Skill Based Challenges - Lesson 4

In the fourth lesson of the Striver Lesson Plans for Reception pupils, the objective is to develop kicking skills with a focus on achieving personal bests through a series of kicking challenges. The children will learn to kick a ball with accuracy, control the power and speed of their kicks, and aim at targets. The key vocabulary introduced includes terms like 'kicking', 'laces', 'side-foot', 'scoring', 'challenges', and 'personal best'. The required equipment for the lesson comprises cones, small footballs, a goal, and a flat surface such as a wall. The warm-up activity, 'Venus And Mars', involves pairs of pupils competing to place their foot on a ball upon hearing a command, with variations to increase difficulty and engagement.

The main part of the session, lasting 30 minutes, includes a variety of kicking challenges. 'Back To Me' requires pupils to kick a ball against a wall and stop it before kicking again, while 'Keep It Up' challenges them to keep the ball in the air using their feet and knees. In 'How Far', pairs alternate kicking a ball as far as they can, and 'It’s A Goal' sees teams take turns trying to score. Each activity is designed to emphasise different key teaching points, such as using the side foot for accuracy and the laces for power. The lesson concludes with a 'Cool Down' where pupils play 'If You Have…', a game that encourages movement and provides a fun way to end the session. The lesson plan includes teacher notes, pupil talk prompts, and variations to cater to different skill levels and keep the children engaged.