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

Students should be able to run, hop, skip, and gallop with control, balance on one foot, and throw, catch, kick, and bounce a ball at a basic level. They should also follow simple game rules and play fairly with a partner or small group.

How can I help my child stay active at home?

Aim for at least 60 minutes of active play a day, broken into short chunks. Walks, tag, jumping rope, riding a bike, and playing catch in the yard all count. The goal is moving and having fun, not drills.

My child is clumsy with a ball. Should I be worried?

At this age, catching and throwing are still developing and vary a lot from child to child. Try rolling a ball back and forth first, then tossing a soft ball or balloon up close. Ten minutes of practice a few times a week makes a big difference.

How should I sequence motor skills across the year?

Start with locomotor skills like walking, running, hopping, and skipping, then layer in balance and body control. Introduce throwing, catching, and kicking once students can move with control. Save partner and small-group games for later in the year, after students can follow simple rules.

What usually needs the most reteaching at this grade?

Skipping, galloping, and catching a tossed ball are the skills that lag most. Personal space and taking turns also need steady reinforcement. Build short reminders into warm-ups instead of stopping a whole lesson.

How do I know a student is ready for second grade PE?

A student is ready when they can move around the gym safely, perform basic locomotor skills on cue, and throw, catch, and kick a ball with some accuracy. They should also follow rules, share equipment, and work with a partner without constant prompting.

Why does PE focus so much on cooperation and behavior?

At this age, learning to share space, take turns, and listen during active play is as important as the physical skills. These habits make every game and lesson run better, and they help students stay safe when equipment and bodies are moving fast.

What can I do if my child says they hate PE or sports?

Ask what part feels hard, since the issue is often a specific skill or feeling left out, not movement itself. Find active play they enjoy outside of sports, like dancing, hiking, or playground games. Confidence at home usually carries into class.

What does a student learn in ?

This is the year movement starts to feel like skill, not just play. Students practice running, hopping, skipping, balancing, and throwing and catching with more control. They learn to share space, take turns, and follow simple game rules without bumping into a friend. By spring, students can move safely through a busy gym and name one reason being active feels good.

Running and hopping
Throwing and catching
Balance
Taking turns
Active play
Gym safety

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 safely together
Students learn how to share space in the gym without bumping into classmates. They practice listening for signals, starting and stopping on cue, and treating equipment with care.
2
Running, jumping, and balancing
Students work on the basic ways their body moves. They run, hop, skip, gallop, and hold simple balances, building the coordination that makes recess and sports easier later on.
3
Throwing, catching, and kicking
Students start handling balls and beanbags on purpose. They roll, toss, catch, and kick toward targets and partners, learning how their hands and feet work with their eyes.
4
Playing fair with classmates
Students play simple games and partner activities where taking turns and encouraging others matters. They practice being a good teammate and following the rules of a game.
5
Active habits for life
Students notice how their body feels when it moves. They learn why a fast heartbeat is a good sign during play, and they talk about ways to stay active at home.

Mastery Learning Standards

The required skills a student should display by the end of Grade 1.

Physical Education

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

ME-PE.1.1

Students practice moving their bodies in different ways: running, jumping, balancing, throwing, and catching. Building these basic movement skills early helps students stay active for life.
Apply knowledge related to movement, performance

ME-PE.2.1

Students connect what they know about how the body moves to how they actually play and exercise. In first grade, that means understanding why warm-ups matter or how to move safely with others.
Develop social skills through movement, including respect for self and others…

ME-PE.3.1

Students practice getting along while moving: taking turns, listening to others, and playing fairly as part of a group. These habits show up in every game and activity, not just on the playground.
Develop personal skills, identify personal benefits of movement

ME-PE.4.1

Students practice basic movement skills and start to notice how being active makes their body feel. The goal is to find physical activities they enjoy enough to keep doing on their own.

