Year 1 Attack Defend Shoot Unit 2 Lesson 3

Lesson Summary

Learning Intentions

  • Bounce a ball with some control to myself
  • Begin to bounce a ball to a partner
  • Use bouncing skills in a small game (2 vs 1) to try and score a goal

Skill Development Bouncing the ball to self

Success Criteria

  • I can bounce different balls myself.
  • I can try and bounce a ball to somebody else.
  • I can use bouncing skills to try and score at a goal.

We are Learning...

to bounce a ball with control to ourselves.

Curriculum Links

NC – Apply basic movement and ball-handling skills while taking part in simple team games.

L – Communicate with teammates using simple words and gestures to work together effectively.

N – Keep track of the team’s score during the game. Identify the shapes of equipment being used (e.g. sphere, circle, cone).

Equipment

  • Range of different-sized balls that bounce e.g tennis balls, sponge balls, netballs, basketballs, footballs
  • Cones
  • Hoops
  • Bibs

Key Questions

  • Can you think of a sport where players bounce the ball to themselves? (Like basketball or handball)
  • What do you need to remember when you bounce the ball to yourself?
  • What helped you when you were bouncing the ball to your partner? What skills did you use?

Bouncing ball to self

An image accompanying this article.

Teaching Points

✔︎ Bouncing the ball to self

  • Use your fingers, not the palm of your hand, to bounce the ball
  • Try to bounce the ball so it stays around waist height
  • Keep your eyes on the ball the whole time

Teaching Points

✔︎ Bouncing the ball to others

  • The ball should bounce at a midway point between the two players, not too close to their feet, as the ball will bounce short.
  • Do not bounce the ball too hard, so it bounces too high for a partner to catch, and not too softly, so the ball does not rise to their partner’s hands.

Lesson Content

Starter Activity

Ball Fun Movement – Each child has a ball and moves freely around a safe, designated area.

Teach the following commands:

  • Bounce & Catch – Bounce the ball once and catch it.
  • Swap! – Bounce your ball to a nearby player while they bounce theirs to you.
  • Dribble 5 – Bounce the ball five times with one hand (or bounce and catch five times if needed), then carry on moving.

Extension:

  • Change the way children travel between commands, such as jogging, side-stepping, or taking big strides.

Skill Development - Bouncing the Ball to Self

Set-Up: Spread out a variety of balls (e.g. tennis balls, sponge balls, netballs, basketballs) in different areas of the room. Make sure there is one ball per child.

Start Position: Children begin standing in their own space, not touching any equipment.

Action: On your command “Go,” children pick up a ball and begin practising bouncing it to themselves.

Encourage them to try:

  • Bouncing and catching
  • Dribbling continuously
  • Passing the ball from one hand to the other
  • Showboating (e.g. bouncing around the body or under the leg)

Switch Equipment: After a short time, say “Change,” and children place their ball down and choose a different type of ball to try.

Questions:

  • What challenges are you having with this ball?
  • Which ball is the easiest to bounce?
  • What’s different about this ball compared to the others?
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Activity - 2 vs 1 Bounce and Shoot Game

Set-Up: Place a hoop or target area about 5 metres away from the starting point. Divide children into groups of 3: 2 attackers (Team 2) and 1 defender (Player 1).

Team 2’s Objective (Attackers):

  • Bounce the ball to move closer to the hoop and try to score by bouncing it into the target
  • Players can bounce the ball to themselves or bounce-pass to their partner
  • A player cannot move while holding the ball – they must pass or bounce again to reposition

Player 1’s Objective (Defender):

  • Try to intercept the ball or block passes to stop Team 2 from scoring

Game Play:

  • Play short rounds, then rotate roles so each child gets a turn as attacker and defender
  • Encourage good teamwork, communication, and ball control

Extension: Add a time limit for Team 2 to score (e.g. 10 seconds), encouraging quicker decision-making and teamwork.

A guideline image demonstrating this lesson plan content