What does P.E. look like in second grade?

Students practice running, skipping, hopping, balancing, throwing, catching, kicking, and striking with a paddle or bat. They also learn how to play fair, follow directions during a game, and notice when their heart is beating faster.

How can families build active time into a busy week?

Aim for about 60 minutes of movement most days, broken into short bursts. A walk to the park, ten minutes of catch in the yard, or a dance break after dinner all count. The goal is for movement to feel normal, not like a chore.

My child seems clumsy compared to friends. Should I worry?

Probably not. Skills like skipping, catching a bouncing ball, and balancing on one foot develop at different rates around this age. Short, low-pressure practice at home, like tossing a rolled-up sock back and forth, helps more than drills.

How should the year be sequenced across the four strands?

Start with locomotor and non-locomotor skills in the fall, layer in manipulative skills like throwing and catching through winter, and build toward small-sided games and fitness concepts in spring. Social skills and personal responsibility run through every unit.

What does mastery look like by the end of the year?

Students should skip, gallop, and hop with control, throw and catch a playground ball at a short distance, and strike a ball off a tee. They should also follow game rules, take turns, and name one reason movement is good for the body.

Which skills usually need the most reteaching?

Skipping, catching above the waist, and striking with a paddle tend to lag. Underhand throwing to a target also takes longer than expected. Short stations with lots of repetitions work better than long whole-class demonstrations.

How can a parent help a child who hates P.E.?

Find one activity the child enjoys outside of school, like biking, swimming, or a backyard obstacle course, and protect time for it. Confidence in any active hobby tends to carry back into class. Avoid making P.E. itself a topic of pressure at home.

How do I know if a student is ready for third-grade P.E.?

Look for steady locomotor patterns, basic throwing and catching with a partner, and the ability to join a small group game without melting down over rules or losing. Knowing one or two reasons movement matters is also a good sign.

What does a student learn in ?

This is the year movement gets sharper and more on purpose. Students practice running, jumping, skipping, throwing, catching, and kicking with better control, and start to notice what makes their body feel strong and ready to play. Working with classmates becomes part of the lesson, with turn-taking and kind words during games. By spring, students can join a group game, follow the rules, and explain why moving every day is good for them.

Running and jumping
Throwing and catching
Group games
Fitness habits
Teamwork

Source: Texas Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills

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 and together
Students start the year learning how to share space in the gym without bumping into anyone. They practice listening for signals, lining up, and treating classmates with respect during games.
2
Running, jumping, and balancing
Students work on the building blocks of movement. They run, skip, hop, and balance in different ways, getting steadier and more coordinated as the weeks go on.
3
Throwing, catching, and kicking
Students pick up balls, beanbags, and other equipment to practice throwing, catching, kicking, and striking. Parents may notice better aim and softer hands during backyard play.
4
Healthy habits and active play
Students learn why their heart beats faster during exercise and how movement keeps the body strong. They try simple games and activities they can do at home to stay active.
5
Games, teamwork, and fair play
Students put their skills together in small group games. They take turns, follow rules, encourage teammates, and handle winning and losing without making a big deal of it.

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

TX-PE.1.2

Students practice moving their bodies in different ways: running, jumping, balancing, throwing, and catching. Building these skills early helps students stay active and confident in games and sports.
Apply knowledge related to movement, performance

TX-PE.2.2

Students connect what they know about how the body moves and stays healthy to how they actually perform in games, exercises, and activities.
Develop social skills through movement, including respect for self and others…

TX-PE.3.2

Students practice working with classmates during games and activities. They take turns, follow rules, and treat others the way they want to be treated.
Develop personal skills, identify personal benefits of movement

TX-PE.4.2

Students practice moving their bodies regularly and start to notice how activity affects how they feel. They begin choosing to be active on their own, building habits that can last a lifetime.

