What should students be able to do in P.E. by the end of this year?

Students should run, skip, jump, throw, catch, kick, and dribble with control in games and activities. They should also know simple rules, play fairly with a partner or team, and explain why moving every day is good for the body.

How can families support physical activity at home?

Aim for about an hour of active play most days. A walk after dinner, throwing a ball in the yard, biking, dancing in the kitchen, or playing tag at the park all count. Joining in once or twice a week sends a strong message that movement matters.

My child says they are bad at sports. What should I do?

Focus on effort and small wins, not winning the game. Practice one skill at a time, like catching a soft ball from five feet away, then step back as it gets easier. Praise sticking with it when something feels hard.

How should I sequence skills across the year?

Start with locomotor and balance work, then layer in throwing, catching, kicking, and striking. Move into small-sided games once basic control is steady. Save longer team games for later units, when most students can apply skills under light pressure.

What fitness concepts should students actually understand?

Students should know that the heart beats faster during hard activity, that warming up gets the body ready, and that strength, endurance, and flexibility are different. Quick check-ins with a hand on the chest or a talk test work well at this age.

What does good behavior look like in P.E. at this age?

Students take turns, include classmates who get left out, follow safety rules, and handle losing without melting down. Cooperative games and partner challenges are useful for practicing this before bigger team activities.

How do I know students are ready for next year?

By spring, students should combine skills smoothly, such as running and catching or dribbling and passing. They should follow game rules without constant reminders, talk through a problem with a teammate, and name one or two activities they enjoy outside of school.

Does screen time really get in the way of this?

Yes, when it replaces active play. Set a simple rule at home, such as moving the body before or between screen sessions. Even ten minutes of jumping rope, shooting hoops, or walking the dog helps break up long stretches of sitting.

What does a student learn in ?

This is the year gym class shifts from learning single skills to putting them together in real games and routines. Students dribble, pass, jump, and strike with more control, and start to notice how their heart, lungs, and muscles respond to activity. They also practice playing fair, taking turns, and including classmates. By spring, students can join a team game, follow the rules, and name an activity they enjoy enough to keep doing on their own.

Motor skills
Team games
Fitness
Sportsmanship
Healthy habits

Source: New Jersey New Jersey Student Learning 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 with control
Students sharpen the basics of running, jumping, skipping, and balancing. Movements get smoother and more controlled, and warm-ups become a regular part of class.
2
Catching, throwing, and kicking
Students practice handling balls and other equipment with more accuracy. Parents may notice better aim when playing catch in the yard and more confidence with a bat, racket, or foot.
3
Games and teamwork
Students play small-sided games where they have to share space, follow rules, and work with teammates. The focus shifts from playing alongside others to playing with them.
4
Fitness and healthy habits
Students learn what their heart rate, breathing, and muscles do during exercise. They start to see why being active matters and pick activities they enjoy outside of class.

Mastery Learning Standards

The required skills a student should display by the end of Grade 4.

Physical Education

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

NJ-PE.1.4

Students practice moving in different ways: running, jumping, balancing, throwing, and catching. Building these skills gives them the confidence to stay active in sports, games, and everyday movement.
Apply knowledge related to movement, performance

NJ-PE.2.4

Students use what they know about how the body moves and stays fit to make better choices during exercise and games. This includes things like pacing themselves, keeping good form, and understanding why regular activity helps the body stay healthy.
Develop social skills through movement, including respect for self and others…

NJ-PE.3.4

Students practice working with classmates during physical activities, taking turns, listening, and handling wins and losses with good sportsmanship.
Develop personal skills, identify personal benefits of movement

NJ-PE.4.4

Students learn to recognize what physical activity does for their own body and mood, then start making choices to stay active on their own. The goal is building habits that last past gym class.

