What does Physical Education look like at this level?

Students build on the basics and start training like a young adult. They practice sports and fitness activities, learn how exercise affects the body, and work on habits like warming up, setting goals, and tracking progress. The focus shifts from learning new skills to using them well.

How can I help my child stay active at home?

Pick something the family can do together a few times a week, like walking, biking, shooting hoops, or a workout video. Twenty to thirty minutes is plenty. Ask what they worked on in class and let them lead a stretch or warm-up to practice what they learned.

My child says they are not athletic. Does that matter at this level?

No. The goal is lifelong fitness, not making a team. Help them find one activity they actually like, whether that is hiking, dance, yoga, lifting, or pickup games. Showing up regularly matters more than being good at it.

How should I sequence skills and fitness across the year?

A common approach is to alternate skill units with fitness blocks. Start the year with baseline fitness testing and goal setting, then rotate through team sports, individual activities, and personal fitness. Revisit fitness data each quarter so students can see their own progress.

What does mastery look like by the end of the year?

Students can play several activities with solid form and game sense, explain how a workout targets strength, endurance, or flexibility, and design a simple fitness plan for themselves. They also work well with teammates and handle wins and losses without drama.

Which areas usually need the most reteaching?

Pacing during cardio, proper lifting form, and the difference between heart rate zones come up again and again. Game strategy in team sports also needs revisiting, since students often default to chasing the ball instead of playing a position.

How do I grade students fairly when fitness levels vary so much?

Grade effort, growth, and knowledge rather than raw performance. A student who improves their mile time by a minute deserves credit, even if they are not the fastest in class. Skill rubrics and self-assessments help separate fitness from learning.

What should my child know about fitness by the end of this year?

They should be able to explain why warming up matters, what muscles a given exercise works, and how to build a basic workout with cardio, strength, and flexibility. Quiz them casually by asking what they did in class and why.

How do I know my child is ready for the next level?

Students are ready when they can keep up with a moderate workout, follow the rules and strategy of common sports, and talk about their own fitness goals. Cooperation matters too. Coaches and teachers look for students who show up, try hard, and support teammates.

What does a student learn in ?

This is the year fitness shifts from following the gym teacher's plan to building one students can keep after graduation. Students sharpen the skills they need for sports, dance, and everyday workouts, and they learn why each activity helps the body. Working in groups, students practice cooperation and respect when games get competitive. By spring, students can describe a weekly routine they actually enjoy and explain how it supports lifelong health.

Lifelong fitness
Motor skills
Teamwork
Healthy habits
Personal wellness

Source: Massachusetts Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks

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
Building skills and personal goals
Students start the year by sharpening movement skills they will use all year, like throwing, catching, striking, and steady footwork. They also set personal fitness goals to work toward.
2
Fitness and how the body works
Students learn what makes a workout actually work. They track heart rate, try strength and endurance activities, and connect food, sleep, and movement to how they feel each day.
3
Team games and fair play
Students move into team sports and group activities. The focus is on playing positions, talking with teammates, handling wins and losses, and including everyone on the floor or field.
4
Lifelong activities and wellness
Students try activities they can keep doing as adults, like hiking, yoga, weight training, or pickleball. They build a personal plan for staying active after the school year ends.

Mastery Learning Standards

The required skills a student should display by the end of Grade 12.

Physical Education

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

MA-PE.1.hs-level-2

High School Level 2

Students practice movement skills like running, balancing, and throwing so those skills carry into sports, workouts, and active habits outside of school.
Apply knowledge related to movement, performance

MA-PE.2.hs-level-2

High School Level 2

Students use what they know about how the body moves and stays fit to make smarter choices during physical activity. That means adjusting effort, form, or pacing based on what the activity actually demands.
Develop social skills through movement, including respect for self and others…

MA-PE.3.hs-level-2

High School Level 2

Students practice working with others during physical activity, taking turns, listening, and adjusting their behavior so the group can keep moving and everyone feels respected.
Develop personal skills, identify personal benefits of movement

MA-PE.4.hs-level-2

High School Level 2

Students reflect on what physical activity does for them personally and build habits around the kinds of movement they actually enjoy. The goal is a routine that holds up after gym class ends.

