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

Students should run, skip, hop, and jump with control, and throw, catch, kick, and bounce a ball with reasonable accuracy. They should also follow game rules, take turns, and play safely with a partner or small group.

How can families support PE at home?

Ten minutes of active play makes a real difference. Toss a ball back and forth, set up a hopscotch grid with chalk, race to the mailbox, or go for a walk after dinner. The goal is movement and fun, not drills.

What is the difference between locomotor, non-locomotor, and manipulative skills?

Locomotor skills move students from one place to another, like running, skipping, and galloping. Non-locomotor skills happen in place, like bending, twisting, and balancing. Manipulative skills involve handling an object, like throwing, catching, kicking, or dribbling.

How should skills be sequenced across the year?

Start with locomotor patterns and balance in the fall, since those underpin everything else. Add throwing and catching with light balls in the winter, then move to kicking, striking, and small-sided games in the spring once basic control is steady.

My child is not very coordinated. Should I be worried?

At this age, coordination still varies a lot from student to student. Short, regular practice with simple tasks like catching a rolled ball or balancing on one foot tends to close the gap quickly. Worry less about how it looks and more about whether students keep trying.

Which skills usually need the most reteaching?

Overhand throwing form and catching with hands rather than against the chest are the two stickiest. Skipping also takes longer than expected. Build in short warm-up stations that revisit these skills all year, not just during one unit.

How is good behavior in PE taught and assessed?

Students practice cooperation, taking turns, and respecting personal space through partner and small-group activities. Watch for students who can share equipment, follow safety rules, and encourage classmates without prompting. These habits matter as much as the physical skills.

How do I know my child is ready for next year in PE?

Students should enjoy being active, follow directions in a group game, and show clear progress in throwing, catching, and basic balance. Just as important, they should be able to lose a game, share equipment, and keep playing.

What does a student learn in ?

This is the year movement gets more purposeful. Students practice running, jumping, skipping, balancing, and throwing and catching with better control, and they start to notice how their bodies feel during active play. Working with classmates becomes part of the lesson, so taking turns, listening, and playing fair all count. By spring, students can join a group game, follow the rules, and explain one reason being active feels good.

Running and jumping
Throwing and catching
Balance
Group games
Taking turns
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
Moving safely together
Students learn to share space in the gym without bumping into classmates. They practice starting, stopping, and listening for signals while running, skipping, and hopping.
2
Throwing, catching, and kicking
Students work with balls, beanbags, and small targets. They practice tossing underhand, catching with two hands, and kicking a rolling ball with more control than last year.
3
Games and teamwork
Students play simple games in pairs and small groups. They take turns, follow rules, cheer on classmates, and work through small disagreements without giving up.
4
Fitness and healthy habits
Students notice how their bodies feel during active play, like a faster heartbeat and warmer skin. They learn why moving every day matters and try activities they might enjoy outside of school.

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

NH-PE.1.2

Students practice moving in different ways: running, jumping, balancing, and throwing or catching. Building these skills gives them the physical confidence to stay active as they grow.
Apply knowledge related to movement, performance

NH-PE.2.2

Students use what they know about how the body moves to make better choices during exercise and games. That includes understanding why staying active keeps the heart, muscles, and lungs healthy.
Develop social skills through movement, including respect for self and others…

NH-PE.3.2

Students practice getting along while they move. In games and group activities, they take turns, listen to classmates, and make choices that keep everyone safe and included.
Develop personal skills, identify personal benefits of movement

NH-PE.4.2

Students practice moving their bodies in different ways, then name why staying active feels good. The goal is building habits they'll want to keep long after second grade.

