UNIT – Gym Unit 5.1
YEAR 5
STAGE 2
STAGE 3
1.
Jog in and out of each other and stop on
command. Repeat using jumps/skips,
travelling forwards, backwards, sideways.
Select a stretch to use from each section of
stretch cards.
STAGE 1
1.
Jog in and out of each other and on teacher’s
command sit down, stand up, kneel down, lie
down, roll over. Vary the order and jog in
between commands. Select different stretches
(from stage 1) from each section of stretch cards.
1.
Jog in and out of each other and on teacher’s
command jog on the spot. Repeat travelling in
different ways (with varied levels and pathways).
Select different stretches (from stage 1 & 2) from
each section of the stretch cards.
2.
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2.
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2.
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3.
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Travel around the room keeping as
low to the floor as possible. On
teacher’s command stop and show a
bridge shape.
Repeat above, varying the bridge
shape (i.e. tummy, back, side facing
floor).
Run around the room to a space and
perform a bridge shape, continue run
 bridge (showing different bridges).
Can you make the bridge harder by
reducing the size of the base
(extending arm or leg into the air).
Travel over, under, through, along,
across apparatus.
Travel in between apparatus – when
finding a piece that is clear to use –
demonstrate a bridge shape against it.
Vary the shapes made (i.e. tummy,
back, side facing floor). Repeat.
Travel low to the floor and when
arriving at clear apparatus – perform a
bridge shape (vary the body part in
contact with the apparatus).
4.
Travel on tummy around room and on
teacher’s command slowly push in to a
bridge shape. Repeat.
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Travel around the room in different ways but
keeping low to the floor. On teacher’s
command stop and show a bridge shape.
Hold for 3 seconds and continue travelling.
Can you demonstrate lower bridge shapes
which make a smaller “hole”? Select
demonstrations to show to class.
Choose two high bridges and a low bridge
shape to show, linking them together with a
roll or turn.
Practise and improve the quality of the
movement.
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Show a bridge shape using hands and
feet, with tummy facing floor. Keep hands
‘fixed’ to spot and walk feet around them
(as far as possible). Vice-versa – ‘fix’ feet
and walk hands.
Explore ways of maintaining a bridge
shape while travelling around the room
(walk, slide, jump). Select demonstrations
to show class.
Recap sequence from stage 2 (two high
bridges, one low bridge) linking each
bridge with a roll or a turning movement.
Add a travelling bridge to your sequence.
Practise and improve. Select
demonstrations to show the class.
3.
Portable Apparatus
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Travel over, under, through, along, across
apparatus.
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Travel around the room and use the
apparatus (when clear) to perform a bridge
shape on or against, on teacher’s
command.
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Repeat above but children choose when to
travel and show the bridge shapes.
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Can you show a high bridge shape
on/against the apparatus  move to floor
and roll/turn  low bridge shape? Practise
and improve.
3.
Portable and fixed apparatus
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Travel over, under, through, along, across
apparatus.
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Travel around the room in a bridge shape,
use the apparatus when clear and
continue travelling in a bridge shape.
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Travel in bridge shape  balance on/
against apparatus in bridge shape 
move to floor and roll/turn  another
bridge shape. Practise and improve.
4.
Practise sideways ‘log’ roll keeping feet and
hands off the floor (but with a stretched body).
Roll and slowly push into a bridge shape. Repeat.
4.
½ class watch, ½ class observe. Did the
performers meet the required task? Were the
actions, shapes and balances performed
accurately and clearly? Which aspects were
performed well or needed improving?
LINKED TO …
QCA Unit 5 (Gym)
POS
8a, b
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UNIT THEME Bridges
LEARNING OUTCOMES
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Know how muscle groups
work, how to stretch, and how
to carry out strengthening
exercises safely.
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Know why strength and
suppleness are important in
gymnastics.

Perform actions, shapes and
balances clearly, consistently
and fluently, with good body
tension and extension.

Watch and comment on the
quality of movements, shapes
and balances, and the way the
apparatus is used.
HEALTH AND SAFETY
Wear appropriate clothing and footwear.
Awareness of others in class and space to work in.
Lifting and moving apparatus.
Warm up and cool down properly.
Resources
Portable and fixed apparatus – See Appendix for further teaching points.
TEACHING POINTS
Stage 1
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Avoid contact in the warm up – look for spaces.
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Discuss the need for raised body temperature and
controlled stretching in warm up.
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Ideas for bridge shapes – Top Gym, balance …
small body parts.
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Hold bridge for a count of 3 and ensure tension and
extension to make clear body shapes.
Stage 2
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Discuss how muscles work e.g.: work by shortening,
relax by lengthening.
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Look for quality in the bridge shape –
tension/extension.
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Link the bridges and turning/rolling movement
smoothly (Top Gym rolling … sideways …
forwards/backwards)
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Select demonstrations of different methods of
dismounting apparatus.
Stage 3
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Discuss why strength and suppleness are important
in gymnastics. Which joints need to be stretched
and which muscle groups are important for control,
extension and body tension.

