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Link Units for Gymnastics, Games and
Dance Key Stage 2 - 3 Transition
Sample Lesson Material
Click on the section below to view the relevant sample lesson
material:
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Gymnastics
Strucure of the Link Unit
Work on floor and apparatus
The link unit has been structured to progress and develop skills,
agilities and sequences through a series of progressive phases:-
Transition and Familiarisation – on floor
and apparatus:
Travel, jump, turn and balance using matching / mirroring / contrasting
(joining 2 phrases of movement together).
Progression 1 – on floor and apparatus:
Shapes and levels through balancing with one point of contact with
a partner (moving into and from a balance).
Progression 2 – on floor and apparatus:
Making static and mobile shapes for a partner to move under / over
(joining 3 movements together and adding the phrase from progression
2 to form a more complex sequence).
Progression 3 – on floor and apparatus:
Pushing and pulling against a partner(s) to produce a balance using
counter-balance or counter-tension (developing control and body
tension – changing positions and moving smoothly to music).
Progression 4 – on floor and apparatus:
Adapt, modify and refine counter-balance / counter-tension balances
and transfer them to apparatus (develop sequences using different
parts of the apparatus and using all the floor etc).
Progression 5 – on floor
and apparatus:
Working with a partner or in a group of three select and develop
at least 4 balances from the different types experienced and combine
into a sequence using music to help determine structure (develop
sequences working to specific criteria and evaluate them using
a check-list).
Progression 6 – on floor and apparatus:
Using their understanding of construction / siting of apparatus
pupils complete the setting-up of their own apparatus group and
use the same criteria for creating a sequence as in progression
5 but fully using both floor and apparatus (develop sequences
to exploit space and imaginative use of dynamics. They work to
music).
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Warm-up
(Porgression 5)
 Remember
the jogging / sidestepping / stretching warm-up you created in
the last session using stretches A, D and G (have
copies of the cards available for children who need to remind
themselves of the stretches). Practise your warm-up sequence
several times
and when questioned explain which groups of muscles they are
stretching.
 - On the spot, do a small jump 2 feet ? 2 feet
2 feet - 1 foot
1 foot - 2 feet
1 foot - same foot
 1 foot - other foot
bounce on the spot practising these different jumps so you
remember them.
 Stand side-by-side with a partner and
perform General Warm-up No5 “Bounce and Step” to
create a short, repeatable pattern of bounces and steps. “Bounce
and step” (Track
5).
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Floorwork
(Progression 1)
- Move about the gym and over the mats showing different
ways of travelling (give pupils time to explore and show demonstrations
before repeating task. Some ideas which may be used for demonstration
could include:- cartwheels, sideways / forwards / backwards rolls,
jumps, handstands, forward roll, dive rolls etc. This could also
lead to some skill development.)
 Can you demonstrate a front support position? (Take
a child who can show a good quality position and briefly go
through the teaching points – strong straight arms, hands
directly behind the shoulders, fingers pointing forwards, strong
straight body in line with head.) All try, and emphasise
body tension, extension and clarity of body shape – all
of which give quality (Repeat the exercise with back
support and side support).
 Can you begin in front support and, maintaining body
position throughout, turn over to back support. Stretch out
the free arm as you turn, and this means you also pass through side
support.
- With a partner can you match the turning movement
and keep together – moving at the same time as each other.
 You can choose any of the supports in any combination
and with your partner make a combined balance with one part
of you in contact with each other. (Look at and show
different ideas for points of contact and partner relationships) e.g.
side-by-side, feet-to-feet, head-to-head, one behind the
other, facing each other, backs to each other, crossing over
each
other etc.
- Now you have established your balance, can you
change it by releasing one or two points of contact with
the floor
and changing your body shape (look at ideas and emphasise
body tension and extension. Recognise that a smaller base
means a more precarious balance).
- Hold the balance for three
seconds then find a way of turning or rolling to travel out
of the balance and
back onto your feet again (Practise the turn / roll and
jump back
onto feet. Show good demonstrations of a range of turns
or rolls and emphasise teaching points). Some examples of
skills which fulfil this task could include:
(a) forward roll and walk out
(b) cartwheel out
(c) turning jump
(d) backwards roll to push onto feet
(e) able pupils could show walkovers – forward and back
(This simple task will enable the teacher to make initial judgements about
individual skill level.)
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Look at the card for ideas of combined balances
(CARD 4 “Making contact to create a combined balance”) and explore some of them – modify and change
them as appropriate. (Look at some ideas as the
exploration process
is evolving and point out the essential teaching
points
concerning the role and position of the supporter.
Emphasise how strong
body tension is required to maintain the balance.)
