Athletics - Lesson 4

The fourth lesson in the Year 1 Athletics Striver Lesson Plans is designed to teach young pupils the fundamental skills of throwing and catching. The learning objectives for this session are for the children to be able to throw and catch effectively, thereby developing their hand-eye coordination and ball handling skills. To achieve this, the lesson is structured to include a variety of activities and games that are both engaging and educational. The necessary equipment for this lesson includes a large playing area, a stopwatch, marker cones or hoops, bean bags, and balls.

The lesson begins with a warm-up game called Scarecrow Tag, where two pupils play the role of farmers trying to tag the others, who are crows. Tagged crows become scarecrows and must stand still until freed by another crow. The game can be varied or extended by adjusting the time, number of farmers, and playing space. The main part of the lesson takes place over thirty minutes and includes activities such as Target Throw, where pupils aim to throw bean bags into hoops, and a bean bag relay race that encourages teamwork. Key teaching points are highlighted, such as the correct way to hold the bean bag and the technique for a successful throw. The lesson concludes with a cool-down that involves gentle jogging, stretching, and reflective pupil talk, where children discuss their performance and provide feedback to their peers on how to improve their throwing or catching abilities.