing area. They must follow the teacher’s instructions:
>Play – Jogging around the playing area
>Pause – Pausing in a running technique – allow the children to experiment what they think the running technique should be
>Rewind – Moving backwards – make sure we are checking over our shoulders so we do not bump into each other
>Fast forward – Sprinting – allow the children to again experiment with their running technique
>Jump forward – jumping in a forward motion – think about the long jump from last week
>Jump backwards – Jumping in a backwards motion – again think of the long jump and allow them to experiment on how this could be used in a backwards motion
Allow the children to experiment with their movements. We can look to improve technique in the next activity but for now, just allow them to be active in their movements.
Skill Development
Get the children into a space in the playing area and get them to firstly show what they think is the correct technique for sprinting and allow them to experiment with their movements.
Stop the class and show them the correct sprint technique mentioned in the teaching points. Now allow the children to again move around the area using this motion.
Straight line sprinting
Get the class lined up in groups of 5-6 (this will be determined by your class size). Have a start line and a finish line around 10-15m apart. We are again practicing our sprint technique. This time, when they think of the wind tunnel, imagine they are in a small tube tunnel from the start to finish line.
Tell them that you want them to stay inside their tunnel as they move. Use the sprint technique, always facing forward, sprinting in as straight a line as they can. We want to keep our energy moving forward where we are going and not to the side, as this would be wasted energy
Again, allow them to practice this and experiment with their technique.
Is there anything extra they could do to help with their technique:
>Are they raising their knees too high
>Are they raising their arms too high?
Allow them to come up with things to help their technique and speed
Tony Chin technique
This is the technique for the start of the race (block start)
Starting on one knee (whichever feels more comfortable and natural) placing hands in front on either side. We want to create a straight line between the toe, knee and chin (Tony Chin) in the starting position. This is the ‘ready’ position. As ‘set’ is called, you raise your bottom and back up into a hunched position, again keeping the toe, knee and chin in a straight line. When ‘go’ is called, the children push off from their back foot to give them extra momentum and power.
Allow the children to practice this with a partner. Their partner will call ‘ready, set, go’ and they must use the Tony Chin technique. Allow time for them to experiment which foot they want to push off from and to change their stance.
Game – Sprint Races
Class split into groups of 4-5. Set up a track with the same number of lanes around 25-30m long. This will be the length of the race. Have one child at the start who will call ‘ready, set, go’ and one at the finish line who will call the winner.
Allow each group to have 4-5 races to give them time to improve their race. Talk to the children about the importance of showing good sportsmanship by celebrating other’s achievements at the end of the race and shaking hands with competitors
Teaching Points:
- For the sprint technique, arms moving up and down, fingers straight rather than scrunched up in a fist action. We want to drive our knees up as we are moving – Think of yourself in a wind tunnel. We want the energy that we use to drive us forward rather than side to side
- When sprinting, you always want to be facing forwards. Don’t look to the side to see how your opponent is doing. If you can’t see anyone, you are in front
Key Questions:
- Does using the correct technique feel natural or unnatural? If unnatural, why?
- Why do we want the motion of our arms to be up and down rather than side to side? – Energy moving forward
- Why do we use the Tony chin technique in the beginning of the race? – To gain extra momentum
- What do we mean by sportsmanship and how can we show that when racing against others?
National curriculum links:
- Using running in isolation and combination
- Developing technique through athletics
- Comparing their score against previous scores and looking to improve their personal best
Social/environmental skills:
- Showing and developing resilience through trying to improve
- Being able to follow instructions for techniques and improving listening skills by taking that information on
- Developing sportsmanship skills by racing against others and emphasizing or celebrating others achievements
Lesson 4: Relay Session
Warm-up • Skill Development • Game
View Lesson Plan
Learning Objectives:
- To perform an effective baton changeover.
- To work cooperatively within a team.
- To apply sprinting skills in a relay race.
Success Criteria:
- I can pass and receive a baton safely.
- I can communicate clearly with my teammate.
- I can maintain speed during a relay race.
Key Words:
- Communication
- Team work
Equipment:
- Cones
- Batons
Preparation Ideas (warm up) – Germs & Medicine
Choose 3-4 taggers (germs) and the same number of releasers (medicine). The job of the germs is to tag as many people as possible in the time given. The medicine will be given a relay baton each. Their job is to release anyone who has been tagged. To do this, they will hand over the relay baton to the person who has been tagged.
They will then become the new medicine who must find someone else to release.
