Hockey - Lesson 6

In the sixth lesson of a Year 3 hockey series, pupils are encouraged to bring together the skills they have developed over the course of their previous lessons and apply them in a game situation. The learning objective is clear: to be able to play hockey within the context of a match. The success of the lesson is measured by the pupils' ability to transfer the skills they've learnt, such as dribbling, passing, and shooting, into a competitive match environment. All the necessary equipment required for the lesson includes a class set of hockey sticks, balls, cones, hockey posts, and nets if they are available.

The lesson is structured into three main segments. It starts with a warm-up activity lasting 10 minutes, where pupils participate in a 'Gates' exercise. In this activity, pupils dribble through cone gates and pass the ball to their classmates, promoting ball control and passing accuracy. The main part of the lesson, lasting 30 minutes, involves playing 'Quicksticks Hockey', a modified version of the game tailored for this age group. The pupils are divided into mixed-ability teams, and the teacher pauses the game occasionally to highlight good techniques. To conclude the lesson, a 10-minute cool-down is performed with gentle stretches and arm exercises to ensure pupils wind down properly. Pupil talk is also encouraged, prompting them to reflect on the advice they would give to a beginner and to consider which skills they personally need to improve upon to become better hockey players.