Improve my strength
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain how strength helps in a wide range of sporting activities.
Key learning points
- Move: muscular strength is required for stillness, explosive power and endurance.
- Think: knowing the different muscle groups helps us to use our strength appropriately.
- Feel: developing muscle strength requires a responsible and safe approach.
- Connect: collaborating with others ensures that we perform exercises safely with the correct technique.
Keywords
Strength - how much your muscles can overcome a force without getting tired too quickly e.g. lift, push, pull or carry
Technique - the way in which a skill is performed
Injury - harm to your body caused by an accident, impact or excessive strain
Common misconception
Some pupils might think that humans only need strong muscles if they want to excel in sports such as weight lifting and climbing.
Strong muscles are essential for humans to complete everyday tasks including breathing, blinking, sitting, lifting, chewing etc. Strong muscles also help our joints to work effectively which helps to avoid injury and pain.
Teacher tip
Be alert to gender stereotyping; individual strength at a primary age is likely to be affected by puberty, activity levels and regular participation in sport and exercise, as well as gender. As such, the strength of pupils in a primary class will vary significantly.
Equipment
30+ cones, 10 beanbags, 3 benches, 10 basketballs, 10+ stopwatches
Content guidance
Risk assessment required - physical activity
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
Prior knowledge starter quiz
4 Questions
Q1.Which of these body parts are kept healthy by regularly stretching them?
Q2.How must we prepare muscles to stretch them safely?
Q3.How often does your body use its muscles?
Q4.How does self-discipline help us when we are working to improve our fitness?
Assessment exit quiz
4 Questions
Q1.What type of person should be active and keep their muscles strong?
Q2.What type of strength is needed for a long distance overarm throw?
Q3.What can help us to avoid injury during activities that develop our strength?
Q4.Which of these characteristics can help you stay safe during strength development activities?
To help you plan your 6 physical education lesson on: Improve my strength, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 6 physical education lesson on: Improve my strength, 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 2 physical education lessons from the Health and wellbeing: stamina, strength and flexibility refined unit, dive into the full primary physical education curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.