Teamwork Strategy

Overview

This is lesson 3 of 5 in “Mastering Invasion Games”. Students build on earlier attacking and defending skills by focusing on teamwork decisions, unit movement, and quick transitions between attack and defence.

Learning intentions

• WALT work as a team to enhance game strategies in invasion games.
• WALT communicate clearly with teammates to coordinate passing, moving and support.
• WALT move as a unit through “gateways” to create space and maintain control of the ball.
• WALT apply a simple plan for transitioning between attack and defence.

Success criteria

• I can use communication (voice or agreed signals) to help my team.
• I can move into the correct roles/positions and stay with my unit.
• I can decide as a team when to pass, move forward, or hold position to improve scoring chances.
• I can switch quickly from attack to defence when the other team gains the ball.

Curriculum links

• Movement skills (Invasion games): applying attacking and defending strategies, including dodging, marking (both stages), and intercepting.
• Movement skills (Invasion games): making decisions such as when and how to pass, move, or shoot to support team success.
• Movement skills (Invasion games): applying rules and conventions accurately during play and adapting to game situations and positions.

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Honey Pot warm-up (communication). Teacher sets up a small playing area with one “honey pot” and a few defenders; students play in pairs/small groups with a ball, aiming to reach or protect a “honey pot” space while defenders try to block. Students practise calling out simple messages (“man up”, “space”, “I’ve got it”, “away”) and use quick movement to keep the ball under control.

2. 5–15 min · Direct teach: teamwork roles + transition idea. Teacher briefs three team roles (e.g., attacker support, receiver/“link”, defender/mark) and explains one simple transition rule: “If we lose the ball, we immediately switch to defence; if we win it, we immediately switch to attack.” Students rehearse in slow motion: show support position, show marking posture, then practise the “switch” on teacher signal.

3. 15–25 min · Gateways (move as a unit). Teacher marks two or three “gateways” (zones/channels) across the field. One team attacks by moving the ball through gateways in sequence; the other team defends by marking and intercepting. Students move as a unit: they stay connected, use dodging to create passing lanes, and pass to advance through each gateway rather than running straight through without support.

4. 25–38 min · Small-sided game: attack/defence transitions. Teacher sets a 3v3 or 4v4 game with goal(s) and a clear rule: after a turnover, defenders must mark and intercept within 1–2 seconds of gaining possession. Students play using a team plan checklist (agreed before the restart):

• Attack: “support behind the ball” + “pass to the next gateway”
• Defence: “mark (near) + cover (behind)” + “attempt intercept” Teacher stops play for brief coaching at natural pauses (e.g., after a few goals).

5. 38–45 min · Quick team debrief + exit check. Teacher asks: “What decision helped us most? What changed when we switched to defence?” Students share one example. Students complete a 20-second self-rating: “Team plan used? Yes/No” and one sentence: “Next time we will…”

Resources

• Cones to create playing areas, gateways, and goal areas
• 1–2 balls (or foam balls for safety)
• Pinnies for teams and roles
• Team plan checklist cards (one per team)
• Whistle + teacher signals for transition
• Clipboards or simple exit ticket slips
• Dyslexia-friendly recording option: coloured sticky notes or audio-to-text prompt (teacher uses)

Assessment

• During Honey Pot and Gateways: observe communication quality and whether students move as a connected unit (not isolated runners).
• During the small-sided game: listen for decision-making (“pass to the gateway”, “switch on turnover”) and check for quick defence marking/intercept attempts after loss of ball.
• Exit ticket/debrief: confirm students can name one strategy from their team plan and one transition change.

Differentiation

• Pair students of varying skill levels: place a confident communicator with a developing player so they can model calling and support positioning.
• Use visual supports: show a simple diagram of “attack roles” and “defence roles” at the side of the court.
• Dyslexia-friendly reading options: provide the team plan checklist as symbols/colours (e.g., green = attack, red = defence), and allow responses on sticky notes or oral answers instead of writing.
• Scaffold decisions: provide sentence starters on the teacher cards (“We passed because…”, “We switched when…”) and allow teams to choose from three prepared plan statements at restarts.

Extension (optional)

• Advanced students analyse and adjust tactics mid-game: at each timeout, they must propose one change based on what they observed (e.g., “switch the gateway order”, “press sooner”, “mark the main passer tighter”, “create a decoy runner”).
• Add a “coach role” for one student per team during game pauses: they identify one success (e.g., intercept created) and one improvement (e.g., better positioning for passing).