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Get kids and teens up and moving with our premium and free physical education worksheets. Use these worksheets covering fitness, nutrition, sports rules, and sports history, for a review or assessment of your phys ed curriculum or just for fun.

Don't see a printable you need? Use our Test Maker™ to create your own printable that fits your needs. Browse physical education questions or use our advanced search to find existing questions while filtering by grade levels and keywords. You can also create your own questions .

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PE Lesson Plans for Middle School (FREE Middle School PE Activities)

• Doug Curtin
• November 23, 2021

Struggling to find engaging PE activities for middle school students?

Throughout the entire k-12 physical education experience, students have an opportunity to develop skills and form positive relationships with health and wellness. And while each grade level presents unique challenges, middle school pe teachers have students at an incredibly transformational age.

Teachers need to strike a delicate balance when selecting middle school physical education units that spark students’ interest and keep them engaged for multiple lessons and weeks. 

Producing middle school physical education unit plans on multiple topics is tough!

There is no shortage of physical education ideas for middle school. But finding the lessons that will support and connect to your bigger goal and picture of a school year can be tricky!

It can become overwhelming as you think of all the different things you want to layer into a semester or school year. 

• What about outdoor physical education games for middle school? 
• What about indoor physical education games for middle school? 
• When will we be ready to do our fitness testing?
• Is the content and curriculum I am using age-appropriate and engaging?

A week’s worth of free PE lesson plans for middle school classes

While there is no shortage of middle school gym games and lessons, finding quality curriculum can be challenging. And sparking new ideas as the landscape of PE changes can be hard. Here is a full week of middle school pe lesson plans that have fun games, introduce basic fitness concepts, and layer in social-emotional learning.

Day 1: PE Games For Middle School 

It is day one! And your middle school students are waiting to see what their pe teacher has in store. While you might be eager to jump right to the robust instructional content you have meticulously planned, remember that this is your chance to get students excited and engaged. 

So let’s start with getting students moving, their heart rates up, and talking with each other. Let’s play pick a side! A spin-off on many of the classic phys ed games for middle school, students will choose left or right, and then based on that choice, have a fitness assignment. 

It may feel a little silly at first, but go through a few rounds with different topics! This way, students get an opportunity to move throughout your gym or space and talk to new people as they pick their different sides.

• Students are given their choice of two different animals and then assigned different movements. 
• Let students get comfortable with the format of the game in the first round.
• In the second round, students now have to pick foods that they like and don’t like. 
• Now that students are more comfortable with the game encourage them to talk with people around them about why they chose their side
• In the third round, students now pick music genres and styles they like. 
• At this point, you have gotten the chance to see your students move. Now you can stop and break down any fixes or faults you might want to address early on.
• You just gave three excellent examples of ‘pick side topics,’ now, let your students have some choice and ownership! Maybe pick a school-specific topic for which they can think of left or right options and play again! 
• Example: Do you like sitting at the round tables in cafeteria or rectangle?

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Day 2: Air Squat & Introducing Fitness 

Most middle school students have some understanding of foundational human movements. While they might not necessarily know them by name, many of them have been tasked to do things like squat, lunge, hinge, and more throughout their elementary school experience. 

While you may want to stick to middle school phys ed games that keep and hold your student’s attention, layering in different movement education lesson plans can significantly impact a student’s overall fitness journey. 

And they can still be fun! Here is an excellent example of a lesson that focuses on the squat and hinge, and puts it all together in a fun workout to wrap up physical education class.

• 2 Minutes of light cardio
• Spiderman & Reach – 1 Minute Continuous Movement, Alternating 
• Alt. Samson – 1 Minute Continuous Movement
• Good Mornings 4 x 10 Reps 
• Elbow Plan 4 x :20 Seconds 
• 1:00 Rest After Each Round
• Introduce the 4 points of performance 
• Air Squat 2 x 5 Reps

The Finisher

• 5 Rounds Of 10 Air Squats + 2:00 Walk/Jog/Run

Day 3: Fitness Literacy – Cognitive  

If you are seeing your students almost every day of the week, chances are you want to layer in some cognitive materials into your physical education curriculum. 

Doing so can help students build connections to the importance of physical wellness and how it relates to the different middle school pe games and exercises you do throughout the semester.

• Watch the short video and read the full article before answering the lesson questions
• Full Lesson Materials Here
• 9 chapter questions provided that can be either done individually or incorporated as part of a group discussion
• Have a little extra time? Here you can add some fun pe games for middle school students. Check out some ideas from PE teacher Peter Boucher on Gopher Sports blogs: 4 Great PE Games For Middle School. 