Play this game 3-4 times changing taggers each time
Skill Development
Hand over the baton
Get the children into groups of around 4-5. Each team will be given a relay baton. They will line up one behind the other on the start line, with the finish line being around 10-15m away (depending on space available). The relay baton starts at the front of the queue and must be handed back to the person at the back of the queue. When they receive the baton, they run to the front of the queue and the process is repeated.
What you should find is that the queue begins to slowly move forward as the person at the back joins the front. The team who can reach the finish line first are the winners
Progression:
>If a team drops the baton, two members at the front need to join the back, forcing the team into moving backwards. This can be used for high ability groups to make it more challenging
>You could also change how we pass the baton (left, right, left, right) or (over, under, over, under) to make the game more challenging
Game – Relay Chase
Split the class into 4 even teams. Create a large circle area (track) with each team lining up at different points (one at the north point, west point, south point and east point). Each team will line up one behind the other on the inside of the circle with the person with the baton on the outside.
The aim of the game is to continuously complete laps, passing the baton to the next person and joining the back of your queue. Your aim is to overtake the team in front. If you overtake the team in front, your team wins a point and the game stops. You then head back to your start point and the game starts again.
The team with the most points when the game finishes win the game. Can we encourage our team mates throughout the game to help and support them.
Progression:
>Can the receiver start to move before receiving the baton in order to create some momentum when they start to sprint. There is a higher chance of the baton being dropped, but with good technique and communication, it can help the team to keep their speed up and not have to slow down when the baton is being passed
>Change direction – the teacher can call out ‘change’ at any time resulting in the teams having to turn around and run in the opposite direction
Teaching Points:
- Baton technique – When holding the baton, you should hold it at the end. This gives more space for the receiver to grab the baton rather than to grab your hand and drop the baton.
- Receiver technique – Hold your hand out flat when receiving the baton so that the passer has a large area to aim for.
- Communication – Working together, encouraging each other. The receiver can also call ‘now’ to the passer to let them know they have the baton and that the passer can let go. This will help further into the lesson when they are running
Key Questions:
- What do we mean by the term communication?
- How can communication help us when passing the baton on?
- Where should the baton be held when passing it to a team mate and why?
- How should you receive a baton and why?
- How can we support our team mates during the game?
National curriculum links:
- Using running in isolation and combination
- Developing technique and control throughout the session
Social/environmental skills:
- Developing team work skills by working in groups
- Developing communication skills
- Showing encouragement to others when performing
Lesson 5: Alternative Session
Warm-up • Skill Development • Game
View Lesson Plan
Learning Objectives:
- To compete in a mix of different sports day type activities
- To communicate effectively within a group.
- To encourage and support teammates.
Success Criteria:
- I can use a range of different skills including sprinting, strength and balance
- I can improve my problem-solving skills, as well as our team work skills
Key Words:
- Problem solving
- Team work
- Communication
Equipment:
- Ropes
- Skipping ropes
- Cones
Preparation Ideas (warm up) – Tangle Of Hands
Get the class into groups of 6-8 per group (this will depend on your class size). Each team forms a circle with everyone firstly placing their right hand into the circle. They will hold hands with someone else but this person cannot be stood next to you. You then place your left hand into the circle and do the same thing (again it cannot be someone next to you but must be someone different).
The idea of the game is to untangle the circle without letting go of hands. The children must use good communication, leadership and problem-solving skills to achieve success.
Can they remain patient enough to complete the task without letting go of hands. If they do let go, the team must restart with the game. First team to complete the task win.
Skill Development
Three-legged race
Get the class to remain in the same group as the first task (make sure there are mixed abilities throughout each group). The three-legged race is simple. Each team has two people competing at a time but both of their inside legs are tied together to form 3 legs.
Before competing in races, allow the children in the groups to pair up (try to mix up groups so friends aren’t together. This will force the children into forming new bonds and communication streams with different people in their class).
Create a large square area and make sure each pair has their legs tied with either rope or skipping ropes (anything will do). Allow the children to explore the area with their three legs and allow them to problem solve the easiest way to move around (figure it out for themselves)
Once the children have had some practice, allow them to compete in races against one another. Set up is the same as it would be for a sprint race Get the children back into their teams of 6-8 and allow them to compete against the other teams. Points are awarded:
>1st place team – 5 points for their team
>2nd place team – 3 points for their team
>3rd place team – 2 points for their team
>4th+ place team – 1 point for their team
Add the scores of each race to see which team are victorious.
