Run, Pace, Play

---

📚 Curriculum Alignment

Australian Curriculum – Health and Physical Education (Years 2–3)

Strands:

• Movement and Physical Activity

  • Practise and refine fundamental movement skills in a variety of movement sequences and situations (ACPMP043)
  • Participate in physical activities to develop fitness, and demonstrate the ability to persist and overcome challenges (ACPMP045)
  • Adopt inclusive practices when participating in physical activities (ACPMP048)

• Personal, Social and Community Health

  • Describe strategies to make the classroom and playground healthy, safe and active spaces (ACPPS040)

---

🎯 Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

1. Execute fundamental running skills including upright posture, proper arm swing, and efficient step technique.
2. Increase stamina by participating in sustained moderate physical activity.
3. Apply basic pacing strategies by learning how to regulate effort across different running activities.
4. Demonstrate teamwork and sportsmanship in group-based running games and activities.

---

✅ Success Criteria

Students will be successful when they:

• Maintain proper running form: tall posture, relaxed shoulders, steady arm swing, and light foot strike.
• Complete a set distance at a consistent, manageable pace without stopping.
• Verbalise or demonstrate an understanding of how effort level affects performance (e.g., “I started too fast and got tired”).
• Collaborate respectfully with peers, showing encouragement and fair play during team relay activities.

---

⏰ Duration

Total Time: 45 minutes
Class Size: 20 students
Setting: School oval or open flat playground area

---

🧰 Equipment Needed

• 20 cones or markers
• Stopwatch or timer
• Coloured bibs or ribbons (optional for team sorting)
• Chalk or line-marking spray (to indicate lanes or start/finish)
• Whiteboard or visual cue cards (with emojis or visuals for pacing)

---

🧭 Lesson Breakdown

1. Warm-Up (10 minutes)

Activity: “Animal Moves”

• Students move around the oval doing fun locomotion activities that mimic animals:
  • Kangaroo hops (jumping on two feet)
  • Emu strides (long walking lunges)
  • Cheetah sprints (short burst sprints)
  • Sloth walk (slow heel-to-toe movement)

Purpose: To elevate the heart rate and prepare muscles. Incorporates fun while activating different muscle groups.

Teaching Focus:

• Use simple language and visual demonstration.
• Emphasise posture and arm movement even in animal motions.

---

2. Skill-Focused Drills (10 minutes)

Stations: “Run Smart Booths” (2 mins per station, rotate)

Break the class into 5 groups of 4 students. Set up 5 skill-building stations:

1. “Form Fix” Zone: Practise running posture using mirrors or peer instruction.
2. “Arm Swing Alley”: Students run short 10m distances focusing only on controlled arm swings.
3. “Foot Feelers Track”: Run (barefoot optional) on grass to focus on light foot contact.
4. “Breath Bubble Path”: Students practise breathing in rhythm with their steps using counted beats (e.g., in for 2 steps, out for 2).
5. “Mirror Me Pace”: Partner activity where one student sets a pace and the other mirrors them—but they mustn’t sprint!

Teacher Role: Circulate and give positive feedback with visual cues (thumbs up, pacing signs, etc.).

---

3. Game-Based Activity (15 minutes)

Activity: “Pace Relay Challenge”

• Create two teams of 10. Set up a 200m oval track divided into 4 zones (50m each).
• Each student runs one lap, handing off an item (bean bag or ribbon) to the next peer.
• The twist: The team must use a variety of paces!
  • First runner: walk pace
  • Second: slow jog
  • Third: steady pace
  • Fourth: quick pace (80–90%)
  • Continue rotation with varied pacing styles.

Learning Focus:

• Students learn to recognise and describe their pace category.
• Team selection requires discussion and strategy (who runs better at what pace?)

Emphasis: Strategy over speed.

Optional Extension: Add a 'Coach Time-Out’ button – if a team feels a student went "too fast", they can take a 30-sec time out to review their pacing strategy together (promotes metacognition).

---

4. Cool Down & Reflection (10 minutes)

Activity: “Slow Flow” and Circle Chat

• Students walk together in a line following a verbal pacing prompt:
  • Fast, then medium, then incredibly slow.
• Then lie down in the grass in a star shape and complete deep belly breathing.

Group Talk Time: Circle reflection prompts:

• “When did you feel tired?”
• “Did you start too fast or go steady?”
• “How did your team work together?”

Optional Reflection Options:

• Use emojis on flashcards to describe how they felt while running.
• "Show me" pose: tired expression, confident pose, steady jog posing.

---

🧒 Differentiation

• Support: Students struggling with stamina can run shorter distances or jog in place during relay rest periods.
• Extension: Advanced runners can be assigned as mini coaches, offering pacing tips or leading warm-ups.
• Inclusion Considerations: Adapt roles within the relay (e.g., timer, encourager) for students with limited mobility.

---

🧠 Teacher Tips

• Use simple metaphors: "Run like you’re holding two ice cream cones – don’t spill!”
• Constantly visually model form.
• Celebrate effort over speed — give a “Pacing Pro” award.

---

📌 Assessment & Success Check

Use this quick rubric to assess students:

Success Criteria	Achieved	Working Towards	Needs Support
Maintains correct running posture	✅	➖	❌
Runs full set distance at steady pace	✅	➖	❌
Identifies own effort level and adjusts pace	✅	➖	❌
Cooperates and respects all teammates	✅	➖	❌

Record and reflect post-lesson to inform future pacing or skill-specific lessons.

---

🪄 Extension Ideas

• Cross-Country Passport: Ongoing logbook for each student to track distances, personal reflections, and stamina goals.
• Buddy Runs: Pair students across ability levels for weekly strategy-based jogs together.
• Running Story Adventures: Combine storytelling with running paths – students jog different routes to collect narrative parts.

---

👏 Wrap-Up

This lesson not only gets students moving safely and with purpose, but instils lifelong movement strategies like pacing, endurance, and teamwork. It blends physical literacy with metacognitive growth, setting a strong foundation for cross-country running in a supportive and playful way – right in line with the Australian Curriculum’s call for informed and active learners.

---

Let them run. Let them think. Let them thrive.