PE Planning – KS1 (YR1 or 2) ‘Animal Circuits’ (6 week block)
By Claire Chainey Swaythling Primary School
National curriculum Reference:
Pupils should develop fundamental movement skills, become increasingly competent and confident and access a broad
range of opportunities to extend their agility, balance and coordination, individually and with others. They should be able
to engage in competitive (both against self and against others) and co-operative physical activities, in a range of
increasingly challenging situations.
Pupils should be taught to:
developing balance, agility and co-ordination, and begin to apply these in a range of activities
Assessment Level Descriptors
Level 1
 Pupils copy, repeat and explore simple skills and actions with basic control and coordination. They start to link these
skills and actions in ways that suit the activities.
 They describe and comment on their own and others' actions.
 They talk about how to exercise safely, and how their bodies feel during an activity.
Level 2
 Pupils explore simple skills. They copy, remember, repeat and explore simple actions with control and coordination.
They vary skills, actions and ideas and link these in ways that suit the activities.
 They begin to show some understanding of simple tactics and basic compositional ideas.
 They talk about differences between their own and others' performance and suggest improvements.
 They understand how to exercise safely, and describe how their bodies feel during different activities.
Level 3
 Pupils select and use skills, actions and ideas appropriately, applying them with coordination and control.
 They show that they understand tactics and composition by starting to vary how they respond.
 They can see how their work is similar to and different from others' work, and use this understanding to improve their
own performance.
 They give reasons why warming up before an activity is important, and why physical activity is good for their health.
Aims
The national curriculum for physical education aims to ensure that all pupils:
 develop competence to excel in a broad range of physical activities
 are physically active for sustained periods of time
 engage in competitive sports and activities
 lead healthy, active lives.
In this unit specifically, pupils will have the opportunity to experience a range of fitness based activities with the
intention that they will improve their physical fitness, levels of speed, agility, co-ordination and stamina. In addition to
this, they will have a better understanding of the key concepts of physical fitness and the idea that we can improve our
levels of fitness through training and practise.
Cross Curricular Links
Science – understanding the effects exercise has on our bodies, various parts of the body involved in exercise, names of
muscles.
Maths – data handling, recording of weekly class data.
ICT – data collected could be inputted on to the computers, heart rate monitors could be used if available.
Music – movement to music, counting to a beat whilst moving to music.
Language For Learning
Fitness, circuits, agility, balance, co-ordination, stamina, speed, heart rate, muscles (alongside various muscle names),
personal best, records, warm up, stretching, shuttle run, sprint.
Prior Learning
Children will need to have a basic understanding of their own abilities with regard to running, jumping and throwing.
They will need to have experienced working with and handling a variety of sizes of ball, bean bags and quoits.
If possible, they will need to be able to use a stop watch.
Unit Overview
Session
Number
LO
1
LO: To understand what they are capable of
achieving with their bodies by gaining a
baseline level of fitness.
2
3
4
5
6
Activity
Warm up: movement to
music.
Main: assessment session.
Plenary: putting equipment
away safely.
LO: To understand the term speed and what Warm up: Animal
different activities we can do to make us
movement.
faster.
Main: speed stations.
Plenary: re-test cheetah
sprint.
LO: To understand the term stamina and
Warm up: Bean game.
what different activities we can do to
Main: stamina stations.
improve our stamina.
Plenary: re-test Hare shuttle
runs.
LO: To understand the term co-ordination
Warm up: Cups and Cones.
and what different activities we can do to
Main: co-ordination stations.
increase our co-ordination.
Plenary: re-test Flamingo
Fling.
LO: To understand the term agility and
Warm up: video recorder.
what different activities we can do to make Main: agility stations.
us more agile.
Plenary: re-test Bunny Bench
Hops.
LO: To investigate whether practise has
Warm up: movement to
improved our performance.
music.
Main: final assessment of all
stations.
Plenary: assessment and
results discussions.
Resources
Resources: stop watches, class record sheet,
cones, benches, bean bags, variety of
different sized balls.
Resources: cones, bean bags, stop watches.
Resources: stop watches, bean bags, quoits,
mats, cones.
Resources: cones, bean bags, buckets, small
balls, quoits, hoops, various size balls.
Resources: cones, stop watches, hoola
hoops, balance beams (low and higher),
benches.
Resources: stop watches, class record sheet,
cones, benches, bean bags, variety of
different sized balls.
Session 1 – Assessment
LO: To understand what they are capable of achieving with their bodies by gaining a baseline level of fitness.
Resources: stop watches, class record sheet, cones, benches, bean bags, variety of different sized balls.
Warm up
Get the children moving to music. Experiment moving to the beat, marching, counting together, tapping etc.
Make sure that children understand the purpose of the warm up activity – to warm up muscles, raise heart rate, make our
bodies ready for exercise.
Carry out some basic stretches, explaining to the children how to position their bodies and where in their bodies they
should be feeling the stretch.