Progression:
>Add obstacles onto the course that the class need to navigate. This may be in the form of a block, making each team have to move sideways and around. This could also be a hoop that they have to pass through in order to continue. Again, team work and communication will be vital for their success in problem solving.
Game – Tug Of War
Children to be in groups again of 6-8 people per group. You may want to swap teams around to mix up the groups and force the children again to work with and communicate with others.
The tug of war is a simple concept. You start with a large rope in which all participants from each team can grab onto the rope. You place a cone or line in the middle of the rope. The teams have to then pull on the rope and force the other team over the line.
Allow the children to work as a team to come up with a couple of tactics for the game. Where will the strongest players be placed? At the front, at the back or a mix of strong and small players to even it up? It is up to them. Are you going to have a leader in the team that shouts instructions so that everyone is pulling at the same time? Can you pick that leader? Where should they be standing?
How is everyone going to stand on the rope? On the same side? On opposite sides?
Allow the children time to come up with these tactics and then allow teams to practice against one another.
Once they have had time to practice, start a competition between teams as below:
| Team 1 v Team 2 | Team 2 v Team 4 |
| Team 3 v Team 4 | Team 1 v Team 4 |
| Team 1 v Team 3 | Team 2 v Team 3 |
Each winning team will be awarded 2 points with the loser receiving 1 point
Teaching Points:
- For the three legged race, it is all about the rhythm of their movements and synchronising their running pattern so they are stepping on the same leg at the same time.
- For the tug of war, communication and team work is vital. It is best to have the strongest players placed at the back of the line as they are able to gather more momentum. All of the team need to be pulling at the same time in order to gain the most momentum
Key Questions:
- What do we mean by communication and why is it important when doing a three legged race?
- What do we mean by the term momentum and why is that important when doing the tug of war?
- Why is communication important when doing the tug of war?
National curriculum links:
- Developing strength, technique and control through athletics
- Playing competitive games against others
Social/environmental links:
- Developing team work skills
- Developing communication skills
- Showing sportsmanship when competing against others
- Showing creativity when coming up with tactics
- Developing leadership skills when coming up with tactics
Lesson 6: Athletics Circuit Competiton
Warm-up • Skill Development • Game
View Lesson Plan
Learning Objectives:
- To apply athletics skills in a competitive setting.
- To demonstrate improved performance.
- To show respect and sportsmanship.
Success Criteria:
- I can perform with correct technique in events.
- I can record and compare results.
- I can show respect to others during competition.
Key Words:
- Competition
- Performance
- Respect
Equipment:
- Javelins
- Cones
- Rope
- Relay Batons
- Metre sticks (if available)
Preparation Ideas (warm up) – Team Warm Up
Depending on the size of the class, look to split the class into even groups of around 5 people per group. You may want to split them into houses/groups that are used on sports day but you don’t want groups to be more than 5-6 per group
Allow the groups to pick their own game to play as part of a warm up in their own small space. Give each group the ability to choose from the following equipment:
>Cones
>Bibs
>Baton
>Small balls
>Bean bags
>Hoops
Game – Athletics Competition
For the competition there will be 5 stations set up that the class will move through and compete at:
>Station 1 – Sprint races
>Station 2 – Javelin throw
>Station 3 – Relay Chase
>Station 4 – Standing long jump – average jump distance taken
>Station 5 – Tug of war
Stations 1 through 4 will be set up the exact same way that they are in the previous lessons so refer back to the lessons to set up the area
For station 1 & 2: Points per race/throw:
1st – 5 points
2nd – 3 points
3rd – 2 points
4th+ – 1 point
For station 3-5: Points per final position:
1st place team – 10 points
2nd place team – 8 points
3rd place team – 6 points
4th place team – 4 points
5th place team – 2 points
6th+ place team – 1 point
Teaching Points:
- When competing, we want to see good sportsmanship and children encouraging their team mates as well as applauding other teams for their efforts
- We want to see the children use good technique from the previous sessions when competing at each station. See teaching points from previous weeks if required
Key Questions:
- What do we mean by collaboration? – Working together as part of a group.
- How can we be a good team mate?
- How can we show good sportsmanship to other teams?
National curriculum links:
- Using running, jumping and throwing in isolation and combinations
- Play competitive games against others
- Develop strength, control, balance and technique through athletic activities
Social/environmental links:
- Learning to respect others
- Showing encouragement & compassion
- Being able to follow instructions and rules
- Developing team work skills
Need support?
If you are unsure on which lesson to teach or need help with accessing lesson plans, please contact us