Hitting/striking a ball with accuracy and power to beat an opponent
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can hit the ball accurately with my racket and can apply power to my shot in order to beat my opponent.
Key learning points
- Move: hitting requires us to watch the ball carefully on to the racket ensuring the racket head points at the target.
- Move: scoring points requires hitting the ball with power and accuracy away from your opponent.
- Think: altering your aim, or how much power you apply to a ball, can change where the ball goes.
- Feel: challenging yourself to hit the ball away from your partner to win a point requires courage.
- Connect: working together to hit the ball back and forth against the target shows good empathy and teamwork.
Keywords
Hitting - to reach or strike something in order to score in a game
Aim - pointing or looking at something you want to hit or reach
Opponent - a person who is on an opposing side in a game
Common misconception
Pupils don't adjust their body position when preparing to stop the ball or return the hit. Instead, they stretch and try to hit the ball from an unbalanced position.
Explain to pupils that positioning their body in line with the ball will make it easier to stop it going past them.
Teacher tip
When playing with a partner, ensure there is enough space so pupils can move out of the way when it is their partners turn to hit. If outside, using a wall could work similarly to how you use benches.
Equipment
1 racket per pupil, 1 ball per pupil, benches
Content guidance
Risk assessment required - physical activity
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
Prior knowledge starter quiz
4 Questions
Q1.When hitting a ball, where should you aim the racket head for greater accuracy?
Q2.Why might you need to hit the ball with more power?
Q3.Which word is the ability to use force when aiming at different targets?
Q4.What does playing by the rules when playing against your partner demonstrate?
Assessment exit quiz
4 Questions
Q1.What are you doing when you point or look at something you want to hit with your ball?
Q2.What do you need to do when the ball is rolling towards you to ensure you hit it correctly?
Q3.What are you demonstrating when you work well with other pupils?
Q4.What is the benefit of hitting a ball with power and accuracy when playing against an opponent?
To help you plan your 2 physical education lesson on: Hitting/striking a ball with accuracy and power to beat an opponent, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 2 physical education lesson on: Hitting/striking a ball with accuracy and power to beat an opponent, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom.
Explore more key stage 1 physical education lessons from the Ball skills: hitting and striking unit, dive into the full primary physical education curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.