Standard	Definition	Code
Develop a variety of motor skills, including locomotor, non-locomotor	Students practice moving in different ways: running, jumping, balancing, and throwing or catching. Building these skills gives them the physical confidence to stay active as they grow.	NH-PE.1.2
Apply knowledge related to movement, performance	Students use what they know about how the body moves to make better choices during exercise and games. That includes understanding why staying active keeps the heart, muscles, and lungs healthy.	NH-PE.2.2
Develop social skills through movement, including respect for self and others…	Students practice getting along while they move. In games and group activities, they take turns, listen to classmates, and make choices that keep everyone safe and included.	NH-PE.3.2
Develop personal skills, identify personal benefits of movement	Students practice moving their bodies in different ways, then name why staying active feels good. The goal is building habits they'll want to keep long after second grade.	NH-PE.4.2

Physical Education

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

NH-PE.1.2

Students practice moving in different ways: running, jumping, balancing, and throwing or catching. Building these skills gives them the physical confidence to stay active as they grow.
Apply knowledge related to movement, performance

NH-PE.2.2

Students use what they know about how the body moves to make better choices during exercise and games. That includes understanding why staying active keeps the heart, muscles, and lungs healthy.
Develop social skills through movement, including respect for self and others…

NH-PE.3.2

Students practice getting along while they move. In games and group activities, they take turns, listen to classmates, and make choices that keep everyone safe and included.
Develop personal skills, identify personal benefits of movement

NH-PE.4.2

Students practice moving their bodies in different ways, then name why staying active feels good. The goal is building habits they'll want to keep long after second grade.

Standard	Definition	Code
Develop a variety of motor skills, including locomotor, non-locomotor	Students practice moving in different ways: running, jumping, balancing, and throwing or catching. Building these skills gives them the physical confidence to stay active as they grow.	NH-PE.1.2
Apply knowledge related to movement, performance	Students use what they know about how the body moves to make better choices during exercise and games. That includes understanding why staying active keeps the heart, muscles, and lungs healthy.	NH-PE.2.2
Develop social skills through movement, including respect for self and others…	Students practice getting along while they move. In games and group activities, they take turns, listen to classmates, and make choices that keep everyone safe and included.	NH-PE.3.2
Develop personal skills, identify personal benefits of movement	Students practice moving their bodies in different ways, then name why staying active feels good. The goal is building habits they'll want to keep long after second grade.	NH-PE.4.2

Common Questions

What should students be able to do in PE by the end of the year?
Students should run, skip, hop, and jump with control, and throw, catch, kick, and bounce a ball with reasonable accuracy. They should also follow game rules, take turns, and play safely with a partner or small group.
How can families support PE at home?
Ten minutes of active play makes a real difference. Toss a ball back and forth, set up a hopscotch grid with chalk, race to the mailbox, or go for a walk after dinner. The goal is movement and fun, not drills.
What is the difference between locomotor, non-locomotor, and manipulative skills?
Locomotor skills move students from one place to another, like running, skipping, and galloping. Non-locomotor skills happen in place, like bending, twisting, and balancing. Manipulative skills involve handling an object, like throwing, catching, kicking, or dribbling.
How should skills be sequenced across the year?
Start with locomotor patterns and balance in the fall, since those underpin everything else. Add throwing and catching with light balls in the winter, then move to kicking, striking, and small-sided games in the spring once basic control is steady.
My child is not very coordinated. Should I be worried?
At this age, coordination still varies a lot from student to student. Short, regular practice with simple tasks like catching a rolled ball or balancing on one foot tends to close the gap quickly. Worry less about how it looks and more about whether students keep trying.
Which skills usually need the most reteaching?
Overhand throwing form and catching with hands rather than against the chest are the two stickiest. Skipping also takes longer than expected. Build in short warm-up stations that revisit these skills all year, not just during one unit.
How is good behavior in PE taught and assessed?
Students practice cooperation, taking turns, and respecting personal space through partner and small-group activities. Watch for students who can share equipment, follow safety rules, and encourage classmates without prompting. These habits matter as much as the physical skills.
How do I know my child is ready for next year in PE?
Students should enjoy being active, follow directions in a group game, and show clear progress in throwing, catching, and basic balance. Just as important, they should be able to lose a game, share equipment, and keep playing.