Hockey - Lesson 4

In the fourth lesson of a Year 5 hockey series, students are taught the essential skills of tackling and marking. The learning objectives are clearly outlined, with success criteria that include tackling according to the rules, holding the stick correctly, adopting the correct body shape, and maintaining awareness of other players on the pitch. The key vocabulary for the lesson comprises terms such as 'tackle', 'intercept', 'move', and 'mark', which are crucial for the students to understand and apply during the session. To facilitate the lesson, a class set of hockey sticks, balls, and cones are required.

The lesson begins with a ten-minute warm-up where pupils work in pairs, passing the ball between them while navigating around cones and avoiding other pairs. This exercise is interspersed with bursts of quick sprinting on the spot, as directed by the teacher. The main activity, lasting thirty minutes, focuses on possession skills. Students are taught the importance of aligning the flat side of their stick with their opponent's to effectively tackle and are reminded to keep a low stance for better control. They practice these skills through 'Piggy in the Middle' and small-sided games, with an emphasis on teamwork and marking. The lesson concludes with a cool-down activity called "Bop IT," where students perform various actions in response to the teacher's calls, all to the rhythm of music. This fun activity helps to relax the muscles after the intensity of the main lesson.