Day 4: Lunge – More Foundational Fitness 

This is the second day of foundational movements and workouts. Emphasizing the foundations in your physical education units for middle school is an easy win! You hit several shape america standards/state standards and build core competencies that can be applied to almost any other units or lesson. 

Many students believe they know how to lunge without instruction, but often the result is an inefficient movement that is tough on the knee joint and lower back. Today, we will take time to understand the position of our feet, knees, and hips and do it right!

• Leg Swings – 10 Slow Reps Each Direction
• Inchworm To Push Up – 1:00 Slow Continuous Movement
• Lunge – 3 x 6 Reps (Alternating Legs)
• Introduce the 3 points of performance of the burpee 
• Provide scaling options for different speeds
• Practice 2 reps of each speed option
• 30 Alternating Lunges
• 2:00 Burpees
• 20 Alternating Lunges
• 1:00 Burpees
• 10 Alternating Lunges
• :30 Burpees

Day 5: Mindfulness – Social-Emotional Learning 

As a physical education teacher, you are often tasked with any new topics or curriculum that don’t neatly fit into our subject areas. In recent years, social-emotional learning has emerged and been added to the national standards for physical education and wellness by Shape America. And for a good reason! 

We know that much like any fitness or physical skill, we can help our middle school students to build mindfulness skills. Mindfulness is paying attention to what’s happening on purpose with kindness, curiosity, without judgment. 

• Allowing us to arrive and be present in our lesson together 
• Learning about the background and breakdown of different elements of mindfulness
• Warming ourselves up and helping us to get ready for our full practice 
• Putting mindfulness into action and building skills that we can continue using outside of class

How are Plt4m’s middle school PE units delivered?

Whichever way makes sense for your classroom layout! For example, many middle school teachers project PLT4M lessons in their gym for the whole class to follow along. Others deliver assignments via a 1-to-1 device. 

What types of middle school physical education activities do you cover?

Middle school is a time to sample and try out new options! PLT4M’s library of original content looks to mirror students’ long-term choices for health and wellness. Dance fitness, weight-lifting, yoga, mobility, and nutrition are just a few of the topics covered in our 25+ PE programs.

Do you only provide middle school fitness lesson plans?

No, we also have PE lesson plans for high school. All our content is intended for middle and high school students.

Most students’ fitness journey is not defined by their age, but their experience. With our beginner to advanced offerings, there is something for everyone. 

Do you support the middle school PE curriculum with informational lessons as well as physical activities?

PE curriculum for middle school should be comprehensive. Therefore, everything we provide is thoughtfully prepared to have written and video components to bring together the full PE picture. The goal is to have students explore all aspects of health and wellness, including informational lessons and physical activities.

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Free Resources for pe teachers

Looking for ideas for PE class or in-classroom brain boosters? We got you covered!

Marathon Kids programming is now FREE and includes access to Marathon Kids Connect , an award-winning physical activity and distance tracking mobile scanning app + cloud-based web platform!

In addition to our free PE program, we're happy to offer a host of free pe curriculum, resources, and fun pe activities to make this the best year yet for you and your students!

Printable Resources

⚬ Marathon Kids Mileage Log (English and Spanish) ⚬ Mini Mileage Log ⚬ Activity Log ⚬ Running Games ⚬ Certificate of Accomplishment

Healthy Running for Kids

⚬ 23 Warm-Up Activities for Kids ⚬ 23 Cool-Down Activities for Kids ⚬ Cold Weather Running Tips ⚬ Hot Weather Running Tips

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⚬  Best Safe Distance Indoor Games ⚬  Best Indoor PE Games ⚬  8 Great Outdoor PE Games for Kids ⚬  Best Indoor Recess Games

⚬  PE Running Games ⚬  6 Agility Games

PE Games for Middle School

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The World's Most Evidence-Based Physical Education & Physical Activity Programs!

Free Lesson Plans

Spark sample lesson plans, the following pages include a collection of free spark physical education and physical activity lesson plans. if you’re searching for lesson plans based on inclusive, fun pe-pa games or innovative new ideas, click on one of the links below..

