What should students be able to do in PE by the end of this year?

Students should move with control in a range of games and activities, from running and jumping to throwing, catching, and dribbling. They should also explain how exercise affects the body, work well with teammates, and pick activities they enjoy enough to keep doing outside of class.

How can families support PE at home?

Build short bursts of movement into the week, like a bike ride, a walk after dinner, or shooting hoops in the driveway. Ask what activities students liked in PE that day. Showing interest goes a long way at this age, when many students start dropping sports.

My child says they are bad at sports. What can I do?

Help students find activities that are not team sports, such as hiking, biking, swimming, dance, climbing, or strength workouts. The goal at this age is staying active for life, not making a varsity team. Confidence usually grows once students find a movement they actually enjoy.

How much physical activity should students get outside of PE class?

Aim for about an hour of activity most days, which can be split into shorter chunks. Walking the dog, riding to a friend's house, and playing pickup games all count. Screen breaks that involve standing or stretching also help.

How should fitness concepts be sequenced across the year?

Start with the basics of warm-up, heart rate, and effort, then layer in the five fitness components as students try different activities. Revisit each concept in new contexts so students see how strength, endurance, and flexibility show up in games, dance, and lifetime sports.

Which skills usually need the most reteaching in eighth grade?

Defensive positioning, pacing during endurance work, and cooperative communication tend to lag behind throwing and striking skills. Many students also need reminders on how to set a fitness goal that is specific and realistic instead of vague.

How can social skills be built into PE without losing activity time?

Use small-sided games and rotating partners so students have to communicate often and briefly. Quick team huddles before and after a round give students a chance to plan, give feedback, and reset behavior without long stoppages.

What does mastery look like before students move to high school PE?

Students can join a new activity, follow the rules, apply a basic strategy, and play safely with peers they did not choose. They can also describe their own fitness in honest terms and name at least one activity they plan to keep doing on their own.

What does a student learn in ?

This is the year P.E. shifts from learning the moves to using them on purpose. Students sharpen skills they already have, like throwing, dodging, and pacing themselves, and apply fitness ideas to push their own progress in games and workouts. They also practice the social side of sport, such as cooperating with a team and handling wins and losses. By spring, students can set a simple fitness goal and stick with an activity outside of class.

Motor skills
Fitness concepts
Teamwork
Sportsmanship
Personal goals
Lifelong activity

Source: Florida B.E.S.T. 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
Skills and fitness check-in
Students start the year by warming up movement skills and testing their current fitness. They learn what counts as a good warm-up and how to track things like strength, heart rate, and flexibility.
2
Team sports and cooperation
Students move into team games like basketball, soccer, or volleyball. The focus is passing, defense, and working with teammates who play at different levels without losing their cool.
3
Training for personal fitness
Students plan their own workouts and learn how exercise actually changes the body. They set goals around strength, endurance, or flexibility and track progress over several weeks.
4
Lifetime activities and wellness
Students try activities they can keep doing as adults, like hiking, yoga, dance, or racket sports. They reflect on which ones they enjoy and how regular movement fits into a healthy life.

Mastery Learning Standards

The required skills a student should display by the end of Grade 8.

Physical Education

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

FL-PE.1.8

Students practice moving their bodies with control, from basic motions like running and jumping to handling equipment like balls and rackets. These skills form the foundation for staying active in sports and everyday movement.
Apply knowledge related to movement, performance

FL-PE.2.8

Students use what they know about how the body moves and stays fit to make smarter choices during physical activity. That means adjusting pace, form, or effort based on what the activity actually demands.
Develop social skills through movement, including respect for self and others…

FL-PE.3.8

Students practice working with others during physical activities by taking turns, listening, and adjusting their behavior to keep the group moving safely and fairly.
Develop personal skills, identify personal benefits of movement

FL-PE.4.8

Students reflect on which physical activities they enjoy and actually stick with them outside of class. The goal is building habits now that hold up long after school ends.

