Bounce and Move

Overview

This is lesson 2 of 6 in Basketball Skills in Action. Students build from controlled stationary bouncing to dribbling while walking, changing direction and responding safely to space and stop signals.

Learning intentions

• WALT dribble a basketball while moving with control.
• WALT push the ball gently with our fingertips.
• WALT protect our personal space and look up while moving.
• WALT stop safely and give helpful feedback to a partner.

Success criteria

• I can keep the ball near me.
• I can use soft fingertips rather than slapping the ball.
• I can look up regularly to notice people and space.
• I can stop with control.
• I can give one star and one next step kindly.

Curriculum links

• Movement skills — dribbling with changes in speed, direction and control.
• Movement skills — using dominant and non-dominant hands to send, receive and dribble.
• Movement skills — linking dribbling and passing movements to move towards a goal.
• Te Mātaiaho Health and PE: developing movement competence, managing self, thinking and participating safely with others.

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Welcome and safe-space hook. Teacher displays the learning intention and success criteria in the opening and learning-goal slides, introduces the idea that a controlled dribble helps us move safely in a game, and establishes the signals: “Go”, “Slow” and “Stop”. Students spread out with a ball, identify their personal space and practise freezing safely when shown the stop signal.

2. 5–11 min · Teacher modelling. Teacher demonstrates an athletic stance: knees bent, body balanced, ball beside the body, eyes looking up and gentle fingertip pushes to about waist height. Model both a successful dribble and a ball that is pushed too hard, then ask, “Which one is easier to control and why?” Students watch, copy the ready position without a ball, and show with their hands how softly they would push.

3. 11–19 min · Stationary dribble practice. Teacher gives each student a ball and uses the dribbling technique and practice slides to show short spoken cues: “Bend knees”, “Soft fingers”, “Ball close”, “Look up”. Students practise right-hand dribbles, left-hand dribbles and alternating hands, pausing to catch the ball and reset if control is lost. Teacher checks dribbling height, fingertip use and body position, giving immediate feedback.

4. 19–28 min · Pathway dribbling. Teacher sets low-clutter pathways with cones and floor markers, explains walking first, and reminds students to leave space between bodies and balls. Students dribble around the pathway, keeping the ball close and looking up at each marker; on the next round they try a gentle change of speed or direction. Students who need support may bounce and catch at each marker, use a larger or softer ball, or walk a shorter distance.

5. 28–38 min · Traffic-light dribble game. Teacher uses the visual cues in the traffic-light game instruction slides and shows matching traffic-light cards: green means dribble forwards, amber means slow down and keep the ball close, and red means stop with control and place one hand on the ball. Students move safely within the marked area, looking up to avoid others. Add “turn” or point to a new pathway for students ready to change direction. Pause to reteach a small group if balls are being slapped, dribbled too high or pushed beyond control.

6. 38–45 min · Partner feedback and close. Teacher pairs students and displays the partner-feedback and reflection slides. Partners take turns dribbling for 20 seconds while the observer gives “one star” linked to a success criterion and “one next step”, such as “Keep the ball closer”. Students finish by showing a controlled stop and sharing one way dribbling helps them move safely in a game.

Resources

• Basketballs, one per student if available
• Cones and floor markers
• Visual traffic-light cards
• Whistle or consistent stop signal
• Larger or softer balls for support
• the Bounce and Move teaching deck
• Optional visual timetable cards for the lesson sequence

Assessment

• Observe each student during stationary and pathway practice: fingertip control, ball height, ball proximity, looking up and controlled stopping.
• Use questioning and demonstrations: “Show me a soft push”; “What will you do if the ball moves too far away?” Record students needing further practice.
• Reteach a small group during the traffic-light game using bounce-and-catch, a shorter pathway or walking speed. Listen to partner feedback at the end to identify the next lesson’s focus.

Differentiation

• Support: begin with bounce-and-catch; use a larger or softer ball; reduce the pathway distance; add floor markers; allow walking instead of running; and provide a nearby adult or peer model.
• Autism-friendly access: show visual traffic-light cards, use consistent signals and predictable routines, keep stations low-clutter, and offer a choice of pathway or station.
• Dyslexia-friendly access: use symbol-based cue cards, spoken repetition and short phrases. Read all instructions aloud and do not require students to read while moving.
• Extension: dribble with the non-dominant hand, change direction on a signal, vary speed while retaining control, or complete a figure-eight around two cones. Ask students to explain which technique helped them stay in control.