N.B. cards 10 and 11 are also available.
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Find a favourite balance and make it perfect! Then
find a way of turning or rolling
away from it to
travel back onto
your feet. (Observe and comment on any modifications
from section (i) of floorwork.)
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 Stand away from your
mat and your partner. How can you travel towards each other
and move smoothly into the balance.
(Encourage pupils to approach the balance from different
directions. Explain they can use different movements from
each other and
can move at different times i.e. in canon or synchronisation.
Ask them to choose appropriate movements to encourage
a flowing transference of weight.)
Question for self-evaluation
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 What timing do you use to meet a partner-canon or
synchronisation?
- Have you selected appropriate turning or rolling
skills to travel from the balance? – do the movements
flow?
- Do you show a clear starting position?
- Perform the complete phrase – travel into the balance
using canon or synchronisation
hold the combined balance for 3 seconds travel away from the
balance by turning or rolling
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Apparatus (Progression
4)
- Take the apparatus out in “waves”. Pupils move
in / out / under the apparatus in between each “wave” to
maintain momentum and allow the teacher to check locks, levers
and position of apparatus.
(Encourage pupils to look at all these safety issues as they move
in and out of the apparatus and draw attention to anything they feel
needs adjusting.)
 Exploratory tasks – As an individual
move in / out / under apparatus freely, then on a signal, stop
and push or pull against
the nearest free piece of apparatus to create a balanced position
(i.e. counter balance or counter tension).
- Same task
but can you now explore different body parts that can push or pull
against the apparatus to hold a balance (show demonstrations
of different balances to show variety).
Ideas could include:- e.g.
 Feet on floor … Hands or elbows
pushing or gripping to pull.
Chest, back or side of the body pushing against apparatus.
One foot on floor, one foot / leg pushing against the apparatus
or linked to it.- Hands on floor … Feet, hips back, side
of body pushing or leaning against the apparatus.
Leg linked to pull against the apparatus.
- Shoulders on floor … feet,
hips, back leaning or pushing against the apparatus.
- Knees on
floor … head, elbows, hands pushing or leaning
against apparatus.
- Allow time for exploration and emphasise body
tension, extension and clarity of body shape. (Show more
demonstrations and ask pupils
to describe what they see i.e. is it counter-balance or counter-tension – why
is it an effective balance?)
 Join together with your
partner or in the 3 you worked in on the floor, and move in /
out /under apparatus in a follow-my-leader
formation. On a signal No1 pushes or pulls against the apparatus
to create a balanced position then No2 explores how to push or pull
against No1 (and No3 completes it) to create a combined counter-balance
/ counter-tension position. (This is repeated several times to allow
exploration of different pieces of apparatus and to show demonstrations
of effective balances. Pupils are asked to comment on different balances,
body parts in contact and sometimes how No1 may be for example holding
a counter-balance position against the apparatus but No2 (or No3)
is holding a counter-tension balance against No1.)
- Pupils
travel in different ways between the apparatus
in follow-my-leader formation and stop and balance in their own
time against a free piece
of apparatus (encourage them to change the leader each time the
combined balance is achieved).
 Move back to your own set
of apparatus. Explore combined
counter-balance / counter-tension balances on different parts of
your own apparatus or adapt, modify and extend balances you used
on the floor (hand out card 6a, b, c so pupils can refer to
them if they wish). Remember you can make it more interesting by showing
different levels e.g. No1 on apparatus, No2 on floor (No3 on either) or both (all) on different pieces of apparatus. (Three’s
could use card 12)
 Find a favourite balance and hold
it for 3 seconds. Evaluate your own balance and decide how it could
be improved.
Find a way of travelling from the balance very slowly
and smoothly in a controlled manner.
- Now find another balance on a different part of your
apparatus and practise holding it for 3 seconds – how can you travel
from it in a fast or explosive way? (Allow time for practise and
show demonstrations which illustrate good ideas.)
 Combine
the movements fluently to produce a well-balanced sequence.
- Hold the first balance, move away slowly…
- Travel into
the second balance
- Move away quickly or in an explosive way.
- Travel into a finishing position. Hand out card 7 “Counter-balance
/ counter-tension on apparatus”.
Evaluation
Evaluate another pairs’ sequence – what did you like about it?
Does it contain a travel jump turn and balance? As a result of the evaluation,
modify or improve your own sequence.
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Games
Structure
of the Link Unit
The Link Unit has been structured to progress and
develop skills, strategies and games through a series of progressive
phases:-
Transition and Familiarisation – Net / Wall – striking
with a racquet
Skill development with a racquet and throwing
a ball. Body position - preparation, action and follow through.
