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Physical Education
and Health
Subject
Center
Education World's
Physical Education and Health Subject Center is your one-stop shop for free PE/health teaching materials. Be sure to check out the sidebar on this page for links to PE and health lesson plans, printable work sheets, and other tools and resources. Click links below to read articles of practical interest to PE and health educators across the grades.
Virtual Active Technology Spurs Actual Exercise
Middle-schoolers in one Connecticut community cant wait for PE so they can run through the worlds cities, race mountain bikes, and ride skateboards and snowboards. The districts new virtual exercise equipment is getting gamers off the couch and into the fitness room.
Principals Launch School-Wide Wellness Programs
Many schools weave health awareness programs into their curriculum. Those programs improve school climate as they build wellness awareness in the wider community. Included: Principals share school-wide fitness, health, and nutrition awareness ideas.
Health Fair Gives Shot in the Arm to Parent Involvement
In Ronceverte, West Virginia, one middle school's health and wellness fair features free glucose checks, blood pressure checks, and flu shots plus healthy snacks and fun activities. The fair brings in parents who have never before stepped through the school doors.
Plinkoball Helps Students
Exercise Math Skills
In search of a way to liven up the playground, elementary principal Sam Slarskey came up with Plinkoball, a game in which kids launch balls at funnels and calculate their scores based on where they were standing and the balls path to the ground.
Dont Go Back to School Without a Flu Shot
As teachers and administrators finalize all the last-minute details for the start of a new school year, the American Lung Association wants them to remember to include an influenza vaccination in their back-to-school preparations.
Students Pumped Up Over Fitness Rooms
Stairmasters and bicep curls are not just for adults anymore. Some schools have opened fitness rooms where students exercise and track their progress. Students’ enthusiasm is drawing in parents and community members as well. Included: Fitness rooms in action.
Technology Jump Starts the New Phys Ed
Dodge ball and out-of-shape, whistle-blowing phys ed teachers are becoming mere memories as PE teachers focus on using technology to enhance the health of individual students, according to a major survey.
Teachers Trade Space, Traditional Fixtures for Fitness
Teachers in North Carolina have made room for exercise bikes in their classrooms. Educators in Minnesota use "standing desks" or stability balls in lieu of student chairs. Strategies vary but the objective remains the same -- healthier kids.
Heart Health Programs Move into Schools
Heart disease used to be largely an adult concern, but childhood obesity increased the risk of heart problems among children. The American Heart Association is raising its profile on programs schools can use to help students develop good health habits.
PE Curriculum Jumpstarts an Active Lifestyle
Fishing, cycling, and ping pong may not be expected aspects of the physical education curriculum, but they are up-and-comers. PE is getting a redo, with an eye toward exposing students to the kinds of active games that can be enjoyed throughout life.
Sports Offer Autistic Kids Physical, Social Benefits
Participation in individual sports, such as martial arts and track and field, can have many benefits for children with autism, according to one neurologist. Children gain confidence and better awareness of their bodies, which can lead to improved communication skills.
School Adopts Yoga for Wellness, Behavior Management
Yoga, once linked primarily with Eastern religions, has found its way into the mainstream of life and U.S. classrooms. One Illinois school reported better test scores and fewer discipline problems after adopting a school-wide yoga program.
Sugar Ban in School Yields Positive Results
When Dr. Yvonne Sanders-Butler was appointed principal, she knew she had a responsibility to change the way students were eating. Poor nutrition was impacting their academic performance and behavior, and she knew good nutrition could improve those things.
Rejuvenate Recess
To help classroom teachers make the most of recess, even when the weather doesn't cooperate, author and PE expert Guy Bailey shares some of his favorite games.
Lack of School Nurses Impacts Students Health, Academics
At a time when schools have more students with serious medical conditions, many schools cannot expand nursing coverage or are reducing it. School nurses say educators must recognize their vital role in keeping students safe and able to learn, and make hiring nurses a priority.
Fitness Program Fortifies Bodies, Minds
Integrating a fitness and nutrition program into everyday lessons helped some elementary students tone up and prepare for a competition. On the way to the contest, students learned more about healthful eating, lost weight, and improved their test scores.
