Athletics - Lesson 6

The sixth lesson in a Year 3 athletics programme is designed to engage pupils in a team challenge that encourages both competitive spirit and self-improvement. The learning objectives are clear: to participate actively in an athletics team challenge, with success criteria that focus on developing skills in a competitive situation and improving personal scores. Key vocabulary for the lesson includes terms such as sprint, relay, throw, jump, hurdle, and target, which are essential for understanding the activities. Equipment and resources required for the lesson are bean bags, footballs, benches, cones and canes, mats, and targets, ensuring a variety of engaging physical tasks.

The lesson structure is divided into three main parts: a warm-up, the main activities, and a cool-down. During the warm-up, pupils are organised into pairs for a game of 'Rats and Rabbits', which involves quick reactions and sprinting. The main part of the lesson consists of setting up six activity stations, each with its own scoring system, including a bean bag sprint relay, seated football throw, standing long jump, hurdle relay, standing three jumps, and a target throw. Pupils work in small teams to accumulate points, with a focus on good technique and safety. The lesson concludes with a ten-minute cool-down involving gentle jogging, stretching exercises, and a reflective discussion where pupils consider their progress in athletics and identify areas for improvement.