Physical Development through Sports, Flexibility, Agility and Balance for Pre-School Level 4

Class: Pre-School Level 4
Term: Second Term
Week: 3
Age: 5 years
Duration: 30 minutes
Subject: Physical and Health Education
Curriculum Theme: Physical and Health Education
Previous Lesson: Basic Movement Skills (walking, running, jumping)
Topic: PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT THROUGH SPORTS: FLEXIBILITY, AGILITY AND BALANCE
Subject Matter: Physical Development through Sports: Flexibility, Agility and Balance.

Specific Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to:

Cognitive Domain

• Identify flexibility as the ability to bend and stretch.
• Recognise agility as the ability to move and change direction quickly.
• Understand balance as the ability to stay steady.

Affective Domain

• Participate enthusiastically in physical activities.
• Appreciate the importance of developing flexibility, agility, and balance.

Psychomotor Domain

• Demonstrate simple bending and stretching movements for flexibility.
• Perform quick changes in direction for agility.
• Maintain balance while standing on one leg or walking a line.

Social Domain

• Take turns during group activities.
• Follow the teacher’s instructions during exercises.

Reference Materials

• NAPPS National Unified Teaching Scheme for Pre-School Level 4
• Early Childhood Care and Education resources

Instructional Materials

• Charts showing children performing different movements
• Video clips demonstrating flexibility, agility, and balance exercises
• Open space for movement
• Music for warm-up and cool-down
• Cones or small markers (optional, for agility drills)
• Rope or masking tape (for balance beam simulation)

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson is crucial for 5-year-olds as it introduces fundamental components of physical fitness: flexibility, agility, and balance. Developing these skills at an early age enhances children’s overall physical competence, reduces the risk of injuries, and builds confidence for participating in various sports and daily activities. It lays a strong foundation for a healthy and active lifestyle.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils can already perform basic gross motor skills such as walking, running, jumping, and hopping.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT THROUGH SPORTS: FLEXIBILITY, AGILITY AND BALANCE

Physical development means our bodies growing stronger and learning to move in many ways. Today, we will learn about three important ways our bodies can move:

1. Flexibility

• What it means: The ability to bend, stretch, and move our body parts easily.
• Why it’s important: Helps us reach, tie our shoes, and prevents our muscles from getting stiff.
• Examples: Touching your toes, stretching your arms up high, bending sideways.

2. Agility

• What it means: The ability to move quickly and change direction fast.
• Why it’s important: Helps us play games like “catch” or “tag,” and avoid bumping into things.
• Examples: Dodging, quickly turning around, running in zig-zags.

3. Balance

• What it means: The ability to stay steady and not fall over.
• Why it’s important: Helps us stand on one leg, walk on a narrow path, and ride a bicycle.
• Examples: Standing on one foot, walking on a straight line, balancing a book on your head.

Other elements of physical development include coordination (using different body parts together) and reaction (responding quickly).

Movement Rhyme: “My Body Can Move”

Tune: “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”

Lyrics:

My body can bend, my body can stretch,
Flexible movements, I can fetch.
Agile and quick, I turn around,
Moving my feet all over the ground.
Balance so steady, I stand so tall,
My body is strong, I won’t fall!

Actions:

• “Bend, stretch”: Demonstrate bending and stretching.
• “Turn around”: Spin in a circle.
• “Moving my feet”: March in place.
• “Stand so tall”: Stand on one leg, then the other.

How to use the rhyme: Lead pupils in singing the rhyme while performing the actions. Repeat several times to reinforce the movements and vocabulary.

Video Demonstration

Let’s watch a video to see more ways our bodies can be flexible, agile, and balanced!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_f8lR1Uv9g

Key Words

• Flexibility – The ability to bend and stretch easily.
• Agility – The ability to move quickly and change direction.
• Balance – The ability to stay steady without falling.

What the Teacher Should Show or Draw

• Demonstrate all movements clearly and slowly first.
• Use charts showing children stretching, dodging, and balancing.

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Play-based Learning, Demonstration, Guided Practice, Songs and Rhymes, Imitation, Practical Activity, Question and Answer.

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 3 minutes

Teaching Skill: Engagement/Warm-up

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils and leads them in a simple warm-up activity like marching in place, arm circles, and gentle leg swings to prepare their bodies for movement. The teacher then asks, “Who likes to play and move their body?”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils greet the teacher, participate in the warm-up, and respond to the question by raising their hands or saying “Me!”

Learning Point: Pupils are physically and mentally prepared for the lesson.

