Athletics: Athletic Fundamentals

Aim:
Use running, jumping, throwing and catching in isolation and in combination in the context of athletics.
To practise and refine fundamental movement skills needed for athletics.

Resources/Equipment:
Lesson Pack
Cones, hoops, tennis balls – per child, beanbags, bibs and one whistle.
Preparation:
Warm-Up and Cool-Down Cards, Skills Poster: Reaction Time, Skills Poster: The Underarm Throw, Area Plan: Beanbag Hoop Tag,
Editable Non-Participation Sheets – as required.

Success Criteria: Key Questions: Key/New Words:

I can work on the speed of my reactions. How could you sort these athletic events into different categories? Athletics, fundamental movement
Can you identify the main movement skill being performed in each skills, running, throwing, jumping,
I can use the correct technique for the picture? How many of these athletic events have you tried? What
underarm throw. reaction time, underarm throw.
is does it mean to have good reactions? Can a person improve their
I can apply the skills of running and reaction time? Can you think of examples of sporting situations
throwing in a game. that require quick reactions? How many different athletic events
can you name? What are the fundamental movement skills needed
I understand what athletics involves. for athletics? Can you describe the underarm throwing technique?
When might the underarm throw be used?

Prior Learning: Please refer to the Progression in Athletics Adult Guidance resource for prior learning of athletics from previous years.

Let’s Get Ready

Athletic Events: Slide 5: Prior to going outside, refer to questions on the Lesson Presentation to get an insight into
the children’s existing knowledge about movement skills and athletics. Ask - How could you sort these athletic events
into different categories? Can you identify the main movement skill being performed in each picture? How many of
these athletic events have you tried?

Fundamental Movement Skills: Slide 6: Use the Lesson Presentation to outline some of the basic fundamental
movement skills and those which are required in athletics.

Athletics Overview: Slide 7: Use the Lesson Presentation to give an overview of the whole athletics unit for
the term.

Skills Snapshot: Slide 8: Very briefly introduce the skills to be covered in the lesson. These will be taught in detail in
the ‘Let’s Get Moving’ section of the lesson.

Let’s Get Moving

Warm-Up: Trains: cones, whistle: Refer to the Warm-Up and Cool-Down Cards for instructions of the Trains.
Explain that this activity tests your reactions, which will be covered in the next part of the lesson.

Skill – Reaction Time: tennis balls: Ask – What does it mean to have good reactions? Can a person improve their
reaction time? Explain that in a sporting context, reaction time simply means how fast an athlete is able to respond
to a stimulus, such as whistle. Although having quick reactions is required in almost all sports as well as in everyday
life, it is an ability often overlooked in sport. Reaction time is a strength that can be improved with practice. Ask – Can
you think of examples of sporting situations that require quick reactions? Take examples from the class: a sprint start
in running, returning a serve in tennis, dodging a punch in a boxing match, saving a shot on goal in football, a wicket
keeper catching a ball in cricket.

Share the Skills Poster: Reaction Time. Carry out the suggested activity, ‘Ball Drop’ to practise responding to a
stimulus as quickly as possible, which is explained in detail on the Skills Poster.

• In pairs, stand approximately 2m apart, facing one another.

• One of you must randomly drop a tennis ball from their outstretched hand at shoulder height.
• The other must try to catch it before it bounces twice.
For safety reasons, explain that the athlete may not dive for the ball.

Decrease the distance between the Increase the distance between the athlete and the
athlete and the coach; allow the ball to coach; the athlete could try starting from different
bounce twice before catching it. stances, such as on one knee or lying down; the
coach holds a ball on both sides and drops only one.

PE | Year 6 | Outdoor | Athletics | Athletic Fundamentals | Lesson 1

 Changing Gears: cones: Explain the activity:

• Each child must set up two markers, approximately 15 metres apart.

• On the signal, begin jogging back and forth between the two points in first gear speed.
• When second gear is called, they must speed up to nearly full speed.
• When third gear is called, they must run between the cones at full speed.
• To add an additional challenge, call out gears randomly. For example, they might go from gear one to three,
followed by two, or from two to one to three. This keeps the drill unpredictable, forcing the children to focus on the
auditory cues and improve their reaction time.

Move the cones closer together; first gear Move the cones further apart; add in another gear,
is walking, second is jogging and third making four gears in total; run around a circular
gear is sprinting; take a break and be in track in the different gears as they are called out.
charge of calling out the gears.

Skill – The Underarm Throw: cones, beanbags, hoops: Refer to the Skills Poster: The Underarm Throw. Carry out
the suggested activity to practise the underarm throwing technique, which is explained in detail on the Skills Poster.

• Lay out some hoops at varying distances away. Try to throw your beanbag into the hoops using the
underarm throw.
• With a partner, can you invent an underarm throwing game including a scoring system?

Beanbag Hoop Tag: beanbags, hoops, cones, bibs: Explain that this activity will test their running, throwing and
reaction skills. Refer to the Area Plan: Beanbag Hoop Tag to set up the space and explain the activity in detail.

• Select between two-five taggers (depending on the size of the group), who must wear bibs.
• If a child is tagged, they must go to the inner throwing square to collect a beanbag.
• To rejoin the game, they must underarm throw the beanbag into any hoop.
• Taggers win once all of the beanbags have been thrown into the hoops.

Increase the size of the playing area; Reduce the size of the playing area; move the hoops
move the hoops closer to the throwing further away from the throwing area; increase the
area; reduce the number of taggers. number of taggers.

Cool-Down: Handshake: Refer to the Warm-Up and Cool-Down Cards for instructions of the cool-down activity,
‘Handshake’.

Let’s Review
Question Time: Slide 11 and 12: Once back in the classroom, refer to the Lesson Presentation to recap on the
children’s learning. How many different athletic events can you name? What are the fundamental movement skills
needed for athletics? When might the underarm throw be used? Can you describe the underarm throwing technique?
Can reaction time be improved?

Reactions vs Reflexes: Slide 13: Refer to the Lesson Presentation to describe the difference between reflexes
and reactions.

Extratime
The Ruler Work with a partner to test your reaction skills in the classroom using a ruler.
Drop test
• Person A sits on a chair at a table with their forearm extended over the edge of the table.
• Person B holds a ruler vertically, 2cm above person A’s hand. Number one should be at the bottom and number 30 at the top.
• Person B will release the ruler, without any warning, for person A to catch using their thumb and index finger.
• When Person A catches it, record the number on the ruler displayed just over the thumb. The lower the number, the faster his or
her reaction time.
Can you improve your reaction time with practice?

PE | Year 6 | Outdoor | Athletics | Athletic Fundamentals | Lesson 1

Assessment
All Children:
Can try to improve reaction speed through repetition.

Can use elements of the correct technique for the underarm Children:
throw, with some success.

Most Demonstrates an improvement in reaction speed Children:

through repetition.

Can execute the underarm throw with accuracy and success in Children:
isolation and sometimes in a game situation.

Some Can see a noticeable improvement in reaction speed through Children:

repetition and understands its importance in a sporting context.

Confidently executes the underarm throw with accuracy, Children:

consistency and control in a range of situations.

PE | Year 6 | Outdoor | Athletics | Athletic Fundamentals | Lesson 1