Smart Play Decisions

Overview

Students practise a structured problem-solving and decision-making process in a fun, hands-on PE challenge. They learn a clear sequence of steps, apply it to a sport/fitness scenario, and reflect on how decisions affect performance and safety.

Learning intentions

• Students will understand a 7-step problem-solving and decision-making process used in physical activity.
• Students will apply the steps to a team-based game situation to improve outcomes.
• Students will use the process to justify choices and adapt strategies during play.
• Students will evaluate their own and others’ decisions using the 7 steps.

Success criteria

• I can name the 7 steps in the correct order.
• I can give an example of how the 7 steps apply in PE.
• I can complete a case study using the 7-step process and link decisions to results.
• I can use the 7-step process during a hands-on team challenge and explain the key decision points.

Curriculum links

• Builds knowledge and skills for planning, performing and improving movement outcomes through purposeful decision-making.
• Supports personal and social development through teamwork, communication and respectful interaction.
• Encourages safe participation, risk awareness and responsible behaviour during modified game activities.
• Emphasises applying strategies and reflecting to refine performance (plan–do–review cycle).

Lesson structure (70 minutes)

1. 0–5 min | Warm welcome + focus prompt

• Teacher asks: “When play goes wrong, what should we do first?” Students share quick answers.
• Teacher introduces the lesson focus: a 7-step decision process for improving performance and safety.

2. 5–15 min | Teach the 7 steps (mini-lesson + quick checks)

• Teacher explains the 7-step process (display/board):

1. Identify the problem/goal
2. Gather information (observe, ask, measure)
3. Generate possible solutions/strategies
4. Choose the best option (consider safety, fairness, effort)
5. Plan and assign roles (what, who, when)
6. Act and monitor (try, communicate, adjust)
7. Review outcomes (what worked, what to change next)

• Students repeat the sequence in pairs and answer a teacher prompt: “What step are you in right now?”

Success criteria for this step (for students):

• I can correctly list the 7 steps and explain what each step broadly means.

3. 15–25 min | Worked example (teacher model)

• Teacher gives a short PE scenario (e.g., “Our team keeps losing possession in a tag game”).
• Teacher walks through the 7 steps aloud, showing decision links (observation → choice → action → review).
• Students note one example decision in their workbook (1–2 sentences).

Success criteria for this step:

• I can give a clear example of the 7 steps being used.

4. 25–55 min | Fun hands-on team challenge (modified game + process use)

• Activity: “Decision Relay Challenge” using cones, hoops, beanbags and a small scoring area.
• Each team has a task: complete a set of movement objectives while adapting to changing constraints placed by the teacher (e.g., “only underarm passes,” “no stepping into the scoring zone,” “use left-hand rule,” “score doubles if two teammates contribute”).
• Team roles rotate every round: Coach (tracks steps), Player (executes), Communicator (calls decisions), Safety Officer (checks spacing and rules).
• Rounds: 3 minutes play + 1 minute stop-and-plan using the 7 steps (teacher calls “freeze” and a new constraint).
• At the end of each round, teams fill a short “7-step snapshot” (problem, info, chosen strategy, result).

Success criteria for this step:

• I can use the 7 steps during the challenge and justify our chosen strategy.

5. 55–65 min | Case study stations (apply the process)

• Students complete one case study in small groups (teacher provides 3 options; groups select one).
• Example case study prompts:
• A group in a game is not communicating and turnovers are increasing.
• A student feels unsure about an activity and is worried about safety.
• A team’s strategy stops working after a constraint change.
• Students write the 7-step response: identify, gather, generate, choose, plan, act/monitor, review.

Success criteria for this step:

• I can complete a case study using all 7 steps and link decisions to outcomes.

6. 65–70 min | Cool down + exit check

• Quick whole-class exit: “Name one step we used well today and one improvement for next time.”
• Cool down jog/walk in lines with breathing focus.

Success criteria for this step:

• I can explain one improvement connected to the decision process.

Resources

• Cones, hoops, beanbags/soft balls, bibs
• Score sheets or clipboards for teams
• 7-step process cards (one set per team)
• Case study handouts with sentence starters
• Timer or whistle
• First-aid/incident response reminder slide or quick teacher verbal safety check
• Markers or tape for zones and scoring area
• Optional: dyslexia-friendly recording sheets with larger font and spacing

Assessment

• Observation checklist during the challenge: teams using the 7 steps (identify, choose, plan, review) and communicating decisions.
• Case study product: accuracy of the 7 steps plus quality of the decision justification (why that strategy, what changed, what to do next).
• Exit check responses: ability to name at least one step used and one actionable improvement.

Differentiation

• Support:
• Provide sentence starters for each of the 7 steps (e.g., “Our problem was…”, “We noticed…”, “We chose because…”).
• Use visual step cards with symbols (e.g., question mark for gather information, lightbulb for choose).
• Reduce complexity: fewer constraints per round or smaller scoring objectives.
• Extension:
• Require teams to add a “monitor and adjust” note: what evidence made them change strategy (step 6 and step 7).
• Ask teams to propose a new constraint and trial it, then compare outcomes using the review step.
• EAL/SEN:
• Offer roles that match strengths (Safety Officer or Communicator) and allow verbal responses before writing.
• Use short, chunked instructions and repeat constraints clearly.
• Dyslexia-friendly reading options:
• Provide case studies as read-aloud teacher sheets or audio-ready scripts (teacher reads prompts while students follow).
• Use larger fonts, high-contrast printing, and one question per line on worksheets.

Extension (optional)

• If time remains, students create a one-round “7-step decision script” for a different PE activity they commonly do (e.g., net/wall, invasion games, fitness circuits) and share it with another team.