PE: Cross Country
UKS2
Can be taught at as a 6-week sequence or each lesson can be one-off
Lesson 1: Speed and agility
Objectives
Run with speed and agility
using correct technique
Differentiation
All: I can run with speed
using the correct posture
Most: I can complete a set
of circuits using speed and
agility
Some: I am thinking about
pace, posture and technique
to improve my speed and
agility
Equipment
Cones
Bean bags
Skipping ropes
Warm Up (5 mins)
Rats and rabbits
Everyone pairs up with
someone of a similar speed
or ability. Each pair stands
back to back, a couple of
feet apart. One of all the
pairs is a rabbit the other is
a rat. When the teacher calls
rats, the rats run as fast as
they can to the line or
cones, while the rabbits turn
around and chase, intending
to catch their partner
Skill (10-15mins)
Activity 1: Pupils spread out and jog
around the space. On the command
‘run high’ children need to run on
balls of their feet, picking feet up
high and heads held high. On the
command ‘run low’ children must
run in crouched position-flat feet,
head low. Continue to alternate
with increasingly longer spells of
‘run high’. Discuss difference and
why it is important to run tall.
VARIATIONS: Set out cones and
alternate running high or low as
they move between each cone. Also
use the following commands-walk,
jog, sidestep, skip, sprint
Activity 2: Quick start
Mark distance of 20m. Children take
in turns to be the starter and
runner. Starter calls ‘on your marks’
and waits for runner to get into
position before saying go
Main activity (15 mins)
Speed stations
Station 1: 20m sprints ext: longer
distances
Station 2: Bean bag collectioncollect from one hoop and put in
another hoop
Station 3: Short shuttle runs
between two cones
Station 4: Skipping between
cones
Station 5: Side jumps
Cool down (5 mins)
Stretches. Evaluate
own performance
PE: Cross Country
UKS2
Lesson 2: Acceleration
Objectives
Demonstrate quick
reactions and rapid
acceleration
Differentiation
All: I can demonstrate quick
reactions to show my agility
Most: I can accelerate
quickly to beat my time
Some: I can run with quick
reactions, acceleration and
agility
Equipment
Cones
Hula hoops
Beaches
Warm Up (5 mins)
Dishes and domes
Scatter the cones around
the area in which you are
working.
Split the class in half –
“Domes” or 'Dishes'. The
dishes have a 30 second
head start to place their
cones the correct way up
e.g. to represent a dish.
On the blow of the whistle,
the Domes 'turn’ the cones
from their ‘dish’ position
and place them as a dome.
The Dishes have to keep
going to try and remedy the
problem.
Allow 1 – 2mins to complete
the game.
The winner is the team with
the most correct cones after
the allotted time.
Skill (15 mins)
Activity 1: Gears
2x 20meters of each
Walking with high knees
Walking with a straight leg kick up
Running with high knees
Running butt kick
Activity 2: Build up runs
5x 50meters
Set out cones approx. 50m apart.
Children to be with a partner and
have running drills of the distance
ensuring they are using rapid
acceleration. Can they beat their
time? Can they get faster?
Main activity (15 mins)
Agility Stations
Children will move around the
following so that they are developing
their agility skills.
Station 1: Snake Cone SlitherChildren to snake between the
cones. How many times can they get
there and back in 1 minute? Ext:
More cones/tighter weave between
cones
Station 2: Sit ups-How many in one
min?
Station 3: Giant strides-Children to
practise increasing the distance
covered by taking 5 giant strides.
Mark distance with a cone. Can they
beat it on next go? Ext: Leg hops for
giant strides
Station 4: Hippo Hula Hoop-Children
to practise being able to do 10
continuous turns of hula hoop. Ext:
Continuous rotation for 30 secs.
Station 5: Balance beams: Children
getting from one end to the other
without falling off.