Standard	Definition	Code
Develop a variety of motor skills, including locomotor, non-locomotor	Students practice moving in different ways: running, jumping, balancing, throwing, and catching. Building these skills gives them the confidence to stay active in sports, games, and everyday movement.	NJ-PE.1.4
Apply knowledge related to movement, performance	Students use what they know about how the body moves and stays fit to make better choices during exercise and games. This includes things like pacing themselves, keeping good form, and understanding why regular activity helps the body stay healthy.	NJ-PE.2.4
Develop social skills through movement, including respect for self and others…	Students practice working with classmates during physical activities, taking turns, listening, and handling wins and losses with good sportsmanship.	NJ-PE.3.4
Develop personal skills, identify personal benefits of movement	Students learn to recognize what physical activity does for their own body and mood, then start making choices to stay active on their own. The goal is building habits that last past gym class.	NJ-PE.4.4

Physical Education

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

NJ-PE.1.4

Students practice moving in different ways: running, jumping, balancing, throwing, and catching. Building these skills gives them the confidence to stay active in sports, games, and everyday movement.
Apply knowledge related to movement, performance

NJ-PE.2.4

Students use what they know about how the body moves and stays fit to make better choices during exercise and games. This includes things like pacing themselves, keeping good form, and understanding why regular activity helps the body stay healthy.
Develop social skills through movement, including respect for self and others…

NJ-PE.3.4

Students practice working with classmates during physical activities, taking turns, listening, and handling wins and losses with good sportsmanship.
Develop personal skills, identify personal benefits of movement

NJ-PE.4.4

Students learn to recognize what physical activity does for their own body and mood, then start making choices to stay active on their own. The goal is building habits that last past gym class.

Standard	Definition	Code
Develop a variety of motor skills, including locomotor, non-locomotor	Students practice moving in different ways: running, jumping, balancing, throwing, and catching. Building these skills gives them the confidence to stay active in sports, games, and everyday movement.	NJ-PE.1.4
Apply knowledge related to movement, performance	Students use what they know about how the body moves and stays fit to make better choices during exercise and games. This includes things like pacing themselves, keeping good form, and understanding why regular activity helps the body stay healthy.	NJ-PE.2.4
Develop social skills through movement, including respect for self and others…	Students practice working with classmates during physical activities, taking turns, listening, and handling wins and losses with good sportsmanship.	NJ-PE.3.4
Develop personal skills, identify personal benefits of movement	Students learn to recognize what physical activity does for their own body and mood, then start making choices to stay active on their own. The goal is building habits that last past gym class.	NJ-PE.4.4

Common Questions

What should students be able to do in P.E. by the end of this year?
Students should run, skip, jump, throw, catch, kick, and dribble with control in games and activities. They should also know simple rules, play fairly with a partner or team, and explain why moving every day is good for the body.
How can families support physical activity at home?
Aim for about an hour of active play most days. A walk after dinner, throwing a ball in the yard, biking, dancing in the kitchen, or playing tag at the park all count. Joining in once or twice a week sends a strong message that movement matters.
My child says they are bad at sports. What should I do?
Focus on effort and small wins, not winning the game. Practice one skill at a time, like catching a soft ball from five feet away, then step back as it gets easier. Praise sticking with it when something feels hard.
How should I sequence skills across the year?
Start with locomotor and balance work, then layer in throwing, catching, kicking, and striking. Move into small-sided games once basic control is steady. Save longer team games for later units, when most students can apply skills under light pressure.
What fitness concepts should students actually understand?
Students should know that the heart beats faster during hard activity, that warming up gets the body ready, and that strength, endurance, and flexibility are different. Quick check-ins with a hand on the chest or a talk test work well at this age.
What does good behavior look like in P.E. at this age?
Students take turns, include classmates who get left out, follow safety rules, and handle losing without melting down. Cooperative games and partner challenges are useful for practicing this before bigger team activities.
How do I know students are ready for next year?
By spring, students should combine skills smoothly, such as running and catching or dribbling and passing. They should follow game rules without constant reminders, talk through a problem with a teammate, and name one or two activities they enjoy outside of school.
Does screen time really get in the way of this?
Yes, when it replaces active play. Set a simple rule at home, such as moving the body before or between screen sessions. Even ten minutes of jumping rope, shooting hoops, or walking the dog helps break up long stretches of sitting.