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

Students should run, skip, hop, and gallop with control, and throw, catch, kick, and dribble a ball with steadier aim. They should also play simple group games, take turns, and follow safety rules without much reminding.

How can families support PE at home?

Aim for 30 to 60 minutes of active play most days. Toss a ball back and forth, set up a hopscotch grid with chalk, kick a ball in the yard, or take a walk together. The goal is movement and fun, not drills.

How should the year be sequenced?

Start with locomotor skills like running, skipping, and hopping so students build body control. Move into non-locomotor work such as balancing, stretching, and twisting, then add manipulative skills with balls, beanbags, and jump ropes. Cooperative games come in once the basics are steady.

What if a child still struggles with catching or skipping?

This is common at this age. Practice with a soft, slow ball or balloon at close range, and let students skip alongside an adult to feel the rhythm. Five minutes a few times a week beats one long session.

Which skills usually need the most reteaching?

Skipping, galloping, and catching with hands away from the chest are the slowest to click. Ball-handling under any pressure also takes longer than expected. Build in short skill stations across the year rather than treating these as one-time units.

How is fitness taught at this age?

Students learn what a fast heartbeat feels like, why muscles get warm, and why water matters after running. Activities should keep students moving most of the class, with short breaks to name what their body is doing.

How do students learn to cooperate during games?

Start with partner activities before moving to small groups of three or four. Teach specific phrases for sharing equipment, calling for a pass, and handling a lost game. Reset expectations after every transition, since social skills slip when energy is high.

How do I know a student is ready for next year?

By spring, students should move safely in a shared space, perform basic skills on cue, and stay engaged in a group activity for the full class. They should also be able to name one activity they enjoy and want to keep doing.

What does a student learn in ?

This is the year movement gets more deliberate. Students sharpen the basics like skipping, hopping, throwing, catching, and dribbling, and start noticing how their bodies feel when they get active. They practice taking turns, sharing space safely, and working with a partner without getting frustrated. By spring, students can join a game, follow the rules, and keep moving long enough to feel their heart speed up.

Locomotor skills
Throwing and catching
Teamwork
Following rules
Active play
Fitness awareness

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 move around a shared space without bumping into others. They practice running, skipping, and stopping on a signal, and they learn the rules that keep gym time safe.
2
Throwing, catching, and kicking
Students work on sending and receiving objects with hands and feet. Expect practice tossing a beanbag to a partner, catching a soft ball, and kicking toward a target.
3
Balance and body control
Students try movements that stay in one spot, like balancing on one foot, bending, twisting, and stretching. They learn how their body moves and how to hold a steady position.
4
Playing fair with classmates
Students join partner games and small group activities. They practice taking turns, following directions, encouraging teammates, and handling winning and losing without drama.
5
Fitness and healthy habits
Students learn why moving each day matters. They notice a faster heartbeat after running, talk about why water and sleep help, and find activities they actually enjoy doing.

Mastery Learning Standards

The required skills a student should display by the end of Grade 2.

Physical Education

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

ME-PE.1.2

Students practice moving their bodies in different ways: running, jumping, throwing, catching, and balancing. Building these skills early makes it easier to stay active through sports, play, and everyday movement.
Apply knowledge related to movement, performance

ME-PE.2.2

Students use what they know about how their body moves to make better choices during physical activity. That includes understanding how exercise affects their strength, heart, and breathing.
Develop social skills through movement, including respect for self and others…

ME-PE.3.2

Students practice working with classmates during movement activities, taking turns, listening to others, and playing fairly. These habits build the respect and cooperation students use in every group setting.
Develop personal skills, identify personal benefits of movement

ME-PE.4.2

Students practice basic movement skills and start noticing how being active makes them feel. The goal is building the habit of choosing to move, not just during school, but as part of everyday life.

