Target Game Practice

Year Level

Year 8

Duration

60 minutes

Class Size

22 students

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Curriculum Alignment

Australian Curriculum v9 - Health and Physical Education (HPE)

Relevant Content Descriptions:

• ACPMP068: Practise specialised movement skills and apply movement concepts and strategies to achieve movement outcomes in a variety of physical activities.
• ACPMP069: Develop and apply movement skills and strategies when participating in minor games, modified games and target games.
• ACPMP070: Participate in physical activities that develop fitness, and apply decision-making and problem-solving in cooperative and competitive situations.
• ACPMP080: Work collaboratively to plan and perform physical activities, applying fair play and respect for others.

General Capabilities:

• Personal and Social Capability: Demonstrating teamwork, respect, and fair play.
• Critical and Creative Thinking: Applying problem-solving in game scenarios.
• Ethical Understanding: Adhering to game rules and safety considerations.

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Lesson Objectives

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

1. Demonstrate and refine fundamental target game skills, specifically accuracy and control in aiming and throwing.
2. Apply these skills in a small-sided modified competitive game to repeatedly demonstrate the target skills.
3. Participate in a full target game that integrates skill application and tactical decision-making.
4. Show understanding and respect for rules, fair play, and safety during physical activity.

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Success Criteria

Students will be successful if they can:

• Accurately perform throwing towards a target with consistent technique.
• Use movement strategies to position themselves effectively during games.
• Demonstrate positive communication and teamwork during game play.
• Follow all safety guidelines and game rules appropriately.
• Reflect on their performance and identify one area to improve for next time.

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Differentiation Strategies

Learner Needs	Strategies to Support Learning
Students with fine motor skill challenges	Use lighter or larger balls to improve grasp and control. Position closer targets initially. Provide step-by-step verbal and visual cues.
Students with high skill levels	Offer challenges such as increasing throwing distance, accuracy zones, or time constraints. Encourage peer coaching roles.
Students with behavioural or social needs	Provide clear structure and expectations. Use positive reinforcement and assign roles to encourage inclusion and responsibility.
Students with physical disabilities	Modify equipment, e.g., use ramps or seated throwing options. Adapt rules where necessary to allow participation with peers.

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Equipment Needed

• Foam balls or bean bags (appropriate for safe throwing)
• Cones to mark spaces and target zones
• Target boards or hoops placed at various heights and distances
• Whistle and stopwatches
• Scoreboards or clipboards for scoring teams

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Lesson Structure

1. Warm Up & Introduction (10 mins)

• Dynamic warm-up: jogging, side steps, arm circles.
• Brief explanation of lesson purpose: introducing target games unit, focusing on throwing accuracy and strategy.
• Discuss safety rules and fair play expectations.
• Demonstrate basic throwing technique: grip, stance, follow-through.

2. Skill Development (15 mins)

• Activity: Target Practice Stations
  • Break class into 4 groups (5-6 students per group).
  • Stations with different target heights and distances.
  • Students have 3 attempts per station to hit targets.
  • Emphasis on technique and consistency over power.
• Teacher circulates giving individual feedback based on ACPMP068 and ACPMP069 focusing on skill refinement.
• Include peer feedback opportunities for collaborative learning.

3. Small Competitive Game (Modified Target Game) (15 mins)

• Game: "Target Ball Relay"
  • Teams of 5-6 compete to score points by hitting targets while moving between relay points.
  • Rotate throwers so everyone practices repeatedly.
  • Encourage tactical positioning and communication.
  • Modify rules to increase fairness and competitiveness.
• Game designed to allow repeated skill application under mild pressure.

4. Full Game Play (Normal Target Game) (15 mins)

• Game: Modified "Target Bocce" style game
  • Standard game play where teams aim to place balls closest to a target ball.
  • Students apply skills and strategies from earlier sections.
  • Teacher acts as umpire, reinforces rules and fair play.
• Game encourages tactical decision-making, teamwork, and performance refinement.

5. Cool Down and Reflection (5 mins)

• Group cool down: static stretches, breathing exercises.
• Quick class discussion: What skills did you improve? What was challenging? How did you work as a team?
• Individual reflection prompt: Write down one skill to improve for next class.

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Safety Considerations

• Clear boundaries and no-throw zones.
• Use soft, appropriate equipment to minimise injury risk.
• Constant teacher supervision to monitor safe behaviour.
• Reinforce warm-up and cool-down routines.

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Assessment & Feedback

Formative assessment will focus on:

• Observation of students’ skill technique and consistency during practice.
• Participation and tactical engagement during games.
• Ability to follow rules, demonstrate fair play, and work cooperatively.
• Immediate verbal feedback and targeted personal challenges.

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Summary

This lesson follows the Australian Curriculum v9 by introducing Year 8 students to target games through structured skill development and progressive game complexity. It promotes physical skills, strategic thinking, and social capabilities through inclusive and varied activities. Differentiation ensures all students are engaged and challenged at their level, embedding foundational movement concepts and fostering lifelong active participation.

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If you would like, I can also prepare supplementary resources such as student worksheets, coaching comments, or assessment rubrics!