What does fourth grade P.E. look like over the year?

Students keep building basic movement skills like running, jumping, skipping, throwing, catching, kicking, and striking. They use those skills in games and dance, learn simple fitness ideas, and practice working with a partner or small group.

How can families support active habits at home?

Aim for about an hour of active play most days. A walk after dinner, a game of catch in the yard, bike riding, or jumping rope all count. The goal is steady movement, not athletic training.

What should children be able to do by the end of the year?

Students should throw and catch with control, dribble a ball with hand or foot while moving, and jump rope for a stretch of time. They should also be able to explain why warming up, drinking water, and moving every day matter.

How should fitness concepts be sequenced across the year?

Start with the five parts of fitness and what each one feels like in the body. Build in regular pulse checks and short fitness stations. By spring, students should connect specific activities to the part of fitness they build.

Which skills usually need the most reteaching?

Catching with soft hands, striking with a paddle or bat, and overhand throwing form tend to need extra practice. Many students also need repeated work on pacing themselves during longer runs and on stopping safely in open space.

My child says they are bad at sports. How do I help?

Focus on the skill, not the score. Spend a few minutes playing catch, kicking a ball back and forth, or dancing in the kitchen. Steady practice in low-pressure settings builds confidence faster than organized games.

How are cooperation and good sportsmanship taught at this age?

Plan small-group activities that require talking, sharing equipment, and taking turns leading. Set clear expectations for safe play and kind words, then name those behaviors out loud when students show them. Cooperative games before competitive ones helps the habits stick.

How do I know a student is ready for fifth grade P.E.?

They can combine skills in a game, like dribble and pass or run and catch. They follow rules, play fairly with classmates, and can describe one or two reasons regular activity is good for the body and mind.

What does a student learn in ?

This is the year movement skills start to look like real games and sports. Students combine running, jumping, throwing, and catching into smoother patterns and use them in team activities with rules. They learn what warming up, getting their heart rate up, and cooling down actually do for the body. By spring, students can play a group game fairly, follow the rules, and explain one habit that keeps them healthy.

Motor skills
Team games
Fitness basics
Cooperation
Healthy habits

Source: Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Core 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, skipping, jumping, and balancing. The focus is steady form and safe spacing, so students can move around a gym or field without bumping into others.
2
Throwing, catching, and striking
Students practice handling balls and equipment with more accuracy. Parents may notice better aim when tossing, catching, dribbling, or hitting a ball with a hand, foot, or paddle.
3
Playing fair as a team
Students move into small group games and partner activities. They practice taking turns, following rules, encouraging teammates, and handling wins and losses without making the game harder for others.
4
Fitness and healthy habits
Students learn how exercise affects the body, from a faster heartbeat to stronger muscles. They try activities that build endurance and flexibility, and start to notice which kinds of movement they enjoy.
5
Choosing to stay active
Students set simple goals and talk about how movement fits into daily life outside school. The aim is for students to leave the year with a few activities they actually want to keep doing.

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

PA-PE.1.4

Students practice moving in different ways, such as running, balancing, and throwing or catching a ball. Building these skills gives students more ways to stay active as they grow.
Apply knowledge related to movement, performance

PA-PE.2.4

Students use what they know about how the body moves and stays healthy to make smarter choices during games, exercises, and physical activities.
Develop social skills through movement, including respect for self and others…

PA-PE.3.4

Students practice working with classmates during gym activities, taking turns, listening, and handling wins and losses without making it a problem for others.
Develop personal skills, identify personal benefits of movement

PA-PE.4.4

Students name activities they enjoy and explain why moving regularly makes them feel better. They start building habits around physical activity that can last well beyond fourth grade.

Standard	Definition	Code
Develop a variety of motor skills, including locomotor, non-locomotor	Students practice moving in different ways, such as running, balancing, and throwing or catching a ball. Building these skills gives students more ways to stay active as they grow.	PA-PE.1.4
Apply knowledge related to movement, performance	Students use what they know about how the body moves and stays healthy to make smarter choices during games, exercises, and physical activities.	PA-PE.2.4
Develop social skills through movement, including respect for self and others…	Students practice working with classmates during gym activities, taking turns, listening, and handling wins and losses without making it a problem for others.	PA-PE.3.4
Develop personal skills, identify personal benefits of movement	Students name activities they enjoy and explain why moving regularly makes them feel better. They start building habits around physical activity that can last well beyond fourth grade.	PA-PE.4.4

Physical Education

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

PA-PE.1.4

Students practice moving in different ways, such as running, balancing, and throwing or catching a ball. Building these skills gives students more ways to stay active as they grow.
Apply knowledge related to movement, performance

PA-PE.2.4

Students use what they know about how the body moves and stays healthy to make smarter choices during games, exercises, and physical activities.
Develop social skills through movement, including respect for self and others…

PA-PE.3.4

Students practice working with classmates during gym activities, taking turns, listening, and handling wins and losses without making it a problem for others.
Develop personal skills, identify personal benefits of movement

PA-PE.4.4

Students name activities they enjoy and explain why moving regularly makes them feel better. They start building habits around physical activity that can last well beyond fourth grade.

Standard	Definition	Code
Develop a variety of motor skills, including locomotor, non-locomotor	Students practice moving in different ways, such as running, balancing, and throwing or catching a ball. Building these skills gives students more ways to stay active as they grow.	PA-PE.1.4
Apply knowledge related to movement, performance	Students use what they know about how the body moves and stays healthy to make smarter choices during games, exercises, and physical activities.	PA-PE.2.4
Develop social skills through movement, including respect for self and others…	Students practice working with classmates during gym activities, taking turns, listening, and handling wins and losses without making it a problem for others.	PA-PE.3.4
Develop personal skills, identify personal benefits of movement	Students name activities they enjoy and explain why moving regularly makes them feel better. They start building habits around physical activity that can last well beyond fourth grade.	PA-PE.4.4

Common Questions

What does fourth grade P.E. look like over the year?
Students keep building basic movement skills like running, jumping, skipping, throwing, catching, kicking, and striking. They use those skills in games and dance, learn simple fitness ideas, and practice working with a partner or small group.
How can families support active habits at home?
Aim for about an hour of active play most days. A walk after dinner, a game of catch in the yard, bike riding, or jumping rope all count. The goal is steady movement, not athletic training.
What should children be able to do by the end of the year?
Students should throw and catch with control, dribble a ball with hand or foot while moving, and jump rope for a stretch of time. They should also be able to explain why warming up, drinking water, and moving every day matter.
How should fitness concepts be sequenced across the year?
Start with the five parts of fitness and what each one feels like in the body. Build in regular pulse checks and short fitness stations. By spring, students should connect specific activities to the part of fitness they build.
Which skills usually need the most reteaching?
Catching with soft hands, striking with a paddle or bat, and overhand throwing form tend to need extra practice. Many students also need repeated work on pacing themselves during longer runs and on stopping safely in open space.
My child says they are bad at sports. How do I help?
Focus on the skill, not the score. Spend a few minutes playing catch, kicking a ball back and forth, or dancing in the kitchen. Steady practice in low-pressure settings builds confidence faster than organized games.
How are cooperation and good sportsmanship taught at this age?
Plan small-group activities that require talking, sharing equipment, and taking turns leading. Set clear expectations for safe play and kind words, then name those behaviors out loud when students show them. Cooperative games before competitive ones helps the habits stick.
How do I know a student is ready for fifth grade P.E.?
They can combine skills in a game, like dribble and pass or run and catch. They follow rules, play fairly with classmates, and can describe one or two reasons regular activity is good for the body and mind.