Main
In this session you will be able to gain an overview of the children’s ability with regard to such areas as their levels of
fitness, speed, agility, stamina and co-ordination.
Set up the following stations: Hare Shuttle Runs (4 - 5m apart), Cheetah Sprint, Bunny Bench Hops and Flamingo Flings bean bag in a hoop.
Make sure that the children are putting any larger equipment out safely and with adult help if necessary.
As a class the children will have time to practise at each of the stations before they have their 1 minute time trial to get
their base line score for each of the stations.
After each time trial, the results will need to be recorded either by the class teacher or a scribe for each group. However it
is best managed for your class.
Plenary
Take children through how to put the equipment away safely and correctly. Make sure that an adult in assisting in putting
the benches away.
Have a discussion with the children as to how they think they have done at the various stations and explain that over the
next few weeks they will be practising their skills so that they can improve their scores.
Scores will need to be displayed in class/school so that the children have an idea of how they are doing week on week.
Session 2 – Speed Focus
LO: To understand the term speed and what different activities we can do to make us faster.
Resources: cones, bean bags, stop watches.
Warm up
Reinforce the significance and the importance of the warm up.
Animals – children to move around like the following animals (and any of your own you can think of!) Get them to change
direction and level where appropriate as well.
 Cheetahs- running
 Giraffe-walking on tip toes





Monkey- monkey run
Bunny-bunny hop
Kangaroo-jumping
Hedgehog- on the floor rocking back and forth
Tortoise- walking slow hunched over
Carry out your stretching routine, making sure that the children are positioning their bodies correctly and feeling the
stretch in the correct place on their body.
EXT: Can the children name the muscles that are being stretched?
Main
Children will move around the following stations so that they are developing their speed skills. Inform them that at the
end of the session they will be doing the Cheetah Sprints again to see if their score has improved. Results will be displayed
in the classroom.
Station 1 = Cheetah Sprints – sprinting against your partner/other children. LA: shorter distance, EXT: longer distance.
Station 2 = Tiger Tail collection – collect the tag rugby tags from one hoop and put them in the other hoop – 1 minute time
limit. LA: lower collection target, EXT: higher collection target and increase distance between hoops.
Station 3 = Rhino Runs – between the cones, there and back 4 times. How long has it taken? LA: decrease distance
between cones, EXT: increase distance between cones and raise target number.
Station 4 = Gazelle Runs – Running on the spot – high knees for 30 seconds and then bottom flicks for 30 seconds. LA:
reduce time to 20 seconds, EXT: increase the time to 40 seconds/1 minute.
Station 5 = Kangaroo Jumps – jump up and down on the spot on two legs for 30 seconds. How high can you go? How many
can you do? LA: decrease the time to 20 seconds, EXT: increase the time to 40 seconds/1minute and hop on one leg
instead.
Plenary
Children to re-test themselves for the Cheetah Sprint activity.
Have they beaten their score?
Record class scores.
Session 3 – Stamina Focus
LO: To understand the term stamina and what different activities we can do to improve our stamina.
Resources: stop watches, bean bags, quoits, mats, cones.
Warm up
Bean game. Get children moving round the space at various speeds and then get them to respond to various instructions
to be different types of bean e.g. runner bean, string bean, jumping bean etc. Vary the calls so that children are moving
their bodies in to different positions, shapes and heights.
Carry out your stretching routine, making sure that the children are positioning their bodies correctly and feeling the
stretch in the correct place on their body.
EXT: Can the children name the muscles that are being stretched?
Main
Children will move around the following stations so that they are developing their stamina skills. Inform them that at the
end of the session they will be doing the Hare Shuttle Runs again to see if their score has improved. Results will be
displayed in the classroom.
Station 1 = Starfish Star Jumps - How many star jumps in 30 seconds? LA: reduce the time to 20 seconds, EXT: increase the
time to 40 seconds/1 minute. You could also introduce Burpees if they are ready for them.
Station 2 = Crocodile Curls - bicep curls using quoits or bean bags, continuous for 1 minute. LA: decrease the time to 40
seconds, EXT: children to have more than one bean bag/quoit in each hand or if possible use light proper exercise weights.
Station 3 = Bunny Hops - hopping on the spot x5 in a row, x10 in a row, x20 in a row. LA: maintain low target number, EXT:
Hopping on one leg.
Station 4 = Tortoise Press ups - Knelt press ups. How many in 30 seconds? LA: decrease the time to 20 seconds, EXT:
increase the time to 40 seconds/1 minute or introduce wider stance press ups.
Station 5 = Gecko Crawls - commando crawl along a mat. Continuous for 30 seconds. LA: decrease distance, EXT: increase
time and distance.
Plenary
Children to re-test themselves for the Hare Shuttle Runs activity.
Have they beaten their score?
Record class scores.
Session 4 – Co-ordination Focus
LO: To understand the term co-ordination and what different activities we can do to increase our co-ordination.
Resources: cones, bean bags, buckets, small balls, quoits, hoops, various size balls.
Warm up
Play cups and cones.
