Relay Race Challenge

Overview

Unit: Summer Sports Adventure
Lesson: 6 of 8
Duration: 45 minutes
Class size: 25 students
Age group: KS2 (7-11 years old approx.)
Focus: Team sports, relay races, teamwork, communication, competitive fun

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Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

• Demonstrate effective baton passing techniques and running skills within a relay team.
• Show improved communication and cooperation during team-based physical activity.
• Apply previous skills from earlier lessons (e.g. sprinting, stamina, hand-eye coordination) in a dynamic relay race setting.
• Reflect on teamwork and fair play principles as part of competitive sport.

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UK Curriculum Links

This lesson aligns with the National Curriculum for Physical Education (2014) for KS2:

• Pupils should be taught to:
  • Use running, jumping, throwing and catching in isolation and in combination.
  • Play competitive games, modified where appropriate (for example, badminton, basketball, cricket, football, hockey, netball, rounders and tennis), and apply basic principles suitable for attacking and defending.
  • Develop flexibility, strength, technique, control and balance.
  • Understand how to improve their own and others’ performance.

The lesson promotes the Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) principles of teamwork, communication, respect, and fair play.

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Resources Needed

• Relay batons (enough for 5 teams of 5 students)
• Cones for marking start, exchange zones, and finish lines
• Stopwatch or timer
• Whistle
• Large enough outdoor space or hall for running lanes
• Clipboards and pens for peer assessment
• Visual task cards summarising teamwork tips

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Lesson Structure

1. Warm-up and Introduction (8 minutes)

• Dynamic warm-up:
  • Jogging 2 laps around the activity area (2 minutes)
  • Dynamic stretches: leg swings, high knees, lunges, arm circles (3 minutes)
  • Relay stance and baton holding demo by teacher (2 minutes)
  • Quick explanation of today’s task and behaviour expectations (communication, encouraging teammates) (1 minute)

2. Skill Refresher & Demonstration (7 minutes)

• Teacher-led demo of correct baton passing technique:
  • Visual cues for hand placement and exchanging within the exchange zone
  • Reinforce communication signals: ‘Ready’, ‘Go’, ‘Hand’
• Small practice in pairs (baton passing over 5m), emphasising smooth transition (5 minutes)
• Q&A and recap connections to previous lessons on sprinting and hand-eye coordination (2 minutes)

3. Main Activity: Team Relay Races (25 minutes)

Setup:

• Divide the class into 5 teams of 5 students (adjust as necessary).
• Use cones to mark the start/finish line and two exchange zones, each approx. 5m wide.
• Assign lanes for each team if space allows.

Relay Variations:

Round 1: Classic sprint relay

• Each runner sprints 40m before passing the baton.
• Focus on speed and smooth baton exchange.

Round 2: Skills challenge relay

• Incorporate a variation where runners balance a bean bag on the head, encouraging concentration alongside speed.
• Bonus points for successful completion without dropping the bean bag.

Round 3: Communication challenge relay

• The runner waiting must use a secret code word to say ‘go’ for the baton pass, testing teamwork and listening skills.

During Runs:

• Teacher and support staff/timekeepers observe and encourage positive communication and support.
• Students not running act as cheering squads, practising positive encouragement.

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4. Cool Down and Reflection (5 minutes)

• Gentle walking laps gradually slowing to a stop (2 minutes)

• Whole-class circle discussion:

  • What made your team successful?
  • How did communication affect your race?
  • How did it feel to work as a team?
  • Teacher links answers back to fair play and teamwork principles.

• Quick peer feedback:

  • Using clipboards, students write one strength and one area to improve for their team work.

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Differentiation Strategies

• For less confident/less able pupils:

  • Shorten sprint distances.
  • Partner with stronger athletes for baton exchanges.
  • Emphasise encouragement roles in the team to build inclusion.

• For more able pupils:

  • Add complexity by incorporating a curved running course.
  • Introduce time targets and encourage self-assessment to develop competitive strategies.

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Assessment and Evaluation

• Formative assessment:

  • Observe pupil teamwork, communication, and technical skill in baton passing during activities.
  • Peer feedback to reinforce social learning and reflective practice.

• Summative assessment at unit end:

  • Teacher notes progress on teamwork and skill execution over the unit, informing future lesson planning.

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Additional Teacher Tips

• Encourage use of positive language and non-verbal cues throughout the lesson.
• Use music lightly in the background during warm-up and cool-down to enhance engagement and mood.
• Capture photos or video snippets (with consent) for a fun ‘Summer Sports Adventure’ class showcase.
• Offer a ‘Best Team Spirit’ award to celebrate effort beyond just winning the race.

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This lesson combines physical skill development with strong social and emotional learning, essential for confident, cooperative young sportspeople. It fosters a supportive environment where every child experiences the joys and challenges of team competition in a memorable way.