Lesson 5 - Team Problem Solving
Team Skills Challenges
•Year 3
•Outdoor Adventurous Activities
•Start Planning Better PE Lessons
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How can we work together as a team to overcome challenges when everyone has different abilities?
Learning Objectives
- To work positively towards a team goal
- To involve all team members in an activity
- To communicate effectively and listen to others' ideas
Key Outcomes
- Students will demonstrate effective communication skills within a team
- Students will show understanding of how to include all team members
- Students will apply problem-solving strategies collaboratively
Equipment & Resources Required
Store around perimeter for easy access by teams
Alternative: Rope circles, chalk circles, cones arranged in circles
Ready to distribute quickly for cat identification
Alternative: Coloured bibs, coloured scarves, coloured tape strips
6 balls placed in each target hoop at start
Alternative: Bean bags, foam balls, juggling balls
For easier version of ball collection activity
Alternative: Slightly deflated footballs, larger foam balls
Mark start and finish lines, create boundaries
Alternative: Markers, spots, chalk marks
Set up for extension activities if space allows
Alternative: Mats to step over, rope on ground, cardboard barriers
Key Vocabulary
Working together with others to achieve a common goal
Sharing ideas and listening to others clearly
A plan or method for solving a problem
Working together willingly and helping each other
Finding solutions to challenges or difficulties
Making sure everyone is involved and can contribute
Skill Progression Pathway
Understanding where pupils are coming from and where they're going
Prior Learning
- Basic understanding of following instructions
- Experience working with a partner
- Simple problem-solving in familiar contexts
Current Skills
- Team communication and listening skills
- Collaborative problem-solving strategies
- Including all team members in activities
- Adapting to physical constraints and challenges
Next Steps
- Leadership roles in team activities
- Complex multi-step problem solving
- Evaluating team performance and improvement
Milestone Indicators
Key Teaching Points
- Emphasise that teamwork means using everyone's ideas and abilities, not just the loudest voices
- Model positive responses to setbacks - 'What can we learn?' rather than blame
- Highlight specific examples of good teamwork during activities for others to learn from
- Connect physical teamwork skills to broader life applications in other subjects and situations
- Celebrate effort and improvement rather than just successful completion of challenges
- Encourage teams to adapt strategies based on their members' strengths and needs
- Build complexity gradually so all students experience success before facing harder challenges
Common Misconceptions
- Misconception: Teamwork means everyone doing the same thing. Correction: Good teams use different people's strengths
- Misconception: Faster teams are better teams. Correction: Effective teams work at a pace that includes everyone
- Misconception: Team problems are caused by weak individuals. Correction: Team success depends on supporting all members
- Misconception: Planning takes too much time away from doing. Correction: Good planning makes action more effective
- Misconception: Teams should have one leader giving orders. Correction: Best teams share leadership and listen to all ideas
- Misconception: Failing means your team isn't good enough. Correction: Learning from setbacks makes teams stronger
SEN Adaptations
ADHD
- Shorter activity segments with clear transitions, specific roles within teams, movement breaks between planning phases, immediate positive feedback
dyspraxia
- Extra practice time for coordination activities, simplified versions of complex movements, clear step-by-step instructions, patient encouragement for motor skills
autism spectrum
- Clear structure with predictable progression, visual schedule of activities displayed, quiet break space available, advance notice of rule changes
visual impairment
- Use brightly coloured equipment, verbal descriptions of spatial setup, buddy system for navigation, tactile markers for boundaries
hearing impairment
- Visual demonstrations of all activities, clear written instructions on display, hand signals for communication, ensure visual contact when speaking
physical disability
- Adapt grip requirements for balls, allow seated participation in hoop transport, modify team sizes to accommodate needs, provide alternative roles
Cross-Curricular Links
English
Clear communication skills, listening and responding, expressing ideas to groups
Maths
Counting balls, measuring distances, calculating time taken, working with constraints and variables
Science
Forces needed for coordination, friction in movement, teamwork in scientific investigations
Geography
Spatial awareness, mapping routes between hoops, understanding boundaries and territories
PSHE
Cooperation, resilience, leadership, inclusion, managing emotions, celebrating differences
Teacher Guidance
Positioning
Central position with view of all teams, move between groups during planning phases to listen and support
Observation Focus
Watch for natural leadership, inclusive behaviour, creative problem-solving, and resilience during setbacks
Intervention Points
Step in if teams become exclusive, if safety rules are broken, or if frustration levels rise significantly
Demonstration Notes
Model inclusive teamwork yourself, demonstrate problem-solving processes aloud, show positive responses to setbacks
Verbal Cues
- •'All voices heard in your team?'
- •'What's your team's strategy?'
- •'How can you support your teammate?'
- •'What will you adjust after that attempt?'
Safety Considerations
Space & Surface Requirements
Space Requirements
Large indoor hall or outdoor space minimum 20m x 30m with clear boundaries
Surface Check
Dry, even surface free from obstacles and trip hazards, adequate space between teams
Equipment Safety
Safety Checks
- •Check hoops for cracks or sharp edges
- •Ensure tennis balls are in good condition without splits
- •Team bands securely fastened and visible
- •Cones placed for visibility not as trip hazards
Risk Management
Key Risks
- •Collisions between teams during activities
- •Strain from unusual body positions in hoop transport
- •Frustration leading to unsafe behaviour
- •Slips from tennis balls on floor
Risk Mitigation
- •Clear team boundaries and adequate spacing maintained
- •Progressive challenge structure builds confidence
- •Emphasis on team support reduces individual pressure
- •Regular equipment checks and clear safety instructions
Supervision & Emergency Procedures
Supervision Points
- •Position for visibility of all teams simultaneously
- •Monitor for signs of frustration or overexertion
- •Watch for unsafe risk-taking in competitive moments
- •Ensure inclusive participation throughout
Emergency Procedures
Stop activity immediately, assess situation, provide appropriate first aid or support, restart only when safe