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Fueling the Fire: 5 Ways to Start the School Year Strong in Elementary Physical Education

SHAPE America

As I enter my 12th year of teaching elementary physical education, I’d like to share the tips I’ve used to start the year strong. Like most of you, my purpose is to encourage all students to love movement — in all its forms. Do you begin class with two minutes of locomotor movement? It requires energy, enthusiasm and endurance.

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Daily Physical Education as an Academic and Behavioral Intervention

SHAPE America

SHAPE America recommends 225 minutes for middle and high school students (150 minutes for elementary). Look for opportunities to increase movement for students who could benefit from it. How many physical education minutes do students get each week? A before-school club is a good place to start.

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The Heart Behind Field Day

Mr. Kirsch

Field Day is more than an end-of-year event for elementary physical education teachers. Its a celebration of movement, community, and the spirit of childhood. As an elementary PE teacher, I spend the entire year helping students build skills, confidence, and a love for physical activity.

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Instant Activities For Elementary PE

PLT4M

The right instant activities for elementary PE can help kick off physical education class with energy and structure. From tag games to other fun game variations, we’ll break down and sample activities from PLT4M’s library of elementary physical education curriculum. What Are Instant Activities for Elementary PE? Let’s dive in!

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Building a Dream Team: Cultivating an Inclusive and Joyful PE Culture

SHAPE America

I teach my students that it’s not about being the best — it’s about lifting each other up and finding joy in movement. Connecting Favorite Movement Experiences After reading an article by health educator Andy Milne about an assignment which asks students to share their favorite movement experiences, I was hooked.

PE
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Invasion Games For Elementary PE

PLT4M

Invasion games for elementary PE offer more than just excitement and energytheyre a powerful tool for teaching key movement concepts like offensive and defensive positioning, teamwork, spatial awareness, and agility. Use Fakes Use body movements, eye direction, or footwork to trick defenders and gain an advantage.

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Cooperative Games For Elementary PE

PLT4M

Cooperative games for elementary PE are more than just playful group activities—they foster teamwork, communication, and social-emotional growth among young students. While all SHAPE standards are important in elementary PE, Standard 3 directly supports social-emotional learning and interaction through structured movement.