Schools 100 Mile Club Offers Exercise, Focus
With student fitness levels dropping and recess scuffles escalating, one school started a 100 Mile Club to improve student fitness and focus, and to provide some structure at recess. Students walk at least a half-mile daily to meet the goal of completing 100 miles.
Preventing MRSA in Your School
Many U.S. schools already have dealt with outbreaks of Methicillin-resisitant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a potentially-deadly skin infection that spreads rapidly. Good personal hygiene and cleanliness are the best defenses against this serious illness.
Recess Is Alive, (Mostly) Well
A few years ago parent groups were angered by news that recess was being eliminated at many schools. A new report shows that most elementary schools continue to offer recess, although children may get less time to play.
The Importance of Nurturing Resiliency in Children
Societal pressures on families and children make resiliency an important characteristic for children to have. Once thought to be an inborn trait, resiliency can be developed and cultivated with help from educators.
How Teachers Can and Must Reverse the ‘Boy Crisis’
In the book The Trouble With Boys former Newsweek reporter Peg Tyre outlines boys’ struggles in school, describes how education became less friendly to boys, and warns that failing to engage boys in school could seriously impact the nation’s future.
Offering Teens Shoulders to Stand On
Teenagers confronting adult-world issues probably wish there was simple advice for their grown-up questions. Retired educator William Lee Swisher has put together a short guide for adolescents that touches on finances, relationships, and responsibilities.
Stopping the Spread of GI Illnesses in Schools
Gastrointestinal (GI) illnesses are among the most common maladies for young children, spreading rapidly through classes and schools. Using disinfectants on desks and hands, though, can slow the rampage of a stomach bug.
Fitness Champ Teaches by Example
Even though P.E. teacher Scott DeTore always has taken pride in keeping fit, he was surprised when he won two fitness contests last year. He uses those experiences, as well as his skills as a personal trainer, to inspire his students to embrace healthful lifestyles.
Is This "It" for Tag?
Schools in a handful of states have recently made news headlines by banning tag on their playgrounds. While school officials seek to make playgrounds safer, others disagree with the decision to eliminate tag. Included: Views from the trenches and the benches.
These Shoes Were Made for Running/Walking
A runner for many years, Principal Kim Pavlovich has created a run/walk program that each week attracts teachers, parents, and more than half the student body to the school track. Included: Tips for starting this simple and inexpensive program in your school.
Helping Children Become Well Aware
In the book One Well, author/educator Rochelle Strauss talks about the need to view the worlds water supply as a giant, finite pool from which everyone on Earth drinks, and the responsibility we all have to protect that well.
An Insiders Look at Students Lives
As a school counselor, Barbara J. Kiernan got an inside look at the complex issues with which teens cope. Using composite characters, she wrote a book about those issues to let kids know they are not alone and to give insight to teachers about students lives.
Vigorous Exercise Can Lead to Academic Gains
A group of researchers found that exercise -- when it is vigorous enough -- can help improve students academic performance. While not all kids break a sweat every day, even some activity during the school day can help students focus, one of the authors said.
Its Time to Repair Americas Schools
Stories of vermin, mold, asbestos, and water in classrooms have become all too common in the U.S., according to a report from the American Federation of Teachers. Its time for the nation to commit itself to repairing its aging and deteriorating schools.
A Framework for Raising Well-Balanced Children
Children may be pampered with a plethora of gadgets, but they are not nurtured in a way that helps them develop into responsible and caring citizens, argues Dr. Peter L. Benson. All segments of society must commit to childrens well being, he argues.
The I -Want (and Expect)-It-NOW Generation
Schools may well have a new function: Schools may be the last place where children learn that they cant have everything that they want the moment they want it.
A Guidebook for Teens
Doesn't everyone at some point wish for a manual for... life? Nothing could be that comprehensive, but Sean Covey's book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens provides practical advice for navigating adolescence.
Ending Bullying by Teaching Kids Not To Be Victims
Bullying and teasing are part of life, says psychologist Izzy Kalman, so rather than trying to stamp out bullying, educators and parents need to teach children how to deal with bullying; that is, how not to be victims.
