Designing a Physical Education Curriculum that

Makes Sense

Steve C. Jefferies&

Kirk E. MathiasCentral Washington University,

Ellensburg, WA(Contact: jefferis@cwu.edu)

What a curriculum isn’t…

• A list of skills, games or sports• Separate lists at elementary, middle, and

secondary levels• Activities (skills and drills) that are repeated at

every grade level• Chosen based on teacher preference• Activities requested by students with limited

experience of alternatives• Exposure to many skills and mastery of none• A document to be shelved

Scope & Sequence

Sequence

Scope

K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Progression

21st Century Physical Education

• Lifestyles have changed over the past 50 years.

• Many jobs no longer exist and many jobs our students will do have yet to be created.

• How has Physical Education changed?– Elementary– Middle School– High School

Change

“If you always do what you’ve always done,

you’ll always get what you’ve always got.”

If you don't know where you are going, you will be lost when you get there.

Yogi Berra

PHYSICAL EDUCATION FOR PROGRESS (PEP) GRANT2004-2007

Qu ic k T ime™ an d aGra ph ic s de c o mp res s o r

a re ne ed ed to s ee th is p ic tu re .

Qu ic k T ime™ an d aGra ph ic s de c o mp res s o r

a re ne ed ed to s ee th is p ic tu re .

PE-Health Curriculum PlanPE-Health Curriculum Plan

 

Qu ic k T ime™ an d aGra ph ic s de c o mp res s o r

a re ne ed ed to s ee th is p ic tu re .

Physical Education

Program

Physical Education

Program

Values and Beliefs about Physical Education and HealthEducation

The XYZ Physical Education and Health Education Staff Value:

The opportunity to teach students new skills andknowledge that will have a positive impact on their lives.Helping students to learn the skills needed tosuccessfully participate in new physical activities. The importance of health-promoting physical activity forall students regardless of gender, race, or ability and thepositive benefits to be gained from regular participation.

The XYZ Physical Education and Health Education Staff Believe:

Physical Education and Health Education are corecomponents of the schoolÕs academic curriculumThe development of a healthy and active body contributesto academic achievement. All students, regardless of ability, can successfullyexperience meaningful and enjoyable daily physical activitywithin and outside the school setting.

Identify PE Values & Beliefs

Write PE Philosophy & Mission

Statement

The mission of the XYZ School District Physical Education andHealth Program is to motivate students to become healthy andstay healthy. Good health and fitness practices must become apriority for all students. Poor health and fitness has a negativeimpact physically, socially, and academically. Our mission is toprovide students with the motivation, skills and knowledgeneeded to lead healthy, active, and productive lifestyles.

XYZ Physical Education and Health Education Staff -Spring, 2005

Identify School District Program Goals

The XYZ School District PE-Health Curriculum has been designedto help all students meet National and State Content Standards.

*Insert an explanation of National and State standards. Liststandards*

Specifically the goal of the XYZ School District is to prepare eachgraduating student in the following four areas:

1.Demonstrate skill proficiency and knowledge in four activities:* One Team Sport* One Fitness Activity* One Individual Sport* One Recreational/Lifetime Activity

2. Develop a personalized health-promoting fitness plan

3. Participates regularly and values participation in health-promoting physical activity in and out of school

4. Demonstrate appropriate social skills and behaviors whenparticipating in physical activity.

EtcÉ

List & Prioritize PE Program Content

Identification of potential contentareas to be taught and learningoutcomes:* Team sport A

* Outcome TSA1* Outcome TSA2 etcÉ

* Team sport B* Outcome TSB1 etc..

* Continue to list all team sports* Individual sport A

* Outcome ISA1* Outcome ISA2 etc..

* Individual sport B* Outcome ISB1 etc..