Standard	Definition	Code
Develop a variety of motor skills, including locomotor, non-locomotor	Students practice moving their bodies with control, from basic motions like running and jumping to handling equipment like balls and rackets. These skills form the foundation for staying active in sports and everyday movement.	FL-PE.1.8
Apply knowledge related to movement, performance	Students use what they know about how the body moves and stays fit to make smarter choices during physical activity. That means adjusting pace, form, or effort based on what the activity actually demands.	FL-PE.2.8
Develop social skills through movement, including respect for self and others…	Students practice working with others during physical activities by taking turns, listening, and adjusting their behavior to keep the group moving safely and fairly.	FL-PE.3.8
Develop personal skills, identify personal benefits of movement	Students reflect on which physical activities they enjoy and actually stick with them outside of class. The goal is building habits now that hold up long after school ends.	FL-PE.4.8

Physical Education

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

FL-PE.1.8

Students practice moving their bodies with control, from basic motions like running and jumping to handling equipment like balls and rackets. These skills form the foundation for staying active in sports and everyday movement.
Apply knowledge related to movement, performance

FL-PE.2.8

Students use what they know about how the body moves and stays fit to make smarter choices during physical activity. That means adjusting pace, form, or effort based on what the activity actually demands.
Develop social skills through movement, including respect for self and others…

FL-PE.3.8

Students practice working with others during physical activities by taking turns, listening, and adjusting their behavior to keep the group moving safely and fairly.
Develop personal skills, identify personal benefits of movement

FL-PE.4.8

Students reflect on which physical activities they enjoy and actually stick with them outside of class. The goal is building habits now that hold up long after school ends.

Standard	Definition	Code
Develop a variety of motor skills, including locomotor, non-locomotor	Students practice moving their bodies with control, from basic motions like running and jumping to handling equipment like balls and rackets. These skills form the foundation for staying active in sports and everyday movement.	FL-PE.1.8
Apply knowledge related to movement, performance	Students use what they know about how the body moves and stays fit to make smarter choices during physical activity. That means adjusting pace, form, or effort based on what the activity actually demands.	FL-PE.2.8
Develop social skills through movement, including respect for self and others…	Students practice working with others during physical activities by taking turns, listening, and adjusting their behavior to keep the group moving safely and fairly.	FL-PE.3.8
Develop personal skills, identify personal benefits of movement	Students reflect on which physical activities they enjoy and actually stick with them outside of class. The goal is building habits now that hold up long after school ends.	FL-PE.4.8

Common Questions

What should students be able to do in PE by the end of this year?
Students should move with control in a range of games and activities, from running and jumping to throwing, catching, and dribbling. They should also explain how exercise affects the body, work well with teammates, and pick activities they enjoy enough to keep doing outside of class.
How can families support PE at home?
Build short bursts of movement into the week, like a bike ride, a walk after dinner, or shooting hoops in the driveway. Ask what activities students liked in PE that day. Showing interest goes a long way at this age, when many students start dropping sports.
My child says they are bad at sports. What can I do?
Help students find activities that are not team sports, such as hiking, biking, swimming, dance, climbing, or strength workouts. The goal at this age is staying active for life, not making a varsity team. Confidence usually grows once students find a movement they actually enjoy.
How much physical activity should students get outside of PE class?
Aim for about an hour of activity most days, which can be split into shorter chunks. Walking the dog, riding to a friend's house, and playing pickup games all count. Screen breaks that involve standing or stretching also help.
How should fitness concepts be sequenced across the year?
Start with the basics of warm-up, heart rate, and effort, then layer in the five fitness components as students try different activities. Revisit each concept in new contexts so students see how strength, endurance, and flexibility show up in games, dance, and lifetime sports.
Which skills usually need the most reteaching in eighth grade?
Defensive positioning, pacing during endurance work, and cooperative communication tend to lag behind throwing and striking skills. Many students also need reminders on how to set a fitness goal that is specific and realistic instead of vague.
How can social skills be built into PE without losing activity time?
Use small-sided games and rotating partners so students have to communicate often and briefly. Quick team huddles before and after a round give students a chance to plan, give feedback, and reset behavior without long stoppages.
What does mastery look like before students move to high school PE?
Students can join a new activity, follow the rules, apply a basic strategy, and play safely with peers they did not choose. They can also describe their own fitness in honest terms and name at least one activity they plan to keep doing on their own.