Unit Plan 32 (Grade 7 PE): Walking/Running Club & Weekly Activity Plans

Focus: Build stronger pacing strategies, sustain moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, and create realistic weekly activity plans that connect school movement to out-of-school habits.

Grade Level: 7

Subject Area: Physical Education

Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 45–55 minutes per session

I. Introduction

In this Grade 7 Physical Education unit, students explore walking and running as practical lifelong activities that can support fitness, stress relief, and healthy weekly routines. Through pacing practice, interval work, lap challenges, and simple planning tasks, students learn that successful running is not about going as fast as possible all the time. Instead, students focus on choosing a pace they can sustain, monitoring their effort, and connecting their movement choices to personal fitness goals. The unit also emphasizes that regular activity does not only happen in PE class; students are encouraged to think about how walking, jogging, and other movement options can fit into their lives outside school. By the end of the week, students should be able to explain how pacing, effort monitoring, and planning support consistent activity and long-term fitness progress.

Essential Questions

• How can students choose a pace that helps them stay active longer and more successfully?
• What tools can help someone monitor effort and adjust during walking or running?
• How can weekly planning make physical activity more realistic and consistent?
• How does regular walking or running support physical, mental, and social well-being?

II. Objectives and Standards

Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:

1. Stay actively engaged in walking and running activities for significant portions of class time.
2. Monitor exercise intensity using RPE, breathing, talk test, or body feedback and adjust pace when needed.
3. Reflect on how walking/running progress connects to fitness planning and personal goals.
4. Make or revise a short-term weekly activity plan that includes PE and outside-of-school movement.
5. Reflect on how daily choices such as activity level, sleep, hydration, and routine affect energy and performance.
6. Explain how regular physical activity supports physical fitness, mental health, and social well-being.

Standards Alignment — Grade 7 PE (SHAPE America-based custom)

• PE:S3.7a – Consistent Engagement in Moderate-to-Vigorous Activity Participate actively and consistently in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity for significant portions of class and show effort to reduce non-active time.
  • Example: During lap challenges and interval sessions, students stay engaged, continue moving between efforts, and minimize downtime.
• PE:S3.7b – Monitoring Activity Intensity & Making Adjustments Use heart rate, perceived exertion, talk test, or other tools to monitor activity intensity and adjust pace, duration, or rest to meet personal goals or target zones.
  • Example: During walking/running intervals, students use an effort scale or breathing cues to decide whether to slow down, maintain pace, or increase effort.
• PE:S3.7d – Developing, Implementing & Evaluating a Fitness Plan Create a short-term fitness plan that includes realistic goals, chosen activities, and planned FITT details, follow it for a set time, and evaluate progress and barriers.
  • Example: A student updates a weekly walking/running plan based on progress, challenges, and how regularly they have actually been active.
• PE:S3.7e – Making and Reflecting on Healthy Lifestyle Choices Identify and reflect on daily choices (activity, nutrition, sleep, hydration, substance avoidance, screen time) that impact health, and commit to improving at least one area.
  • Example: A student reflects on how hydration, sleep, and regular activity affect running comfort, energy, and focus during PE.
• PE:S5.7b – Describing Physical, Mental & Social Benefits of Activity Explain how regular physical activity supports physical fitness, mental health (stress relief, mood, focus), and social well-being (friendships, teamwork, belonging).
  • Example: Students describe how walking or running can improve endurance, reduce stress, and provide a way to be active with friends or family.
• PE:S5.7d – Planning & Seeking Opportunities for Regular Activity Make simple plans for being physically active across a week, both in and out of school, and recognize or seek out local opportunities to be active.
  • Example: A student creates a weekly plan that includes PE, neighborhood walking, running with family, active transportation, or weekend recreation.

Success Criteria — Student Language

• I can stay active during walking and running tasks without quitting too early.
• I can use pace and effort tools to decide when to slow down or push a little more.
• I can explain how walking or running helps fitness, stress, and overall health.
• I can update or create a realistic weekly activity plan.
• I can connect my energy and performance to daily choices like sleep, hydration, and activity habits.