What does third grade physical education actually cover?

Students build basic movement skills like skipping, hopping, throwing, catching, kicking, and dribbling. They also learn simple games, cooperation with classmates, and why moving their body helps them stay healthy.

How can I help my child stay active at home?

Aim for about an hour of active play most days. Toss a ball in the yard, ride bikes, jump rope, or put on music and dance. Short bursts count, and the goal is for students to enjoy moving, not to drill a sport.

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

Focus on one skill at a time, like catching a soft ball from a few feet away or balancing on one foot. Practice for five minutes and celebrate small wins. Confidence grows when students feel steady progress, not when adults compare them to other kids.

How should I sequence skills across the year?

Start with locomotor skills like running, skipping, and galloping, then add balance and body control. Move into throwing, catching, kicking, and striking in the middle of the year. Finish with small-sided games that put those skills together.

Which skills usually need the most reteaching?

Catching with hands away from the body, throwing with opposition, and dribbling with control tend to lag. Build in short warm-up stations that revisit these every few weeks instead of teaching them once and moving on.

How is cooperation taught alongside the physical skills?

Students practice taking turns, sharing equipment, and including classmates in games. Partner and small-group tasks work better than full-class games for this age, because students get more reps and more chances to talk through disagreements.

Does my child need to be good at a specific sport by the end of the year?

No. The goal is comfort with general movement skills, not expertise in basketball or soccer. Students who can run, jump, throw, catch, and play fairly with others are right where they should be.

How do I know students are ready for fourth grade PE?

By spring, students should move through space safely, combine two skills like dribbling while walking, follow rules in simple games, and explain one reason exercise is good for them. Students who can do these things will keep up next year.

What does a student learn in ?

This is the year movement skills start to combine. Students dribble while moving, throw to a partner who is running, and string together skips, jumps, and turns in a game. They learn the why behind warming up, why a heart beats faster during tag, and how to take turns when a team is losing. By spring, students can play a simple group game with rules and keep their cool when it does not go their way.

Throwing and catching
Dribbling
Running games
Fitness basics
Teamwork
Following rules

Source: Vermont Common Core State Standards

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 warming up together
Students start the year practicing how to move safely in a shared space. They run, skip, hop, and stop on a signal while learning class routines and how to be a good partner during games.
2
Catching, throwing, and kicking
Students work on the basic skills used in most sports and recess games. They practice tossing and catching with a partner, dribbling a ball, and kicking toward a target with more control than last year.
3
Fitness and how the body works
Students learn what their body does during exercise. They notice a faster heartbeat, try activities that build strength and stamina, and start to connect daily movement with feeling healthy.
4
Teamwork in games
Students play small-sided games where the skills come together. They take turns, cheer for teammates, settle disagreements without an adult stepping in, and follow the rules even when their team is losing.
5
Active habits for life
Students reflect on which activities they enjoy and why moving feels good. They set a small personal goal, try new games, and start to see physical activity as something they choose, not just something at school.

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

VT-PE.1.3

Students practice moving in different ways: running, jumping, throwing, catching, and balancing. These skills build the physical foundation kids need to stay active in sports and play throughout their lives.
Apply knowledge related to movement, performance

VT-PE.2.3

Students use what they know about how their body moves and stays healthy to make better choices during exercise and games.
Develop social skills through movement, including respect for self and others…

VT-PE.3.3

Students practice working with classmates during physical activities, taking turns, listening, and treating others with respect. Group games are where these habits get built.
Develop personal skills, identify personal benefits of movement

VT-PE.4.3

Students practice movement skills and start figuring out which activities they enjoy. The goal is to build habits that keep them active not just in gym class, but for life.

Standard	Definition	Code
Develop a variety of motor skills, including locomotor, non-locomotor	Students practice moving in different ways: running, jumping, throwing, catching, and balancing. These skills build the physical foundation kids need to stay active in sports and play throughout their lives.	VT-PE.1.3
Apply knowledge related to movement, performance	Students use what they know about how their body moves and stays healthy to make better choices during exercise and games.	VT-PE.2.3
Develop social skills through movement, including respect for self and others…	Students practice working with classmates during physical activities, taking turns, listening, and treating others with respect. Group games are where these habits get built.	VT-PE.3.3
Develop personal skills, identify personal benefits of movement	Students practice movement skills and start figuring out which activities they enjoy. The goal is to build habits that keep them active not just in gym class, but for life.	VT-PE.4.3

Physical Education

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

VT-PE.1.3

Students practice moving in different ways: running, jumping, throwing, catching, and balancing. These skills build the physical foundation kids need to stay active in sports and play throughout their lives.
Apply knowledge related to movement, performance

VT-PE.2.3

Students use what they know about how their body moves and stays healthy to make better choices during exercise and games.
Develop social skills through movement, including respect for self and others…

VT-PE.3.3

Students practice working with classmates during physical activities, taking turns, listening, and treating others with respect. Group games are where these habits get built.
Develop personal skills, identify personal benefits of movement

VT-PE.4.3

Students practice movement skills and start figuring out which activities they enjoy. The goal is to build habits that keep them active not just in gym class, but for life.

Standard	Definition	Code
Develop a variety of motor skills, including locomotor, non-locomotor	Students practice moving in different ways: running, jumping, throwing, catching, and balancing. These skills build the physical foundation kids need to stay active in sports and play throughout their lives.	VT-PE.1.3
Apply knowledge related to movement, performance	Students use what they know about how their body moves and stays healthy to make better choices during exercise and games.	VT-PE.2.3
Develop social skills through movement, including respect for self and others…	Students practice working with classmates during physical activities, taking turns, listening, and treating others with respect. Group games are where these habits get built.	VT-PE.3.3
Develop personal skills, identify personal benefits of movement	Students practice movement skills and start figuring out which activities they enjoy. The goal is to build habits that keep them active not just in gym class, but for life.	VT-PE.4.3

Common Questions

What does third grade physical education actually cover?
Students build basic movement skills like skipping, hopping, throwing, catching, kicking, and dribbling. They also learn simple games, cooperation with classmates, and why moving their body helps them stay healthy.
How can I help my child stay active at home?
Aim for about an hour of active play most days. Toss a ball in the yard, ride bikes, jump rope, or put on music and dance. Short bursts count, and the goal is for students to enjoy moving, not to drill a sport.
My child says they are bad at sports. What should I do?
Focus on one skill at a time, like catching a soft ball from a few feet away or balancing on one foot. Practice for five minutes and celebrate small wins. Confidence grows when students feel steady progress, not when adults compare them to other kids.
How should I sequence skills across the year?
Start with locomotor skills like running, skipping, and galloping, then add balance and body control. Move into throwing, catching, kicking, and striking in the middle of the year. Finish with small-sided games that put those skills together.
Which skills usually need the most reteaching?
Catching with hands away from the body, throwing with opposition, and dribbling with control tend to lag. Build in short warm-up stations that revisit these every few weeks instead of teaching them once and moving on.
How is cooperation taught alongside the physical skills?
Students practice taking turns, sharing equipment, and including classmates in games. Partner and small-group tasks work better than full-class games for this age, because students get more reps and more chances to talk through disagreements.
Does my child need to be good at a specific sport by the end of the year?
No. The goal is comfort with general movement skills, not expertise in basketball or soccer. Students who can run, jump, throw, catch, and play fairly with others are right where they should be.
How do I know students are ready for fourth grade PE?
By spring, students should move through space safely, combine two skills like dribbling while walking, follow rules in simple games, and explain one reason exercise is good for them. Students who can do these things will keep up next year.