Hockey Skills Focus

Year Levels Years 5-6. Duration 45 minutes

Class Size 25 students

Learning Objectives

Aligned to the New Zealand Curriculum Refresh for Health and Physical Education, this lesson aims to:

• Develop students’ movement skills related to hockey, including stick handling and passing.

• Enhance students’ understanding of teamwork, communication, and sportsmanship through small-sided hockey games.

• Promote students’ physical well-being by incorporating flexibility-focused warm-ups.

• Encourage personal and social responsibility in team sport contexts.

Relevant Achievement Objectives include:

• Movement Concepts and Motor Skills – Develop and apply fundamental motor skills in a variety of movement situations.

• Participating and Contributing – Understand and apply fair play, cooperation, and teamwork in group activities.

• Movement Strategies and Concepts – Apply movement strategies, rules, and tactics in team games.

Equipment Needed

• Hockey sticks (mini sticks or plastic sticks appropriate for age)

• Soft hockey balls or floorballs

• Cones for drills and boundaries

• Bibs for teams

• Marked playing area suitable for small games

Lesson Breakdown

1. Warm-up: Flexibility and Movement Preparation (8 minutes)

• Lead students through a guided flexibility warm-up aimed at preparing the shoulders, wrists, hips, and legs for hockey.

• Example activities:

• Arm circles and wrist rolls with a hockey stick to simulate stick handling.

• Dynamic lunges and side steps around cones.

• Gentle trunk twists and side stretches.

• Include light jogging or “follow the leader” movements to raise heart rates.

2. Skill Development Stations (15 minutes)

• Divide the class into 5 groups of 5 students; rotate groups through three stations (5 minutes each):

Station 1: Stick Handling

• Students practice controlling the ball with the stick, including

• Basic dribbling forwards, backwards, and side to side.

• Keeping the ball close and low to the stick.

• Use cones as markers to weave through.

Station 2: Passing

• Teach the push pass technique:

• Positioning of hands, body, follow-through.

• Passing to a partner 2-3 metres away.

• Practice passing and receiving while stationary, then moving.

Station 3: Shooting and Target Practice

• Show correct shooting stance and technique for accuracy.

• Set up small goals or targets to aim at.

• Encourage aiming for accuracy over strength.

3. Small-Sided Game: 5-a-side Mini Hockey (12 minutes)

• Organise students into 5 teams of 5 for short games.

• Use a smaller playing area outlined by cones.

• Rules focused on maintaining passes and teamwork rather than competition.

• Emphasise encouraging teammates and playing fairly.

• Rotate teams every 3-4 minutes to ensure all play time.

4. Cool Down and Reflection (5 minutes)

• Lead students through light stretching focusing on muscles used in hockey.

• Gather students in a circle for a short group reflection:

• What skills did you enjoy practising today?

• How did your team demonstrate good sportsmanship?

• What will you remember next time you play hockey or team sports?

Assessment Opportunities

• Observation: Teacher assesses students’ ability to control the ball with a stick and participate actively.

• Peer feedback: In small groups, students give positive feedback on each other’s teamwork and encouragement.

• Self-reflection: Students share what they learned and what they found challenging.