Unit Plan 3 (Grade 5 PE): Locomotor Agility & Evasion
Grade 5 PE agility and evasion unit plan using locomotor skills, fakes, and direction changes to improve movement control, fitness, and game performance.
Focus: Combine locomotor skills with fakes, levels, and sharp changes of direction to gain advantage in movement challenges and tag-style games.
Grade Level: 5
Subject Area: Physical Education (Movement Skills • Agility & Evasion • Fitness & Game Application)
Total Unit Duration: 1 core session + 2 optional sessions (1–3 weeks), 50–60 minutes per session
I. Introduction
Students develop stronger movement control by practicing how to accelerate, stop, change direction, and evade others safely and effectively. This unit emphasizes combining locomotor patterns—such as running, shuffling, backpedaling, skipping, hopping, and leaping—with balance, coordination, and fakes. Students learn that successful evasion is not just about speed; it also involves body control, pathway choices, and using high, medium, and low levels to trick or avoid defenders. Through ladder and cone drills, Zone Tag, and Defender vs. Runner Courses, students build movement confidence while staying engaged in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity for most of class.
Essential Questions
- How can I combine different locomotor skills smoothly when I need to speed up, slow down, or change direction?
- How do fakes, pathways, and levels help me gain an advantage during tag and evasion games?
- Why are balance and controlled landings important when I move quickly or change direction?
- How can I stay active, safe, and under control during fast-moving agility activities?
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:
- Perform a variety of locomotor movements with control, speed changes, and quick transitions between patterns.
- Maintain balance, stability, and coordination while jumping, landing, lowering levels, and changing direction in movement tasks.
- Use varied pathways (straight, curved, zigzag), levels (high, medium, low), and simple fakes to evade defenders or avoid being tagged.
- Apply agility and evasion skills in game-like settings where they must read space and choose smart movement options.
- Stay engaged in moderate-to-vigorous activity for most of class by moving continuously, transitioning quickly, and rejoining activities safely.
Standards Alignment — 5th Grade (SHAPE America-based custom)
- PE:S1.5a – Locomotor Skills with Speed, Control, and Transitions Perform locomotor movements (run, hop, jump, leap, slide, gallop, skip) with control, using changes in speed and direction smoothly in game and activity settings.
- Example: Students use quick accelerations, controlled stops, and sharp directional changes while playing tag, invasion games, or in relay events.
- PE:S1.5b – Balance, Stability, and Coordination in Complex Tasks Maintain static and dynamic balance while performing more complex movements, such as jumping, landing, rotating, and changing levels.
- Example: Students complete an obstacle course that includes single-leg balances, low beams, and controlled landings from jumps without losing stability.
- PE:S2.5b – Pathways, Levels, and Fakes to Gain Advantage Use varied pathways (straight, curved, zigzag), levels (high, medium, low), and simple “fakes” or feints to gain advantage over opponents.
- Example: A student uses a head fake and low-level cut to evade a defender in a flag game, then accelerates into open space to receive a pass.
- PE:S3.5a – Sustained Participation in Moderate-to-Vigorous Activity Participate actively and continuously in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) for significant portions of class without frequent off-task behavior.
- Example: During fitness circuits or small-sided games, students remain engaged and moving, minimizing standing time between turns.
Success Criteria — Student Language
- I can move with speed and control while switching between different locomotor skills.
- I can show balance when I stop, land, turn, or move to different levels.
- I can use fakes, zigzags, and level changes to avoid a tagger or defender.
- I can stay active and keep trying during agility and evasion activities for most of class.
- I can explain which movement choice helped me get open or escape most effectively.