What should students be able to do physically by the end of the year?

Students should run, skip, hop, and gallop with control. They should also throw, catch, kick, and dribble a ball without losing it most of the time. Balance and stopping safely are part of it too.

How can families support active habits at home?

Aim for 30 to 60 minutes of active play each day. A walk after dinner, tossing a ball in the yard, or a bike ride all count. Active children at this age do not need a structured workout, just regular movement.

What if a student is behind their classmates in coordination?

Coordination develops at different rates and usually catches up with practice. Short, low-pressure games at home help, like catching a rolled ball, jumping over a line, or balancing on one foot while brushing teeth. Avoid making it feel like a test.

How should skills be sequenced across the year?

Start with locomotor skills like running and skipping, then move into non-locomotor work like balancing and twisting. Manipulative skills with hands and feet come next, building from stationary practice to partner work. Save small-sided games for later units once skills are steady.

What does mastery look like by spring?

Students can combine two skills, like running and then throwing, with reasonable form. They follow simple rules in a game, take turns, and recover quickly from losing. They can also name one or two reasons being active is good for them.

Which areas usually need the most reteaching?

Catching with hands only, dribbling while moving, and underhand throwing for accuracy are common sticking points. Self-control during competitive games also needs steady practice. Build short skill stations into warm-ups so practice keeps happening all year.

How do social skills fit into physical education?

A big part of the year is learning to share equipment, take turns, encourage teammates, and handle losing without quitting. These habits get practiced in every game and station, not taught as a separate lesson.

How do I know a student is ready for the next grade?

They move with control in different directions, handle a ball with hands and feet at a basic level, and play simple group games while following the rules. They can also explain why warming up and drinking water matter.

What does a student learn in ?

This is the year movement skills get sharper and more deliberate. Students practice running, jumping, throwing, catching, and kicking with better control, and they start using what they know about fitness and fair play during games. They learn to cooperate with teammates, take turns, and handle winning and losing without drama. By spring, students can join a group game, follow the rules, and explain why staying active keeps them healthy.

Throwing and catching
Running and jumping
Teamwork
Fitness basics
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 and playing together
Students start the year practicing how to run, skip, and dodge safely in a shared space. They learn the routines and rules that make games work for everyone.
2
Throwing, catching, and kicking
Students build the basic skills behind most playground games. They practice tossing and catching with a partner, kicking to a target, and dribbling a ball with hands and feet.
3
Fitness and how the body works
Students learn what makes the heart beat faster and why muscles get tired. They try short fitness activities and start to notice which ones feel hard and which feel easy.
4
Teamwork and fair play
Students work in small groups to solve movement challenges and play simple team games. They practice taking turns, encouraging teammates, and handling wins and losses.
5
Healthy habits for life
Students reflect on the activities they enjoy most and think about how to stay active outside of school. They set small goals for moving more at home and on weekends.

Mastery Learning Standards

The required skills a student should display by the end of Grade 3.

Physical Education

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

ME-PE.1.3

Students practice moving in different ways, like running, balancing, and throwing or catching a ball. These skills build the physical confidence to stay active in games, sports, and everyday movement.
Apply knowledge related to movement, performance

ME-PE.2.3

Students use what they know about how their bodies move and stay healthy to make better choices during physical activities and exercise.
Develop social skills through movement, including respect for self and others…

ME-PE.3.3

Students practice getting along while moving: taking turns, listening to teammates, and making choices that keep the game fair for everyone.
Develop personal skills, identify personal benefits of movement

ME-PE.4.3

Students practice skills like balancing and coordination, notice how movement makes them feel, and start building the habit of staying active on their own.

Standard	Definition	Code
Develop a variety of motor skills, including locomotor, non-locomotor	Students practice moving in different ways, like running, balancing, and throwing or catching a ball. These skills build the physical confidence to stay active in games, sports, and everyday movement.	ME-PE.1.3
Apply knowledge related to movement, performance	Students use what they know about how their bodies move and stay healthy to make better choices during physical activities and exercise.	ME-PE.2.3
Develop social skills through movement, including respect for self and others…	Students practice getting along while moving: taking turns, listening to teammates, and making choices that keep the game fair for everyone.	ME-PE.3.3
Develop personal skills, identify personal benefits of movement	Students practice skills like balancing and coordination, notice how movement makes them feel, and start building the habit of staying active on their own.	ME-PE.4.3

Physical Education

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

ME-PE.1.3

Students practice moving in different ways, like running, balancing, and throwing or catching a ball. These skills build the physical confidence to stay active in games, sports, and everyday movement.
Apply knowledge related to movement, performance

ME-PE.2.3

Students use what they know about how their bodies move and stay healthy to make better choices during physical activities and exercise.
Develop social skills through movement, including respect for self and others…

ME-PE.3.3

Students practice getting along while moving: taking turns, listening to teammates, and making choices that keep the game fair for everyone.
Develop personal skills, identify personal benefits of movement

ME-PE.4.3

Students practice skills like balancing and coordination, notice how movement makes them feel, and start building the habit of staying active on their own.

Standard	Definition	Code
Develop a variety of motor skills, including locomotor, non-locomotor	Students practice moving in different ways, like running, balancing, and throwing or catching a ball. These skills build the physical confidence to stay active in games, sports, and everyday movement.	ME-PE.1.3
Apply knowledge related to movement, performance	Students use what they know about how their bodies move and stay healthy to make better choices during physical activities and exercise.	ME-PE.2.3
Develop social skills through movement, including respect for self and others…	Students practice getting along while moving: taking turns, listening to teammates, and making choices that keep the game fair for everyone.	ME-PE.3.3
Develop personal skills, identify personal benefits of movement	Students practice skills like balancing and coordination, notice how movement makes them feel, and start building the habit of staying active on their own.	ME-PE.4.3

Common Questions

What should students be able to do physically by the end of the year?
Students should run, skip, hop, and gallop with control. They should also throw, catch, kick, and dribble a ball without losing it most of the time. Balance and stopping safely are part of it too.
How can families support active habits at home?
Aim for 30 to 60 minutes of active play each day. A walk after dinner, tossing a ball in the yard, or a bike ride all count. Active children at this age do not need a structured workout, just regular movement.
What if a student is behind their classmates in coordination?
Coordination develops at different rates and usually catches up with practice. Short, low-pressure games at home help, like catching a rolled ball, jumping over a line, or balancing on one foot while brushing teeth. Avoid making it feel like a test.
How should skills be sequenced across the year?
Start with locomotor skills like running and skipping, then move into non-locomotor work like balancing and twisting. Manipulative skills with hands and feet come next, building from stationary practice to partner work. Save small-sided games for later units once skills are steady.
What does mastery look like by spring?
Students can combine two skills, like running and then throwing, with reasonable form. They follow simple rules in a game, take turns, and recover quickly from losing. They can also name one or two reasons being active is good for them.
Which areas usually need the most reteaching?
Catching with hands only, dribbling while moving, and underhand throwing for accuracy are common sticking points. Self-control during competitive games also needs steady practice. Build short skill stations into warm-ups so practice keeps happening all year.
How do social skills fit into physical education?
A big part of the year is learning to share equipment, take turns, encourage teammates, and handle losing without quitting. These habits get practiced in every game and station, not taught as a separate lesson.
How do I know a student is ready for the next grade?
They move with control in different directions, handle a ball with hands and feet at a basic level, and play simple group games while following the rules. They can also explain why warming up and drinking water matter.