Lesson 2 - Defending: Blocking and Tackling
Individual To Team Play
•Year 5
•Hockey
•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 work as a defensive team to stop attacks and regain possession?
Learning Objectives
- To develop knowledge and understanding of defending techniques including marking, tackling and blocking
- To apply basic defending tactics during hockey games
- To understand the roles and responsibilities when defending as a team
Key Outcomes
- Students will demonstrate safe and effective tackling techniques
- Students will understand and apply man-to-man marking principles
- Students will work collaboratively to defend as a team and prevent scoring opportunities
Equipment & Resources Required
Check sticks are appropriate height (waist level when standing upright)
Alternative: Unihoc sticks for indoor use
Ensure balls are regulation weight and not damaged
Alternative: Tennis balls for beginners, foam balls for indoor
Bright colours for clear visibility of boundaries
Alternative: Markers, bibs as boundary markers
Two contrasting colours for team identification
Alternative: Coloured bands or different coloured tops
Positioned safely away from walls and other hazards
Alternative: Cone goals (2 cones 1m apart)
Key Vocabulary
Using the hockey stick to legally challenge an opponent and regain possession of the ball
Positioning body and stick to prevent the ball passing through or stopping a shot
A defensive strategy where each defender is assigned to mark a specific attacker
Positioning yourself between the attacker you're marking and the goal
Reading the game to position yourself to catch or deflect passes between opponents
Closing down space and time available to an attacker to force errors
Skill Progression Pathway
Understanding where pupils are coming from and where they're going
Prior Learning
- Basic hockey stick handling and ball control
- Understanding of attacking and defending roles
- Simple marking and positioning concepts from Year 4
Current Skills
- Safe tackling technique execution
- Man-to-man marking application
- Blocking and intercepting skills
- Team defensive coordination
Next Steps
- Advanced defensive tactics and formations
- Transition from defence to attack
- Zone defence concepts
Milestone Indicators
Key Teaching Points
- Safety in tackling is paramount - always play the ball, not the player
- Goal-side positioning is crucial for effective marking and defending
- Blocking and tackling are different techniques for different situations
- Pressure defending can force errors without needing to tackle
- Communication between defenders improves team defending effectiveness
- Man-to-man marking requires following opponent's movements closely
- Good defenders anticipate and read the game rather than just reacting
Common Misconceptions
- Defending is only about tackling - actually includes positioning, marking, and pressure
- Aggressive tackling is more effective - controlled, patient defending is more successful
- Defenders should always watch the ball - need to mark players without the ball too
- Tackling requires lunging or diving in - best tackles are controlled and balanced
- Bigger/stronger students are automatically better defenders - technique and reading the game are more important
SEN Adaptations
ADHD
- Break activities into shorter segments, provide clear boundaries, use positive behaviour reinforcement frequently
dyspraxia
- Simplify stick handling requirements, provide extra practice time, use larger equipment for easier handling
autism spectrum
- Provide clear structure and routine, use visual schedule of lesson activities, create quiet zone if needed for regulation
visual impairment
- Use bright coloured balls and equipment, provide detailed verbal descriptions of demonstrations, assign sighted buddy for guidance
hearing impairment
- Use clear visual demonstrations, written instruction cards, hand signals for key coaching points
physical disability
- Adapt stick length if needed, allow seated defending position, modify rules to suit physical capabilities
Cross-Curricular Links
Maths
Angles of approach for tackles, spatial awareness and positioning, timing and measurement during activities
Science
Forces involved in tackles and blocks, physics of ball movement, body mechanics during defensive movements
Geography
Directional language (goal-side, left/right), mapping movements around pitch, spatial relationships
PSHE
Teamwork and cooperation in defence, resilience when facing challenges, respect for opponents and rules
Teacher Guidance
Positioning
Position to see all students during demonstrations, move between groups during practice activities
Observation Focus
Monitor tackling safety continuously, watch for understanding of concepts, assess team defending coordination
Intervention Points
Stop activity if unsafe tackling observed, provide additional support for struggling students, challenge advanced students with variations
Demonstration Notes
Use students to demonstrate when possible, exaggerate technique points for clarity, show both correct and incorrect examples for contrast
Verbal Cues
- •'Play the ball, not the player!'
- •'Stay goal-side of your attacker!'
- •'Low and balanced when tackling!'
- •'Communicate with your defensive partner!'
Safety Considerations
Space & Surface Requirements
Space Requirements
Minimum 40m x 30m for full activities, clear run-off areas around pitch boundaries
Surface Check
Even surface free from holes, water, or debris that could cause slips or stick catches
Equipment Safety
Safety Checks
- •Hockey sticks checked for damage, appropriate size for each student
- •Balls checked for damage and proper inflation
- •Goals secured and positioned away from walls/windows
Risk Management
Key Risks
- •Stick-to-body contact during tackling
- •Collisions between students
- •Slips due to quick direction changes
- •Ball strikes to body/face
Risk Mitigation
- •Emphasise playing ball not player in all tackles
- •Maintain adequate spacing between activities
- •Progressive skill building from static to dynamic
- •Clear boundaries and rules established
- •Continuous emphasis on safe technique
Supervision & Emergency Procedures
Supervision Points
- •Position for overview of all groups during activities
- •Move between groups during practice to monitor technique
- •Intervene immediately if unsafe practices observed
Emergency Procedures
Stop activity immediately if injury occurs, assess injury severity, apply appropriate first aid, record incident if required