What should students be able to do in PE by the end of this year?

Students should run, jump, skip, throw, catch, kick, and dribble with control in games and activities. They should also know basic fitness ideas like warming up, pacing, and why a strong heart matters, and they should play fairly with classmates.

How can I help my child stay active at home?

Aim for about 60 minutes of movement a day, broken into smaller chunks if needed. Play catch in the yard, go for a bike ride, shoot baskets, or put on music and dance. The activity matters more than the sport.

My child says they are bad at sports. What should I do?

Focus on effort and small wins instead of winning games. Practice one skill at a time, like catching a ball ten times in a row or jumping rope without stopping. Confidence grows when students see steady progress in something simple.

How should the year be sequenced across units?

A common path is locomotor and chasing games early, then throwing and catching, then striking and dribbling units like basketball and soccer, with fitness concepts woven through each unit. Cooperative games and a fitness check fit well near the end of the year.

Which skills usually need the most reteaching at this age?

Overhand throwing form, catching with hands instead of the body, and dribbling while looking up are the usual sticking points. Many students also need practice pacing themselves during longer runs instead of sprinting and stopping.

Does my child need to be good at team sports to do well in PE?

No. The goal is to move well and enjoy being active, not to be the best player on the field. Hiking, swimming, biking, yoga, and dance all count, and students who find one activity they love tend to stay active as adults.

How do I handle students who refuse to participate or sit out games?

Offer a smaller role first, like keeping score, refereeing, or playing a modified version with fewer people watching. Build in choice between two activities when possible. Most reluctance comes from fear of looking bad in front of peers, not from disliking movement.

How do I know my child is ready for middle school PE?

Students should be able to join a game, follow the rules, work with a partner or small group, and keep moving for at least 20 minutes without quitting. They should also know how to warm up and cool down on their own.

How do I grade something like cooperation or sportsmanship fairly?

Use a short rubric with two or three specific behaviors, such as taking turns, encouraging teammates, and accepting calls without arguing. Score during class with a clipboard or a quick checklist rather than from memory at the end of a unit.

What does a student learn in ?

This is the year movement skills start coming together in real games and activities. Students sharpen running, jumping, throwing, catching, and balancing, and they learn to use those skills in team play. They also pick up the basics of fitness, like why warm-ups matter and how exercise affects the body. By spring, students can play cooperatively with classmates, follow the rules of a game, and explain one habit that keeps them active outside of school.

Motor skills
Team games
Fitness basics
Cooperation
Healthy habits

Source: Maine Maine Learning Results

Year at a glance

How the year usually goes. Every school and district set their own curriculum, so treat this as a guide, not official pacing.

1
Moving well and warming up
Students sharpen the basics like running, jumping, skipping, and balancing. They learn how to warm up safely and why a strong heart and steady breathing matter during activity.
2
Throwing, catching, and striking
Students practice the skills behind most sports and games. They throw to a target, catch a moving ball, and hit with a bat, racket, or paddle, getting more accurate as the weeks go on.
3
Teamwork in games
Students put their skills into real games and group activities. They practice taking turns, talking to teammates, following rules, and handling wins and losses without taking it out on others.
4
Fitness and how the body works
Students learn what makes a workout build strength, stamina, or flexibility. They try short fitness routines and start to notice how their bodies feel during easy, medium, and hard activity.
5
Active habits for life
Students reflect on what they enjoy and set small goals for staying active outside of class. They leave the year with a few favorite ways to move, from biking to dancing to pickup games.

Mastery Learning Standards

The required skills a student should display by the end of Grade 5.

Physical Education

Develop a variety of motor skills, including locomotor, non-locomotor

ME-PE.1.5

Students practice moving skills like running, balancing, and throwing so they can stay active in sports and games. Building these skills in fifth grade gives students more ways to join in physical activities throughout their lives.
Apply knowledge related to movement, performance

ME-PE.2.5

Students use what they know about how the body moves and stays fit to make better choices during games, exercises, and other physical activities.
Develop social skills through movement, including respect for self and others…

ME-PE.3.5

Students practice working with classmates during physical activities, taking turns, listening, and adjusting how they act based on what the group needs.
Develop personal skills, identify personal benefits of movement

ME-PE.4.5

Students practice setting activity goals, name the benefits they personally feel from moving (better sleep, more energy), and make regular choices to stay active, not just during gym class.

