PE Lesson Plans – Lesson Plans and Ideas for Elementary PE and Health Teachers

Active coding: STEM in PE

Here is an integrated warm-up activity that ties in with computer coding. I made a poster that assigned an activity to a color spot. The color spots on the poster coordinated with small poly-spots that the students could place on the ground. We use these colored poly-spots for many activities. I had my students in small groups of 3-4. Each group designed a warm-up sequence by choosing 5-6 color spots and laying them in a row. They then went through the room completing the activities in each groups “code”. They really enjoyed figuring out the codes and were also very active.

As a follow-up, I have made smaller “code” cards for each student. I plan to lay out a big code in the gym and then let the students follow the code as they walk through they gym.

Music in PE and playlist idea

I’ve found that playing music adds a wonderful dimension to a PE class. I can use it to energize or calm down a class, or just add some fun. I love it when just the right song comes on and all the kids are singing along as they work on their skill or play a game. I often see, or get asked for requests, for song ideas for a PE playlist, so here are some ideas:

Current Disney or other movie hits are always great with little ones (K-2). Especially if there is a current movie out with a really great soundtrack. Frozen is a good example of this. When that movie came out, I could put the soundtrack on and the whole class would be singing along. It was adorable. (Now I get groans for Frozen songs so there is a definite time table)

Write down songs you hear at sporting events in your area. Chances are you have students that are attending those events and they will get excited to hear those songs.

Ask your older students for ideas. You’ll need to carefully screen and I scratch a lot (because I’m the one that hears them all day), but I do get a few good ones.

Make separate playlists for holidays and other special events. For example I have a playlist that has songs I only play for certain activities like Star Wars songs, Mission Impossible, swamp music, etc. I also have a Christmas playlist, Halloween playlist, and a tabata playlist that I use for warm-ups.

Here is my current (and always changing) PE playlist:

High Hopes/Panic at the Disco

Natural/Imagine Dragons

Life Changes/Thomas Rhett

Better When I’m Dancin’/Megan Trainor

Only Wanna Be With You/Hootie and the Blowfish

Connection/One Republic

Hall of Fame/The Script

Wake Me Up/Avicli

Glad You Came/The Wanted

Maps/Maroon 5

Cheerleader/OMI

Lift Me Up/One Republic

Out of My League/Fitz and The Tantrums

Baby Shark/Pinkfong

Immigrant Song/Led Zepplin

Dynamite/China Anne McClain

Pump Up the Jam/Crazy Frog

Fireflies/Owl City

La La La/Shakira

Can’t Stop The Feeling/Justin Timberlake

Keep Your Head Up/Andy Grammar

Different Colors/Walk The Moon

Hula Hoop/OMI

Whatever It Takes/Imagine Dragons

Mom/Meghan Trainor

Old Town Road/Lil Nas X (student request and favorite)

Happier/Marshmello

Zero/Imagine Dragons

Have It All/Jason Mraz

One Minute More/Capital Cities

Play That Song/Train

Wasted Time/Keith Urban

Walk Me Home/Pink

Rescue Me/One Republic (current favorite)

Shine/Collective Soul

Welcome to The Jungle/Guns N Roses

Hey, Soul Sister/Train

Grenade/Bruno Mars (student request)

Cake By The Ocean/DNCE (clean version)

Heaven/One Republic

Fine By Me/Andy Grammar

Try Everything/Shakira

Wonders/The Script

One Less Day/Rob Thomas

Take On Me/A-ha

Best Day of My Life/American Authors

Believer/American Authors

Superheroes/The Script

Brave/Sara Bareilles

Pompeii/Bastille

Because We Can/Bon Jovi

It’s Time/Imagine Dragons

Good Time/Owl City & Carly Rae Jeppson

The Middle/Jimmy Eats World

On Top of The World/Imagine Dragons

Funkytown/Lipps, Inc

Cool Kids/Echosmith

Viva La Vida/Coldplay

I Lived/One Republic

Sugar/Maroon 5

Don’t Stop/5 Seconds of Summer

Animal/Neon Trees

You’re My Best Friend/Queen

Life Is A Highway/Rascal Flatts

Ho Hey/Lumineers

Centuries/Fall Out Boy

Don’t Stop Believin’/Journey

House of Gold/Twenty One Pilots

Kernkraft 400/Zombie Nation (radio edit)

