Fundamentals & Confidence
•Year 7
•Rounders
•Store in bucket at each game area, ensure balls are clean and in good condition
Alternative: Rounders balls if students demonstrate safe catching, softer foam balls for less confident groups
Check for splinters or cracks before use, appropriate weight for Year 7 students
Alternative: Tennis rackets, cricket bats or shortened wooden bats for variety
Set up regulation diamond shape: 12 metres between bases for Year 7
Alternative: Cones, marker domes or chalk circles on tarmac
Spread randomly around warm-up area with adequate spacing
Alternative: Chalk circles, marker spots or small mats
Place at side of playing area in designated 'activity zone'
Alternative: Bean bags for juggling, cones for dribbling practice
Mark bowling square, batting square and out-of-bounds areas clearly
Alternative: Chalk lines, rope boundaries or painted lines if permanent
Ensure clear colour differentiation between teams for easy identification
Alternative: Coloured wristbands or sashes
Assign a scorer per team to track innings and develop understanding of rules
Alternative: Whiteboards and markers, digital scoring apps on tablets
Working together effectively by communicating, supporting teammates and organising positions strategically
Positioning behind a base or teammate to stop the ball if they miss it, preventing extra runs
Positioning far from the batting square to catch powerful hits, then running onto base as batter runs
The challenge of performing skills accurately when time is limited and the outcome matters
The fielder positioned behind the batter to catch missed balls and prevent runners advancing
Catching a batted ball before it bounces on the ground, resulting in the batter being out
Fielders responsible for specific bases who must touch the post while holding the ball to get runners out
Planned strategies and decisions made to gain advantage over the opposition
Understanding where pupils are coming from and where they're going
Communication skills - speaking clearly when calling for balls or directing teammates. Listening skills when receiving instructions or tactical guidance. Following multi-step instructions during skill practices. Specialised vocabulary development (backstop, rounder, base, deep fielding). Explanation skills when teaching rules or tactics to peers.
Calculating rounders scores requires addition and subtraction. Understanding diamond shape and angles between bases develops geometric awareness. Measuring distances between bases introduces metric measurement (metres). Analysing statistics like batting average or fielding success percentage develops data handling. Probability concepts when discussing likelihood of successful catches or throws.
Understanding forces and motion: how the ball travels when thrown or hit. Trajectory and arc of thrown or batted balls demonstrates gravity. Energy transfer from bat to ball. Body systems during exercise: cardiovascular system working harder during games, respiratory rate increasing. Muscles used in throwing, batting and running. Friction between feet and ground for stopping and starting. Reaction time importance in catching and batting.
Directional language: fielders positioned at different points of compass around diamond. Spatial awareness of playing area and positioning. Mapping movement patterns of fielders and runners. Understanding of space and how to use it effectively. Distance concepts when setting up diamond formations.
Teamwork and cooperation essential throughout lesson. Communication skills developed through calling for balls and coordinating positions. Leadership opportunities when organising fielding positions or acting as umpire. Resilience when facing challenges like losing games or making errors. Managing emotions in competitive situations. Fair play and respect for opponents and officials. Self-assessment develops self-awareness. Celebrating others' success develops empathy and social skills.
Strategic positioning is crucial in this lesson with multiple simultaneous activities. During warm-up, position at edge to see all students and spread of hoops. During skill development activities with multiple groups, circulate continuously focusing on groups showing safety concerns or technical errors. During game play with two simultaneous games, position centrally between courts where you can observe both, moving strategically to provide input to each game. Never position where your back is to active students.
Priority 1: Safety - continuously scan for unsafe equipment, positioning, or student behaviour. Priority 2: Skill application - monitor whether skills practiced in drills are transferring to game situations. Priority 3: Tactical understanding - observe fielding positions, decision-making and adaptations. Priority 4: Social dynamics - watch for communication, leadership emergence, teamwork quality and sportsmanship. Priority 5: Engagement - ensure all students are actively involved whether in game or waiting.
Intervene immediately for: any safety concerns, poor sportsmanship, rule disputes that umpires cannot resolve, bullying or exclusionary behaviour. Intervene with teaching points for: repeated technical errors affecting performance, missed tactical opportunities that whole class can learn from, lack of communication or teamwork. Use brief game pauses (under 30 seconds) to demonstrate teaching points using game context. Avoid over-intervention that disrupts game flow - trust students to problem-solve where appropriate.
Use demonstration strategically throughout lesson. In warm-up, demonstrate energetic participation to set tone. During skill development, use volunteer students to demonstrate correct positioning and technique - this builds their confidence and provides varied models. During games, use brief pauses to demonstrate tactical points using the current game situation as context (e.g., show where backing-up fielder should have been after a missed opportunity). Keep all demonstrations under 30 seconds to maintain lesson flow and engagement. Exaggerate movements for clarity. Always link demonstration back to game application.
Two separate playing areas required for 7v7 games. Each area needs minimum 25m x 25m clear space with additional 5m run-off around boundaries. Total space needed: approximately 40m x 30m for entire lesson. Indoor sports hall or outdoor playing field suitable.
Surface must be dry, even and free from hazards (stones, holes, wet patches, debris). Grass fields checked for divots or uneven ground. Indoor surfaces checked for slippery areas. Bases must be secured and flat to prevent tripping. Boundaries clearly marked and visible.
Established stop signal (loud whistle or 'STOP!' call) used for immediate cessation of all activity if safety concern arises. All students briefed to freeze on stop signal. First aid kit accessible. Trained first aider available on site. Any injuries assessed immediately - serious injuries result in emergency services contact and parent/guardian notification. Incident forms completed for all injuries. Students with medical conditions (asthma, diabetes, allergies) identified before lesson with action plans in place.
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