Snakes and Lizards Lesson Plan

Field Day Activity

Centipede Pass

Manipulatives Lesson

Partner Hoop Rolling

Parachute Switcheroo Lesson Plan

Catching and Throwing

Catching and Throwing Circuit Lesson Plan

Skill Cards

Skill Cards (Spanish)

Back to School

Back to School (Spanish)

Social and Emotional Learning

Kindness Definition Card and Lesson

Fitness Circuits

Body Composition Circuit Lesson Plan

Mirror, Mirror Lesson Plan

Performance Rubric Assessment

Choice Count (Pedometer Activity)

Cross the Pond

3-Catch Basketball Lesson Plan

SEL Definition and T-Chart Card

Flying Disc

Durango Boot

Zone and Player-to-Player Defenses

Radio Control

Mini Soccer

Soccer Student Self-Assessments

Track and Field

Sprints and Jumps Circuit

Skill Cards (English & Spanish)

Task Cards (Spanish)

Cooperatives

Spartan Adventure Race 201

Spartan Adventure Race 101

Group Fitness

Yoga Basic Training Lesson Plan

Yoga Content Cards

Yoga Content Cards (Spanish)

Basic Training Peer Checklist

Basic Training Peer Checklist (Spanish)

SFI Certification Tracking Sheet

iGames Lesson

iStrike/Field

Boulder Runner

I Got Your Back Lesson Plan

Practice Plan

Practice Plan (Spanish)

Fitness Fun

Fun and Fitness Circuit Lesson Plan

Fitness Station Cards

Fitness Station Cards (Spanish)

Fun Station Cards

Fun Station Cards (Spanish)

Great Games

Balanced Breakfast

Flying Disc Group Challenge Lesson Plan

Task Card (Spanish)

Building Blocks

Starting and Stopping Lesson Plan

Family Fun Activities

Family Fun Activities (Spanish)

Beanbag Bonanza

Station Play Lesson Plan

Station Cards

Have a Ball

Bounce and Catch

Recess Activities

Social studies.

Social Studies Fitness Relay

State Lists

State Lists (Spanish)

Fitness Relay State Cards

STEM Fitness Training

STEM Fitness Training Cards (English & Spanish)

Me Activities

ME: INSIDE (K-2)

ME: OUTSIDE (3-5)

We Activities

WE: INSIDE (3-5)

WE: OUTSIDE (K-2)

3 Activities

3: INSIDE (3-5)

3: OUTSIDE (K-2)

Sample Resources

Group Juggling

Object Control Skills-Underhand Throwing

What Your PE Student with Autism Spectrum Disorder Wishes You Knew

Football Unit Inclusion Strategies 3-6

SPARK Holiday Lesson

Hearty Hoopla

Stop the Grinch!

Zombie Graveyard

Build a Turkey

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Physical Education Printables, Lessons & References

Promote good exercise habits with physical education resources for kindergarten through twelfth grade.

Newest Physical Education and Fitness Resources

View Physical Education and Fitness Resources By Type

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Choice Boards

Classroom Tools

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Lesson Plans

Teaching Resource

Recommended physical education and fitness resources.

P.E. Activities for Elementary Students

Adapative P.E. Activities for Elementary

Health and Wellness Activities Choice Board and Certificate

Movement and Circle Games

Baseball Cards

Trail Markers

Capture the Flag

Baseball Math Worksheet

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Free physical education printables

Volleyball Unit - Elementary physical education drills, skills & lessons

PE Unit Plans Bundle | Grade 2, 3, 4 or 5

FREE CLASSROOM RULES POSTERS

Yoga Cards and Posters - BUNDLE - Sets #1 and 2 - Savvy Apple

Health & Wellness: The 4 Dimensions of Health Activity

• Word Document File

FREE SPORTS Word Search Puzzle Handout Fun Activity

Field Day Activities

100 Exercises Printable Freebie

Personal Hygiene Life Skills Seek and Find Activity Printable & Digital FREEBIE

• Easel Activity

Field Day Reminder {FREEBIE}

Brain Break - Freeze Dance {FREEBIE}

100th Day of School FREE

Move Your Body: Classroom Exercise Chart (autism, special ed)

Water Safety Poem

Let's Get Moving Together Community Building Activities

Free Outdoor Snow Day Bingo Choice Board

Free March Madness Math Measurement Activities | Conversion | Basketball Math |

Oral Hygiene - Brushing your teeth worksheet

Fitness Unit Test

PE Educational Gymnastics Station Signs and Task Cards- 8 FREE Signs and Cards

Field Day Word Search

Free Roll The Dice Exercise Fitness Game - Physical Education - PE - Brain Break

Preschool Alphabet Movement Cards

Free Preschool Football and Sports Activities Mini Pack

All About Me Sports themed poster for back to school!

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Strategies for School and Youth Programs

• Comprehensive school physical activity programs use a combination of strategies to increase physical activity before, during, and after school.
• See approaches you can take, examples of what others have done, and resources.

Comprehensive physical activity programs may include physical education, recess, classroom physical activity, staff involvement in employee wellness programs, and family and community engagement. By implementing a comprehensive physical activity program, schools help students get the recommended 60 minutes of daily physical activity.

