Skip to content
Oak National Academy
Oak National Academy
Teachers
Pupils
New
New
Year 1

The difference between wide, narrow and curled

I can demonstrate a variety of movements and balances in wide, narrow and curled ways.

Download all resources
New
New
Year 1

The difference between wide, narrow and curled

I can demonstrate a variety of movements and balances in wide, narrow and curled ways.

Download all resources

These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

Switch to our new teaching resources now - designed by teachers and leading subject experts, and tested in classrooms.

These resources were created for remote use during the pandemic and are not designed for classroom teaching.

View new resources

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Move: quality wide, narrow, curled movements and balances require silence, pointed fingers and toes, and still balances.
  2. Think: knowing the difference between wide, narrow and curled enables us to be creative and try a variety of ideas.
  3. Connect: being safe and looking after ourselves and others on apparatus enables everyone to engage in their learning.
  4. Feel: being confident on the apparatus when trying a variety of ideas shows self-belief.

Keywords

  • Difference - the condition of being different or not alike

  • Shape - the position of the body when performing an action

  • Variety - a collection of different movements and balances

Common misconception

Pupils perform gymnastics in silence to show good behaviour. Pupils don't use the floor as part of the apparatus when practicing skills.

Pupils perform gymnastics in silence to demonstrate good control. Pupils should use the floor and the equipment to practice and perform their skills.


To help you plan your year 1 physical education lesson on: The difference between wide, narrow and curled, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

The apparatus list is for guidance only. You can use the equipment you have available. When listening to the teacher, pupils stand straight, 'Stand like a gymnast.' At the end of the lesson, asking pupils to remember or visualise their best bit means they end the lesson feeling successful.
Teacher tip

Equipment

mats, benches, gymnastic tables, climbing frames/wall bars

Content guidance

  • Risk assessment required - physical activity

Supervision

Adult supervision required

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Starter quiz

Download starter quiz

4 Questions

Q1.
What do we call a movement or balance when we tuck our body in tight like a ball?
Correct answer: curled
narrow
wide
Q2.
What type of balance are we creating if our body is stretched out long and thin?
curled
Correct answer: narrow
wide
Q3.
What are we doing when we perform movements and balances one after the other?
Correct answer: combining them
removing them
changing them
Q4.
What do you show when striving to improve and develop your movements and balances?
self-doubt
Correct answer: self-belief
self-pity

Exit quiz

Download exit quiz

4 Questions

Q1.
What type of shape are we creating if our legs and arms are outstretched?
small
thin
Correct answer: wide
Q2.
What should you do before jumping off the apparatus?
look up
Correct answer: check the landing area
check behind you
Q3.
What do we call a collection of different movements?
the same
a group
Correct answer: a variety
Q4.
What shapes can we make with our bodies?
over and under
jumps and balances
Correct answer: wide, narrow, curled