* Continue to list all individualsports, fitness activities, andrecreational/lifetime activitiestogether with their outcomes*

* NOTE: An outcome shouldrepresent a significant ŅchunkÓ oflearning

Prioritization* of potential contentareas and outcomes to be taught:* Team sport C* Team sport B* Team sport A* Individual sport A* Individual sport C* Individual sport B* Fitness Activity A* Fitness Activity C* Fitness Activity D.* Recreational/Lifetime activity A* Recreational/Lifetime activity B

*NOTE 1: You must prioritizewithin each strand if you want toensure that your students learnskills in different types of activities.

*NOTE 2: You should includecognitive & social skilldevelopment as outcomes

Organize PE Program

Content

How will you organize the different types of sports and physicalactivities you would like to include in your program to ensure thatall students have an opportunity to meet your program goals?

Activity STRANDS offer one organizational solution. Here Õs anexample:

TEAM SPORTS

RECREATIONAL&

LIFETIMEACTIVITIES

FITNESSACTIVITIES

INDIVIDUALSPORTS &ACTIVITIES Select Content

Based On Time and Program Goals

* How many lessons will be needed for all students in the XYZSchool District to achieve the districtÕs program goals and learningoutcomes?* Previous teacher estimates to develop competency in a skillrange from 3-10 hours* To design a realistic curriculum choose an average estimate oflessons/hours needed to become competent (skillful)* Expect to be held accountable for achieving the goals you haveset!* If in doubt be conservative. You can add MORE later!* Example : If we estimated that 6 lessons (about 6 hours) were onaverage needed to learn one outcome, in a school year of 180lessons we could realistically plan to teach 180/6=30 outcomes. Ifwe planned to teach our secondary outcomes across grades 5-9we could anticipate teaching (5 x 30)=150 outcomes.* To identify your curriculum content simply go to your prioritizedlist and select 150 outcomes. Remember, you chose both theoutcomes and the time your students will need to learn them. Youhave created a realistic instructional plan that will successfullyresult in clearly identifiable student learning outcomes and provideeach student with a good chance to achieve your district learninggoals.

Sequence Content Across Grades

6

6

6

6

6

6

Total LessonsPer Activity

18018018018072Total PELessons PerGrade/Year

222Outcome 3Gym Climbing

222Outcome 2Knot typing

222Outcome 1Safety &Equipment

Rock Climbing

In these columns continue adding lessons planned foreach outcome ensuring the total matches the lessonsavailable for each grade during the school year. Do it in aspreadsheet and the numbers automatically recalculate.

1

1

2

5

Continue listingall activities &outcomes inthis column

23Outcome 3Shooting

23Outcome 2Passing

22Outcome 1Dribbling

Basketball

9876

GradesContent/

Activities

Sequence Content Within Grades

TOTAL 180

In this column continue adding what you plan to teach. Notice thatthis example illustrates the number of lessons planned in theŅSequence Across GradesÓ table opposite for basketball.

Continue listinginstructional daysin this column

Basketball: Shooting7

Basketball: Dribbling6

Basketball: Dribbling5

Basketball: Dribbling

Basketball: Passing

Basketball: Passing

Basketball: Passing

4

3

2

1

DAYS

6th Grade

Design Instructional Unit Plans

UNIT PLAN FORMATUnit plans should contain the following items:

* Table of Contents* Course Syllabus* Block Plan* Lesson Plans* Assessments* Task Cards* Skill Charts* A List of Additional Resources

USING UNIT PLANS* Unit plans must be followed by all teachers if you hope to achieveyour learning goals. View them like ŅBuilding Blueprints Ó* Unit plans ensure that all teachers will be teaching similar contentalthough teachers may teach using a variety of individual styles* Unit plans ensure that new teachers do not have to create their owncurriculum* Unit plans make teaching easier for everyone because they saveplanning time

Schedule Completed Curriculum into

School Curriculum

* Some activities demand creative scheduling to allow larger blocksof time, additional funds, or off-site travel. Work closely with yourschool administrators to resolve how your curriculum can work.* Anticipate that initially you may not be able to fully implement thecurriculum you have planned. Be flexible but persistent. Relateyour requests to achieving your student learning goals rather thancreating headaches for administrators!

