What does PE look like this year?

Students move from learning single skills to combining them in real games and routines. Expect work on running, jumping, throwing, catching, dribbling, and striking, used inside team games, dance, and fitness activities. Students also start tracking their own effort and setting small fitness goals.

How can families help at home if a child says they are bad at sports?

Pick one skill and practice it in short bursts, like ten minutes of catching with a tennis ball or dribbling in the driveway. Progress at this age comes from repetition, not talent. Praise effort and small improvements, and avoid comparing siblings or classmates.

How much activity should a fifth grader get outside of school?

Aim for about an hour of active play most days, broken into chunks if needed. Walking the dog, biking, playing tag, swimming, and dancing all count. The goal is the habit, not the sport.

How should the year be sequenced across units?

A common arc is fitness and movement basics in the fall, invasion and net games in the winter, and striking, fielding, and track-style events in the spring. Revisit locomotor and manipulative skills inside each unit so students keep practicing throwing, catching, and footwork all year.

What does mastery look like by the end of fifth grade?

Students can combine skills under pressure, such as dribbling and passing in a small-sided game, or striking a moving ball with control. They also explain why warm-ups, pacing, and rest matter, and they cooperate with a partner or team without constant adult prompting.

Which skills usually need the most reteaching?

Overhand throwing mechanics, catching with the hands instead of the body, and striking a moving object are the common sticking points. Off the equipment side, students often need reminders on sportsmanship after losses and on including quieter classmates in group play.

How can a parent help with the social side of PE?

Talk through small moments at home, like what to do when a teammate hogs the ball or when a game feels unfair. Practice simple language for joining a group, asking for the ball, and shaking off a bad play. These habits matter as much as the physical skills.

How do students show they understand fitness concepts, not just play games?

Students should be able to explain the difference between warming up and stretching, point to activities that raise the heart rate, and name a personal fitness goal. Short reflections, fitness logs, and quick exit tickets work well alongside skill checks.

How do families know a child is ready for middle school PE?

Students should be willing to try new activities, follow multi-step game rules, and keep moving for longer stretches without quitting. They should also handle winning and losing without melting down. If any of these are shaky, a rec league or family activity over the summer helps.

What does a student learn in ?

This is the year movement skills come together into real games and team play. Students dribble, pass, strike, and jump with more control, and they start to see how fitness, effort, and practice change what their body can do. They also learn to cooperate, settle small conflicts, and lead a warm-up without an adult stepping in. By spring, students can join a group activity, follow the rules, and explain one fitness habit they want to keep.

Motor skills
Team games
Fitness habits
Cooperation
Healthy choices

Source: Illinois Illinois Learning Standards

Year at a glance

How the year usually goes. Every school and district set their own curriculum, so treat this as a guide, not official pacing.

1
Moving with skill and control
Students sharpen the basics of running, jumping, throwing, catching, and kicking. The focus is on doing each move with better form and control than last year, not just speed.
2
Playing games and team sports
Students put their skills into real games. They learn positions, simple strategy, and how to read what teammates and opponents are doing during play.
3
Fitness and how the body works
Students learn what makes a workout build strength, stamina, or flexibility. They check their own heart rate and start to notice how their body feels during different activities.
4
Cooperation and good sportsmanship
Students practice the social side of P.E.: taking turns, listening to teammates, handling wins and losses, and including classmates of different skill levels.
5
Building lifelong active habits
Students reflect on which activities they actually enjoy and set small personal goals. The year ends with the idea that staying active is a choice they keep making outside of school.

Mastery Learning Standards

The required skills a student should display by the end of Grade 5.

Physical Education

Develop a variety of motor skills, including locomotor, non-locomotor

IL-PE.1.5

Students practice moving in different ways, such as running, balancing, and throwing or catching, to build the physical skills they'll use in sports, games, and active play for years to come.
Apply knowledge related to movement, performance

IL-PE.2.5

Students use what they know about how the body moves and stays fit to make better choices during physical activities, like adjusting pace on a run or spacing out during a game.
Develop social skills through movement, including respect for self and others…

IL-PE.3.5

Students practice working with classmates during physical activities. That means taking turns, listening, and handling wins and losses without making it a big deal.
Develop personal skills, identify personal benefits of movement

IL-PE.4.5

Students identify why moving regularly feels good and matters long-term, then practice choosing activities they actually want to keep doing. The focus is building habits, not just passing a fitness test.

