There is no unique definition of circus pedagogy; however, "scholars agree that such a discipline could provide a valid alternative to learn and deepen various mobility contents". This article aims to provide strategies for implementing an elementary physical education Circus Unit. An overview of how to design three basic routines of a…

Surfing has a great educational potential. This paper shows Physical Education (PE) teachers how to introduce surfing in their lessons although they are far from the coast and the waves. Our intention is to show its implementation through several stages that will progressively bring students closer to practicing surfing. For that purpose, we…

The purpose of this article is two fold including how to use functional movement exercises as part of a warm-up routine and how to embed functional fitness movements into youth sport practice sessions.

Taking weight on hands is an important skill that should be taught in physical education. Many teachers shy away from integrating such gymnastics-based skills into the curriculum. This could be for a variety of reasons such as limited knowledge of the content, lack of equipment, students' perceived interest, and fear of injury. The information in…

Ice skating, also called figure skating, can be categorized as a lifetime fitness endeavor. Figure skating has many benefits that allow skaters opportunities to learn and understand motor skill movement and patterns on the ice. The purpose of this article is to share best practices when teaching the fundamentals of figure skating. Included in…

Golf develops physical skills, provides opportunities for recreation and socialization, and is a lifelong physical activity -- making it a worthwhile addition to any physical education curriculum. This article provides information on how a three-day golf unit can be implemented with students in grades 2 and 3.

Beni, Fletcher, and Chróinín examined meaningfulness in PE and suggested five common threads: social interaction, fun, challenge, motor competence, and personally relevant information. Similarly, these threads have been described using the acronym P.R.A.I.S.E. PRAISE stands for Perceived competence, Relatedness, Autonomy, Individuality, Social…

Assessment is the foundation of providing appropriate services and developing effective lesson plans for physical education. If assessment results do not truly represent a child's ability level, the physical education experience for that student may be less meaningful. This can be a concern for students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who may…

This article provides coaches with a guide for using technology and imagery to improve athletes' sport performance of closed motor skills. During the associative phase of skill learning, when young athletes are still learning to refine their technique, it can be difficult for coaches to change athletes' movements and develop their sport skills.…

The improvement and mastery of balance has been considered an important motor-skill concept for children in the past and incorporating new dynamic balance routines in the curriculum could lead to positive outcomes in children's motor development. This article describes dynamic balance routines and drills that can be used as a unit to promote…

Although physical educators may differ on teaching philosophy, individual style or specific drills chosen for instruction, each practitioner should strive to utilize evidence-based practices that have been tested in research whenever possible to facilitate student learning. One area that is important for practitioners to consider is that of motor…

Physically Literacy (PL), a term adopted by SHAPE America in 2014, has been coined the goal of physical education. The purpose of this study is to define PL and give practical applications for physical educators while also reviewing current PL assessments. PL is defined as "the ability to move with competence and confidence in a wide variety…

Physical educators are constantly looking for new ideas and activities that will quickly grab the interest of their students. 9 Square in the Air is a game that does just this. The game was developed as a way to integrate students who enjoy volleyball and those who like Four Square. 9 Square in the Air provides the opportunity for students to use…

Through play and physical activities (PAs), children have many opportunities to develop gross motor skills that require the use of large muscles for movement and control. Young children use gross motor skills as they engage in daily tasks such as sitting upright, maintaining control and balance while seated, walking down the hallway, moving…

Research has discovered a link between physical activity and learning, where students who are more physically active and fit perform better in the classroom. Since most classroom settings are sedentary in nature, physical education is an ideal environment to connect physical activity and classroom content (i.e. math, English language arts,…