Lesson 1 - Dribbling and Passing in Attack
Individual To Team Play
•Year 5
•Hockey
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How can we combine dribbling and passing skills to create successful attacking opportunities in hockey?
Learning Objectives
- Combine dribbling and passing skills to create attacking opportunities
- Apply decision-making skills to choose when to dribble or pass
- Work collaboratively as a team to maintain possession and create scoring chances
Key Outcomes
- Students will demonstrate fluent combination of dribbling and passing skills
- Students will make effective tactical decisions about when to dribble or pass
- Students will create and convert shooting opportunities through teamwork
Equipment & Resources Required
Check stick length is appropriate - should reach student's hip when standing upright
Alternative: Floor hockey sticks or adapted sticks for different heights
Ensure balls are regulation weight and bounce appropriately
Alternative: Foam balls or tennis balls for safety modifications
Use different colours to mark goals, boundaries, and tactical areas
Alternative: Dome markers or boundary markers
Ensure clear team distinction for tactical understanding
Alternative: Coloured bands or team identification markers
Position goals to create multiple scoring opportunities
Alternative: Cone goals (2 cones 1 metre apart)
Key Vocabulary
Moving the ball with the hockey stick while maintaining close control
A situation where the team with possession can advance towards the goal to create a scoring chance
Choosing the best option (dribble, pass, or shoot) based on the game situation
Having control of the ball as a team
Areas on the field not occupied by opponents where attacking moves can develop
Skill Progression Pathway
Understanding where pupils are coming from and where they're going
Prior Learning
- Basic dribbling technique with stick and ball
- Simple passing and receiving skills
- Understanding of basic hockey rules
Current Skills
- Combining dribbling and passing in fluid movements
- Making tactical decisions under pressure
- Creating space and shooting opportunities
Next Steps
- Advanced tactical play including set pieces
- Defensive positioning and transition play
- Tournament play with complex strategies
Milestone Indicators
Key Teaching Points
- Emphasise decision-making over just skill execution - help students understand when to dribble versus pass
- Use questioning to develop tactical awareness - ask 'why' not just 'what' during activities
- Create multiple opportunities for success through differentiated challenges and support
- Celebrate teamwork and collaboration as much as individual skill development
- Maintain high activity levels while ensuring safety through clear rules and expectations
- Build confidence through progressive challenges that match student ability levels
- Link all activities back to the main objective of creating attacking opportunities
Common Misconceptions
- That dribbling is always better than passing - help students understand situational decision-making
- That individual skill is more important than teamwork - emphasise collaborative attacking play
- That speed is more important than control - teach measured pace and timing
- That attacking means always moving forward - show value of switching play and patience
- That hockey is only about hitting hard - emphasise accuracy and placement over power
SEN Adaptations
ADHD
- Break activities into shorter segments, provide clear boundaries and expectations, use movement breaks, offer specific roles and responsibilities to maintain focus
dyspraxia
- Allow additional practice time, use larger equipment where appropriate, provide step-by-step instruction cards, focus on accuracy before speed
autism spectrum
- Provide clear, structured routines and visual schedules, offer quiet zones for breaks, use consistent language and expectations, prepare for transitions in advance
visual impairment
- Use brightly coloured balls and equipment, provide clear verbal descriptions of activities, establish buddy system with sighted partner, use tactile markers for boundaries
hearing impairment
- Use clear visual demonstrations and hand signals, provide written instruction cards, ensure student can see teacher's face for lip reading, use visual timers
physical disability
- Provide adapted sticks or seated play options, modify playing area size, allow additional touches or time, focus on tactical understanding over physical execution
Cross-Curricular Links
Maths
Calculating angles for passing, measuring distances for tactical positioning, timing and pace calculations, statistical analysis of successful attacks
Science
Forces and motion in stick and ball contact, understanding friction and momentum, body systems during exercise, energy transfer in movement
Geography
Spatial awareness and positioning, understanding of directions and movement patterns, map reading skills through tactical diagrams
PSHE
Teamwork and collaboration, resilience when facing challenges, leadership development, respect and fair play, communication skills
Teacher Guidance
Positioning
Move between activity areas to provide optimal supervision and feedback. Position to see multiple groups simultaneously.
Observation Focus
Watch for tactical decision-making, skill execution quality, collaboration, and safety compliance throughout activities.
Intervention Points
Step in when safety is compromised, provide tactical prompts during games, offer encouragement for effort over outcome.
Demonstration Notes
Use freeze technique to highlight good practice. Demonstrate skills clearly with emphasis on safety. Invite students to demonstrate good examples.
Verbal Cues
- •'Head up, scan the field!'
- •'Great decision-making!'
- •'Work together as a team!'
- •'Keep your stick low and safe!'
Safety Considerations
Space & Surface Requirements
Space Requirements
Minimum 30m x 40m clear area, free from obstacles and hazards
Surface Check
Flat, dry surface with good grip - check for holes, wet patches or debris
Equipment Safety
Safety Checks
- •Check all hockey sticks for cracks, loose joints or sharp edges
- •Ensure balls are regulation weight and not damaged
- •Verify cones are stable and visible
- •Check bibs are clean and in good repair
Risk Management
Key Risks
- •Stick contact injuries from improper technique
- •Collisions between students during fast-paced games
- •Ball strikes to body or head
- •Slips and falls on playing surface
Risk Mitigation
- •Establish clear rules about stick height and safe play
- •Maintain adequate spacing between game areas
- •Teach proper falling and collision avoidance techniques
- •Progressive skill building to ensure control before speed
Supervision & Emergency Procedures
Supervision Points
- •Position for maximum visibility of all playing areas
- •Monitor stick technique and safety compliance
- •Watch for signs of fatigue affecting safety
- •Be alert for any aggressive or unsafe play
Emergency Procedures
Stop all activity immediately, assess severity, provide appropriate first aid, alert senior staff if serious injury occurs