Gymnastics 1 - Lesson 3

In the third lesson of Gymnastics 1 for Year 1 students, the primary learning objective is to develop the ability to balance using different parts of the body. To achieve this goal, students are expected to perform basic shapes and balance various items such as bean bags, quoits, and hoops, while also accurately naming the body parts involved. Key vocabulary for the lesson includes balance, shapes, high, low, star shape, pencil shape, flat shape, and tall shape. The equipment required for the session includes cones to mark a safe area, 30 bean bags, 30 quoits, and 30 hoops. The warm-up involves a 10-minute session where the teacher sets up a safe zone and demonstrates moving around the space, scanning for open areas while jogging, hopping, skipping, and running. Pupils engage in discussions about the importance of scanning for space and when to slow down during running.

The main part of the lesson, which lasts for 30 minutes, starts with pupils placing bean bags around the learning area and standing next to them while scanning for the nearest free bag. The teacher then introduces the pencil and star shapes, which pupils practice responding to. As they balance bean bags on different parts of their bodies, the teacher highlights the importance of dodging them while moving around. Quoits are then introduced, and pupils are challenged to balance them on various body parts such as the shoulder, neck, palm, and back of the hand, as well as to lay and slide with the quoit on the chest, stomach, back, and knee. The lesson concludes with a 10-minute cool down where pupils discuss their favourite and most challenging balances, travel around using different types of balancing movements, and place designated body parts on a cone when called out by the teacher. Finally, pupils lie on their backs, close their eyes, and reflect on their performance and how they could improve in the future.