Empowering Students & Community in Empowering Students & Community in Fighting ObesityFighting ObesityEllensburg School DistrictEllensburg School District

Health & Fitness KHealth & Fitness K--12 Curriculum12 CurriculumValues and Beliefs

The Ellensburg School District Health & Fitness Staff Value:

maintaining the health triangle (mental/emotional, physical, social).

positive attitudes and hard work during regular physical activity participation and goal setting.

physical education as an integral component to a school

The Ellensburg School District Health & Fitness Staff Believe:

that students who are emotionally, physically and socially healthy are more apt to be physically fit.

PE is a foundation for an active and healthy lifestyle. PE is just as important as any other subject. The development of a healthy and active body

contributes to academic achievement. PE should be taught by trained/endorsed physical

educators.

We the members of the Ellensburg Health & Fitness Department believe that Health & Fitness is an integralpart of the overall school curriculum and an essential part of the development of all students. The need for physical activity and nutritional education is essential in the battle against obesity and health related diseases. The need for Health & Fitness is greater today than in the past as by this quote regarding physical activity and health from the Surgeon General: “nearly half of young people 12-21 years of age are not vigorously active; moreover, physical activity sharply declines during adolescence. Childhood and adolescence may thus be pivotal throughout the school years. School-based interventions have been shown to be successful in increasing physical activity levels.”

Identify School District Program Goals

The Ellensburg School District Health & Fitness Curriculum has been designed to help all students meet National and State Content Standards and specifically be able to:

1. develop a general fitness plan using the FITT principle for individual needs and desires.

2. demonstrate skill proficiency and knowledge in three activities: * one Team Sport* one Individual Sport* one Recreational/Lifetime Activity

3. and participate in physical activities4. understand the effects of drugs, alcohol, tobacco and other

health related diseases have on their daily lives and be able to develop strategies that will enable them to make personal choices.

Select PE Program Content

Each activity/sport has been broken down by skills and specific outcomes to match. Each outcome then has been matched to specific lesson plans. The lesson plans span k-12 for specific content ensuring the skills are progressively more difficult and that mastery occurs for each skill.

Example -* Team sport Basketball * Basketball is broken down by six different skills like dribbling, shooting, etc. Each skill has specific outcomes associated with it. For example mastery of dribbling includes; dribbling with the fingertips, head up, both hands, while moving against a passive defense, dribbling in both directions with both hands, etc.

NOTE: Each activity has been broken out into skills and each skill is identified through specific components.

Organize PE Program

Content

Select Content Based

on Time and Goals

To determine what the content would consist of, the teachers first decided on what the content would consist of. Since in the previous step it was already determined that the curriculum would include all four of the areas listed, a step was added to calculate the percentage of time that would be devoted to each area. The table is included in the curriculum write up.

To answer the question as to how many lessons will be needed in order to help the students meet the program goals, the series of calculations were made that are included below.

We estimated that 6 lessons (about 6 hours) were needed to learn one skill thus, in a school year of 180 lessons we could realistically plan to teach 180/6=30 skills.

Therefore it was determined that 3 team sports, 3 individual sports, and numerous physical activities would be included however, care was taken to ensure that no more skills were included than time was available.

Sequence Content Across Grades

6

6

6

22

12

31

24.1

24.1

Total Lessons Per

Activity

16416416416462PE Lessons Per Grade/Year

222Lawn Games

33Frisbee

222Swimming

4567In Line Skating

Additional activities are planned to total the number of the lessons available for each

grade during the school year. Also, k-4 is included.

1.75

3

5

Continue listing all activities in this column

66Mtn Biking

578.39Badminton

24.28.96Rock Climbing

24.296Basketball

9876Grades

Number of Lessons by Grade

Sequence Content Within Grades

TOTAL 64

This column continues listing the activity for that day and the EALR that is being met.

