Ball Skills - Unit Overview

The Nursery Ball Skills unit, as part of the Striver Lesson Plans, is designed to introduce young pupils to the fundamentals of ball handling and control. Over the course of six lessons, the children will learn to move confidently while holding objects and develop various ball skills. These skills range from rolling balls with precision to throwing with accuracy. The unit places a particular emphasis on the use of different body parts and equipment to move balls, for example, kicking a ball to a partner. This is the pupils' first introduction to physical education lessons, so no prior learning is required, and the lessons are carefully structured to build confidence and ability from the ground up.

Each lesson within the unit has clearly defined learning objectives and success criteria. The first lesson focuses on handling equipment safely and moving confidently with a ball or bean bag. As the unit progresses, pupils learn to roll balls of different sizes towards targets and throw underarm with the aim of hitting a target. By the fourth and fifth lessons, the emphasis shifts to throwing and catching balls with increased control and accuracy. The final lesson culminates in the ability to kick a ball to a partner and towards a target with control. Teaching tips suggest a lesson duration of 25 minutes, excluding the time required for changing and moving to the hall space, and encourage the setting of individual targets for pupils who are exceeding expectations.