Rise/ Katy Perry

Luck/American Authors

I Like To Move It/Madagascar 5

One Thing/One Direction

Eye of The Tiger (many versions)

I Was Born/Hanson

Something Just Like This/Chainsmokers and Coldplay

Hopefully, this list will give some ideas of music that might be right for your class. Comment with your favorites because I always need new songs to keep things fresh!

Crazy Ball

This is a great go-to game for big classes! I like it because it keeps all the kids involved in the game and moves quickly. It’s a good way to practice throwing and kicking skills as well.

Equipment: kickball, football, frisbee, reaction ball, pinnies to divide teams, cones to mark bases, bucket or container big enough to hold a four tossables

Set-up: divide the class into two equal teams; one team will start as defense and the other offense; field should be set-up similar to kick-ball with 3 bases and a home base

The offensive team starts with four players up at “bat”. One player kicks a rolled kickball, next throws or punts a football, 3rd player throws a frisbee, and fourth throws the reaction ball. This should happen quickly, one right after the other. Once a player has thrown/kicked his or her tossable he begins running bases. Do not stop running. Each time a player passes home plate, a point is scored. The 4 players continue running until all 4 tossables are returned to the container (kept at the pitcher’s mound). At that point, 4 new players come up and repeat. There are no outs. The offensive team plays until each player has had a turn to throw/kick.

Defensive team cannot walk once they have a tossable in their hand. They must use teamwork to throw and catch and get all items back in the bucket. One player will serve as pitcher. The pitcher will roll the kickball, and serve as the final catcher placing the items in the bucket. Players yell “stop” once all items are in the bucket. Then offensive players stop running and scoring stops. Once all of the offensive players have had a turn at bat, the teams switch places.

I love this game because once the kids know the rules, it is easy to start and stop. Watch time and make sure both teams get equal team as offensive team! This game works well for field day!

Scooter Cage Ball

Equipment:

1 large ball such as a cage ball, omnikin ball, yoga ball

pinnies to separate teams

6-8 scooters

Divide class into 2 equal teams. Assign each team member a number, stressing that it is important for them to remember their number. Teams stand against the wall on opposite sides of the gym with scooters turned upside down in front of them. Each team will have an equal number of scooters. (For my classes of about 28, I used 8 scooters total, 4 per team). The teacher randomly calls out 4 numbers (match number of scooters) and rolls the yoga ball out into the middle. The students who are assigned those numbers, run out grab a scooter and try to get the yoga ball to hit the wall on the opposite end of the gym. When the ball hits the wall, that team scores a point, everyone lines back up, scooters are back upside down and 4 new numbers are called.

A few rules:

players can ride scooters any way: sitting, tummies, kneeling

ball can be kicked, batted, hit, etc. but not caught and thrown

players must remain on their scooters to be legal

team members not on the scooters may not interfere with the ball in any way

I played this game with 3rd thru 6th grades. They had a blast playing! It was fast-paced and easy with almost no set-up. It does take some careful explanations the first time through. With 8 players on the floor at a time everyone was actively involved and the rounds went fast so no one was waiting long. My kids came back begging to play it again the next week (especially 6th grade).

Exercise is fun! Lesson idea

A goal I have for my PE students is that they develop a positive attitude towards exercise. I ask my students at the beginning of the year how exercise makes them feel. I repeat that question several times a year looking for a change in attitude. At the beginning, I get a lot of answers like “tired” or “sore”. With some guidance, my students move towards answers like “awesome” and “happy”. Here is lesson idea to help young students develop a positive attitude towards exercise and also learn a little about the body.

