Gymnastics 1 - Lesson 4

In the fourth lesson of a Year 5 gymnastics series, pupils are taught to safely perform cat springs, a fundamental gymnastic skill. The lesson begins with a warm-up consisting of caterpillar walks, where students start in a front support position and alternate between walking their hands forward and bringing their knees to their chest. This exercise not only warms up their bodies but also helps develop the necessary upper body and core strength required for gymnastics. The warm-up progresses into a team relay around a cone, encouraging teamwork and reinforcing the importance of the caterpillar walk in enhancing their gymnastic performance.

During the main part of the lesson, which lasts for 30 minutes, the class transitions into pairs to focus on the key teaching point: cat springs. The teacher models the steps, which include starting with feet together, performing a squat, taking weight onto the toes, and reaching forward to place hands on the floor, culminating in a jump bringing feet close to hands. Pupils are encouraged to discuss the steps with their partners and to extend their learning by pointing toes during the cat spring and increasing the distance of the jump over a bean bag or cone. They also engage in a cool-down activity called Conditioning Grids, where they respond to directional commands by touching corresponding cones, and finish with a reflection on their performance, using the key vocabulary learned to articulate their achievements and areas for improvement.