Health and Physical Education: Curriculum

Guidelines for Quality Instruction In High School Physical Education

• Beginning of the Semester: Instruction should start the first day of class - distribution of paperwork, uniforms, and locks will take part of the class; the remainder of the class can include worksheets, use of technology (heart rate monitors, digi-walkers), instructional videos, Fit For Life textbook, teaching concepts and principles of movement, body mechanics, critical elements of skills, walking, low intensity activity (table tennis, bowling).

• Instant Activity: Teachers should offer several different activities to accommodate the interests of all students -- not just basketball; a maximum of 15 minutes; should not take priority over instructional time.

• Warm-up Activity: Should have physical or health related objectives--relevant, meaningful, challenging; variety to stimulate interest and challenge the students (aerobics/step/kickboxing/dyna-bands); a maximum of 15 minutes; should not take priority over instructional time; group/station activity or walk/run laps - not both.

• Skill Activity: Instructional methods should be based on the philosophy of all students active and engaged in learning; the skills should be practiced individually, with a partner, and/or in small groups; we have adequate equipment for each student in a class to have their own piece of equipment to promote maximum time on task; one class per activity to facilitate best use of space and equipment.

• Planning: Meet frequently to collaborate as a department for designing lessons and discussing utilization of space and equipment; review the new Health and Physical Education Standards of Learning to align activities with standards.

• Modifications: The skill levels of all students should be assessed during skill practice; modification of rules, equipment, boundaries, number of players on teams, etc. should be considered to promote the successful participation of every student; teams should be formed with the skill levels of students taken into consideration; whenever possible, just as in all organized recreational activities, opposing teams should be formed that are at comparable skill levels to make the games challenging; one whole class playing against another whole class is not an acceptable teaching strategy or learning environment.

• Challenges: Provide the students with goals; design rubrics to challenge all students - allow for success; make activities relevant and meaningful; communicate expectations of performance to students

• Assessment: 20% safety, 40% skill development & active movement, 20% skill assessment and 20% written/project work: use of digital cameras, camcorders, flip cameras; peer and teacher evaluation of critical elements of fundamental skills; design of rubrics and communication of expectations to all students

• Teaching considerations: All students active and engaged in learning; continuous teacher reinforcement of the learning; ongoing assessment both subjective and objective; development of skills for lifetime participation in physical activity

• PHYSICAL EDUCATION--YOUR BEST HEALTH INSURANCE!