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Learning Standards Standards

What does a student learn in ?

This is the year gym class starts to feel like training for a lifetime, not just playing games. Students sharpen the running, throwing, and catching skills they will use in real sports, and they begin to understand why warm-ups, heart rate, and pacing matter. They also practice working with teammates, handling competition, and treating others with respect. By spring, students can stick with a workout or a team game, explain how it helps their body, and cooperate with classmates through the ups and downs.

  • Motor skills
  • Fitness concepts
  • Teamwork
  • Sportsmanship
  • Healthy habits
Source: Delaware Delaware Content 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. 1

    Moving with skill and control

    Students sharpen the basics of moving well: running, jumping, dodging, throwing, catching, and striking. Parents may notice steadier coordination and more confidence trying new sports and games.

  2. 2

    Playing smarter in games

    Students start using strategy during activities. They learn how to position themselves, read a play, and apply simple rules of offense and defense in team games.

  3. 3

    Building fitness habits

    Students learn what makes the heart, lungs, and muscles stronger. They track their own effort, set small fitness goals, and feel the difference between warming up and working hard.

  4. 4

    Teamwork and fair play

    Students practice cooperating, communicating, and handling wins and losses with respect. Expect more talk at home about being a good teammate and including everyone in the game.

  5. 5

    Choosing an active life

    Students reflect on which activities they enjoy and why moving feels good. They begin to see physical activity as something they choose, not just something assigned in class.

Mastery Learning Standards
The required skills a student should display by the end of Grade 6.
Physical Education

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

    DE-PE.1.6

    Students practice moving skills like running, balancing, and throwing. Building a range of these skills makes it easier to stay active in sports, games, and everyday life.

  • Apply knowledge related to movement, performance

    DE-PE.2.6

    Students connect what they know about how the body moves and stays fit to make better decisions during exercise and sport. Knowing why something works, not just how to do it, helps students perform with more purpose.

  • Develop social skills through movement, including respect for self and others…

    DE-PE.3.6

    Students practice working with others during physical activities. They take turns, follow group rules, communicate with teammates, and treat classmates with respect.

  • Develop personal skills, identify personal benefits of movement

    DE-PE.4.6

    Students practice setting fitness goals, figure out what kinds of movement they personally enjoy, and start building habits that can keep them healthy well past school.

Common Questions
  • What does sixth grade physical education actually cover?

    Sixth graders practice a wider range of movement skills like throwing, dribbling, striking, and running with control. They also learn how their body responds to exercise, how to work with teammates, and how to set simple fitness goals. The year is less about playing games and more about building skills that carry into team sports and personal fitness.

  • How can families support physical activity at home?

    Aim for about 60 minutes of movement most days. A walk after dinner, shooting hoops in the driveway, biking, or helping carry groceries all count. Students this age also benefit from trying a new activity, like a martial art or a dance class, because it builds skills they can use for years.

  • What should sixth graders know about fitness by spring?

    Students should understand the basic parts of fitness: heart and lung endurance, muscle strength, and flexibility. They should be able to name a warm-up, take their pulse, and explain why each part matters. They do not need to hit specific fitness test numbers to be on track.

  • How should I sequence skills across the year?

    Start with movement fundamentals and personal fitness baselines in the fall, then layer in invasion games like soccer or basketball. Move to net and target activities mid-year, and finish with individual pursuits like fitness planning or outdoor activities. This gives students time to refine skills before applying them in game settings.

  • My child says PE is embarrassing now. What can I do?

    Sixth grade is when self-consciousness spikes, especially around changing bodies and skill gaps. Help find one activity outside of school where success feels private, like running, swimming, climbing, or biking. Confidence built there usually shows up in class.

  • Which areas usually need the most reteaching?

    Striking skills, defensive positioning, and pacing during endurance work tend to be uneven coming into sixth grade. Many students also need direct teaching on how to give a teammate useful feedback and how to disagree without shutting down. Plan short skill clinics rather than assuming game play will fix the gaps.

  • How do I know if a sixth grader is ready for seventh grade PE?

    Ready students can apply a skill in a game, follow rules without constant reminders, and stay active for a full class period. They can also explain why they are doing a warm-up and name one personal fitness goal. Skill polish matters less than effort and self-management.

  • What if my child says they hate team sports?

    Team sports are one path, not the only path. Walking, hiking, weight training, yoga, dance, and biking all build the same fitness habits. Help find something that fits the student's personality so physical activity stays part of life after the school day ends.