Standard	Definition	Code
Develop a variety of motor skills, including locomotor, non-locomotor	Students practice moving skills like running, balancing, and throwing so they can stay active in sports and games. Building these skills in fifth grade gives students more ways to join in physical activities throughout their lives.	ME-PE.1.5
Apply knowledge related to movement, performance	Students use what they know about how the body moves and stays fit to make better choices during games, exercises, and other physical activities.	ME-PE.2.5
Develop social skills through movement, including respect for self and others…	Students practice working with classmates during physical activities, taking turns, listening, and adjusting how they act based on what the group needs.	ME-PE.3.5
Develop personal skills, identify personal benefits of movement	Students practice setting activity goals, name the benefits they personally feel from moving (better sleep, more energy), and make regular choices to stay active, not just during gym class.	ME-PE.4.5

Physical Education

Develop a variety of motor skills, including locomotor, non-locomotor

ME-PE.1.5

Students practice moving skills like running, balancing, and throwing so they can stay active in sports and games. Building these skills in fifth grade gives students more ways to join in physical activities throughout their lives.
Apply knowledge related to movement, performance

ME-PE.2.5

Students use what they know about how the body moves and stays fit to make better choices during games, exercises, and other physical activities.
Develop social skills through movement, including respect for self and others…

ME-PE.3.5

Students practice working with classmates during physical activities, taking turns, listening, and adjusting how they act based on what the group needs.
Develop personal skills, identify personal benefits of movement

ME-PE.4.5

Students practice setting activity goals, name the benefits they personally feel from moving (better sleep, more energy), and make regular choices to stay active, not just during gym class.

Standard	Definition	Code
Develop a variety of motor skills, including locomotor, non-locomotor	Students practice moving skills like running, balancing, and throwing so they can stay active in sports and games. Building these skills in fifth grade gives students more ways to join in physical activities throughout their lives.	ME-PE.1.5
Apply knowledge related to movement, performance	Students use what they know about how the body moves and stays fit to make better choices during games, exercises, and other physical activities.	ME-PE.2.5
Develop social skills through movement, including respect for self and others…	Students practice working with classmates during physical activities, taking turns, listening, and adjusting how they act based on what the group needs.	ME-PE.3.5
Develop personal skills, identify personal benefits of movement	Students practice setting activity goals, name the benefits they personally feel from moving (better sleep, more energy), and make regular choices to stay active, not just during gym class.	ME-PE.4.5

Common Questions

What should students be able to do in PE by the end of this year?
Students should run, jump, skip, throw, catch, kick, and dribble with control in games and activities. They should also know basic fitness ideas like warming up, pacing, and why a strong heart matters, and they should play fairly with classmates.
How can I help my child stay active at home?
Aim for about 60 minutes of movement a day, broken into smaller chunks if needed. Play catch in the yard, go for a bike ride, shoot baskets, or put on music and dance. The activity matters more than the sport.
My child says they are bad at sports. What should I do?
Focus on effort and small wins instead of winning games. Practice one skill at a time, like catching a ball ten times in a row or jumping rope without stopping. Confidence grows when students see steady progress in something simple.
How should the year be sequenced across units?
A common path is locomotor and chasing games early, then throwing and catching, then striking and dribbling units like basketball and soccer, with fitness concepts woven through each unit. Cooperative games and a fitness check fit well near the end of the year.
Which skills usually need the most reteaching at this age?
Overhand throwing form, catching with hands instead of the body, and dribbling while looking up are the usual sticking points. Many students also need practice pacing themselves during longer runs instead of sprinting and stopping.
Does my child need to be good at team sports to do well in PE?
No. The goal is to move well and enjoy being active, not to be the best player on the field. Hiking, swimming, biking, yoga, and dance all count, and students who find one activity they love tend to stay active as adults.
How do I handle students who refuse to participate or sit out games?
Offer a smaller role first, like keeping score, refereeing, or playing a modified version with fewer people watching. Build in choice between two activities when possible. Most reluctance comes from fear of looking bad in front of peers, not from disliking movement.
How do I know my child is ready for middle school PE?
Students should be able to join a game, follow the rules, work with a partner or small group, and keep moving for at least 20 minutes without quitting. They should also know how to warm up and cool down on their own.
How do I grade something like cooperation or sportsmanship fairly?
Use a short rubric with two or three specific behaviors, such as taking turns, encouraging teammates, and accepting calls without arguing. Score during class with a clipboard or a quick checklist rather than from memory at the end of a unit.