Unit Plan 34 (Grade 2 PE): Student Choice Games
Engage Grade 2 students with active PE stations like tag, soccer, and fitness circuits while building movement skills, choice, and participation.
Focus: Help students identify preferred physical activities, make simple activity choices, and stay actively engaged through rotating game stations that include tag, soccer mini-games, balloon volleyball, and fitness challenges.
Grade Level: 2
Subject Area: Physical Education (Preference & Choice • Active Participation • Locomotor Skills)
Total Unit Duration: 1 core session + 2 optional sessions (1–3 weeks), 50–60 minutes per session
I. Introduction
Students learn that being active can look different for different people. Some students love running games, some enjoy kicking and passing, some like rhythmic or cooperative activities, and others enjoy fitness challenges. This unit gives students a chance to explore several familiar PE activities in one lesson sequence and begin noticing which types of movement they enjoy most. Through a student-choice warm-up menu and rotating stations that include tag, soccer mini-games, balloon volleyball, and a fitness circuit, students practice making appropriate choices, staying active, and using locomotor skills with control. The goal is to help students recognize that active choices can be fun, personal, and worth repeating both at school and at home.
Essential Questions
- What kinds of physical activities do I enjoy the most?
- How can I make a good choice and still stay active during PE?
- How can I use locomotor skills safely in different kinds of games?
- How can trying different activities help me find favorites for school and home?
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:
- Identify favorite types of physical activities after trying several movement stations.
- Participate actively in multiple game and activity choices for much of class time.
- Use locomotor skills such as jogging, skipping, running, sliding, and jumping with control in a variety of activities.
- Make appropriate choices during student-choice opportunities while following class routines and safety expectations.
Standards Alignment — 2nd Grade (SHAPE America-based custom)
- PE:S5.2c – Preference & Choice Identify favorite types of physical activities and show interest in being active at school and at home.
- Example: Students name favorite activities like soccer, tag, biking, or dancing and express wanting to do them again.
- PE:S3.2a – Active Participation in MVPA Participate consistently in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity during class activities and games.
- Example: Students remain active during a series of tag games, fitness challenges, or relay activities without sitting out unless instructed.
- PE:S1.2a – Locomotor Skills with Control Perform locomotor skills (run, hop, jump, gallop, slide, leap, and skip) with control, coordination, and appropriate speed for the task.
- Example: Students complete a locomotor obstacle course using different movements at various points (run to the cone, hop through hoops, slide along a line).
Success Criteria — Student Language
- I can choose an activity and stay active in it.
- I can tell which games or movement activities I like best.
- I can use jogging, running, skipping, sliding, or jumping with control in different stations.
- I can follow station rules and rotate safely when it is time to switch.