Physical Education Lessons

Last updated: April 8, 2002

EveryRule - We don't usually include metalists in TeachersFirst, but this one's too good to omit. The authors have collected sources for rules to hundreds of sports, playground, and board games. It doesn't include everything (we couldn't find dodgeball) but if you're looking for the rules, this is a good place to start.

Game Central Station - A nice collection of K-12 resources which includes both activities for Kindergarten and primary grades, as well as specific suggestions for games like soccer, basketball, and baseball. There are also links to hand signals, rules, etc.

The Games Compendium - This site was created for scouts in Britain and offers a collection of indoor and outdoor games, activities, and other items that might prove useful for a PE teacher in search of something a bit different. The content is sometimes nested among other scouting stuff, but it can be worth the effort.

Gymnastics Lessons and Assessments - A page of developmental gymnastics activities, lessons, and quizzes for those interested in integrating gymnastics into physical education programs. There's background reading material accessible from this site that might also be helpful for those just starting out.

Lesson plans for physical education - Grouped by topic, some with grade levels. More than 50 different activities.

K-7 Physical education lessons - A Canadian site offering still more activities, also indexed by topic and grade.

Kids Running - Here's a site that lets kids read, write, and create based on their interest or experience in running. If you're a physical education teacher interested in making connections with the classroom, this is a site that could build bridges while letting students write about something they enjoy. Worth a visit!

Mouthguards - A page from the Dental School at the University of Pennsylvania explains the whos, hows, and whys of using mouthguards for sports and physical activities. Coaches, this one's for you!

Organized Children's Games - A simple listing of lots of games for young ones, along with tips on how these can be adapted for different regional and cultural variations. Who says there's only one way to play the game!?

PE Plans - Originally a European collection, this site offers an extentive collection of lesson plans submitted by PE teachers.

PE Lesson Plans - This is a university-based collection of six elementary lesson plans, each explained in great detail.

PE Lesson Plans - Here's a collection of PE lessons submitted by teachers around the country. These include lessons for all levels and in varying degrees of complexity. The site also includes links to other PE resources.

PE Central - Long a favorite and still growing, PE Central is a large resource created at Virginia Tech University for physical education teachers. These plans are grouped by topic and grade level, and they include plans and feedback contributed by teachers in schools around the country.

P.E. Teaching Ideas - A British resource offering a collection of games and activities for K-6 students. Try this one for some ideas you won't find elsewhere.

Physical Education Lesson Plans - This is a private collection of lesson plans grouped into more than a dozen different classifications, creating an interesting organizational structure. There are five to ten lessons in each category, plus a list of other links for those who need more.

Smoking Education Resources from the CDC - This site includes a nice set of resources for all grade levels, including the recently-released report on smoking and women. There are also specific resources for coaches, school health professionals, and others who work with young people. Some of these tools can be downloaded directly.

Sports and Nutrition - Grades 9-12 - The University of Illinois developed this site to help high school athletes learn how to use nutrition to their competitive advantage. The site offers basic nutritional information as well as guidelines for eating habits that will help athletes get the nutrition and energy they need for competition. Nicely presented, with easily accessible information.

Youth Leagues - Grades 4-12 - While not explicitly school related, this site's focus on sports leagues for young people includes lots of information that could be valuable for coaches, trainers, and amateur sports officials. It seems a natural, since many school coaches also work in other amateur leagues.

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