Active Skills Celebration

Overview

In this final lesson of the “Move, Play, and Cooperate” unit, students rotate through five inclusive activity stations that revisit key movement skills. They demonstrate safe participation, personal improvement, cooperation and enjoyment while receiving positive feedback from peers and the teacher.

Learning intentions

Students will:

• Apply locomotor, balance, throwing, catching and striking skills in varied activities.
• Demonstrate safe, fair and inclusive participation.
• Cooperate with others by communicating, sharing equipment and encouraging teammates.
• Identify one skill they have improved and one way physical activity can be enjoyable.

Success criteria

• I can move safely and follow the instructions at each station.
• I can use a movement skill with control and try to improve.
• I can include others, take turns and encourage my group.
• I can describe something I did well or want to practise next.

Curriculum links

• Demonstrating movement skills and applying movement concepts in different activities.
• Participating in physical activity using safe practices and responsible decision-making.
• Applying personal and interpersonal skills to communicate, cooperate and resolve minor problems.
• Recognizing the connection between physical activity, enjoyment, health and personal well-being.

Lesson structure (30 minutes)

1. 0–4 minutes – Welcome, safety and purpose Gather students in the activity space. Open with the hook and learning intentions slides and explain that today is a celebration of effort, improvement and teamwork rather than competition. Review boundaries, safe spacing, stopping on the signal, walking between stations and using equipment appropriately.

2. 4–7 minutes – Demonstrate stations and assign roles Show the station instructions on the station overview slides. Organize five groups of four and give each group a set of the Group Role Cards. Students choose or rotate through roles such as equipment helper, encourager, safety checker and activity participant. Clarify that every student participates in the physical task, with roles changing at each station.

3. 7–11 minutes – Rotation 1 Groups begin at their assigned station. Display the station instruction slides while students work for four minutes. Circulate, reinforce safe choices and offer one specific feedback point, such as “Bend your knees when you land” or “Keep your eyes on the object.”

• Station 1: Travel through a pathway using different locomotor movements, such as walking, jogging, skipping, side-stepping and hopping.
• Station 2: Balance challenges using floor markers: hold a shape, move between markers and create a controlled balance with a partner.
• Station 3: Throw and catch with a partner using scarves, beanbags or soft balls. Adjust distance or object choice to support success.
• Station 4: Strike a balloon or beach ball toward a target area using a hand or paddle, focusing on control rather than force.
• Station 5: Complete a cooperative movement challenge, such as transporting equipment across a marked area without touching the floor outside the pathway.

4. 11–15 minutes – Rotation 2 On the signal shown on the rotation cue slide, students walk to the next station and begin. Encourage groups to use supportive language, share turns and modify the challenge when needed so everyone can participate.

5. 15–19 minutes – Rotation 3 Continue the rotation. Pause briefly if required to restate a safety expectation or model a skill. Ask students to notice one personal improvement, such as greater balance, more accurate throwing or better control.

6. 19–23 minutes – Rotations 4 and 5 Complete the final two four-minute rotations, using the final rotation and challenge prompts slides. Invite students to select a sensible challenge level: change speed, distance, object, pathway or teamwork strategy. Celebrate persistence and cooperation, not just successful outcomes.

7. 23–30 minutes – Cool-down and reflection Bring students into a spaced circle for slow walking, breathing and gentle stretches. Use the reflection and closing slides to prompt discussion: “Which skill improved?” “How did your group include everyone?” and “What made activity enjoyable today?” Finish with the Success Criteria Exit Ticket Slips. Students complete a short reflection and hand it in before lining up.

Resources

• Soft balls, beanbags, scarves, balloons or beach balls
• Floor markers, hoops, cones and low targets
• Paddles or suitable striking implements, if available
• Five clearly marked station areas
• Whistle or other stop signal
• Device and display for the Active Skills Celebration deck
• Printed sets of the Group Role Cards
• Printed the Success Criteria Exit Ticket Slips
• Water access and inclusive alternative equipment

Assessment

• Observe students at each station for safe participation, control of movement skills, effort and willingness to adapt.
• Record brief notes on cooperation, communication, turn-taking and inclusion.
• Review exit tickets for evidence of personal improvement, enjoyment and understanding of the success criteria.

Differentiation

• Support participation by reducing distances, slowing the pace, using larger or lighter equipment, widening targets and allowing students to work with a trusted partner.
• Offer visual demonstrations, repeated instructions and the option to complete balance or throwing tasks seated or from a stable position.
• For EAL learners and students requiring additional support, pair spoken instructions with the station visuals, gestures and a peer model; use the role cards to clarify responsibilities.
• Extend confident students by asking them to create a safe variation, use their non-dominant side, increase control demands or coach a peer using kind, specific feedback.