Athletics - Unit Overview

The Year 5 Athletics unit is an integral part of the Striver Lesson Plans, designed to enhance and build upon the athletic skills acquired in previous years. Throughout this unit, pupils will focus on developing key athletic disciplines: running for speed, mastering the triple jump, honing their throwing abilities, and perfecting hurdling techniques. Additionally, the unit aims to teach pupils how to effectively participate in relay races, as well as to score, officiate, and demonstrate leadership within the realm of athletics. Each lesson is carefully structured to progress these skills, ensuring that by the end of the unit, pupils are not only technically proficient but also competitive and confident in their athletic abilities.

Over the course of the unit, pupils will engage in a variety of lessons, each with clear learning objectives and success criteria. The first lesson concentrates on developing sprinting skills, including starting techniques and increasing sprint distances. In the subsequent lesson, pupils explore the triple jump, learning various jumping styles and competing in this event. Throwing skills are the focus of the third lesson, where pupils practice different throwing techniques and javelin throws from a standing start. Hurdling skills are developed in the fourth lesson, with a particular emphasis on the use of the lead and trail legs in a competitive context. The fifth lesson introduces relay racing, including baton or bean bag changes within a designated zone. The final lesson brings together all the skills learned, as pupils apply them in a competitive situation and take on roles such as scoring and officiating, showcasing their leadership in athletics. Each lesson is adaptable to fit the one-hour time frame, accounting for the time required for pupils to change at the start and end of the session.