K-5 Physical Education & Health

The Garden City K-5 Physical Education (PE) curriculum is designed to provide students with a strong foundation in physical activity, movement skills, and overall wellness. Rooted in the New York State Physical Education Learning Standards (2020), the program focuses on developing essential motor skills, fostering teamwork, and promoting lifelong healthy habits.

From kindergarten through fifth grade, students engage in a variety of activities that enhance their locomotor, non-locomotor, and manipulative skills. Younger students begin with fundamental movements such as running, hopping, and skipping, while progressively incorporating more complex actions like throwing, catching, and striking. These skills serve as the building blocks for participation in a wide range of physical activities and sports.

 

In addition to skill development, the curriculum emphasizes movement concepts, helping students understand spatial awareness, balance, and coordination. Through structured activities and creative play, students learn how their bodies move in relation to others and the environment, preparing them for more advanced physical challenges as they grow.

 

A key component of the program is physical fitness and health awareness. Students are introduced to age-appropriate exercises that promote cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength, and flexibility. Through engaging lessons and interactive games, they begin to recognize the importance of an active lifestyle and its impact on overall well-being.

 

Beyond physical skills, the PE curriculum fosters personal and social responsibility. Lessons are designed to encourage teamwork, cooperation, and respect for others. Whether working together in team-based games or setting personal fitness goals, students develop important life skills such as perseverance, communication, and sportsmanship.

 

Throughout their elementary school years, students also explore the value of physical activity beyond structured sports. They learn how movement can be a source of enjoyment, stress relief, and self-expression. The program aims to instill a lifelong appreciation for fitness, helping students build confidence in their physical abilities and encouraging them to stay active beyond the classroom.

 

By the time students complete the K-5 PE curriculum in Garden City, they have gained not only the foundational skills necessary for sports and recreation but also a deeper understanding of the role that physical activity plays in maintaining a healthy and balanced life. This well-rounded approach ensures that each student is prepared to make positive choices regarding fitness, teamwork, and overall wellness as they progress into middle school and beyond.

 

The Following is a list of K-5 units with some example activities:

  • Cooperative Games (i.e. Battleships, Islands, Shopping Spree, Capture the Balls, Indiana Jones, Stunts and Balances, Wrestles-Arm, Leg, Chicken, Thumb, Balance , Survivor Island, Stewart Boot Camp, Lucky Leprechauns, Battle of Leprechauns)

  • Ice Breakers (i.e. Positive Snowballs, Create a Class Chant, “All My Friends Game”, Name your Rose and Thorn, Learn Names with Movement, Who started the motion etc.)

  • Playground Safety

  • Fitness Activities (i.e. Cardiovascular endurance, Perfect Push-Ups, Abdominal & Leg Exercises)

  • Volleyball (i.e. Modified and Lead Up volleyball games,

    Newcomb activities, volleyball tournament),

    Teacher/student volleyball game)

  • Bowling (i.e. Bowling Skills, Cardio Bowling, 5 Station Bowling, Uki Ball Game and Pacer/Push-Up/Sit-Up, Midnight Bowl)

  • Pillow Polo (i.e. Stations and Sideline Polo)

  • Hockey (Hockey Stations, Floor Hockey, Noodle Hockey, Hand Hockey, Triangle Hockey)

  • Basketball (i.e. Dribbling & Passing Stations. )

  • Make It, Take It. Bowling Basketball, Modified Lead Up Games, Basketball tournaments)

  • Circus Arts (i.e. Angel Sticks, Spinning Plates, Juggling Scarves, Balancing Tubes, Ribbon)

  • Striking (i.e. Hockey Stations, Floor Hockey & Modified Hockey Game)

  • Track and Field (i.e. Dashes, Discus, Club Throw, Distance Kick)

  • Lacrosse (i.e. Scoops, Lacrosse Relays)

  • Back Yard Recreational Game (i.e. Horseshoes, Corn Hole, Bocce, Frisbee)

  • Large Group Games (i.e. Treasure Chest, Mission Impossible, Capture the Flag (4-Way), Tug –O-War, Hula Hut)

  • Field Day Activities (i.e. Field Day Practice for Relays, Games and Races)