Our Activities

Each PE by Design activity set includes all the information you need to prepare for and teach that activity in a PE session for your students: the appropriate grade level, the benefits of performing the activity, the best location(s) to perform the activity, any equipment needed for the activity, step-by-step instructions for performing the activity. Some activity sets also include printable signs or cards for use in the activity.

Teaching the Activities

Here are some overall guidelines for conducting a PE session using the PE by Design activities.

Select PE Activities and Gather Equipment

Select one or more activities from the PE by Design website. Open and print the instructions, or view them on your mobile device. Review the instructions, and decide where you’ll conduct the activity. (Most of the PE by Design activities are best done outdoors on the blacktop or the grass field. Some activities can be performed indoors, in a multipurpose room or classroom.) Gather any equipment you’ll need, and estimate how much time you’ll need to set up for the activity.

Transition from Classroom Activities to PE Activities

Walk with your students to the location where you’ll conduct the activity. Have them warm up, for example, by going for a short jog around the yard or to the fence and back. Perform any setup needed for the activity while your students warm up.

Explain the PE Activity

Have the students stand in a line, side by side, along the edge of the playing area. Read the directions aloud to your students. You may ask for volunteers to participate in a quick demonstration. Ask your students if they have any questions about the activity. Once the instructions are clear, get your students into position for the activity; if needed, create teams or assign partners. Then begin the activity.

Conduct the PE Activity

At the beginning of the activity, watch closely to make sure your students understand the rules and that they are demonstrating good sportsmanship. If you spot small problems, involving one or two students, you can pull those students aside for a quick discussion. If the issues are larger, involving several students, you may want to halt the game and have a class discussion. As the activity proceeds, offer positive feedback to the students who are doing a good job. The optimal amount of time to run each activity is 10 to 15 minutes.

Conclude the PE Activity

At the end of an activity, take a minute or two to talk about it with your students. Find out what they thought of it. Address any concerns you have. If there was conflict among students, take the time to resolve the issues before returning to the classroom. It’s also a good time to compliment students who did a good job during the activity.

Transition between PE Activities

If you want to offer multiple activities in a PE session, plan how to transition from one to the next. Can you safely supervise your class doing the first activity while you set up for the next one? If so, go ahead and start setting up for the next activity. If not, when the first activity ends, send your class on short jog around the field while you set up for the next activity.

Transition from PE Activities to Classroom Activities

Gather any equipment you’ve used, or ask your students for help. If there’s time, have your students perform a cool down, a minute or two of low-energy exercise, to prepare for the transition back to classroom work. For example, ask your students to take a short walk around the field or blacktop. If time is tight, use the walk back to the classroom as a cool-down period.