What does fourth grade PE actually look like this year?

Students practice running, jumping, skipping, throwing, catching, kicking, and striking with paddles or bats. They start combining those skills in small games and simple team activities. Expect more focus on form, fair play, and staying active for longer stretches.

How can families support PE at home in 10 minutes a day?

Toss a ball back and forth, jump rope in the driveway, or take a quick walk after dinner. The goal is regular movement, not a workout. Asking what students did in PE that day often gets them to show off a new skill.

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

Students throw and catch with a partner without dropping much, dribble a ball while moving, and jump rope on their own. They follow rules in small games, take turns, and recover quickly when a team loses a point. Most can stay active for 15 to 20 minutes without long breaks.

What if movement skills feel hard or embarrassing?

Skills get easier with quiet practice away from a crowd. A few minutes of catching, kicking, or skipping in the backyard each week builds confidence fast. Praise effort and small wins rather than how it looks compared to other kids.

How should manipulative skills be sequenced across the year?

Start with underhand throwing, catching, and dribbling with hands and feet. Move to overhand throwing, striking with short paddles, and then striking with longer bats or sticks. Save partner and small-sided games for after each skill is steady on its own.

Which skills usually need the most reteaching?

Overhand throwing form, catching balls above the head, and jumping rope tend to lag behind. Short skill stations with clear cues help more than long full-class drills. Quick check-ins on form during games catch students who fake it through warm-ups.

How is fitness taught without turning kids off exercise?

Fitness shows up inside games and activities, not as punishment laps. Students learn what a warm heart and quick breathing feel like, and why both matter. The aim is building a habit of daily movement, not hitting a number on a test.

How are cooperation and respect built into class?

Students rotate partners, share equipment, and practice cheering for teammates instead of arguing calls. Teachers name the behavior they want to see before each activity and call it out when it happens. Repeating those routines all year is what makes them stick.

How can families tell their child is ready for fifth grade PE?

Students should be able to play a simple game like four square or kickball without melting down over rules. They should also pick a physical activity they enjoy and do it on their own sometimes. Comfort with sweating and trying again after a miss matters more than any one skill.

What does a student learn in ?

This is the year movement skills start coming together in real games and routines. Students combine running, jumping, throwing, and catching with more control, and they begin to understand why warm-ups, pacing, and effort matter for staying healthy. They practice working with partners and small teams, taking turns, and handling wins and losses. By spring, students can join a team game, follow the rules, and name one way exercise helps their body.

Motor skills
Team games
Fitness basics
Cooperation
Healthy habits

Source: Connecticut Connecticut Core Standards

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
Moving safely and working together
Students start the year practicing how to share space, follow directions, and play fair in group games. Parents may hear about new classmates, taking turns, and learning rules for the gym.
2
Running, jumping, and balance
Students sharpen the basic ways the body moves, such as skipping, hopping, dodging, and balancing. The goal is smoother control so harder games and sports feel easier later.
3
Throwing, catching, and kicking
Students work on handling balls and equipment with more accuracy. Expect practice with throwing to a target, catching on the move, kicking, and striking with a paddle or bat.
4
Games, teamwork, and strategy
Students put skills together in small-sided games. They practice passing to teammates, finding open space, and talking through simple plans, while learning to win and lose with good sportsmanship.
5
Fitness and healthy habits
Students learn what a strong heart, stretched muscles, and a good warm-up feel like. They set small fitness goals and talk about why daily activity, sleep, and water matter.

Mastery Learning Standards

The required skills a student should display by the end of Grade 4.

Physical Education

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

CT-PE.1.4

Students practice moving their bodies in different ways: running, jumping, balancing, throwing, and catching. Building these skills gives students more ways to join in games and stay active.
Apply knowledge related to movement, performance

CT-PE.2.4

Students connect what they know about how the body moves and stays healthy to make smarter choices during games, exercises, and other physical activities.
Develop social skills through movement, including respect for self and others…

CT-PE.3.4

Students practice working with classmates during physical activities, taking turns, listening, and treating others fairly. The focus is on how students act and communicate, not just how they move.
Develop personal skills, identify personal benefits of movement

CT-PE.4.4

Students practice physical skills and learn why staying active matters, then make their own choices about activities they enjoy. The goal is building habits that keep them healthy long after fourth grade.