Help for Teaching Students With Learning Disabilities
More educators are teaching children with learning disabilities, at the same new regulations and strategies for helping these students are coming out. The National Center for Learning Disabilities has new resources to help all teachers.
How to Accentuate Respect and Eliminate Disrespect in Students
The secret of learning new character-building behaviors is that such behaviors are "caught" by watching others do them well. The secret of teaching new character-building behaviors is to tune up the behavior you want to be caught and accentuate it.
Five Steps to Teaching Any Character Trait
How do we help students develop strong character? The answer is found in this premise: Character traits are learned; therefore we can teach them. Building students' character, however, involves five steps. Learn what they are and how to accomplish them.
Helping Schools Promote Fitness, Healthful Diets
Spurred by a government report warning about the effects of overeating and inactivity among children, education and health officials formed Action for Healthy Kids, a group that works with schools to promote more healthful lifestyles for youngsters.
Improv Team Acts to Curb Violent Behavior
Imagine being able to freeze the action in a dispute, step out of the "scene," and get feedback on your next move. The Urban Improv troupe lets students do that, and helps them see the non-violent approaches to resolving conflict.
Guide Offers Practical Character Education Lessons
With more teachers and parents seeing the need for character education, the not-for-profit Heartwood Institute has released a book of lessons for teachers and counselors to teach children ethics, social, and emotional skills.
Helping Boys Learn
Over the past several decades, boys' behavior and performance in school has continued to decline. Researchers like Michael Gurian say these are indications that schools are not structured to accommodate how boys' brains work and how they learn.
How Breakfast Choices Affect Learning
Research shows that children who eat breakfast do better in school. But one study found that eating whole grain foods with higher fiber and protein content, such as oatmeal, could enhance children's learning even more.
Ways to Teach Empathy Skills
Everyone has met people who are highly compassionate. But we would meet more of them if children were taught at an
early age to be empathetic, according to author/teacher David A. Levine, who has created lessons and activities to
teach empathy skills.
Schools Where Wellness Is a Way of Life
The need for students to eat more healthful foods and get more exercise is getting a lot of attention in schools these
days, but some school leaders are going a step further, developing wellness policies and health alliances with their
communities.
School-Wide Handwashing Campaigns Cut Germs, Absenteeism
School-wide handwashing programs can improve the health and attendance of students and staff. If your school does
not have a program in place, many resources are available to help you get one started. Included: Links to valuable
free resources.
Play Fair and Win
John Hourihan, a coach and writer, passes on lessons from two decades of coaching youth sports in his book, Play
Fair And Win. Many children spend almost as much time with coaches as they do with teachers, and they can complement
one another.
Venable School Builds "Able" Bodies
At Venable Elementary in Charlottesville, Virginia, students are encouraged to adopt healthy habits of physical fitness
and nutrition through exciting programs that begin in phys ed class. Included: A guide to Venable's fitness and nutrition
programs.
Kickball, Calisthenics, and Composition?: Writing Fits in with
Phys Ed
Writing assignments are starting to turn up in all kinds of courses -- but in physical education classes? For sure!
While kids get fit, their instructors are using writing to help them focus on the goal of overall fitness. See how
students in your school can exercise their bodies and their writing skills in phys ed!
Striving to Make Peer Mediation More Effective
Peer mediation programs have shown themselves to be effective in reducing student conflicts, but now advocates are
working to make them more successful and easier to implement.
Teaching Manners in a Manner-less World
With manners in U.S. society at what some consider an all-time low, author and psychologist Dr. Alex J. Packer has
written a humorous etiquette guide for teenagers that offers real-life lessons and explains the value of manners.
Upping the Odds on Standardized Tests
Help your high school students perform their best on upcoming college admissions or state standardized tests with
this fun and informative lesson plan. Students research test-taking tips focusing on nutrition, sleep, stress reducers,
and more, and then present their findings -- in a variety of fun projects -- to another class or grade level.
Drive-Thru Nutrition
Students learn to make healthful fast-food choices with this grade 9-12 activity. Students use online resources and
a spreadsheet program to compare the fat and calorie content of various food items at 12 popular fast-food restaurants.