Standard	Definition	Code
Develop a variety of motor skills, including locomotor, non-locomotor	Students practice moving in different ways, such as running, balancing, and throwing or catching, to build the physical skills they'll use in sports, games, and active play for years to come.	IL-PE.1.5
Apply knowledge related to movement, performance	Students use what they know about how the body moves and stays fit to make better choices during physical activities, like adjusting pace on a run or spacing out during a game.	IL-PE.2.5
Develop social skills through movement, including respect for self and others…	Students practice working with classmates during physical activities. That means taking turns, listening, and handling wins and losses without making it a big deal.	IL-PE.3.5
Develop personal skills, identify personal benefits of movement	Students identify why moving regularly feels good and matters long-term, then practice choosing activities they actually want to keep doing. The focus is building habits, not just passing a fitness test.	IL-PE.4.5

Physical Education

Develop a variety of motor skills, including locomotor, non-locomotor

IL-PE.1.5

Students practice moving in different ways, such as running, balancing, and throwing or catching, to build the physical skills they'll use in sports, games, and active play for years to come.
Apply knowledge related to movement, performance

IL-PE.2.5

Students use what they know about how the body moves and stays fit to make better choices during physical activities, like adjusting pace on a run or spacing out during a game.
Develop social skills through movement, including respect for self and others…

IL-PE.3.5

Students practice working with classmates during physical activities. That means taking turns, listening, and handling wins and losses without making it a big deal.
Develop personal skills, identify personal benefits of movement

IL-PE.4.5

Students identify why moving regularly feels good and matters long-term, then practice choosing activities they actually want to keep doing. The focus is building habits, not just passing a fitness test.

Standard	Definition	Code
Develop a variety of motor skills, including locomotor, non-locomotor	Students practice moving in different ways, such as running, balancing, and throwing or catching, to build the physical skills they'll use in sports, games, and active play for years to come.	IL-PE.1.5
Apply knowledge related to movement, performance	Students use what they know about how the body moves and stays fit to make better choices during physical activities, like adjusting pace on a run or spacing out during a game.	IL-PE.2.5
Develop social skills through movement, including respect for self and others…	Students practice working with classmates during physical activities. That means taking turns, listening, and handling wins and losses without making it a big deal.	IL-PE.3.5
Develop personal skills, identify personal benefits of movement	Students identify why moving regularly feels good and matters long-term, then practice choosing activities they actually want to keep doing. The focus is building habits, not just passing a fitness test.	IL-PE.4.5

Common Questions

What does PE look like this year?
Students move from learning single skills to combining them in real games and routines. Expect work on running, jumping, throwing, catching, dribbling, and striking, used inside team games, dance, and fitness activities. Students also start tracking their own effort and setting small fitness goals.
How can families help at home if a child says they are bad at sports?
Pick one skill and practice it in short bursts, like ten minutes of catching with a tennis ball or dribbling in the driveway. Progress at this age comes from repetition, not talent. Praise effort and small improvements, and avoid comparing siblings or classmates.
How much activity should a fifth grader get outside of school?
Aim for about an hour of active play most days, broken into chunks if needed. Walking the dog, biking, playing tag, swimming, and dancing all count. The goal is the habit, not the sport.
How should the year be sequenced across units?
A common arc is fitness and movement basics in the fall, invasion and net games in the winter, and striking, fielding, and track-style events in the spring. Revisit locomotor and manipulative skills inside each unit so students keep practicing throwing, catching, and footwork all year.
What does mastery look like by the end of fifth grade?
Students can combine skills under pressure, such as dribbling and passing in a small-sided game, or striking a moving ball with control. They also explain why warm-ups, pacing, and rest matter, and they cooperate with a partner or team without constant adult prompting.
Which skills usually need the most reteaching?
Overhand throwing mechanics, catching with the hands instead of the body, and striking a moving object are the common sticking points. Off the equipment side, students often need reminders on sportsmanship after losses and on including quieter classmates in group play.
How can a parent help with the social side of PE?
Talk through small moments at home, like what to do when a teammate hogs the ball or when a game feels unfair. Practice simple language for joining a group, asking for the ball, and shaking off a bad play. These habits matter as much as the physical skills.
How do students show they understand fitness concepts, not just play games?
Students should be able to explain the difference between warming up and stretching, point to activities that raise the heart rate, and name a personal fitness goal. Short reflections, fitness logs, and quick exit tickets work well alongside skill checks.
How do families know a child is ready for middle school PE?
Students should be willing to try new activities, follow multi-step game rules, and keep moving for longer stretches without quitting. They should also handle winning and losing without melting down. If any of these are shaky, a rec league or family activity over the summer helps.