I start by asking my class what happens to their body when they exercise. How do they feel immediately afterwards? I get a wide range of answers and I use certain answers to teach about the benefits of exercise. For example, if a student answers that exercise makes their heart beat faster; I can talk about how good exercise is for their heart and how it needs opportunities to beat fast to get stronger.

After a brief discussion time, I play aerobic games that my students really like such as Noodle Ninja and Spider & Flies . After each game, I ask the same question. What do you notice is happening to your body? We add to previous answers and I usually get more specifics such as “I’m hot” or “I’m breathing hard”. I add that the game we played was a fun way to get exercise.

Continuing with ideas and small discussions mixed with physical movement through the year helps my students learn that not only are there lots of ways to get exercise, but that it is fun and makes them feel good.

Halloween scooter game

ghost

Halloween is just around the corner and we like to celebrate a bit in PE. My younger classes absolutely love this scooter game we call “ghosts in the graveyard”. They are already asking if we will be playing it for Halloween this year!

Equipment: about 6 tall cones to mark teams, 1 scooter per team, 20+ small or rounded cones, 12 “ghosts” (I just copied and laminated a clip art), spooky music

Divide your class into small teams of 4-6 players. Teams should line up on one side of the play area. On the opposite side, scatter the round cones. This is your “graveyard”. Hide ghosts randomly under the cones or “tombstones”. On signal (music starting), one person from each team will ride the scooter down and check under ONE cone. If they find a ghost they bring it back with them. Otherwise, they just scooter back. Hand the scooter to the next person and repeat. I play the length of one song or you can count ghosts as they are found and quit when they have all been collected. Count up the ghosts, then have a few students help hide them again. After they have been hidden, I have all my students close their eyes while I mix things up so no one knows where they are. Repeat and repeat. You could keep score but I just let them count and declare a winner each round.

Have a fun and active Halloween!

Motivate families to move with a FUN RUN!

A fun run is a great way to motivate your students to move and to get their families involved. If planning a fun run seems intimidating, here are some steps to break it down for you:

* Remember that it doesn’t need to be a huge event. Keep it simple!

*Put a committee together. Most people don’t mind helping if they just have a small chunk of the job to do. Break things into smaller pieces and delegate. Use the list below and give each committee member one assignment.

*Keep your purpose in mind. This post is written for those wanting to inspire families to move together. Make adjustments if you are trying to raise money, be competitive, or have other goals. (fun runs can be multi-purpose)

Committee tasks:

Choose a date. You can’t please everyone. Remember your purpose. Fall runs are great to kick off a year of activity. Spring runs can give your students a goal to work for.
Design your route. For a fun run, you do not need a certain distance (like a 5K). Find a route that works and is safe for your area. Avoid busy streets and too many confusing turns. For an elementary run it is a good idea to have a short cut route for younger students and a longer, connected route for the older ones. Check at your local city offices for regulations regarding events like this. You will probably need approval.
Advertise! Flyers, pump up the kids at an assembly, posters around town, etc. Make sure your whole school community is aware of your exciting event.
Volunteers. Beyond your planning committee you will need volunteers the day of the event. Passing out any registration materials (if used), manning street corners and crossings, water and snack stations, and the finish line are places that volunteers can be used. Having some cheerleaders along the route is also great (teachers with noise makers!) Enlist the help of other teachers at your school, parents, and even older siblings.
Water and snack stations. Snacks are optional for a short run and do add expense. You will want to plan one water station midway and one at the end for runners. If your route has any challenging sections, you may want a boost for that area. For example, you could give out a couple of pretzels at the top of a hill.
Prizes. Again, this is not necessary, but kids do love prizes. Keep your run non-competitive for families by giving a prize to everyone who crosses the finish line. Our school uses licorice ropes with a gold chocolate coin glued on like a medal.
Timing. Don’t worry about official timing or individual times. Post a big timing clock and interested kids can see their time as they finish. Simple!
Registration. This can also be eliminated to simplify. If you want to charge a registration fee, I recommend charging a flat family rate to encourage all to participate. Fee can include a racing number, coupon donations from local businesses, t-shirt or water bottle, etc.
Make it an event. Also optional, but it is motivating to have fun things for families to do as they finish the run. Food trucks, a local band, game areas, stretching station with a local mascot, anything that makes finishing the race a party!