Standard	Definition	Code
Develop a variety of motor skills, including locomotor, non-locomotor	Students practice moving their bodies in different ways: running, jumping, balancing, throwing, and catching. Building these skills gives students more ways to join in games and stay active.	CT-PE.1.4
Apply knowledge related to movement, performance	Students connect what they know about how the body moves and stays healthy to make smarter choices during games, exercises, and other physical activities.	CT-PE.2.4
Develop social skills through movement, including respect for self and others…	Students practice working with classmates during physical activities, taking turns, listening, and treating others fairly. The focus is on how students act and communicate, not just how they move.	CT-PE.3.4
Develop personal skills, identify personal benefits of movement	Students practice physical skills and learn why staying active matters, then make their own choices about activities they enjoy. The goal is building habits that keep them healthy long after fourth grade.	CT-PE.4.4

Physical Education

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

CT-PE.1.4

Students practice moving their bodies in different ways: running, jumping, balancing, throwing, and catching. Building these skills gives students more ways to join in games and stay active.
Apply knowledge related to movement, performance

CT-PE.2.4

Students connect what they know about how the body moves and stays healthy to make smarter choices during games, exercises, and other physical activities.
Develop social skills through movement, including respect for self and others…

CT-PE.3.4

Students practice working with classmates during physical activities, taking turns, listening, and treating others fairly. The focus is on how students act and communicate, not just how they move.
Develop personal skills, identify personal benefits of movement

CT-PE.4.4

Students practice physical skills and learn why staying active matters, then make their own choices about activities they enjoy. The goal is building habits that keep them healthy long after fourth grade.

Standard	Definition	Code
Develop a variety of motor skills, including locomotor, non-locomotor	Students practice moving their bodies in different ways: running, jumping, balancing, throwing, and catching. Building these skills gives students more ways to join in games and stay active.	CT-PE.1.4
Apply knowledge related to movement, performance	Students connect what they know about how the body moves and stays healthy to make smarter choices during games, exercises, and other physical activities.	CT-PE.2.4
Develop social skills through movement, including respect for self and others…	Students practice working with classmates during physical activities, taking turns, listening, and treating others fairly. The focus is on how students act and communicate, not just how they move.	CT-PE.3.4
Develop personal skills, identify personal benefits of movement	Students practice physical skills and learn why staying active matters, then make their own choices about activities they enjoy. The goal is building habits that keep them healthy long after fourth grade.	CT-PE.4.4

Common Questions

What does fourth grade PE actually look like this year?
Students practice running, jumping, skipping, throwing, catching, kicking, and striking with paddles or bats. They start combining those skills in small games and simple team activities. Expect more focus on form, fair play, and staying active for longer stretches.
How can families support PE at home in 10 minutes a day?
Toss a ball back and forth, jump rope in the driveway, or take a quick walk after dinner. The goal is regular movement, not a workout. Asking what students did in PE that day often gets them to show off a new skill.
What does mastery look like by the end of the year?
Students throw and catch with a partner without dropping much, dribble a ball while moving, and jump rope on their own. They follow rules in small games, take turns, and recover quickly when a team loses a point. Most can stay active for 15 to 20 minutes without long breaks.
What if movement skills feel hard or embarrassing?
Skills get easier with quiet practice away from a crowd. A few minutes of catching, kicking, or skipping in the backyard each week builds confidence fast. Praise effort and small wins rather than how it looks compared to other kids.
How should manipulative skills be sequenced across the year?
Start with underhand throwing, catching, and dribbling with hands and feet. Move to overhand throwing, striking with short paddles, and then striking with longer bats or sticks. Save partner and small-sided games for after each skill is steady on its own.
Which skills usually need the most reteaching?
Overhand throwing form, catching balls above the head, and jumping rope tend to lag behind. Short skill stations with clear cues help more than long full-class drills. Quick check-ins on form during games catch students who fake it through warm-ups.
How is fitness taught without turning kids off exercise?
Fitness shows up inside games and activities, not as punishment laps. Students learn what a warm heart and quick breathing feel like, and why both matter. The aim is building a habit of daily movement, not hitting a number on a test.
How are cooperation and respect built into class?
Students rotate partners, share equipment, and practice cheering for teammates instead of arguing calls. Teachers name the behavior they want to see before each activity and call it out when it happens. Repeating those routines all year is what makes them stick.
How can families tell their child is ready for fifth grade PE?
Students should be able to play a simple game like four square or kickball without melting down over rules. They should also pick a physical activity they enjoy and do it on their own sometimes. Comfort with sweating and trying again after a miss matters more than any one skill.