Gymnastics 2 - Lesson 1

In the first lesson of the Year 6 Gymnastics (2) series, students are tasked with learning how to perform a handstand with the support of a partner or wall. The lesson's success criteria require pupils to be able to take weight on their hands, utilise donkey kicks, and find balance with support. Key vocabulary for the lesson includes terms such as 'handstand', 'weight on hands', 'donkey kicks', 'balance', 'hips', and 'bunny hops'. To facilitate the session, the necessary equipment includes a class set of cones and gymnastic mats. The lesson starts with a warm-up of 10 minutes where students engage in 'Bunny Hops' to practice soft landings and explosive jumps, with partners counting the number of successful hops. The warm-up can be extended to include a 180-degree turn with each jump over the cone, adding a layer of complexity to the activity.

The main part of the lesson, lasting 30 minutes, pairs students of similar heights and has them perform exercises such as the 'Wheelbarrow walk' and 'Walking up the wall'. These activities are designed to build up the strength and balance necessary for handstands. Pupils discuss the key teaching points throughout the exercises, reflecting on their own performance and their partners'. Extensions to the activities challenge the students to travel backwards or move their arms closer to the wall while inverting their bodies. The lesson concludes with a 10-minute cool down that includes 'Donkey Kicks', where students practice pushing off the ground with their feet and, as an extension, clapping the soles of their feet together at the apex of the kick. The session ends with a reflective period where pupils lie on their backs and consider their achievements and areas for improvement, using the key vocabulary to describe their performance.