Gymnastics 2 - Lesson 3

In the third lesson of Gymnastics 2 for Year 2, students aim to master medium level shapes on high-level apparatus, enhancing their gymnastic abilities. The lesson's success criteria include the ability to jump and land with "squashy, soft knees" and hands in front, as well as to perform low, medium, and high-level shapes before, on, and after the apparatus. Key vocabulary terms such as 'entrance', 'exit', 'balance', 'apparatus', and specific gymnastic positions like 'pike', 'tuck', 'dish', 'arch', and 'straddle' are introduced. The equipment required for this lesson includes safety mats, a variety of boxes at different heights, a springboard, a crash mat, and cones to mark a safe zone. The warm-up session engages students in imaginative movement activities such as 'Lizard Crawls', 'Crabs', and 'Caterpillars', encouraging them to navigate around equipment while maintaining awareness of their surroundings.

The main part of the lesson involves students working in small groups at various apparatus stations, where they practice their jumps and landings with the correct technique. Teachers emphasise the importance of soft knees and controlled movements, and pupils are encouraged to perform and showcase their skills to their peers. They are also prompted to reflect on why such techniques are important. The lesson plan includes a variety of creative combinations of equipment to maintain engagement and challenge the pupils, such as springboard to low level box transitions and climbing wall ropes. To consolidate the learning, the cool-down activity includes 'Caterpillar Partner Crawls', where students reflect on their performance and consider areas for improvement, using the key vocabulary to describe their own and their partners' performances.