Standard	Definition	Code
Develop a variety of motor skills, including locomotor, non-locomotor	Students practice moving their bodies in different ways: running, jumping, balancing, throwing, and catching. Building these basic movement skills early helps students stay active for life.	ME-PE.1.1
Apply knowledge related to movement, performance	Students connect what they know about how the body moves to how they actually play and exercise. In first grade, that means understanding why warm-ups matter or how to move safely with others.	ME-PE.2.1
Develop social skills through movement, including respect for self and others…	Students practice getting along while moving: taking turns, listening to others, and playing fairly as part of a group. These habits show up in every game and activity, not just on the playground.	ME-PE.3.1
Develop personal skills, identify personal benefits of movement	Students practice basic movement skills and start to notice how being active makes their body feel. The goal is to find physical activities they enjoy enough to keep doing on their own.	ME-PE.4.1

Physical Education

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

ME-PE.1.1

Students practice moving their bodies in different ways: running, jumping, balancing, throwing, and catching. Building these basic movement skills early helps students stay active for life.
Apply knowledge related to movement, performance

ME-PE.2.1

Students connect what they know about how the body moves to how they actually play and exercise. In first grade, that means understanding why warm-ups matter or how to move safely with others.
Develop social skills through movement, including respect for self and others…

ME-PE.3.1

Students practice getting along while moving: taking turns, listening to others, and playing fairly as part of a group. These habits show up in every game and activity, not just on the playground.
Develop personal skills, identify personal benefits of movement

ME-PE.4.1

Students practice basic movement skills and start to notice how being active makes their body feel. The goal is to find physical activities they enjoy enough to keep doing on their own.

Standard	Definition	Code
Develop a variety of motor skills, including locomotor, non-locomotor	Students practice moving their bodies in different ways: running, jumping, balancing, throwing, and catching. Building these basic movement skills early helps students stay active for life.	ME-PE.1.1
Apply knowledge related to movement, performance	Students connect what they know about how the body moves to how they actually play and exercise. In first grade, that means understanding why warm-ups matter or how to move safely with others.	ME-PE.2.1
Develop social skills through movement, including respect for self and others…	Students practice getting along while moving: taking turns, listening to others, and playing fairly as part of a group. These habits show up in every game and activity, not just on the playground.	ME-PE.3.1
Develop personal skills, identify personal benefits of movement	Students practice basic movement skills and start to notice how being active makes their body feel. The goal is to find physical activities they enjoy enough to keep doing on their own.	ME-PE.4.1

Common Questions

What should students be able to do in PE by the end of the year?
Students should be able to run, hop, skip, and gallop with control, balance on one foot, and throw, catch, kick, and bounce a ball at a basic level. They should also follow simple game rules and play fairly with a partner or small group.
How can I help my child stay active at home?
Aim for at least 60 minutes of active play a day, broken into short chunks. Walks, tag, jumping rope, riding a bike, and playing catch in the yard all count. The goal is moving and having fun, not drills.
My child is clumsy with a ball. Should I be worried?
At this age, catching and throwing are still developing and vary a lot from child to child. Try rolling a ball back and forth first, then tossing a soft ball or balloon up close. Ten minutes of practice a few times a week makes a big difference.
How should I sequence motor skills across the year?
Start with locomotor skills like walking, running, hopping, and skipping, then layer in balance and body control. Introduce throwing, catching, and kicking once students can move with control. Save partner and small-group games for later in the year, after students can follow simple rules.
What usually needs the most reteaching at this grade?
Skipping, galloping, and catching a tossed ball are the skills that lag most. Personal space and taking turns also need steady reinforcement. Build short reminders into warm-ups instead of stopping a whole lesson.
How do I know a student is ready for second grade PE?
A student is ready when they can move around the gym safely, perform basic locomotor skills on cue, and throw, catch, and kick a ball with some accuracy. They should also follow rules, share equipment, and work with a partner without constant prompting.
Why does PE focus so much on cooperation and behavior?
At this age, learning to share space, take turns, and listen during active play is as important as the physical skills. These habits make every game and lesson run better, and they help students stay safe when equipment and bodies are moving fast.
What can I do if my child says they hate PE or sports?
Ask what part feels hard, since the issue is often a specific skill or feeling left out, not movement itself. Find active play they enjoy outside of sports, like dancing, hiking, or playground games. Confidence at home usually carries into class.