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Learning Standards Standards

What does a student learn in ?

This is the year physical education shifts from learning skills to building a lifestyle. Students sharpen the movements they already know and start using fitness ideas, like heart rate and pacing, to plan their own workouts. They practice working with teammates, handling pressure, and acting responsibly during games. By spring, students can describe an activity routine they actually enjoy and explain how it keeps them healthy.

  • Movement skills
  • Fitness planning
  • Teamwork
  • Personal wellness
  • Healthy habits
Source: New Hampshire New Hampshire College and Career Ready 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

    Movement skills and fitness baseline

    Students start the year by testing their current fitness and brushing up on movement skills used across sports and activities. They set personal goals for strength, endurance, and flexibility.

  2. 2

    Team sports and cooperation

    Students play team activities and practice the social side of sport. They work on passing, positioning, and game strategy while learning to communicate, share roles, and handle wins and losses.

  3. 3

    Individual and lifetime activities

    Students try activities they can keep doing as adults, such as yoga, weight training, hiking, or racket sports. The focus shifts from competition to building habits that fit a busy life.

  4. 4

    Personal wellness plan

    Students pull the year together by designing their own fitness and wellness plan. They track progress, adjust workouts, and explain how regular activity connects to sleep, stress, and overall health.

Mastery Learning Standards
The required skills a student should display by the end of Grade 11.
Physical Education

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

    NH-PE.1.hs-level-2
    High School Level 2

    Students practice a range of movement skills, from running and jumping to throwing and catching, that carry over into sports, workouts, and everyday physical activity.

  • Apply knowledge related to movement, performance

    NH-PE.2.hs-level-2
    High School Level 2

    Students use what they know about how the body moves and stays fit to make smarter choices during physical activity. That means adjusting effort, form, or pacing based on what the activity actually demands.

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

    NH-PE.3.hs-level-2
    High School Level 2

    Students practice working with others during physical activities: listening, taking turns, supporting teammates, and handling competition or setbacks with maturity.

  • Develop personal skills, identify personal benefits of movement

    NH-PE.4.hs-level-2
    High School Level 2

    Students reflect on which physical activities they genuinely enjoy, then build a personal routine around those choices. The goal is finding movement habits that stick past graduation, not just passing a fitness test.

Common Questions
  • What does physical education look like at this level?

    Students move beyond learning the basics of a sport and start building habits for staying active as adults. They practice skills in games and fitness activities, learn how the body responds to exercise, and work on getting along with teammates. The goal is choosing to stay active on their own, not just during class.

  • How can I help my child stay active outside of school?

    Pick activities students actually enjoy, whether that is hiking, lifting, pickup basketball, or biking to a friend's house. Aim for something most days, even if it is only 20 or 30 minutes. Joining in once in a while makes it easier for students to keep going.

  • My child says they hate gym class. What should I do?

    Ask what part they dislike, because team sports in front of peers is not the only path to fitness. Many students prefer running, yoga, climbing, dance, or strength training. Help them find one activity they would do on their own, and that often shifts how they feel about the class itself.

  • What fitness concepts should students understand by now?

    Students should know the difference between cardio, strength, and flexibility work, and why each one matters. They should be able to take their own pulse, talk about effort levels, and explain why warming up and cooling down help. Applying these ideas in a workout matters more than memorising terms.

  • How do I plan a year that keeps a wide range of students engaged?

    Build in a mix of team games, individual fitness, and lifetime activities like yoga, weight training, or outdoor pursuits. Rotate units so the same students are not stuck in their weakest area for long. Give students some choice within units once routines are set.

  • Which skills usually need the most reteaching at this level?

    Pacing during sustained activity, proper form in strength work, and conflict resolution during competitive games are the common trouble spots. Students often push too hard early, copy bad lifting form from videos, or shut down when a game gets tense. Plan short reteach moments rather than full reviews.

  • How do I grade physical education fairly when students start at such different fitness levels?

    Focus on effort, participation, skill growth, and knowledge of concepts rather than raw fitness scores. A student who improves their mile time by a minute deserves credit, even if a teammate is still faster. Self-assessment and goal tracking give students a clearer picture of their own progress.

  • How do I know my child is ready for the next level?

    Students should be able to keep up with moderate activity for 20 to 30 minutes, work through a basic fitness plan, and play games without melting down when things get hard. They should also be able to name an activity they would choose to do on their own. That last piece matters most.