Comprehensive physical education

Physical education (PE) is a K–12 academic subject. It provides standards-based curricula to develop students' knowledge and behaviors for physical activity, physical fitness, and motor skills. Schools can develop and carry out comprehensive PE policies for daily physical activity . This will prepare students to be physically active at school and beyond.

Opportunities before, during, and after school

In addition to quality physical education, schools can carry out recess and classroom policies to ensure students are physically active during the day. Physical activity before and after school might include:

• Physical activity clubs.
• Intramural programs (recreational sports for fun).
• Interscholastic sports (competitive sports between schools).
• Access to team and individual sports.
• Physical activity in before- and after-school programs.

Working together

• Achieving Impact on Childhood Obesity: Georgia Shape's 'Power Up for 30'
• Schools Work to Make Physical Education Count in Suburban Chicago, Illinois
• Afterschool Programs Expand Opportunities for Obesity Prevention in Boston, Massachusetts

Community Preventive Services Task Force recommendations

Enhanced School-Based Physical Education

Classroom-based Physical Activity Break Interventions

Classroom-based Physical Activity Lesson Interventions

Comprehensive School Physical Activity Programs: A Guide for Schools How to develop, implement, and evaluate comprehensive school physical activity programs.

Increasing Physical Education and Physical Activity: A Framework for Schools Identifies key opportunities and resources for professional development to help schools implement the framework.

Inclusive School Physical Education and Physical Activity * How to create an inclusive culture for physical education and physical activity in schools.

Infographic: Benefits of school-based physical activity How 60 minutes of daily moderate-to-vigorous physical activity can benefit students, teachers, and the community.

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT) Self-assessment and planning guide helps school districts and schools conduct clear, complete, and consistent analyses of physical education curricula.

Strengthen Physical Education in Schools data brief Snapshot of current U.S. physical education practices and ways to improve physical education.

Opportunities before, during, or after school

Healthy Out-of-School Time Assessment * Track what schools are already doing and highlight opportunities for improvement.

Strategies for Classroom Physical Activity in Schools Describes 10 evidence-based strategies to promote and plan classroom physical activity. Also see A Guide for Putting Strategies into Practice .

Strategies for Recess in Schools How to plan and provide recess in schools to increase physical activity participation.

Youth Compendium of Physical Activities List of 196 common youth activities and their estimated energy cost. It can be used for research, public health policies, and education.

*Can be used to help address equitable and inclusive access to physical activity.

Want additional tips and resources to be active? Learn about Active People, Healthy Nation SM , CDC’s national initiative to help people be more physically active.

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Physical activity is vital throughout life. See strategies, data, and resources to increase physical activity in states and communities.

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What School Subjects Do You Need in High School?

The subjects you study in high school should allow you to graduate, but you’ll also want classes that will prepare you for college and for life as an adult.

• Subjects Offered in High School
• Subjects Needed to Graduate
• Subjects for College Preparation

Picking high school courses is an exciting process. Core high school subjects like math, science, and language arts are required, but a range of others can be selected. Finally being given more of a choice in what a student studies can be freeing, but also may feel overwhelming, confusing, or stressful.

What courses are best? There's no one right path. First, consider what is needed to graduate. Then, take a look at your options.

Parents and teens can work together to choose school subjects that not only engage their interests but also have their future plans and goals in mind.

For example, students who want to go to college may be required to take more years of a foreign language or other classes required by the schools they are interested in. A student who is interested in pursuing a career in construction may want to take an industrial arts class.

Read on to learn more about selecting courses in high school.

Parents / Nusha Ashjaee 

What School Subjects Are Offered in High School?

Most high schools offer the same basic school subjects: Math, language arts, foreign language, science, social studies, health, and physical education (PE).

However, the exact courses may vary dramatically from school to school. Different high schools—even within the same district—often have different course offerings or special programs. If possible, choose the local high school that provides the programs and classes that best suit your needs and passions.

Below is a list of the most common school subjects. However, individual schools may offer a range of specialized classes, such as mindfulness or engineering.

High School Subjects

• Literature or Language Arts
• Speech and Debate
• Writing or Composition
• Trigonometry or Calculus
• Biology (typically has advanced class options)
• Chemistry (typically has advanced class options)
• Earth or Space Sciences
• Physics (typically has advanced class options)
• US Government
• World History
• Foreign Language, such as Spanish, French, Japanese, Chinese, Arabic, and German
• Physical Education and Health
• Arts, such as Music, Photography, Drawing, or Ceramics
• Computer Applications, Graphic Design, or Web Design
• Cooking and other life skills
• Physical Education
• Trade field studies such as Auto Mechanics, Woodworking, or Nursing
• Personal Finance

School Subjects You Need to Graduate

Ideally, teens should start high school with a basic plan of the classes they will need to take to graduate. Every state has different requirements for obtaining a high school diploma, and each school varies greatly in what it offers to give kids a chance to fulfill them. Different schools also vary in the number of classes students take each year.