Don’t forget to practice for the fun run by doing some running in PE class. This can be a great motivator. Getting families moving together can be life changing for kids!

Hopscotch and Making Recess Better!

One of my goals this year is to improve recess time at my school. The students are all expected to be outside during recess, but otherwise, they can do whatever they want. Unfortunately, some do not choose to be active during that time. So, from my corner of the world as PE teacher I am trying to help encourage activity. Here are some things I have done:

First, I put together this awesome recess cart!

The school paid for the cart, and I had enough excess equipment to stock it. I presented it to all my classes during the first week of school and talked about care and expectations with the equipment. Now it is watched over by an aide at recess and students can check out any equipment. I told my students it is like a “recess library”.

Next, after any activity we do at PE, I try and point out to them that this is something they could do at recess if they enjoyed it. I want to expand their thinking on ways to be active. Even if you don’t want to join in the soccer game, you can still be moving.

And, this week I have been teaching old-fashioned classic games that seem to have died off a bit. I taught them 4 square. This one is always popular, I just needed to clarify basic rules. Then, I taught tetherball. Our tether balls had been removed because the kids were sitting on them and snapped all the ropes. Our custodian fixed them for me and I am trying to teach the kids how to play the game properly. They are very excited about the tether balls joining the recess cart soon.

Finally, I taught them the real rules of hopscotch. I attended a conference last fall and learned the “big kid” rules. I couldn’t believe how fun and challenging it was! I’ve gotten eye rolls from my 5th and 6th graders when I told them we were going to play hopscotch. Once I teach them the kick-out method, they have loved the challenge and had a blast with it. And, some of my more difficult, hard-to-move kids have found something they like! I highly recommend this classic, fun, and challenging game. You can watch a video of the kick-out method here

Hoppy taws are also available for purchase on the hoppy taws site.

Give it a try! I bet your students will love these classic games too!

UNO movement

My youngest classes love dancing and moving to music. I use music on a daily basis to add energy and enthusiasm. Here is a fun and easy game that is great for a quick warm-up, time filler, or even a small space activity.

I use UNO cards, but any type of cards would do. Assign each color a movement. We did:

red=squats

yellow=jump

blue=swim

green=slither like a snake

wild=free choice

Pass each student a card and have them move into their own space. When the music starts they do the movement assigned to their card color. When the music stops, they freeze. I then call out “trade” and they trade cards for a new color. Repeat.

I used this during the first week of school to practice freezing on signal. I made sure they were quiet and looking at me before we traded again. This made it a fun way to practice my rule of freezing when the music stops. My 1st and 2nd graders loved it!

Independent warm-up and assessment

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I usually lead my 1st – 4th grades in a warm-up routine. This week I wanted to see what my 3rd and 4th graders had learned; so I gave them more independence allowing me to observe and assess.

Before starting I set out 4 cones. As the class arrived, I instructed them to go sit by a cone with no more than 7 people at a cone (adjust numbers as needed for class size). I use this method a lot when I want to start them out in groups so this is easy and quick for my classes. Here is the warm-up activity:

Make a big circle with each small group.

Decide who will go first. That person demonstrates a stretch or muscle movement that can be done in place. Everyone joins in on the stretch and the group members count out loud slowly to 15.

Move around the circle giving everyone a turn to be the leader. Be thinking about what your stretch will be so no time is wasted. No repeats allowed.

When you are finished, send a representative from your group to me for your next instruction. I gave them a sequence of 3 cardio activities to finish up.

This gave me an opportunity to watch and see what stretches they used and even circle around and ask what muscle they were stretching. Great for assessment and the students enjoyed the independence. I had zero discipline issues and they worked hard.

For more ideas for using students as leaders, check out this post: Team captains