Making a “net” and
working co-operatively across it. Finding spaces to attack the
opposition (i.e. forward, back, side, other side and beginning
to return with different speeds.) Play a game with rules (2 v 2).
Progression 1 – Net / Wall – “hitting” with
hands and a large ball
Skill development and body position necessary
to “keep the
ball up” using hands only. Working over a high net to play
co-operatively with a partner. Playing a game of “Newcombe” with
beanbags or ball to make and use space in an attacking way. Keep
possession by passing to another team member before making the
attacking shot (teams of 2, 3, or 4).
Progression 2 – Striking / Fielding – using
a range of bats / racquets
Variety of throwing and catching skills – move
feet quickly and get in line with the ball. Bowling underarm and
striking the
ball in different directions. Play a game that involves aiming
the strike in order to score runs and fielders covering each other (2
v 4).
Progression 3 – Striking / Fielding – using
a range of bats and balls
Variety of fielding skills with the ball arriving
on different levels and from different directions. Chasing a ball
and fielding
it effectively. Understanding covering and teamwork. Game involving
scoring zones, running to score and fielding as a team. Type of
batting and bowling decided by the players (4 v 2)
Progression 4 – Invasion – sending,
receiving and travelling with a ball using hands
Controlling feet
and developing balance. Signalling for the ball.
Skill development for accuracy of passing and receiving. Fluency
of passing. Possession play and progressions down the court / pitch.
Making and using space and understanding numerical advantage. Game
(5 v 3).
Progression 5 – Invasion – using
feet or hockey sticks
Developing
appropriate skills and putting them under pressure (two-touch
etc).
Developing pass and move. Play a game with numerical
advantage (5 v 3). Play the game with one goal each and even teams.
Devising strategies for attack / defence in this much more difficult
situation (4 v 4).
Progression 6 – Consolidation and exploration
Three different
courts / pitches are set up. Pupils are divided into groups / teams
and given resource cards which challenge them
to set up their own game, with an umpire / referee and explore
playing it in different ways e.g. kicking, throwing, striking and
possibly change the size, shape, scoring area
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Skill Development (Progression 3)
 Stand in groups of three – one small ball
to each group.
Stand in a triangle shape and pass the ball underarm around the
triangle. (Remember downwards and upwards cradle, get body in line
with the ball and give a balanced preparation, action, follow through.
Get pupils to remind each other and evaluate technique.)
- Stand further away from each other “A” rolls
to B who fields it, then throws it overarm to C, and so on in
that order around the triangle.
(At this point some technique teaching for collecting a ball rolling
directly towards you and a long stop to either side of the body
would be useful.)
Repeat the practice and try to make the passes fast, efficient
and accurate. (To help speed up reactions every time the
teacher calls “change” the ball has to be passed
in the opposite direction.)
- “A” throws the ball high, somewhere between
B and C. Both move towards it, but, whoever is nearest moves to
catch it and calls “mine”. Whoever catches it is
the thrower next time (talk about playing as a team member and
covering
the catcher. Also remember to get under the ball to collect it).
 Stand side-by-side in 3’s, all facing the same way.
(Organisation all groups facing the same direction or groups
back to back throwing away from each other.)
- “A” rolls the ball.
- As the ball is released “B” and “C” race
to field it and throw it back accurately. Whoever gets there
first collects the ball as the other person “covers”.
- Have
three turns and then change roles. (This practice can also
be done with throwing the ball to bounce several times or throwing
the ball high.) (It could be appropriate to do specific technique
teaching of fielding a run-away ball.)
Two groups of 3 join together to form a group of 6.
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Game (Progression 4)
N.B.  The teacher can organise
the game or give groups Game Card 3 to organise themselves.
- Two groups of four join together to make teams of 5 and 3.
- The
team of 5 defends 2 goals (one across each of their defending
corners).
- The team of 3 defends one goal placed centrally
on their back line.
- The “5” begin with the ball
on the back line of their area and try to pass it around and
make forward progression
to
score in the single goal.
 You may not move with the ball.
- The “3” try to
cover the spaces and dispossess the attacking side. If they gain
possession they try to score in either
of the two corner goals. (Change the teams round regularly
so they experience both the advantages of large numbers and the
covering
and support play of the defending “3”. In which
situations should you defend “man-to-man” and when
should you cover the space?)
N.B. When pupils have been playing the game for a few minutes
they can condition the game - e.g.
- Does it make a difference if you are limited to only one
type of throw? (Condition the game e.g. chest pass only etc.)
- Does it make a difference if you can move with the ball whilst
bouncing it (up to 3 bounces)
- Condition the game
so passes may only be sideways or backwards but dribbling can
move forwards.
