Athletics - Lesson 3

The third lesson in the Reception Athletics series from Striver Lesson Plans focuses on developing young pupils' ability to jump over low-level hurdles. The session begins with a warm-up activity called 'Body Parts', where pupils travel around an area, stopping at cones to balance different body parts for ten seconds. This exercise emphasizes muscle control, spatial awareness, and balance. The lesson progresses to the main activities, which revolve around simple hurdles. Pupils are divided into groups and take turns carrying a baton, aiming to clear a series of three low hurdles, with the goal of maintaining speed and using the leading leg to navigate the obstacles efficiently. The lesson incorporates discussions about techniques for overcoming hurdles and extends the challenge by varying the number of hurdles, their height, and the distance between them.

Further engaging the children, 'Hurdles Races' and 'Spot Relays' are introduced to add a competitive element to the lesson. These races require pupils to hurdle on command and pass batons to teammates, encouraging teamwork and coordination. Key teaching points include maintaining sprinting action, driving knees up, and proper baton handling. The session concludes with a 'Food Corners' cool-down activity, where pupils jog lightly and perform dynamic movements towards different corners labeled with various types of food. Throughout the lesson, pupils engage in discussions about the activities, reflecting on what they have learned, such as the basics of hurdling and the importance of the baton in relay races. The lesson plan is designed to be interactive and fun, providing numerous opportunities for pupils to practice and improve their athletic skills.