Lesson 1 - Ball Control and Team Recognition
Team Challenges & Skills
•Year 1
•Invasion Games
•Start Planning Better PE Lessons
Sign up free to access 3 complete units per month, unlimited activity library, and your personal locker.
What's included
- Complete activity instructions & timing
- Teaching tips & differentiation strategies
- Assessment guidance & success criteria
- Downloadable lessons & units
How can we keep control of the ball while moving towards our goal?
Learning Objectives
- To develop dribbling skills with hands and feet using controlled touches
- To understand the concept of being 'in possession' of the ball
- To recognise team members and understand basic team structure
Key Outcomes
- Students will demonstrate basic ball control using different parts of their feet
- Students will explain what possession means in invasion games
- Students will show awareness of teammates and opponents during activities
Equipment & Resources Required
Used for boundaries, goals, and skill stations
Alternative: Bean bags, markers, hoops
Distributed around area perimeter for easy collection
Alternative: Size 3 footballs, foam balls for indoor use
Half the class wear bibs to distinguish teams
Alternative: Different coloured cones to hold, coloured bands
Key Vocabulary
Moving the ball along the ground using your feet while keeping control
When your team has control of the ball
A player whose team has the ball and is trying to score
A player trying to stop the other team from scoring
Games where teams try to get into the other team's area to score
Skill Progression Pathway
Understanding where pupils are coming from and where they're going
Prior Learning
- Basic movement skills like walking and running
- Understanding of personal space
- Experience with ball handling activities
Current Skills
- Controlled ball touches with feet
- Understanding of possession concept
- Basic team recognition
Next Steps
- Passing to teammates
- Basic defending techniques
- Simple team tactics
Milestone Indicators
Key Teaching Points
- Soft touches keep the ball close and under control
- Look up regularly to see space and avoid others
- Possession means your team has control of the ball
- When you have possession, you are attacking
- Different parts of foot give different types of control
- Good sportsmanship makes games fun for everyone
- Defenders try to win the ball back using feet only
Common Misconceptions
- Students thinking dribbling means bouncing the ball like basketball - correct by emphasising foot control along ground
- Believing possession only applies when holding the ball - explain it's about team control, not individual
- Thinking they need to kick hard to move the ball - demonstrate soft touches are more effective
- Assuming they can use hands to defend - reinforce feet-only rule for ball control
- Not understanding team concepts - use bibs or clear team identification to reinforce
SEN Adaptations
ADHD
- Shorter activity bursts, clear boundaries emphasised, regular position changes, immediate positive feedback, movement breaks built in
dyspraxia
- Larger balls for easier control, extra practice time, break skills into smaller steps, use wall or fence for additional support
autism spectrum
- Clear routine establishment, visual schedule of activities, quiet space available if overwhelmed, consistent language and cues
visual impairment
- Use bright coloured balls, provide clear verbal descriptions of activities, buddy system for movement, audio cues for direction changes
hearing impairment
- Use visual demonstrations extensively, hand signals for instructions, written activity cards, ensure student can see teacher's face
physical disability
- Seated dribbling activities, use larger softer balls, adapt cone distances, allow use of hands if needed for wheelchair users
Cross-Curricular Links
English
Following instructions, new vocabulary development, describing movements and techniques
Maths
Counting touches, measuring distances for cone placement, timing activities, simple scoring systems
Science
Forces when kicking balls, friction between ball and surface, balance and coordination
Geography
Directions and spatial awareness, mapping movement patterns around area
PSHE
Teamwork and cooperation, dealing with disappointment, celebrating others' success, following rules
Teacher Guidance
Positioning
Position at edge of activity area for full class visibility, move between groups during pair work
Observation Focus
Ball control technique - soft touches, close control; Spatial awareness during movement; Understanding of possession concept; Positive behaviour and sportsmanship
Intervention Points
["Step in if students show rough contact", "Correct ball control technique immediately", "Reinforce possession concept if confusion observed", "Address any negative behaviour towards others"]
Demonstration Notes
Use exaggerated movements for ball control techniques, clearly show different parts of foot, model positive sporting behaviour consistently
Verbal Cues
- •'Soft touches!'
- •'Head up, look around!'
- •'Keep it close!'
- •'Well done to your partner!'
- •'Remember possession means having control!'
Safety Considerations
Space & Surface Requirements
Space Requirements
Minimum 20m x 30m clear area, preferably playground or sports hall
Surface Check
Dry, even surface free from obstacles, stones, or wet patches
Equipment Safety
Safety Checks
- •Check balls are properly inflated and in good condition
- •Ensure cones have no sharp edges or cracks
- •Verify equipment numbers match class size
Risk Management
Key Risks
- •Collisions between students during movement
- •Slips when changing direction quickly
- •Ball strikes to face or body
- •Overexcitement leading to rough play
Risk Mitigation
- •Clear boundaries established with cones
- •Emphasis on controlled movement throughout
- •Heads up awareness consistently reinforced
- •Gentle contact only in defending activities
- •Immediate stops when unsafe behaviour observed
Supervision & Emergency Procedures
Supervision Points
- •Position for maximum visibility of all students
- •Move around area to monitor different groups
- •Pay particular attention during competitive activities
- •Watch for fatigue or overexcitement
Emergency Procedures
Stop all activity immediately, assess injury, provide appropriate first aid, contact office if required