Place a number of cones the right way up (cones) and a number the wrong way up (cups). Children are on 2 teams – cups
or cones – they have a time limit in which to try to make the cones in to cups or vice versa depending on their team.
Winning team, is the team with the most cups or cones.
Carry out your stretching routine, making sure that the children are positioning their bodies correctly and feeling the
stretch in the correct place on their body.
EXT: Can the children name the muscles that are being stretched?
Main
Children will move around the following stations so that they are developing their co-ordination skills. Inform them that at
the end of the session they will be doing the Flamingo Flings again to see if their score has improved. Results will be
displayed in the classroom.
Station 1 = Squirrel’s Nut Throws – throwing small balls in to a bucket. Can they get 3 balls in in a row? 5 balls? LA:
decrease distance from bucket, EXT: increase distance from bucket and/or use larger balls.
Station 2 = Doggy Bags - bean bags in a bucket. Can they get 3 bean bags in in a row? 5 bean bags? LA: decrease distance
from bucket, EXT: increase distance from bucket and/or add in a time limit.
Station 3 = Frogs on the Lily Pad – quoits thrown into a small hoop and a large hoop. Can they get 3 quoits in each hoop
in a row? 5 quoits? LA: decrease distance from hoops, EXT: increase distance from hoops and/or add in a time limit.
Station 4 = Bulls Eye Targets - target on the wall, children to throw a medium size ball in to the target on the wall. LA:
decrease distance from target and/or smaller ball/larger target, EXT: increase distance from target and/or larger
ball/smaller target.
Station 5 = Chimpanzee Pairs - partner throw with various size balls. Can they throw back and forth to each other 3 times
without dropping it? 5 times? 10 times? LA: decrease distance between pair and/or stick with a large soft ball, EXT:
increase distance between pair and/or use smaller ball.
Plenary
Children to re-test themselves for the Flamingo Fling activity.
Have they beaten their score?
Record class scores.
Session 5 – Agility Focus
LO: To understand the term agility and what different activities we can do to make us more agile.
Resources: cones, stop watches, hoola hoops, balance beams (low and higher), benches.
Warm Up
Play video recorder with the children.
Children to move around the room at various speeds, dictated by you, and respond to the various commands of the video
recorder i.e. play, stop, rewind, fast forward, pause. You could also vary the height/level at which the children move
around as well as the speed and you could also vary the way in which the children are moving to go alongside the animal
theme.
Carry out your stretching routine, making sure that the children are positioning their bodies correctly and feeling the
stretch in the correct place on their body.
EXT: Can the children name the muscles that are being stretched?
Main
Children will move around the following stations so that they are developing their agility skills. Inform them that at the
end of the session they will be doing the Bunny Bench Hops again to see if their score has improved. Results will be
displayed in the classroom
Station 1 = Snake Cone Slither – children to snake in and out of a line of cones. How many times can they get there and
back in 1 minute? LA: less cones, EXT: more cones/tighter weave between cones.
Station 2 = Ostrich Toe Touch – children to try to touch their toes. How many times can they touch their toes in 1 minute?
LA: touch knees first, build up to touch toes if possible, EXT: seated toe touch to hyper-extend
Station 3 = Elephant Strides – children to practise increasing the distance covered by taking 3 giants strides. Mark distance
covered with a cone. LA: build up from 1 giant stride at a time, EXT: alternate leg hops for giant strides.
Station 4 = Hippo Hoola Hoop – children to practise being able to do 5 continuous turns of the hoola hoop. LA: build up
number of turns as a target, EXT: continuous rotation for 30 seconds.
Station 5 = Mountain Goat Balance Beams – children practise getting from one end of the low level beam to the other
without falling off. LA: use a bench for the children to balance on, EXT: use a higher balance beam/upturned bench
Plenary
Children to re-test themselves for the Bunny Bench Hops activity.
Have they beaten their score?
Record class scores.
Session 6 – Re-Assessment
LO: To investigate whether practise has improved our performance.
Resources: stop watches, class record sheet, cones, benches, bean bags, variety of different sized balls.
Warm up
Get the children moving to music. Experiment moving to the beat, marching, counting together, tapping etc.
Carry out your stretching routine, making sure that the children are positioning their bodies correctly and feeling the
stretch in the correct place on their body.
EXT: Can the children name the muscles that are being stretched?
Main
In this session you will be able to see if there has been an improvement in the children’s ability with regard to the areas of
levels of fitness, speed, agility, stamina and co-ordination.
Set up the following stations: Hare Shuttle Runs (5m apart), Cheetah Sprint, Bunny Bench Hops and Flamingo Flings - bean
bag in a hoop.
As a class the children will have time to practise at each of the stations before they have their 1 minute time trial to get
their final score for each of the stations.
After each time trial, the results will be recorded and added to the class records.
Plenary
Have the children improved from their baseline scores?
Who is ‘the best’ for each of the stations?
Who has improved the most for each of the stations?
Are girls better than boys (or visa versa)?