Then, they create a day's worth of healthful menus using food from those restaurants.
Forum: Lunch Reforms Needed as Kids' Health Worsens
What children are taught in class about nutritious foods and what appears in school cafeterias often are at odds,
according to educators and health. An award-winning filmmaker calls on schools to dump the junk food and make lunch
a teaching tool.
"Filmmaker Gives Fast-Food Warning to Kids
When filmmaker Morgan Spurlock decided to eat nothing but McDonald's for 30 days for his movie Super Size Me,
his health deteriorated more than anyone expected. Now he is urging schools to help steer kids away from fast food,
through more healthful lunch choices.
Sites to See: Life Skills
"Life skills" refer to the information and behaviors that enable people to lead healthy, happy, and successful lives.
Life skills Web sites include resources on increasing self-esteem, effective communication, responsible citizenship,
decision-making, problem solving and peer pressure.
Recess Before Lunch Can Mean Happier, Healthier Kids
Recess follows lunch almost as predictably as four follows three, because it always has been that way. Principals
who have put recess first, though, have noticed children eat more and behave better after lunch. Included: Tips for
making the transition.
Teaching Health With Vigor -- At Age 91
After 35 years in the classroom, health teacher Eleanor Bralver is thinking about retiring -- someday. But at age 91,
she is in no rush. Bralver said her goal is to help her students' live the healthiest lives they possibly can.
Mixing It Up to Make New Friends
During the third Mix It Up at Lunch Day sponsored by Tolerance.org, students across the U.S. were urged to have lunch
with students outside their immediate circle of friends. The event is designed to break down social boundaries at
schools.
Developing 9/11 Lessons That Are Informative, Sensitive
For the anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, The Families of September 11, Inc., released guidelines
for lessons about the attacks that are informative and sensitive to the needs of children who may have lost relatives
or friends.
Running for Fun and Fitness
Not much of a fitness fan as a child, Carol Goodrow wanted her students to develop an appreciation for healthful eating
and exercise at a young age. Her running club teaches kids that keeping fit and eating right is fun and easy.
Sports and Hobby Math
Melissa Thomas, who teaches at Dacula (Georgia) Middle School, submitted this lesson, in which students write about
ways in which they use math in a favorite sport or hobby. (Grades 3-12)
Family Fitness Night a Popular School-Wide Event
Reaching students with the message about the importance of fitness isn't enough. Schools are going for the gold with
events designed to bring in kids and their families too. Included: Four teachers share different Family Fitness
Night approaches.
A WebQuest: So You Want to Compete in the Olympics?
You and a team of students from your class hope to try out for a Junior Olympics to be held during the next summer
Olympics. Your team must choose a sport, determine how you will prepare for the competition, and create a PowerPoint
presentation outlining your plan.
Teacher-Submitted Lesson: Sheep and Wolves
Denis McCarthy, who teaches at Sheng Kung Hui Primary School on Macau, submitted this lesson, in which students release
energy in a quick game of "Sheep and Wolves."
A "Nuts and Bolts" Approach to Classroom Successes
A former teacher, Dr. Jane Bluestein turned her pages of tips for teachers about classroom management and organization
into a book and then a business. She works with educators seeking new ways to improve their teaching and interactions.
Hold the Fries! Three Programs Are Improving Student Nutrition
Halting the trend toward child obesity is a challenge, but some schools are meeting it with more than food that is
nutritionally balanced. Included: Learn about three school nutrition programs that are working.
NMSA's Vision of Middle School Excellence
Late last year, the National Middle School Association released 14 recommendations for dramatically improving middle
schools. NMSA president Linda Robinson has been hard at work spreading the word and her passion for the suggestions.
Restorative Practices Build Community, Responsibility
Although student misbehavior impacts many people at school, often only the student is involved in the discipline process.
The restorative practices approach stresses correcting the harm rather than punishing the deed, and advocates including
the affected parties in the process.
Sink Your Teeth Into These Dental Health Month Lessons
February -- Dental Health Month -- is the time of year when many teachers help students "brush up" on their awareness
of tooth care. This week's lessons capitalize on that once-a-year "teachable moment." Included: Five lessons students
can sink their teeth into.