Use a variety of pathways for the links between the
bridges in floor sequence and between apparatus.
REFERENCE TO ‘TOP CARDS’
Top Gym – Rolling … forwards & backwards
- Rolling … progressive activities sideways
- Take off, jump & land … Shapes in the air
- Take off, jump & land … Exertion with partner
- Travelling … on floor
- Balance … small body parts
- Balance … with a partner
UNIT – Gym Unit 5.1
YEAR 5
STAGE 4
1.
Travel around the room in a variety of
ways (forwards, backwards, sideways)
following different pathways. Travel with
body close to ground then very high.
Select own stretches for different parts of
body.
2.
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3.
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Recap different ways of jumping (Top
Gym – take off, jump and land …
shapes in the air).
Choose a jump and on landing, sink
slowly to ground and make into a
bridge shape. Link the moves
smoothly together.
Recap sequence from stage 3 –
travelling bridge, 2 high, 1 low bridge
each linked with a roll or turning
movement.
Add to sequence the jump and sink
down to a bridge shape (from above)
– where appropriate.
Practise and refine sequence.
Select demonstrations to show the
class.
(Portable and fixed apparatus)
Travel over, under, through, along,
across the apparatus, showing a
bridge shape on/against it when it is
clear.
Jump from a low piece of apparatus
to land, sink and move into a bridge
shape.
Travel in a bridge shape  balance
on/against apparatus in a bridge
shape  move to floor and roll/turn 
bridge shape – add into sequence a
jump from a low piece of apparatus to
land, sink and move into a bridge
shape.
4.
With a partner to the side of you, move
around the room performing the same
bridge shape – with front facing the floor,
then back facing the floor.
STAGE 5
STAGE 6
1.
Travel around the room and stop on
command. Travel showing a range of wide
/ narrow shapes at different levels (low,
high, off the ground). With a partner,
repeat above as a ‘follow-my-leader’ –
swap over. Select own stretches for
different body parts.
2.
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Partner work – can you make a
bridge shape with a partner, where
shapes are mirrored or matched.
(Top Gym – Balance … with a
partner)
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Explore other ways to make a
combined bridge shape.
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Choose two bridges (narrow/wide)
and link together with a roll (which
doesn’t need to be the same as each
other).
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Practise and refine.
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Select demonstrations to show the
rest of the class.
3.
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UNIT THEME Bridges
(Portable and fixed apparatus)
Travel over, under, through, along,
across the apparatus.
Can you use the apparatus to make a
matching bridge shape with your
partner?
Transfer floor sequence with your
partner to the apparatus: narrow/wide
bridge linked with roll. Practise and
improve.
4.
Travel around room with your partner
copying their moves – wide/narrow
shapes.
1.
Recap what the children know about warming up.
Children design own warm-up routines including:
a) raising body temperature
b) controlled stretching
2.
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3.
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Partner work – Travel for about 5 metres (one
following the other) using wide/narrow or
high/low movements.
Add this travel to the floor sequence from stage
5 (bridge  roll  bridge)
Practise and improve the quality of movements
and smooth links between the different
elements.
Select demonstrations for the class.
Explore ways of jumping with your partner (Top
Gym – Take off, jump and land …… extension
card with a partner).
Add the jump element to the sequence (where
appropriate) and practise the whole sequence –
jump, travel, bridge-roll-bridge (in the order you
have chosen).
Select demonstrations to show the class.
(Portable and fixed apparatus)
Travel over, under, through, along, across the
apparatus.
Recap sequence with partner from stage 5.
(Join two matching bridges [wide/narrow] with a
roll ‘doesn’t need to match].
Add a travel phase (to and from the apparatus)
and a jump to give balance to your sequence.
Does it have a clear start/finish position?
Practise and refine.
LEARNING OUTCOMES

Take more responsibility
for their own warm-up.

Perform combinations of
actions and agilities that
show clear differences
between levels, speeds
and directions.
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Repeat accurately a
longer sequence with
more difficult actions, with
and emphasis on
extension, clear body
shape and changes in
direction.
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Adapt a sequence to
include a partner.
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Identify which aspects
were performed
consistently, accurately,
fluently and clearly.
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Suggest improvements to
speed, direction and level
in the composition.
4.
½ class watch, ½ class observe. Did the
performance have a balance of elements (travel,
jump, balance, rotation/roll)? Identify elements in
own and others sequences that were done well
and/or needed improving.
TEACHING POINTS
Stage 4
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Discuss the reasons for slowly
moving down into the bridge
shape (following the jump) –
control, clarity of the movements
before and after, change of
speed.
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Encourage clear body shapes
and extension.
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Children evaluate their own
sequence:
a) is everything included?
b) is there extension and
stillness in the bridges?
c) do the elements flow
together?
d) does it have different
pathways, levels and
speeds?
e) does it have a clear start and
finish position?
Stage 5
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Bridge shapes can be
wide/narrow, low/high and have
different body parts in contact
with the floor.
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Keep tension in the shapes and
have a combined movement of
stillness.
Stage 6
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Discuss the requirements for a
well-balanced sequence (travel,
jump, turn, balance movements).
What is missing from your
sequence at the moment?
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Does your sequence have
symmetric/ asymmetric actions,
and changes in level, speed and
direction?
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND UNDERSTANDING
ACQUIRING AND DEVELOPING
1a, b
SELECTING AND APPLYING
2a
KNOWLEDGE & UNDERSTANDING OF FITNESS & HEALTH
4a, b, c, d
EVALUATING & IMPROVING PERFORMANCE
3a, b