Orientation Lessons

Lesson 1

Focus: Explore the fundamentals of movement: balance, locomotors, and object control. Identify the characteristics of the activity area, review safe moving skills through body control, and begin to outline protocols for the PE classroom.

Learning Domain

Psychomotor

Cognitive

Affective

Standard

S1

S3

S4

The physically literate individual demonstrates competency in a variety of motor skills and movement patterns.

The physically literate individual demonstrates the knowledge and skills to achieve and maintain a health-enhancing level of physical activity and fitness.

The physically literate individual exhibits responsible personal and social behavior that respects self and others.

Strand

S1.E1-E6

S1.E7-E12

S1.E13-26

S3.E2

S4.E5

Locomotors

Balance

Manipulatives

Physical activity knowledge

Rules & etiquette / Safe moving space

Equipment & Set-Up

First Grade

Equipment Set-Up
Warm Up
  • Upbeat Music
  • Music delivery system
 None needed.
Skill Development: *Skill Development focuses on what to do at the Purposeful PLAY stations so, equipment and set-up are the same as outlined in the Purposeful PLAY section.
Purposeful PLAY
  • Upbeat music
  • Music delivery system
  • Selection of soft age-appropriate equipment (More than enough foam balls, noodles, hoops/tunnels, nylon scarves, etc. for each student)
  • Set-up can occur before class begins.
  • Distribute equipment across five to six stations around the perimeter of the activity space. 

Skill Development

Kindergarten

Equipment Set-Up
Skill Development Equipment/Set-up
  • Upbeat music
  • Music delivery system
  • Selection of soft age-appropriate equipment (More than enough foam balls, noodles, hoops/tunnels, nylon scarves, etc. for each student)
  • Set-up can occur before class begins.
  • Distribute equipment across five to six stations around the perimeter of the activity space. 

This skill development is an exploration of the fundamentals of movement (locomotors, balance, and object control) and introduces the concept that play in PE is a way to purposefully practice what is learned, for example, practicing the protocols of listen and learn and moving with body control while exploring ways to move.

Prepare:

  • Ask students to raise their hand if they like to play.
  • Ask them to think of their favorite thing they like to play. Call on a few students to share.
  • Explain that playing is a part of PE, but that when we play in PE, we are doing it with a purpose (goal). Often our goal for playing in PE is to move in different and fun ways so that we become more comfortable/confident with different moves like moving while staying in one place, or moving from place to place, or moving with things like balls and scarves (balance, locomotors, object control).
  • Tell them we are now going to have the chance to play!

Explain/Demonstrate:

  • Explain that in the next activity they will get to explore all those different ways to move using different equipment that is placed around the activity space.
  • Introduce the variety of equipment for students to choose from in the activity space.
  • Remind them that when they are moving they should remember to use safe moving and body control like they did in the warm-up.
  • Explain that when the music is on they may switch their equipment at any time. When the music stops they need to freeze until you call out an area of the gym, then they will go there to show you what they learned in the warm-up.

Practice:

  • When you start the music, everyone can walk around in the designated area. When the music stops, you will call out a freeze and they need to show they are ready to listen and learn (eyes on you).
  • Practice by starting the music and having students walk around.
  • Stop the music and call out, stand and freeze, and have students practice standing tall and strong. Resume music and walking. Call out, sit and freeze, and have them practice sitting tall and strong, eyes on you. Provide feedback, if needed.
  • Repeat, varying the freeze and music length.

Review:

  • Ask students what they will do differently if they are holding equipment when a freeze is called out (put equipment down first, then freeze). Call on a few students to share.
  • Reinforce that these positions show they are ready to listen and learn.

Transition:

Give students 10 counts aloud to move to the first station and choose their item.

Purposeful PLAY Reinforcing Activities

Kindergarten

Equipment Set-Up
Purposeful PLAY Equipment/Set-up
  • Upbeat music
  • Music delivery system
  • Selection of soft age-appropriate equipment (More than enough foam balls, noodles, hoops/tunnels, nylon scarves, etc. for each student)
  • Set-up can occur before class begins.
  • Distribute equipment across five to six stations around the perimeter of the activity space. 

Practice and PLAY, Go and Show

This activity reinforces classroom protocols and identifies areas of the activity space while exploring the Fun-damentals of moving (balance, locomotor, and object control) through promotion of choice and self-expression. Equipment and procedure were introduced and practiced in the Skill Development.

Procedure:

  1. When the music is playing, students can Practice and PLAY around the space using any equipment they choose. Tell them they can also switch equipment during this time.
  2. When the music stops you will call out a freeze position and then call out a Go and Show area that they will move to that they learned in the warm-up. (e.g., stop music, Stand and Freeze, center circle, Sit and Freeze)
  3. Explain that when the music starts again, they can choose whichever equipment they want to move with next.
  4. Start music. Continue the activity, encouraging Purposeful PLAY while walking around and interacting with students about their chosen equipment and moves.
  5. Pause music every 1-2 minutes and call out a Go and Show direction (e.g., Sit and Freeze, endline, Stand and Freeze).

Transition:

Instruct students to put equipment back to its starting position and move safely to the center circle and stand on it.