Instructional Days listed here.

Basketball: Shooting7

Basketball: Dribbling6

Basketball: Dribbling5

Basketball: Dribbling

Basketball: Passing

Basketball: Passing

Basketball: Passing

4

3

2

1

DAY

4th Grade

Design Instructional Unit Plans

UNIT PLAN FORMATUnit plans include the following items:

* Table of Contents* Block Plan* Objectives* Content Development* Assessments* Task Cards - when appropriate* A List of Additional Resources

UNIT PLAN IMPLEMENTATION Unit plans must be followed by all teachers due to the

interconnectedness. These should be viewed as “Building Blueprints”

Unit plans are designed to ensure continuity amongst content and teachers.

Unit plans also ensure that new teachers do not have to create their own curriculum.

Final Schedule Demands

Some equipment will be shared. Additional scheduling needs will need to match seasons

within the school year and appropriate weather. Consist and repetitive requests while beginning to the

implement the curriculum will need to be made and justified.

A third teaching station is required at the Middle School. Teachers must be knowledgeable and willing to learn new

activities.

IdentifyValues & Beliefs

Write PE Philosophy & Mission

Statement

TEAM SPORTS

FITNESSACTIVITIES

INDIVIDUAL SPORTS

LIFETIME ACTIVITIES

Elle

nsb

urg

Sch

oo

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TEN Planning Steps1. Identify PE Values & Beliefs2. Write PE Philosophy & Mission Statement3. Identify School District Program Goals4. List & Prioritize PE Program Content5. Organize PE Program Content6. Select Content Based On Time and

Program Goals7. Sequence Content Across Grades 8. Sequence Content Within Grades9. Design Instructional Unit Plans10. Schedule Completed Curriculum into

School Curriculum

Preparing for changechange…

• Physical education for the 21st Century• NASPE Content Standards (NASPE)• Appropriate Practices guidelines (NASPE)• Review curriculum models• Browse K-12 school web sites (PELINKS4U)• What is “New” Physical Education?• Elementary & Secondary Challenges• Physical education is critical to a complete

education (NASPE document)• What constitutes a quality physical education

program? (NASPE)• Kansas Standards (http://ksweb.ksde.org/cshp/html/standards.html)

Create an atmosphere for change!!Create an atmosphere for change!!

Planning

• Fund a 2-day event = Focused time

• Invite ALL teachers

• Choose convenient dates/times

• Host out-of-town

• Park cell phones outside meeting room!

• Get commitment to be a full participant

PE Values & Beliefs

• Helps to create a vision of what you want your program to look like.

• If time can create/If time is limited present some options and have individuals select top 5.

• Combine into groups and have groups create top 5.

• Finish by having entire group come to consensus on a total of 10-12 statements.

PE Values & Beliefs

The XYZ Physical Education and Health Education Staff Value:

The opportunity to teach students new skills and knowledge that will have a positive impact on their lives.

Helping students to learn the skills needed to successfully participate in new physical activities.

The importance of health-promoting physical activity for all students regardless of gender, race, or ability and the positive benefits to be gained from regular participation.

PE Values & Beliefs

The XYZ Physical Education and Health Education Staff Believe:

Physical Education and Health Education are core components of the school’s academic curriculum

The development of a healthy and active body contributes to academic achievement.

All students, regardless of ability, can successfully experience meaningful and enjoyable daily physical activity within and outside the school setting.

Health & Fitness ValuesHealth & Fitness Values

The Ellensburg School Health and Fitness Staff Value:

• maintaining the health triangle (mental/emotional, physical, social)

• positive attitudes and hard work during regular physical activity

participation and goal setting.

• physical education as an integral component to a school

• school district and community support for Physical Education.

• the self-esteem level of our students.

• the impact that Physical Education has on students’ relative to real

world demands.

• a program that promotes being physically active for a lifetime.

• students who are working toward personal fitness.

