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Lesson details

Learning outcome

I can throw a ball accurately and receive the ball by providing a target for my partner to aim at.

Key learning points

  1. Move: our body should be behind the ball when catching while creating a target with our hands for our partner to aim at.
  2. Move: when throwing underarm, step forward with one foot, and release the ball with the opposite hand towards a target.
  3. Think: sending the ball accurately requires focus and concentration.
  4. Feel: continuing to try our hardest to throw or catch the ball accurately, even when we make mistakes, shows resilience.
  5. Connect: cooperation enables us to work with each other to keep count of our successful throws and catches.

Keywords

  • Throw - using your hands to send a ball through the air to a specific target or area

  • Target - an object you are aiming for

  • Accuracy - the ability to control where we hit an object

Common misconception

Pupils often throw the ball with too much power. Pupils step into their throw with the same foot as their throwing arm. Pupils wait for the ball to come to them instead of moving towards it.

Encourage pupils to hold the ball loosely rather than squeezing it tightly. Remind pupils to step in with opposite foot to throwing arm. Pupils should be encouraged to move towards the ball to catch it and make sure the body is underneath the ball.

Teacher tip

The focus of this lesson should be to ensure that pupils throw and catch as many times as possible. Make sure that the pace of the lesson means that pupils are constantly throwing, retrieving, catching their ball as much as possible to help improve their throwing and catching technique.

Equipment

1 ball each (may need bean bags as alternative), 50+ cones of different colours

Content guidance

Risk assessment required - physical activity

Supervision

Adult supervision required

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2026), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0
except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions
(Collection 2).

Prior knowledge starter quiz

4 Questions

Q1.
What can we do to help us throw with accuracy?

Correct answer: concentrate
laugh
side step

Q2.
What are we showing if we accurately count our throws?

frustration
independence
Correct answer: honesty

Q3.
If we throw with our right hand, which foot should we step forward with?

Correct answer: left
either
right

Q4.
What is a word for something that we are aiming for?

frustration
Correct answer: target
throw

4 Questions

Q1.
What are we demonstrating when we stick to the rules and trust our partner?

Correct answer: cooperation
competition
technique

Q2.
What helps us to throw and catch consecutively with our partners?

Correct answer: accuracy
power
flexibility

Q3.
Where should we aim for the ball to bounce when throwing to our partner?

behind
Correct answer: in front
the side

Q4.
When we throw the ball back and forth in ‘throw tennis’, how many times is the ball allowed to bounce?

Correct Answer: once, one, on bounce

To help you plan your 3 physical education lesson on: Throwing with accuracy, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...