Standard	Definition	Code
Develop a variety of motor skills, including locomotor, non-locomotor High School Level 2	Students practice movement skills like running, balancing, and throwing so those skills carry into sports, workouts, and active habits outside of school.	MA-PE.1.hs-level-2
Apply knowledge related to movement, performance High School Level 2	Students use what they know about how the body moves and stays fit to make smarter choices during physical activity. That means adjusting effort, form, or pacing based on what the activity actually demands.	MA-PE.2.hs-level-2
Develop social skills through movement, including respect for self and others… High School Level 2	Students practice working with others during physical activity, taking turns, listening, and adjusting their behavior so the group can keep moving and everyone feels respected.	MA-PE.3.hs-level-2
Develop personal skills, identify personal benefits of movement High School Level 2	Students reflect on what physical activity does for them personally and build habits around the kinds of movement they actually enjoy. The goal is a routine that holds up after gym class ends.	MA-PE.4.hs-level-2

Physical Education

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

MA-PE.1.hs-level-2

High School Level 2

Students practice movement skills like running, balancing, and throwing so those skills carry into sports, workouts, and active habits outside of school.
Apply knowledge related to movement, performance

MA-PE.2.hs-level-2

High School Level 2

Students use what they know about how the body moves and stays fit to make smarter choices during physical activity. That means adjusting effort, form, or pacing based on what the activity actually demands.
Develop social skills through movement, including respect for self and others…

MA-PE.3.hs-level-2

High School Level 2

Students practice working with others during physical activity, taking turns, listening, and adjusting their behavior so the group can keep moving and everyone feels respected.
Develop personal skills, identify personal benefits of movement

MA-PE.4.hs-level-2

High School Level 2

Students reflect on what physical activity does for them personally and build habits around the kinds of movement they actually enjoy. The goal is a routine that holds up after gym class ends.

Standard	Definition	Code
Develop a variety of motor skills, including locomotor, non-locomotor High School Level 2	Students practice movement skills like running, balancing, and throwing so those skills carry into sports, workouts, and active habits outside of school.	MA-PE.1.hs-level-2
Apply knowledge related to movement, performance High School Level 2	Students use what they know about how the body moves and stays fit to make smarter choices during physical activity. That means adjusting effort, form, or pacing based on what the activity actually demands.	MA-PE.2.hs-level-2
Develop social skills through movement, including respect for self and others… High School Level 2	Students practice working with others during physical activity, taking turns, listening, and adjusting their behavior so the group can keep moving and everyone feels respected.	MA-PE.3.hs-level-2
Develop personal skills, identify personal benefits of movement High School Level 2	Students reflect on what physical activity does for them personally and build habits around the kinds of movement they actually enjoy. The goal is a routine that holds up after gym class ends.	MA-PE.4.hs-level-2

Common Questions

What does Physical Education look like at this level?
Students build on the basics and start training like a young adult. They practice sports and fitness activities, learn how exercise affects the body, and work on habits like warming up, setting goals, and tracking progress. The focus shifts from learning new skills to using them well.
How can I help my child stay active at home?
Pick something the family can do together a few times a week, like walking, biking, shooting hoops, or a workout video. Twenty to thirty minutes is plenty. Ask what they worked on in class and let them lead a stretch or warm-up to practice what they learned.
My child says they are not athletic. Does that matter at this level?
No. The goal is lifelong fitness, not making a team. Help them find one activity they actually like, whether that is hiking, dance, yoga, lifting, or pickup games. Showing up regularly matters more than being good at it.
How should I sequence skills and fitness across the year?
A common approach is to alternate skill units with fitness blocks. Start the year with baseline fitness testing and goal setting, then rotate through team sports, individual activities, and personal fitness. Revisit fitness data each quarter so students can see their own progress.
What does mastery look like by the end of the year?
Students can play several activities with solid form and game sense, explain how a workout targets strength, endurance, or flexibility, and design a simple fitness plan for themselves. They also work well with teammates and handle wins and losses without drama.
Which areas usually need the most reteaching?
Pacing during cardio, proper lifting form, and the difference between heart rate zones come up again and again. Game strategy in team sports also needs revisiting, since students often default to chasing the ball instead of playing a position.
How do I grade students fairly when fitness levels vary so much?
Grade effort, growth, and knowledge rather than raw performance. A student who improves their mile time by a minute deserves credit, even if they are not the fastest in class. Skill rubrics and self-assessments help separate fitness from learning.
What should my child know about fitness by the end of this year?
They should be able to explain why warming up matters, what muscles a given exercise works, and how to build a basic workout with cardio, strength, and flexibility. Quiz them casually by asking what they did in class and why.
How do I know my child is ready for the next level?
Students are ready when they can keep up with a moderate workout, follow the rules and strategy of common sports, and talk about their own fitness goals. Cooperation matters too. Coaches and teachers look for students who show up, try hard, and support teammates.