Standard	Definition	Code
Develop a variety of motor skills, including locomotor, non-locomotor	Students practice moving their bodies in different ways: running, jumping, throwing, catching, and balancing. Building these skills early makes it easier to stay active through sports, play, and everyday movement.	ME-PE.1.2
Apply knowledge related to movement, performance	Students use what they know about how their body moves to make better choices during physical activity. That includes understanding how exercise affects their strength, heart, and breathing.	ME-PE.2.2
Develop social skills through movement, including respect for self and others…	Students practice working with classmates during movement activities, taking turns, listening to others, and playing fairly. These habits build the respect and cooperation students use in every group setting.	ME-PE.3.2
Develop personal skills, identify personal benefits of movement	Students practice basic movement skills and start noticing how being active makes them feel. The goal is building the habit of choosing to move, not just during school, but as part of everyday life.	ME-PE.4.2

Physical Education

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

ME-PE.1.2

Students practice moving their bodies in different ways: running, jumping, throwing, catching, and balancing. Building these skills early makes it easier to stay active through sports, play, and everyday movement.
Apply knowledge related to movement, performance

ME-PE.2.2

Students use what they know about how their body moves to make better choices during physical activity. That includes understanding how exercise affects their strength, heart, and breathing.
Develop social skills through movement, including respect for self and others…

ME-PE.3.2

Students practice working with classmates during movement activities, taking turns, listening to others, and playing fairly. These habits build the respect and cooperation students use in every group setting.
Develop personal skills, identify personal benefits of movement

ME-PE.4.2

Students practice basic movement skills and start noticing how being active makes them feel. The goal is building the habit of choosing to move, not just during school, but as part of everyday life.

Standard	Definition	Code
Develop a variety of motor skills, including locomotor, non-locomotor	Students practice moving their bodies in different ways: running, jumping, throwing, catching, and balancing. Building these skills early makes it easier to stay active through sports, play, and everyday movement.	ME-PE.1.2
Apply knowledge related to movement, performance	Students use what they know about how their body moves to make better choices during physical activity. That includes understanding how exercise affects their strength, heart, and breathing.	ME-PE.2.2
Develop social skills through movement, including respect for self and others…	Students practice working with classmates during movement activities, taking turns, listening to others, and playing fairly. These habits build the respect and cooperation students use in every group setting.	ME-PE.3.2
Develop personal skills, identify personal benefits of movement	Students practice basic movement skills and start noticing how being active makes them feel. The goal is building the habit of choosing to move, not just during school, but as part of everyday life.	ME-PE.4.2

Common Questions

What should students be able to do by the end of the year in PE?
Students should run, skip, hop, and gallop with control, and throw, catch, kick, and dribble a ball with steadier aim. They should also play simple group games, take turns, and follow safety rules without much reminding.
How can families support PE at home?
Aim for 30 to 60 minutes of active play most days. Toss a ball back and forth, set up a hopscotch grid with chalk, kick a ball in the yard, or take a walk together. The goal is movement and fun, not drills.
How should the year be sequenced?
Start with locomotor skills like running, skipping, and hopping so students build body control. Move into non-locomotor work such as balancing, stretching, and twisting, then add manipulative skills with balls, beanbags, and jump ropes. Cooperative games come in once the basics are steady.
What if a child still struggles with catching or skipping?
This is common at this age. Practice with a soft, slow ball or balloon at close range, and let students skip alongside an adult to feel the rhythm. Five minutes a few times a week beats one long session.
Which skills usually need the most reteaching?
Skipping, galloping, and catching with hands away from the chest are the slowest to click. Ball-handling under any pressure also takes longer than expected. Build in short skill stations across the year rather than treating these as one-time units.
How is fitness taught at this age?
Students learn what a fast heartbeat feels like, why muscles get warm, and why water matters after running. Activities should keep students moving most of the class, with short breaks to name what their body is doing.
How do students learn to cooperate during games?
Start with partner activities before moving to small groups of three or four. Teach specific phrases for sharing equipment, calling for a pass, and handling a lost game. Reset expectations after every transition, since social skills slip when energy is high.
How do I know a student is ready for next year?
By spring, students should move safely in a shared space, perform basic skills on cue, and stay engaged in a group activity for the full class. They should also be able to name one activity they enjoy and want to keep doing.