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Dance
Structure
of Link Unit
The Link Unit has been structured to progress and develop
skills, techniques, movement phrases and dances through a series
of progressive phases:-
Transition and Familiarisation - “The Word
Game”:
Interpreting words to create group shapes.
The shapes exploit a use of level and making contact with different
body parts. Pupils develop synchronised movement to travel into the
shapes and begin to use their own percussion.
Progression 1- “The Word Game”:
Interpreting words to create group shapes on
different levels with individuals in different shapes. “Dance
by chance” to create a movement phrase. Pupils develop canon
movement. Pupils evaluate dances using a check-list.
Progression 2 - “Computer Game”:
Creating a simple motif and extending it using
movements to include travelling, jumping and turning. Reinforcement
of use of directions and levels. (Development of relationships in
groups of four.)
Progression 3 - “Load the CD”:
Pushing and pulling against a partner to produce
moments of stillness using counter-balance and counter tension. Composing
a repeatable phrase exploring shape and level. Linking this phrase
to the motif from the last progression.
Progression 4 - “The Escape”:
Individual pathways and phrases to express the
dramatic idea of a chase. Energetic and high activity phrases utilising
leaping, travelling and rolling, and furtive, “move and stop”, “move
and pause” phrases. Pathways and levels are developed.
Progression 5 - “Follow and
Evade”:
Shapes, stretched and curled, symmetrical
and asymmetrical are explored and used within a dramatic idea
of “follow
and evade”. Relationships including follow-my-leader, canon,
over, under and around are explored and used to dramatic effect.
Progression 6 - “The Fight”:
Working with a partner using action and reaction
to create the dramatic idea of a fight. Pupils use different body
parts to initiate the reactions which include directional jumping,
sinking, spinning, turning, rolling and sliding. “The Spy Game” dance
is completed. The complete extended dance of “The Computer
Spy Game” is also finished.
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Exploration and Development (Progression 3)
 (This series of progressions develops the idea of the
computer game. In the last session, the idea of the tray opening
to receive the CD was developed into a motif. This session’s
discussion should focus around the idea of putting the CD in the
tray and gently pushing it to close. The movement is slow, steady
and controlled and is initiated by a push. In movement terms it would
be appropriate to develop slow, controlled and co-ordinated movement
in pairs using counter-balance and counter-tension.)
- Face your partner and grip wrists (in the grasp, No1 has palms
upwards and No2 palms downwards). Strong tense bodies – toes
close to the toes of your partner and gradually and slowly lean
away – pull to create the tension and slowly sit down together.
(For detailed reference of counter-balance / counter-tension
teaching points see progression 3 Gymnastics – pages 50 – 52.)
 Stand palms-to-palms with your partner, keep strong arms and
bodies, push against your partner and gradually move your feet
further
away until you take each other’s full weight.
 These
are the core principles of counter balance and counter tension
... strong body tension clear body shape and line, pushing
or pulling against a partner to hold a moment of stillness.
Can you use these principles to explore balances where you and
your partner are different shapes and on different levels. (Take
counter-balance
and counter-tension Card 8 to help provide ideas for exploration.)
- Can you find at least three different counter-balance
/ counter-tension balances you can perform with confidence (look
often at demonstrations
and draw attention to body line, shape, level and slowly moving
into the position).
-
 Maintaining slow, steady, controlled movement
throughout, can you link your three or more balances together
(put music on in the
background - Track 7 – several times). Perform your balances
in a slow and controlled manner and then repeat them as necessary
to take you to the end of the track.
- One pair watches another
pair perform to music and offers suggestions for improvement.
Have you created a strong, well-held finishing position?
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Making
a Dance (Progression 3)
 Everyone performs their counter-balance / counter-tension
dances.
- Move into the finishing position you held in your
group from the motif. How do you move to meet your partner
and begin
the balance dance? (Suggest a travel and jump might be appropriate
because the rest of the dance is balanced and slow.) Practise
to make it perfect.
Dance Framework
 Perform the whole of the dance so far:- Track 8.
(a.) the motif – on the spot and extended
(b.) travel and jump to meet … counter-balance / counter-tension
dance
- Groups of 4 link fingers and stand in a line.
When we press the “start” button the power surges
through the computer. We can symbolise it  with a “wave” of
movement travelling down the line of pupils and back again - practise
large, flexible “waves” of movement (Track 5).
- Practise 3 sets of “power surges” in your line
and on the fourth power surge, everyone breaks away and travels
and jumps into their starting position for the motif (Track
5).
- Join
the whole of the computer dance together starting with the
power surge.
Half the class watches the other half perform.Are the shapes
clear? (Body line and extension)
Are the joining movements effective? (Fluid and appropriate)
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