Gymnastics 1 - Lesson 2

The second lesson in the Gymnastics 1 series for Year 2 students aims to teach children how to perform low-level gymnastic shapes with precision. The focus is on three key shapes: the pike, tuck, and straddle. To achieve success in this lesson, students must be able to create these shapes with good posture and balance, use pointed toes during their performance, and engage their abdominal muscles to maintain certain balances. The lesson is peppered with key vocabulary such as 'entrance', 'exit', 'linking', 'balance', 'control', and 'mirroring', which help students understand and communicate about their movements. The equipment required for the lesson includes safety mats, cones for marking out areas and games, and bibs for a warm-up variation game.

The session begins with a 10-minute warm-up where the teacher sets out safety mats and a 'safe zone' with cones. The warm-up involves heart-raising activities like walking, jogging, skipping, and jumping, followed by 'Animal Walks', where children imitate movements of various animals, such as monkey walks and kangaroo jumps. This encourages creative thinking about movement. In the main 35-minute portion of the lesson, the teacher demonstrates the pike, tuck, and straddle shapes, with children following in 'my turn, your turn' fashion. They practice transitioning between 'ready' and 'perform' positions, focusing on good breathing and correct posture. The lesson concludes with a cool-down activity where children reflect on their performance and consider areas for improvement. This structure not only teaches gymnastics skills but also promotes self-assessment and vocabulary usage in describing their own and others' performances.