Running - Lesson Plan

The initial lesson in the Year 1 Athletics unit focuses on the fundamentals of running, specifically designed to teach children basic techniques for short-distance running. The objectives are clear: to replicate basic running techniques, understand how swinging arms contribute to speed, and to start recognising the body's responses to exercise. Resources for this lesson include cones, hoops, bibs, and resource cards that illustrate stretches and the 'Coloured Corners' activity. These tools, along with literacy components such as understanding terms like 'fast', 'slow', 'coordination', 'speed', and 'awareness', are integral to the lesson's success. Children will be assessed on their ability to run at varying speeds, change speeds upon command, and follow race start instructions fairly.

The 'Whistle Game' serves as the warm-up for five minutes, where children move around a marked area in various ways, responding to whistle commands with actions such as sitting, freezing, or balancing on one leg. This is followed by group stretching exercises to prepare their bodies for the main activities. The ten-minute 'Coloured Corners' activity involves running to coloured zones upon hearing a whistle, incorporating technique points like high knees and arm movements. The lesson progresses to 'Fun Races', a fifteen-minute segment where pupils race in groups of four from different starting positions, incorporating tasks at the marker. The session concludes with a five-minute 'Team Cool Down', where pupils sit in circles for bean bag tosses and stretches, while also noticing their heartbeat and breath returning to normal post-exercise.