Terri Drain, Physical Education Teacher

Health & Fitness Health & Fitness BeliefsBeliefs

The Ellensburg School Health and Fitness Staff Believe:

• that students who are emotionally, physically and socially healthy are more apt to be physically fit.

• PE is a foundation for an active and healthy lifestyle.

• PE is a just as important as any other subject.

• the development of a healthy and active body contributes to academic achievement.

• fitness is a lifelong habit and prepares children to take ownership for their own health and wellness.

• PE/Health teachers should provide positive, motivating, PE experiences that help all students to make better life

style choices.

• PE should offer opportunity for everyone to participate.

• PE provides opportunity for development of teamwork sportsmanship, communication, goal setting and

leadership.

• PE inspires activity outside of the school day.

• PE should be taught by trained/endorsed physical educators.

• that progressive motor skill development is essential for lifetime participation.

• that PE should be required daily.

• that the Physical Education curriculum should be closely articulated with the state and national standards.

Terri Drain, Physical Education Teacher

Mission Statement(where are you going?)

Mission Statement     Physical Education is an essential component of the

education program.  A student who is physically educated is more likely to become a healthy adult who is motivated to remain healthy and physically active throughout his or her life.

According to the U.S. Surgeon General, regular physical activity is one of the most important things that people can do to maintain and improve their physical health, mental health, and overall well-being. 

The mission of the Vintage Hills Physical Education program is to provide students with the skills, knowledge, beliefs, and confidence necessary for a lifetime of good health and physical activity. 

Vintage Hills Elementary School, Pleasanton CA

The mission of the Evergreen High School Physical Education and Health Program is to motivate and educate every student with the skills and knowledge necessary to become healthy and stay healthy. Good health and fitness has a positive impact physically, socially, emotionally, and academically. Our mission is to provide a safe learning environment filled with respect and consistency where our students are motivated and educated to lead healthy, active and productive lives.

Evergreen High School Physical Education and Evergreen High School Physical Education and Health ProgramHealth Program

Mission StatementMission Statement

Identify School District Program Goals

GOAL 1: Demonstrate skill proficiency and knowledge in: Aquatics, Dance/Rhythms, Individual Activities, and Dual Activities.

GOAL 2: Assess and maintain a level of physical fitness to improve health and performance.

GOAL 3: Demonstrate knowledge of physical fitness concepts, principles, and strategies to improve health and performance.

GOAL 4: Demonstrate personal and social skills.

Renton School District PE & Health Program Goals

1. Demonstrate skill proficiency and knowledge in four activities: * One Team Sport* One Fitness Activity* One Individual Sport* One Recreational/Lifetime Activity

2. Develop a personalized health-promoting fitness plan

3. Participates regularly and values participation in health-promoting physical activity in and out of school

4. Demonstrate appropriate social skills and behaviors when participating in physical activity.

Health & Fitness Program GoalsThe Ellensburg School District Health & Fitness Curriculum has been designed to help all

students meet National and State Content Standards and specifically be able to:

1. develop a general fitness plan using the FITT (Frequency, Intensity, Time and Type)

principle for individual needs and desires.

2. demonstrate skill proficiency and knowledge in three activities:

* one Team Sport

* one Individual Sport

* one Recreational/Lifetime Activity

3. participate in physical activities.

4. understand the effects of drugs, alcohol, tobacco and other health related diseases have

on their daily lives

and be able to develop strategies that will enable them to make personal choices.

5. identify healthy food choices and their impact on body composition / fitness.

6. provide a basic knowledge of the equipment, rules, safety and necessary skills in a wide

variety of fitness activities that can be enjoyed for life.

7. understand the importance of body composition rather than focusing on weight to

determine fitness levels.

8. demonstrate responsible personal and social behavior in a variety of settings.

List & Prioritize PE Program Content

Select Content Based On Time and Program Goals

• So much to do and so little time.So much to do and so little time.

