Gymnastics 1 - Lesson 2

In Year 1's second lesson of Gymnastics 1, part of the Striver Lesson Plans, the young students are set to develop their agility, balance, and coordination skills. The aim is to teach them to effectively use space while being agile and maintaining balance with small apparatus. The success of the lesson is gauged by the pupils' ability to travel quickly while scanning for space and balancing objects like beanbags on different parts of their bodies. Key vocabulary such as 'balance', 'shapes', 'high', 'low', and 'star shape' is introduced to enhance their understanding. Essential equipment for the lesson includes cones, colour bibs, and beanbags — or cones as an alternative for balancing.

The lesson begins with a warm-up activity called Star Tag, where students practice finding space and avoiding contact with others through a game that involves being tagged and then freed by running under classmates' arms. This activity emphasises the use of 'scanning' skills to avoid collisions. The main part of the lesson involves exercises that challenge the students to walk and balance beanbags on various body parts, such as their head, shoulder, back, and hands, while moving around the learning area. They are encouraged to think creatively about how to balance and travel with the beanbags. The session concludes with a cool-down activity, revisiting the Star Tag game, this time with the variation of crawling under legs to be freed. Reflection is also a key component, with pupils lying on their backs and discussing the key vocabulary and their performance, fostering a deeper understanding of the skills they've practised.