Teacher Feature: Starring George Musser
PE teacher George Musser's students are participating in a schoolwide Run the Capitals project that will require them
to run, walk, and jog more than 16,000 miles. The project has spawned some healthy competition among grade levels.
In some instances, classes take "buddy walks."
Sports-Psychology Curriculum Focuses on Educating Athletes and
Winning
To Mitch Lyons, school sports are about more than winning. Educating student-athletes about the psychology of sports
produces life skills that benefit the student and community. Plus teaching the "science of sport" often leads
to victory.
Firing Up Teacher-Student Communication
What do high school students really want from their teachers? According to the 40 students who expressed their views
in Fires in the Bathroom: Advice to Teachers from High School Students, they want respect, honesty, and an
understanding of them as individuals. Included: Students' tips for classroom teachers.
Singing for Societal Change... Again
Disrespect has become rampant in U.S. society, according to singer, songwriter, and activist Peter Yarrow of the trio
Peter, Paul & Mary. Yarrow's curriculum, Don't Laugh at Me, teaches children to respect themselves and others.
"Not Much, Just Chillin'," a Window on Middle School Life
Washington Post education writer Linda Perlstein spent a year following five Maryland middle school students,
and then wrote "Not Much, Just Chillin'" a rare insight into the lives of young adolescents.
Learning to Tap Away Stress, Anger
In Dr. Lynne Namka's book, Good Bye Ouchies and Grouchies, Hello Happy Feelings, Namka describes how teachers
and parents can use tapping and reflection to help children release unhappy feelings.
Evaluating In-School Suspension Programs
Monitoring in-school suspension programs can make them more effective, or even unnecessary, if school climate changes
occur, according to education analyst Anne Wheelock. Schools need to monitor who is suspended and by whom.
Rallying Cry from a "Champion for Children"
Emmy-winning TV producer/reporter Thomas Baldrick left his job to focus on efforts benefiting children. The author
of two books that focus on kids and how adults relate to them, he visits schools and presents workshops for students,
teachers, and parents.
A Child's Plea Becomes an Adult's Crusade
Jodee Blanco's school career was not a series of joyous milestones, but a years-long sentence of misery. Blanco talks
with Education World about her book, which details her harsh treatment at the hands of bullies, and her current efforts
to help schools stop bullying.
The Sleeping Student:
Students in the elementary grades don't often fall asleep in class. When they do, it can be a simple distraction or
a symptom of a larger problem. Six tips for dealing with the sleepy student.
Classroom Problem Solver: Poor Hygiene:
One of the more sensitive issues a teacher may have to deal with is a student with poor hygiene. Because of the potential
implications for students, you cannot sidestep this issue. Included: Dr. Ken Shore offers five tips for helping a
student with poor hygiene.
Fantastic Field Days!
May is the month when many schools hold their annual field days. So, Ed World's editors decided to jump in with great
activities to make this year's field day the best one ever! Included: Fun activities, relays, and games that all students
can excel in.
Starting Good Eating Habits in the Lunchroom
High-fat school lunches that mimic fast food may be contributing to childhood obesity and other health problems, according
to the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. Schools need more fruits and vegetables on their cafeteria trays.
Teaching Kids to Make Moral Decisions
Colorado attorney Michael Sabbeth teaches an ethics framework to fifth graders -- to arm them with the skills for
making moral decisions.
Dealing with War and Terrorism in the Classroom
With security alerts now part of American life and the number of troops in the Middle East growing daily, avoiding
the topics of war and terrorist threats is becoming increasingly difficult for teachers. Today, Education World offers
educators tips on how to address those issues with their students.
Helping the Healing: Tips for Teachers after the Columbia Tragedy
As NASA investigators struggle to find answers for the loss of the space shuttle Columbia and its seven astronauts
on February 1, teachers also search for answers to students questions about the tragedy. Education World has compiled
a list of resources.
Joe Chemo
The Joe Chemo Web site is a tool for teachers, health educators, and parents to reduce teen smoking.
Child and Family WebGuide
Access "the best child development information on the Web."
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