• What do we want our students to be What do we want our students to be able to do?able to do?• 100 minutes?100 minutes?• 700 minutes?700 minutes?• 1800 purposeful trials?1800 purposeful trials?

Calculating TimeCalculating Time

  K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Activity/Skill                          

Fitness 5 10 10 15 30 30 40 55 60 75

Total Choice

Skill       15 30 45 50 35 35 20

Locomotor 30 30 25 15 5          

Stability 40 30 15 5 5          

Manipulative 25 30 45 40 20 15        

Emotional/social 0 0 5 10 10 10 10 10 5 5

Total Percentage 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100      

Calculated Percentage of Time Across GradesCalculated Percentage of Time Across Grades

Sequence Content Across Grades

Content Across Grades Content Across Grades (Team Sports)(Team Sports)

Total Number of Days for Sport by GradeTotal Number of Days for Sport by GradeTotal Total

Days Days AvailAvailableable   kk 11 22 33 44 55 66 77 88 99 1010

Team SportsTeam Sports                                

  

BasketballBasketball          1.241.24 22 33 1212 8.938.93 44 22  

33.1733.17

SoccerSoccer          22 2.482.48 22 88 33 7.97.9 77  

32.3832.38

VolleyballVolleyball             22 4.724.72 77 77 77 55  

32.7232.72

Total Number of Total Number of Days AvailableDays Available          3.243.24 6.486.48 9.729.72 2727 18.9318.93 18.918.9 13.513.5    98.2798.27

Ellensburg School DistrictEllensburg School District

Sequence Content Within GradesSequence Content Within Grades

Skill Breakdown by Sport

  k 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Basketball                    

dribbling       x x *        

passing         x *        

shooting           x *      

defense             x x x *

offense             x x x *

rebounding             *      

x = introduction to concept and skills* = mastery of skills

DAY/MONTH GRADE

6 7 8 9

ABOUT AUG/SEPT

1 Soccer Fitness Plan Tennis Flag Football

2 Soccer Softball Tennis Flag Football

3 Soccer Softball Tennis Flag Football

4 Soccer Weight Lift Fitness Plan Flag Football

5 Fitness Plan Softball Cycling and Wheel Flag Football

6 Walking/Jogging Softball Cycling and Wheel Flag Football

7 Soccer Aerobic Cycling and Wheel Flag Football

8 Soccer Ultimate Frisbee Cycling and Wheel Flag Football

9 Soccer Ultimate Frisbee Walking/Jogging Flag Football

10 Aerobic Soccer Golf Flag Football

11 Soccer Weight Lift Golf Soccer

12 Softball Soccer Golf Soccer

13 Softball Soccer Aerobic Soccer

14 Softball Walking/Jogging Ultimate Frisbee Soccer

15 Weight Lift Soccer Ultimate Frisbee Volleyball

16 Softball Soccer Weight Lift Volleyball

17 Softball Soccer LaCrosse Volleyball

18 Softball Fitness Plan LaCrosse Volleyball

19 Walking/Jogging Cricket Fitness Plan Volleyball

20 Softball Cricket Softball Volleyball

ABOUT OCT

21 Softball Aerobic 1 Softball Orienteering

22 Aerobic 2 Lacrosse Softball Orienteering

23 Flag Football Lacrosse Softball Orienteering

24 Flag Football Lacrosse Walking/Jogging Orienteering

25 Flag Football Tennis Softball Orienteering

26 Lacrosse Tennis Softball Orienteering

27 Lacrosse Tennis Dance Orienteering

28 Aerobic Fitness Plan Soccer Orienteering

29 Cricket Golf Soccer Aerobic

30 Cricket Golf Soccer Aerobic

31 Cricket Golf Weight Lift Aerobic

Design Instructional Unit Plans

http://www.naspeforum.org

Schedule Completed Curriculum into School

Curriculum

"Intelligence and skill can only function at the peak of their capacity when the body is healthy and strong"                                                               - John F. Kennedy

Questions, Comments, & Discussion