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

Students should run, skip, jump, throw, catch, kick, and dribble with reasonable control. They should also follow rules in small games, work with a partner or team, and explain why being active matters for their health.

How can families support PE skills at home?

Play catch in the yard, shoot baskets, kick a soccer ball, ride bikes, or go for a family walk. Ten or fifteen minutes a few times a week builds the coordination and stamina that show up in class.

What if a student is not very coordinated yet?

Coordination at this age grows with practice, not pressure. Pick one skill at a time, like catching a ball or jumping rope, and practice in short bursts. Skills that feel awkward in the fall often click by spring.

How should skills be sequenced across the year?

Start with locomotor and non-locomotor basics, then layer in manipulative skills like throwing, catching, and striking. Move from individual practice to partner drills to small-sided games so students apply skills under light pressure before full team play.

What does mastery look like by spring?

Students show smooth, controlled movement in familiar activities and can adjust when a game changes. They cooperate with classmates, follow safety rules without reminders, and can explain how warm-ups, effort, and rest affect their bodies.

Which skills usually need the most reteaching?

Overhand throwing form, catching with hands instead of the body, and striking with a bat or racket tend to lag. Build in short skill stations each week rather than waiting for a single unit to fix them.

How do social skills fit into PE this year?

Cooperation and respect are taught alongside the physical skills. Students learn to include others, settle small disagreements during games, and accept both winning and losing without making a scene.

How much activity should students get outside of school?

Aim for about an hour of active play most days. It does not have to be a sport. Backyard games, bike rides, playground time, and chores that get students moving all count toward building lifelong habits.

What does a student learn in ?

This is the year movement skills start coming together in real games and activities. Students sharpen running, jumping, throwing, catching, and dribbling so they can keep up in team play and on the playground. They learn to warm up, follow rules, take turns, and work through disagreements with classmates. By spring, students can join a group game, play a position, and explain one habit that keeps their body healthy.

Movement skills
Throwing and catching
Team games
Fitness habits
Cooperation

Source: Vermont Common Core State 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 skill and control
Students sharpen the basics of running, jumping, skipping, and balancing. They practice moving safely in shared space and learn to stop, start, and change direction without bumping into classmates.
2
Catching, throwing, and kicking
Students work on sending and receiving a ball with hands and feet. They practice aiming at a target, catching from different distances, and using the right amount of force.
3
Teamwork and fair play
Students play small-sided games where cooperation matters. They learn to take turns, encourage teammates, follow rules, and handle winning and losing without drama.
4
Fitness and healthy habits
Students learn what their heart, lungs, and muscles do during exercise. They try activities that build strength and endurance and start to notice how movement makes them feel.
5
Active choices for life
Students reflect on what they enjoy and set small goals for staying active outside of school. They try new games and sports and talk about activities they can do with family and friends.

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

VT-PE.1.4

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

VT-PE.2.4

Students use what they know about how their body moves and how exercise affects their health to make better choices during physical activity.
Develop social skills through movement, including respect for self and others…

VT-PE.3.4

Students practice working with others during physical activities: taking turns, listening, and following the rules of a game. The goal is building habits of fairness and self-control that carry into daily life.
Develop personal skills, identify personal benefits of movement

VT-PE.4.4

Students practice setting goals, name the reasons movement makes them feel better, and start building a habit of staying active beyond gym class.

Standard	Definition	Code
Develop a variety of motor skills, including locomotor, non-locomotor	Students practice moving their bodies in different ways, from running and jumping to throwing and catching. Building these skills helps students stay active in sports, games, and everyday movement.	VT-PE.1.4
Apply knowledge related to movement, performance	Students use what they know about how their body moves and how exercise affects their health to make better choices during physical activity.	VT-PE.2.4
Develop social skills through movement, including respect for self and others…	Students practice working with others during physical activities: taking turns, listening, and following the rules of a game. The goal is building habits of fairness and self-control that carry into daily life.	VT-PE.3.4
Develop personal skills, identify personal benefits of movement	Students practice setting goals, name the reasons movement makes them feel better, and start building a habit of staying active beyond gym class.	VT-PE.4.4

Physical Education

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

VT-PE.1.4

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

VT-PE.2.4

Students use what they know about how their body moves and how exercise affects their health to make better choices during physical activity.
Develop social skills through movement, including respect for self and others…

VT-PE.3.4

Students practice working with others during physical activities: taking turns, listening, and following the rules of a game. The goal is building habits of fairness and self-control that carry into daily life.
Develop personal skills, identify personal benefits of movement

VT-PE.4.4

Students practice setting goals, name the reasons movement makes them feel better, and start building a habit of staying active beyond gym class.

Standard	Definition	Code
Develop a variety of motor skills, including locomotor, non-locomotor	Students practice moving their bodies in different ways, from running and jumping to throwing and catching. Building these skills helps students stay active in sports, games, and everyday movement.	VT-PE.1.4
Apply knowledge related to movement, performance	Students use what they know about how their body moves and how exercise affects their health to make better choices during physical activity.	VT-PE.2.4
Develop social skills through movement, including respect for self and others…	Students practice working with others during physical activities: taking turns, listening, and following the rules of a game. The goal is building habits of fairness and self-control that carry into daily life.	VT-PE.3.4
Develop personal skills, identify personal benefits of movement	Students practice setting goals, name the reasons movement makes them feel better, and start building a habit of staying active beyond gym class.	VT-PE.4.4

Common Questions

What should students be able to do in PE by the end of the year?
Students should run, skip, jump, throw, catch, kick, and dribble with reasonable control. They should also follow rules in small games, work with a partner or team, and explain why being active matters for their health.
How can families support PE skills at home?
Play catch in the yard, shoot baskets, kick a soccer ball, ride bikes, or go for a family walk. Ten or fifteen minutes a few times a week builds the coordination and stamina that show up in class.
What if a student is not very coordinated yet?
Coordination at this age grows with practice, not pressure. Pick one skill at a time, like catching a ball or jumping rope, and practice in short bursts. Skills that feel awkward in the fall often click by spring.
How should skills be sequenced across the year?
Start with locomotor and non-locomotor basics, then layer in manipulative skills like throwing, catching, and striking. Move from individual practice to partner drills to small-sided games so students apply skills under light pressure before full team play.
What does mastery look like by spring?
Students show smooth, controlled movement in familiar activities and can adjust when a game changes. They cooperate with classmates, follow safety rules without reminders, and can explain how warm-ups, effort, and rest affect their bodies.
Which skills usually need the most reteaching?
Overhand throwing form, catching with hands instead of the body, and striking with a bat or racket tend to lag. Build in short skill stations each week rather than waiting for a single unit to fix them.
How do social skills fit into PE this year?
Cooperation and respect are taught alongside the physical skills. Students learn to include others, settle small disagreements during games, and accept both winning and losing without making a scene.
How much activity should students get outside of school?
Aim for about an hour of active play most days. It does not have to be a sport. Backyard games, bike rides, playground time, and chores that get students moving all count toward building lifelong habits.