Standard	Definition	Code
Develop a variety of motor skills, including locomotor, non-locomotor	Students practice moving their bodies in different ways: running, jumping, balancing, throwing, and catching. Building these skills early helps students stay active and confident in games and sports.	TX-PE.1.2
Apply knowledge related to movement, performance	Students connect what they know about how the body moves and stays healthy to how they actually perform in games, exercises, and activities.	TX-PE.2.2
Develop social skills through movement, including respect for self and others…	Students practice working with classmates during games and activities. They take turns, follow rules, and treat others the way they want to be treated.	TX-PE.3.2
Develop personal skills, identify personal benefits of movement	Students practice moving their bodies regularly and start to notice how activity affects how they feel. They begin choosing to be active on their own, building habits that can last a lifetime.	TX-PE.4.2

Physical Education

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

TX-PE.1.2

Students practice moving their bodies in different ways: running, jumping, balancing, throwing, and catching. Building these skills early helps students stay active and confident in games and sports.
Apply knowledge related to movement, performance

TX-PE.2.2

Students connect what they know about how the body moves and stays healthy to how they actually perform in games, exercises, and activities.
Develop social skills through movement, including respect for self and others…

TX-PE.3.2

Students practice working with classmates during games and activities. They take turns, follow rules, and treat others the way they want to be treated.
Develop personal skills, identify personal benefits of movement

TX-PE.4.2

Students practice moving their bodies regularly and start to notice how activity affects how they feel. They begin choosing to be active on their own, building habits that can last a lifetime.

Standard	Definition	Code
Develop a variety of motor skills, including locomotor, non-locomotor	Students practice moving their bodies in different ways: running, jumping, balancing, throwing, and catching. Building these skills early helps students stay active and confident in games and sports.	TX-PE.1.2
Apply knowledge related to movement, performance	Students connect what they know about how the body moves and stays healthy to how they actually perform in games, exercises, and activities.	TX-PE.2.2
Develop social skills through movement, including respect for self and others…	Students practice working with classmates during games and activities. They take turns, follow rules, and treat others the way they want to be treated.	TX-PE.3.2
Develop personal skills, identify personal benefits of movement	Students practice moving their bodies regularly and start to notice how activity affects how they feel. They begin choosing to be active on their own, building habits that can last a lifetime.	TX-PE.4.2

Common Questions

What does P.E. look like in second grade?
Students practice running, skipping, hopping, balancing, throwing, catching, kicking, and striking with a paddle or bat. They also learn how to play fair, follow directions during a game, and notice when their heart is beating faster.
How can families build active time into a busy week?
Aim for about 60 minutes of movement most days, broken into short bursts. A walk to the park, ten minutes of catch in the yard, or a dance break after dinner all count. The goal is for movement to feel normal, not like a chore.
My child seems clumsy compared to friends. Should I worry?
Probably not. Skills like skipping, catching a bouncing ball, and balancing on one foot develop at different rates around this age. Short, low-pressure practice at home, like tossing a rolled-up sock back and forth, helps more than drills.
How should the year be sequenced across the four strands?
Start with locomotor and non-locomotor skills in the fall, layer in manipulative skills like throwing and catching through winter, and build toward small-sided games and fitness concepts in spring. Social skills and personal responsibility run through every unit.
What does mastery look like by the end of the year?
Students should skip, gallop, and hop with control, throw and catch a playground ball at a short distance, and strike a ball off a tee. They should also follow game rules, take turns, and name one reason movement is good for the body.
Which skills usually need the most reteaching?
Skipping, catching above the waist, and striking with a paddle tend to lag. Underhand throwing to a target also takes longer than expected. Short stations with lots of repetitions work better than long whole-class demonstrations.
How can a parent help a child who hates P.E.?
Find one activity the child enjoys outside of school, like biking, swimming, or a backyard obstacle course, and protect time for it. Confidence in any active hobby tends to carry back into class. Avoid making P.E. itself a topic of pressure at home.
How do I know if a student is ready for third-grade P.E.?
Look for steady locomotor patterns, basic throwing and catching with a partner, and the ability to join a small group game without melting down over rules or losing. Knowing one or two reasons movement matters is also a good sign.