Lesson Plan: Fundamental Movement Skills for Year 1 Students in Physical Education

Overview:

This 30-minute lesson plan is designed for Year 1 students in New Zealand based on the New Zealand Curriculum’s Health and Physical Education guidelines. The plan focuses on introducing and developing fundamental movement skills, which are critical at this early stage of physical development. The activities will help students enhance their motor skills through enjoyable and engaging exercises.

Objectives:

• To introduce Year 1 students to fundamental movement skills, specifically focusing on running, jumping, and twisting.
• To develop coordination, balance, and spatial awareness through structured activities.
• To encourage teamwork and communication among students.

Curriculum Links:

This lesson aligns with the Health and Physical Education domain of the New Zealand Curriculum. Specifically, it addresses the following achievement objective from the Movement Concepts and Motor Skills strand for Level 1:

• "Develop movement skills through activities that involve locomotion, manipulation, and stability."

Resources:

• Cones
• Hula hoops
• Bean bags
• Music player for movement activities

Lesson Details:

Introduction (5 minutes):

1. Welcome and Warm-Up:
   • Begin with a simple welcome and explain the focus of the lesson.
   • Lead the students in a 5-minute warm-up consisting of simple stretches and light jogging in place to prepare their bodies for physical activity.

Main Activity (20 minutes):

Activity 1: Obstacle Course Relay (10 minutes)

• Objective: To practice running and agility.
• Setup: Create a small obstacle course using cones and hula hoops.
• Instructions:
  1. Divide students into two teams.
  2. Each student takes turns navigating the obstacle course, which includes running around cones and jumping through hula hoops.
  3. After completing the course, the student tags the next team member.

Activity 2: Bean Bag Balance Game (10 minutes)

• Objective: To develop balance and coordination.
• Instructions:
  1. Each student receives a bean bag.
  2. Challenge the students to walk from one end of the playing area to the other while balancing the bean bag on different parts of their body (e.g., head, shoulder, or arm).
  3. Introduce variations such as walking on tiptoes or twisting their body without letting the bean bag fall.

Conclusion (5 minutes):

1. Cool Down:

   • Guide students through a 5-minute cool down with gentle stretching exercises focusing on the arms, legs, and back.

2. Review and Closure:

   • Quickly recap the activities and skills covered in today's lesson.
   • Ask students to share their favourite activity of the day and what they learned about movement and coordination.

3. Feedback and Dismissal:

   • Provide feedback on the students' participation and encourage them to practice these skills during playtime.
   • Dismiss the class with a cheerful goodbye and encourage them to stay active.

Assessment:

• Observe students during the activities for their ability to follow instructions, their coordination, and their willingness to participate in group activities.
• Provide verbal feedback to encourage and guide individual students during the lesson.

This structured approach not only introduces fundamental physical skills but also embeds early teamwork and communication abilities, key components in the holistic development of young learners as per the New Zealand educational standards.