Performing balances of increasing difficulty
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can perform increasingly complex balances with control.
Key learning points
- Move: performing complex balances requires keeping the core engaged for stability.
- Move: using slow and controlled movements to enter and exit balances increases control and stability.
- Think: when balancing, focusing on a fixed point can help maintain control and stillness.
- Feel: pushing yourself to attempt more challenging balances improves your skills, building confidence and precision.
- Connect: physically supporting others in challenging balances helps them kinesthetically feel the correct technique.
Keywords
Balance - the ability to maintain a stable and controlled body position
Stability - the ability to maintain control of the body while performing static or dynamic movements
Core - the group of muscles in the abdomen, lower back, hips and pelvis that provide stability, strength and control for movements
Common misconception
When pupils are teaching, they do not use the additional materials and therefore provide incorrect teaching points or unsuitable adaptations for their group.
Ensure pupils are using the additional materials to support their understanding of each skill and make sure they know how to provide adaptations so that everyone in the group can achieve success when performing the skill.
Teacher tip
A cooperative teaching approach such as this is reliant on pupils having the communication skills and confidence necessary to lead small groups. Ensure you have leaders in each group and differentiate by this skill rather than physical ability. Have adaptations for each balance to help pupils.
Equipment
1 mat between 2
Content guidance
Risk assessment required - physical activity
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
Prior knowledge starter quiz
4 Questions
Q1.Which jump requires you to bring your knees towards your chest without leaning forwards?
Q2.Which body part is most important for maintaining balance?
Q3.What is the action of changing the direction the body is facing by rotating the body around a vertical axis?
Q4.Which of the following is an example of a static balance?
Assessment exit quiz
4 Questions
Q1.As well as developing your skills, what can you improve by attempting more challenging balances within a sequence?
Q2.What can you focus on to help you perform balances with control and stillness?
Q3.What can you do if a pupil is unable to perform a balance in a lesson and you are teaching them?
Q4.How can you help other pupils to kinesthetically feel the correct technique when performing a balance?
To help you plan your 8 physical education lesson on: Performing balances of increasing difficulty, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 8 physical education lesson on: Performing balances of increasing difficulty, 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 3 physical education lessons from the Gymnastics jigsaw: technical fluency and group performance analysis unit, dive into the full secondary physical education curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.