Unit Plan 35 (Grade 8 PE): Obstacle Courses & Adventure Challenges

Focus: Combine multiple movement skills through an adventure obstacle course that includes jumps, crawls, balance tasks, throws, and climbs, while building perseverance, sustained effort, and strong peer encouragement.

Grade Level: 8

Subject Area: Physical Education

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

I. Introduction

In this unit, students apply strength, coordination, balance, agility, and problem-solving through obstacle courses and adventure-style challenges. Rather than practicing one movement skill at a time, students move through linked tasks that require them to transition smoothly between jumping, landing, crawling, balancing, throwing, and climbing while maintaining control. Because obstacle courses also test determination and mindset, students focus on perseverance, positive self-talk, and encouraging peers through physically and mentally demanding moments. By the end of the unit, students should be able to explain their strengths, identify a growth area, and show how teamwork and encouragement improve performance.

Essential Questions

• How do I combine different movement skills efficiently and safely during an obstacle course?
• What helps me maintain balance, body control, and coordination when I become tired?
• How do perseverance and positive peer support affect success in adventure challenges?
• What do obstacle courses reveal about my personal strengths, preferences, and areas for growth?

II. Objectives and Standards

Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:

1. Perform locomotor skills such as sprinting, shuffling, crawling, and jumping with control during obstacle-course tasks.
2. Demonstrate balance, stability, and safe landings while moving through uneven or changing task demands.
3. Combine multiple skills in sequence, including locomotor, manipulative, and stability actions, while staying under control.
4. Sustain active participation for most of class during repeated course runs, timed challenges, or station rotations.
5. Encourage teammates positively and help create an inclusive environment where everyone can attempt and improve.
6. Reflect on personal strengths, preferences, and one realistic goal for growth related to obstacle-course or adventure-style activity.

Standards Alignment — Grade 8 PE (SHAPE America-based custom)

• PE:S1.8a – Locomotor Skills with Speed, Agility & Game Awareness Perform locomotor skills (sprinting, shuffling, backpedaling, cutting, bounding) with control and precision while reading the game and adjusting movements to create or close space.
  • Example: In a fast-paced challenge, a student sprints to the next station, changes direction quickly, and adjusts speed to stay in control near equipment and classmates.
• PE:S1.8b – Advanced Balance, Stability & Coordination in Dynamic Play Maintain balance and body control during advanced movements involving jumping, landing, rotating, dodging, and contact or near-contact, even when fatigued.
  • Example: A student lands softly from a jump, steps across a balance task, and stays controlled while transitioning immediately into the next part of the course.
• PE:S1.8f – Integrating Complex Skill Combinations in Continuous Play Combine locomotor, manipulative, and stability skills in complex, continuous sequences during game play, maintaining form and control throughout.
  • Example: A student crawls under a barrier, jumps over hurdles, makes a target throw, balances across a line, and finishes with a sprint while maintaining good control.
• PE:S3.8a – Sustained Engagement in Moderate-to-Vigorous Activity Participate actively in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity for most of class time and demonstrate the ability to sustain effort across longer intervals or game play.
  • Example: During repeated obstacle-course rounds or circuit challenges, a student stays engaged, recovers quickly, and completes each station with evident effort.
• PE:S4.8b – Leadership, Teamwork & Inclusive Participation Demonstrate leadership and teamwork by organizing groups, facilitating fair play, encouraging peers, and ensuring all students are included and respected.
  • Example: A student helps their group rotate smoothly, offers encouraging feedback, and makes sure teammates of different ability levels feel supported and included.
• PE:S5.8a – Recognizing Preferences, Strengths & Areas for Growth Identify personal strengths and preferences in physical activity and use that understanding to set meaningful improvement goals and make activity choices.
  • Example: A student notices they enjoy challenge-based courses and identifies that their balance is a strength while setting a goal to improve upper-body endurance or coordination.

Success Criteria — Student Language

• I can move through an obstacle course using control, speed, and safe body position.
• I can show balance and coordination during jumps, crawls, climbs, and other challenge tasks.
• I can combine different movement skills in sequence without losing focus or form.
• I can stay active and keep trying, even when the course feels tiring or difficult.
• I can encourage others in a positive way and help my group stay inclusive and supportive.
• I can identify one strength I showed and one goal I want to improve.