Cool down (5 mins)
Stretches. Evaluate
performance
PE: Cross Country
UKS2
Lesson 3: Change speeds
Objectives
Demonstrate ability to
change speeds
Differentiation
All: run at different speeds
Most: think about pace as
part of a team
Some: sustain a pace of
running and change to
acceleration smoothly
Equipment
Bibs
Warm Up (5 mins)
Foxes and farmers
Give half the children bibs to
tuck into their shorts like
tails-these are the foxes.
The other half of the group
are farmers. The farmers
have to chase the foxes and
capture the tails. When a
farmer takes a bib, they
then tuck into their shorts
and become a fox.
Skill (15 mins)
Activity 1: Traffic lights
Explain the response required for
the traffic light colours: Red-stop,
amber-run on the spot, green-run
around the space. Call out colours in
random order.
Ext: Add additional colours with
new meanings e.g. blue-jump,
purple-spin
Activity 2: Running drills
2x 30m of each
Walking with high knees
Walking with a straight leg kick up
Running with high knees
Running butt kick
Main activity (15 mins)
Indian File Running
Divide runners into balanced
teams. After they have chosen
running order, have each team
run for 3-4 minutes in single file.
After the lead runner has ran for
about 30 seconds, the last runner
in the line increases their pace to
run to the front of the line.
Children to think about a
manageable pace for their team
and how the person at the back
will be able to speed their pace.
Cool down (5 mins)
Stretches.
PE: Cross Country
Lesson 4: Consistent pace
Objectives
Sustain jogging and running
at a consistent pace
Differentiation
All: think about what pace is
suitable for my own ability
to complete a run
Most: pick a suitable pace to
run a long distance at
Some: maintain my pace
over a long distance whilst
keeping good posture
Equipment
Cones
Warm Up (5 mins)
Bean game
Get children moving around
at different speeds and get
them to respond to various
instructions:
Runner bean
String bean
Jumping bean
Baked bean
UKS2
Skill (15 mins)
Activity 1:
1 x 40m of each
Skipping with straight arms
Skipping with high knees
Power skipping
Activity 2: Build up runs
4 x 60m
Main activity (15 mins)
1000 meter run around the field.
Children to pick a pace that suits them
and to sustain for the whole distance. It
is not a race, do not sprint unless you
think you can sustain it. Children are
expected to run or jog but some may
need to walk. Ensure correct running
posture.
Cool down (5 mins)
Stretches and
evaluate
performance
PE: Cross Country
Lesson 5: Adjust pace
Objectives
Adjust pace for running
different distances
Differentiation
All: pick a good pace to run
at for each distance
Most: sustain a pace and
adjust for different
distances
Some: adjust and sustain
pace to run competitively
Equipment
Cones
Bean bags
Hoops
Skipping ropes
Warm Up (5 mins)
Partner tag:
Again set up pairs of
athletes of similar ability.
One starts off as “it”, the
other runs off. When the
first runners catches their
partner, number 2 turns
around three times where
they are standing, then goes
in pursuit of their partner.
UKS2
Skill (15 mins)
Station 1: 20 m sprints
Station 2: Bean bag collectioncollect bean bags form one hoop
and take back to base
Main activity (15 mins)
Organise class into teams of four
to six. Set out rows of coloured
cones with beanbags on top.
Teams to organise themselvesfirst child runs shortest distance,
last the longest
Station 3: Short shuttle runs
Station 4: Skipping
Station 5: Side jumps
Winning team is first to make it
back.
Cool down (5 mins)
Stretches
PE: Cross Country
Lesson 6: Long distance
Objectives
Use knowledge of pace for
distance run
Differentiation
All: pick a good pace and change
pace to run at a distance
Most: pick and change pace
whilst keeping good posture
Some: pick and sustain a pace for
a distance
Warm Up (5 mins)
Running drills
2x 20meters of each
Walking with high
knees
Walking with a straight
leg kick up
Running with high
knees
Running butt kick
UKS2
Main activity (15 mins)
Children to complete a long
distance run using everything
they have learnt over the week.
Children should think about their
pace but are allowed to change
between paces.
Cool down (5 mins)
Stretches. Evaluate
performance