Playing smart with the ball in your hands
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can keep possession through fast, accurate passing and movement off the ball.
Key learning points
- Move: creating space successfully requires running into wide or deep positions.
- Move: penetrating the defence is achieved by getting behind defenders both with and without the ball.
- Think: dispersal is about creating space by using width and depth, whereas penetration is getting behind the opposition.
- Feel: recognise and understand your own emotions/abilities and how they affect others requires self-awareness.
- Connect: communicating with team mates and signalling for the ball, enables effective passing and ball retention.
Keywords
Penetration - exploiting spaces between and behind the defenders, both with and without the ball
Screen - a blocking move by an attacking player to free up a teammate
Interception - stealing the ball from your opposition when it has been passed
Common misconception
Pupils attack territory down the middle of the court or pitch and it becomes crowded.
By using accurate passing and movement of the ball out wide, you draw defenders out and create more space to invade. Similarly, by moving the ball back and then forward again, you can create more space.
Teacher tip
This lesson can be delivered using handballs, netballs or basketballs and is typically best if you give freedom to the pupils to select a ball of choice for their group.
Equipment
a variety of basketballs, handballs, netballs and other bouncy balls, cones or floor markers, bibs
Content guidance
Risk assessment required - physical activity
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
Prior knowledge starter quiz
4 Questions
Q1.Which of the following is least effective at creating space when attacking?
Q2.Which of the following is an effective way to lose a defender?
Q3.What is it called when you pretend to pass or shoot?
Q4.What should you do to increase the chances of being passed the ball?
Assessment exit quiz
4 Questions
Q1.What is it called when you exploit the spaces between and behind defenders?
Q2.What should you do if you can’t penetrate the defence at one side of the D?
Q3.What is a pick-and-roll an example of?
Q4.What sort of signals are best to avoid detection by the opposition?
To help you plan your 8 physical education lesson on: Playing smart with the ball in your hands, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 8 physical education lesson on: Playing smart with the ball in your hands, 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 Invasion games: tactics and strategies to outwit opponents in donor sports unit, dive into the full secondary physical education curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.