Step 2: Presentation (Flexibility)

Time: 6 minutes

Teaching Skill: Demonstration/Guided Practice

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher introduces “flexibility” and explains it as the ability to bend and stretch. The teacher demonstrates simple flexibility exercises like touching toes, reaching for the sky, and gentle side bends. The teacher guides pupils to imitate these movements.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen to the explanation and imitate the teacher’s bending and stretching movements.

Learning Point: Pupils understand and demonstrate simple flexible movements.

Step 3: Presentation (Agility)

Time: 6 minutes

Teaching Skill: Demonstration/Guided Practice

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher introduces “agility” and explains it as moving quickly and changing direction. The teacher demonstrates activities like running in place and quickly changing direction when the teacher claps, or moving around imaginary cones in a zig-zag pattern. The teacher guides pupils to practise these movements.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen to the explanation and practise moving quickly and changing direction as demonstrated by the teacher.

Learning Point: Pupils understand and demonstrate simple agile movements.

Step 4: Presentation (Balance)

Time: 6 minutes

Teaching Skill: Demonstration/Guided Practice

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher introduces “balance” and explains it as staying steady. The teacher demonstrates standing on one leg (holding on if needed), walking heel-to-toe on a straight line (marked with tape or rope), and balancing a soft toy on their head while walking. The teacher guides pupils to try these balance activities.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and attempt to stand on one leg, walk on a line, and balance objects as guided by the teacher.

Learning Point: Pupils understand and demonstrate simple balance activities.

Step 5: Reinforcement (Movement Game)

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Game-based Learning/Application

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher leads a short game like “Simon Says” incorporating the movements learned: “Simon says touch your toes!” (flexibility), “Simon says run and stop quickly!” (agility), “Simon says stand on one foot!” (balance). The teacher encourages all pupils to participate.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils participate in the “Simon Says” game, performing the requested movements.

Learning Point: Pupils apply flexibility, agility, and balance skills in a fun, interactive way.

Step 6: Rhyme and Video Integration

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Song/Video Reinforcement

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher leads the pupils in singing the “My Body Can Move” rhyme with actions. Afterwards, the teacher shows the short video clip demonstrating various movements related to flexibility, agility, and balance, encouraging pupils to watch and try to imitate some movements if space allows.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils sing the rhyme with actions and watch the video, trying to imitate some of the movements shown.

Learning Point: Pupils reinforce their understanding of the concepts through song and visual demonstration.

Step 7: Evaluation/Review

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher checks pupils’ understanding through short questions and practical tasks.

1. “Show me how you can be flexible!” (Pupils demonstrate bending/stretching).
2. “Show me how you can be agile!” (Pupils demonstrate quick turns/stops).
3. “Show me how you can balance!” (Pupils demonstrate standing on one leg).
4. “What is it called when you can bend and stretch easily?”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond orally and demonstrate the required skill where appropriate.

Learning Point: Pupils demonstrate understanding of the lesson.

Step 8: Conclusion

Time: 2 minutes

Teaching Skill: Summarisation/Cool-down

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher summarises the importance of flexibility, agility, and balance for playing and staying healthy. The teacher leads pupils in a gentle cool-down, such as slow walking and deep breaths. The teacher encourages pupils to practise these movements at home.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils participate in the cool-down and listen to the summary.

Learning Point: Pupils understand the practical application of the skills and end the lesson calmly.

Lesson Keywords

• Flexibility – Bending and stretching.
• Agility – Moving quickly and changing direction.
• Balance – Staying steady.
• Sports – Games and activities that make our bodies strong.

Differentiation

• Support: For pupils who struggle with balance, allow them to hold onto a wall or a friend’s hand. For agility, start with slower movements and fewer changes in direction. For flexibility, guide their movements hand-over-hand if necessary.
• Extension: For pupils who quickly grasp the concepts, challenge them to balance for a longer time, perform agility drills with more complex patterns, or invent a new flexible stretch. Ask them to name other sports where these skills are important.

Note for teachers using this lesson plan

Before the lesson, ensure you have a clear, safe, and open space for pupils to move freely without bumping into objects or each other. Prepare any charts or video clips in advance. Emphasise safety during all activities, especially when demonstrating movements. Encourage all pupils to participate at their own pace, focusing on effort rather than perfection. Observe pupils’ movements to identify those who may need more support or those who are ready for a greater challenge. The main idea children must understand is that being able to bend, move quickly, and stay steady helps them play better and keep their bodies healthy. Observable actions like a child attempting to touch their toes, quickly changing direction, or standing on one leg will show understanding.