Year 4 Gymnastics Unit 1 Lesson 6

Lesson Summary

Learning Intentions

  • Enhance existing sequence and perform it to be judged
  • Use a judging system to evaluate a group sequence
  • Compare and contrast group performances

Skill Development Judging

Success Criteria

  • I can explain what the judge is looking for
  • I can use a judging system
  • I can use my score to help me improve

We are learning...

to judge and compare performances

Curriculum Links

NC Perform a group sequence and take on the role of a judge to evaluate others’ performances.

L Spell the word ‘notice’ and use it in a sentence about today’s lesson.

N Solve: An Olympic gymnastics team scored 40 points. If ¾ were from floor events, how many points were won on floor? (Answer: 30 points)

Equipment

  • Mats
  • Printed resources (attached to the lesson plan)

Key Questions

  • What were the four areas we were looking at in the judging system we used today?
  • How did your group use the feedback or score you were given to make your routine better?
  • How can getting a score or comment from someone else help you improve your performance

Teaching Points

✔︎ Judging

  • Remind pupils to pay close attention to the whole performance, noticing both actions, linking movements and quality of body management.
  • Encourage groups to look for interesting sequence combinations and unusual balances or difficult rolls or jumps.
  • By year 4, pupils should know some common attributes that make a skill well executed. For example, are the legs straight, toes pointed, etc?
  • Notice how well the gymnasts work together. Are they working well and helping each other? Good cooperation can improve the final performance of the sequence.

Lesson Content

Starter Activity

Zone tag – Use this pulse-raising activity to warm pupils up and burn off excess energy at the start of the lesson.

Set-up:

  • Divide the hall into four zones using cones or lines
  • One tagger in each zone who must stay inside their zone
  • All other pupils are runners and can move between any zone

How to play:

  • Runners try to avoid being tagged
  • If a runner is tagged, they become the new tagger and must stay in that zone
  • The previous tagger joins the runners
  • Continue playing, swapping roles as needed

Extension: Play in short rounds of around 45 seconds, at the end of each round, the four taggers complete a simple forfeit, such as five star jumps. Play several rounds until the group is fully warmed up

A guideline image demonstrating this lesson plan content

Skill Development

Judging (see resource) – Judging systems in gymnastics are a special set of rules to help decide how well someone has performed their gymnastics sequence. Judges look for creativity, which means how unique and exciting your routine is. Technique is important too; it’s about performing each action as best you can, like making sure your legs are straight when they’re supposed to be, or you are holding a balance for 3 seconds. Lastly, judges look for how well you work with others if you’re in a group, is everyone involved? Are you performing in time and does everyone know what they are doing? These rules help everyone know what to aim for to give their best performance.

Take the pupils through the 4 areas within the judging criteria and ensure they know what each area entails. Use the presentation printed out or on an overhead to support where necessary.

Execution

  • 3 points – Actions are performed smoothly and with control; there are no falls or errors.
  • 2 Points – Actions are mostly smooth, with minor errors.
  • 1 Point – Actions lack smoothness and control; multiple errors occur.

Creativity

  • 3 points – The sequence is highly creative, with imaginative movements or combinations.
  • 2 Points – Some creativity is evident in the sequence.
  • 1 Point – The sequence shows minimal creativity, mainly consisting of basic movements.

Technique

  • 2 points – Correct technique is consistently demonstrated throughout the performance.
  • 1 point – Correct technique is shown in some parts of the performance.

Teamwork and cooperation

  • 2 points – excellent teamwork is displayed, with all members contributing and coordinating well.
  • 1 point – Some teamwork and cooperation are evident, though not consistently.

Activity - Judge and improve

Part 1: In groups of 4, give pupils the hand out (ideas for building a routine and the judging sheet). Give the groups some time to develop their sequence, they can use their work from the last few lessons to build on but must include the elements in the hand out.

Part 2: Pair groups up with another group; one will perform, and one will judge, and then they swap over. You can either have one judging sheet between the group, or each pupil can have a sheet and then do an average score. Each group should feedback to the other with their scores and any comments they have to improve.

Part 3: Groups go back to refine and improve their sequences in line with the feedback and judgement.

Part 4: Perform for their paired group again. Have they improved? If so, by how many points