Early Childhood P.E. Curriculum

The Physical Education program at St. Paul’s will provide a positive, safe and enjoyable environment that engages each child to be actively involved and equally successful through physical movement.

General Objectives:

To help students develop and refine motor skills and movement patterns needed to perform a variety of physical activities.

To practice a variety of physical activities with the goal of promoting the benefits of health, enjoyment, challenge, self-expression, and/or social interaction through movement.

Toddler-PreKindergarten

Toddlers (20 minutes two times a week)

Preschool (30 minutes two times a week)

Prekindergarten (30 minutes twice a week)

1.       General movement and safety: walking, running, jumping, galloping, hopping, skipping

2.       Control of body movements: bend, stretch, freeze, balance

3.       Use of large muscle groups: throw, kick, bounce, catch

4.       Use of gross body movements such as dance

Kindergarten

(30 minutes twice a week)

1.       Safe movement forward, backward, sideways, up and down

2.       Play games involving movements and directions

3.       Negotiates obstacle courses

4.       Moves his/her body to a rhythm (dancing, stomping, marching)

P.E. Class Rules: 

“It’s as easy at A, B, C, D!”

A.      Act safely—Move in general space of gym and others’ personal space respectfully.

B.      Be Prepared & Be Positive—On the days that your child has P.E., please have them wear (bring to school, or keep in their cubby) appropriate shoes so they can fully participate. Due to safety concerns, your child will not be able to participate if they do not have safe shoes on.

C.      Cooperate (with teacher and classmates)—Listen to and follow directions; Be kind to others.

D.      Do your best—Every child is at a different level of ability and confidence when it comes to physical activity. What is most important to me is that each student tries something new, works on improving a skill, and demonstrates their personal best!

Daily Physical Education Plan:

      1)      Warm-up (3-5 min)

2)      Fundamental skill work (10-12 min)

3)      Game/Activity (10-15 min)

4)      Life Skills: (Constant)

Lesson Plan Example:

Gross Motor Skills: Running, Skipping, Galloping, Hopping, etc.

Lesson Objective: Students will learn or continue to develop movement, gross motor skill and coordination. 

Introductory (Warm-up) Activity:

From head to toe we stretch our body: Neck rolls, shoulder shrugs, ‘helicopter’ arms in both directions, touch toes to stretch back and legs, ‘hug our legs’ to stretch bottom, butterfly position nose to toes, the letter ‘V’ stretch and reach.

Fundamental skill work : Focus on one gross motor skill each class

 Example--Skipping:

*Take a step forward on one foot and then perform a hop on that same foot
*Step forward on the other foot and perform a hop just like you did on the first foot
*Keep alternating feet doing this same procedure
*Arms are out to the side for balance
*A skip has an uneven rhythm

Game/Activity:

Musical Hoops

Students find their own personal space. Hoola hoops are spread out around the space. Students are given a gross motor movement (walking, skipping, jumping, walking on tip toes, etc.) and instructed that when the music begins, they need to move around the space. When the music stops, they are to quickly and safely get inside a hoola hoop (there may be more than one person inside a hoop). Students are asked if they think they can fit everyone into a hoop again if there were fewer hoops. At this point, a few hoops are removed from the space. A new movement is announced, the music starts again, and the game continues to progress until there are only a few hoops left. At this point the students are asked, “What is the least amount of hula hoops the class can get down to so everyone is included?”

Lesson Focus: Gross motor skills, Cooperation, Teamwork