The school's guidance department can help students understand the graduation requirements and how their coursework aligns with them.

English language arts

Studying the English language and literature is an important part of high school for every student, regardless of their post-school plans. In addition to studying important pieces of literature, English classes teach teens about writing, reading, and speaking.

Most states require four years of English or language arts classes. Colleges require four years of English for admission. The main English classes in high school include:

Mathematics

In high school, students dig into several different types of math . Algebra and geometry are required at most high schools, and students may choose to take advanced math classes if they are offered.

Most states require three or four years of math coursework in high school. The main math classes in high school include:

Basic life sciences (biology) and physical sciences (chemistry and physics) are required at most high schools. These classes often include lab components that allow students to perform hands-on experiments.

Most states require two to three years of science coursework in high school. These may include:

• Biology (typically has advanced class options)
• Chemistry (typically has advanced class options)
• Earth or Space sciences

Social studies and history

Understanding the past and how the world works is important for young adults. In high school, students will study history and government and learn about how social studies affects their lives.

Most states require three to four years of social studies coursework in high school, including:

Foreign languages

Learning a second language is important in today's global world. While many high schools offer foreign language courses, only 11 states require students to take a foreign language course.  

High school students can fill these requirements by learning the basics of at least one foreign language. They may also be able to choose to take advanced classes to learn more.

Common languages offered in high school include:

• Mandarin Chinese

Other possible language offerings include Russian, Latin, American Sign Language, Arabic, and German.

Physical education and health

Physical education and health classes can teach high schoolers how to care for their bodies' fitness, health, and nutritional needs. These courses often touch on the following:

• Mental health
• Sexual health
• Making healthy choices about drugs, alcohol, and nicotine.

Many states require at least one unit of PE and health to graduate. Other states offer these subjects as electives.

School Subjects for College Preparation

Students planning to go to college should consider how colleges will look at their courses during the application process. Grade point average (GPA) is important, but coursework should also demonstrate academic rigor.

When planning, it can be helpful to balance standard high school courses with some that are more challenging. Additionally, students can do this—and even get a head start on college—by taking advanced placement (AP) or college-level classes.

AP classes are more rigorous courses that teach subjects at an introductory college level. Some of the most common AP courses that are available include:

• Calculus AB
• English Literature
• African American Studies

Students who take AP classes have the option to take an AP test in the spring. If they get a certain score, they can get credit for the course at many colleges.

College credit courses

Many high schools offer opportunities to gain college credit through various programs. Your child's academic advisor, teachers, or counseling department can inform them about such offerings.

These may be online or in-person classes through programs offered by colleges and universities, and a professor or a high school teacher may teach them. Dual-credit programs allow students to fulfill their high school requirements while obtaining some college credits free of charge.

School Subject Electives

In addition to the basic classes, there are usually plenty of opportunities to take electives in various areas of study. These can not only broaden a student's academic knowledge but also teach them valuable life skills and inspire their career aspirations .

In some cases, a student may be given the freedom to choose one class from a select group of options required in the school's curriculum. In others, a student may have room in their schedule to choose to study something simply based on their interests and goals.

Examples of elective classes may include:

• Arts, such as music, photography, fashion design, painting, theater, dance, or ceramics
• Computer applications, graphic design, or web design
• Student government
• Forensic science
• Physical education
• Sports medicine
• Trade field studies such as auto mechanics, welding, or nursing
• Personal finance or business

Students on a vocational track may be able to gain some hands-on learning in fields such as metalworks and woodworking. Many schools even offer the opportunity to gain certificates or licenses that will help them in their future careers .

Key Takeaways

Choosing high school classes requires planning both as a student enters school and throughout their high school experience. The right classes are challenging and engaging but not unrealistically rigorous or overwhelming.

An ideal schedule can help a student succeed, enjoy learning, and have a good academic experience while preparing them for their future plans , whatever they may be. Have your teen set up a meeting with their school counselor if they need any help.

The association between neighbourhoods and educational achievement, a systematic review and meta-analysis . J Hous Built Environ . 2016.

50-state comparison . Education Commission of the States . 2019.

High school classes required for college admission . National Association for College Admission Counseling . n.d.

The national K-16 foreign language enrollment survey report . American Councils for International Education . 2017.

Program summary report . College Board. 2019.

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