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Daily vigorous physical activity must become part of each child’s routine and way of life. The health and physical education program, which includes vigorous physical activity for all learners throughout the school year, will help children to become fit, independent learners; to develop interpersonal skills by interacting with others; and to relate fitness activities to healthy, productive lives. The four components of this strand are physical activity, physical fitness, living skills, and safety.
Physical activity. Participation in physical activity provides students with a variety of opportunities for increasing their self-esteem and developing positive interpersonal skills and attitudes, including practices of fair play and respect for others. Students, individually and in groups, should be strongly encouraged to participate daily in a wide variety of physical activities - dance, gymnastics, aquatics, and fitness and recreational activities (where facilities permit) - and to become increasingly responsible for their own daily physical activity.
Physical fitness. Teachers must use a variety of methods to encourage students to develop such aspects of physical fitness as flexibility, agility, co-ordination, strength, balance, and, especially, cardiovascular respiratory endurance. As levels of fitness improve, the duration of vigorous activity must be regularly increased. Students will become involved in assessing their own fitness levels, setting personal goals, and developing plans to achieve them.
Living skills. The development of living skills (e.g., decision-making, goal-setting, communication, time-management, organizational, problem-solving, conflict-resolution, and interpersonal skills) is an integral part of all aspects of the physical and health education curriculum, but particularly of this strand. The program will help students to combine these living skills with physical activity and fitness skills, and to apply these skills in ways that will be useful throughout their lives.
Safety. Safety must be an integral part of the program. While teachers have responsibility for matters related to supervision, equipment, facilities, and procedures, students must take some responsibility for their own safety at a very young age. Following procedures, using equipment as instructed, and wearing appropriate attire are some ways in which students can contribute to their safe participation in physical activity. Safety is addressed in the overall expectations and is implicit in all of the specific expectations for each grade. Students must fulfil each expectation safely and responsibly without putting themselves and others at risk.
Active Participation: Grade 1
Overall Expectations
By the end of Grade 1, students will:
 participate on a regular basis in physical activities that maintain or improve physical fitness (e.g., games, gymnastics, dance, fitness activities, outdoor pursuits);
recognize the importance of being physically active;
acquire living skills (e.g., basic problem-solving, decision-making, goal-setting, and interpersonal skills) through physical activities (e.g., games, gymnastics, dance, outdoor pursuits);
follow safety procedures related to physical activity, equipment, and facilities.
Specific Expectations
Students will:
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Physical Activity
participate vigorously in all aspects of the program (e.g., physical activity centres, dancing to music, tag games);
display readiness to participate in the instructional program (e.g., joining in readily, wearing appropriate clothing, removing jewellery);
follow instructions, pay attention, and attempt new activities;
Physical Fitness
participate in moderate to vigorous physical activity (e.g., animal-walk fitness circuit) for five to ten minutes;
recognize that the heart is always beating and pumping blood to the muscles and the rest of the body, and that increased activity increases both the work of the heart and the speed of breathing;
Living Skills
participate in class or small-group discussion activities related to physical activity (e.g., goal setting through a theme-related activity such as a walk-run to the Olympics);
work co-operatively with others (e.g., sharing equipment, helping others);
demonstrate respect for others in group situations (e.g., being courteous, speaking kindly).
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Active Participation: Grade 2
Overall Expectations
By the end of Grade 2, students will:
participate on a regular basis in physical activities that maintain or improve physical fitness (e.g., games, gymnastics, dance);
recognize the personal benefits of being physically active;
acquire living skills (e.g., basic problem-solving, decision-making, goal-setting, and interpersonal skills) through physical activities (e.g., games, gymnastics, dance, outdoor pursuits);
follow safety procedures related to physical activity, equipment, and facilities.
Specific Expectations
Students will:
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Physical Activity
participate vigorously in all aspects of the program (e.g., individual and group activities, dancing to music, co-operative games);
identify the reasons for participating in regular physical activity;
display readiness to participate in the instructional program (e.g., taking out and putting away equipment, joining in readily, wearing appropriate clothing, and applying sun protection when necessary);
stay on task, follow instructions, pay attention, and see tasks through to completion;
Physical Fitness
participate in moderate to vigorous physical activity (e.g., an aerobics routine) for five to ten minutes;
explain the importance of stretching the large muscle groups through warm-ups before physical activity;
recognize that the body needs activity for sustained amounts of time to improve the strength of the heart and lungs;
assess their degree of exertion in physical activities (e.g., by calculating their heart beat or breathing rate);
Living Skills
participate in personal or group goal setting related to physical activity (e.g., to bring proper clothing for gymnastics, to bench step for two minutes);
demonstrate appropriate interpersonal skills and respectful behaviour (e.g., displaying etiquette, playing fairly, co-operating) in physical activities;
provide help to and ask for help from group members.
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Active Participation: Grade 3
Overall Expectations
By the end of Grade 3, students will:
participate on a regular basis in physical activities that maintain or improve physical fitness (e.g., skipping to music);
recognize the personal benefits of being physically active;
acquire living skills (e.g., basic problem-solving, decision-making, goal-setting, and interpersonal skills) through physical activities (e.g., games, gymnastics, dance, outdoor pursuits);
follow safety procedures related to physical activity, equipment, and facilities.
Specific Expectations
Students will:
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Physical Activity
participate vigorously in all aspects of the program (e.g., tag games, outdoor pursuits);
demonstrate an awareness of the importance of being physically active in their leisure time;
describe the health benefits of participating in regular physical activity (e.g., developing a strong heart and lungs);
Physical Fitness
participate in moderate to vigorous physical activity (e.g., power walking) for eight to ten minutes;
identify the new capabilities (skills) that result from improved physical fitness (e.g., being able to run farther, requiring shorter rest periods);
assess their degree of exertion in physical activities (e.g., by taking a “talk test”);
Living Skills
adopt an action plan based on an individual or group goal related to physical activity (e.g., power walking for one kilometre three times a week);
demonstrate respect for the abilities and feelings of others (e.g., accepting everyone into the group);
follow the rules of fair play in games and activities (e.g., giving everyone a chance to play);
communicate positively to help and encourage others.
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Active Participation: Grade 4
Overall Expectations
By the end of Grade 4, students will:
participate on a regular basis in physical activities that maintain or improve physical fitness (e.g., tag games);
identify the benefits of physical fitness;
apply living skills · such as goal setting, conflict-resolution techniques, and interpersonal skills (e.g., playing fairly, co-operating, behaving respectfully) - to physical activities (e.g., games, gymnastics, dance, outdoor pursuits);
demonstrate a variety of interpersonal skills (e.g., playing fairly, co-operating, behaving respectfully);
follow safety procedures related to physical activity, equipment, and facilities.
Specific Expectations
Students will:
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Physical Activity
participate vigorously in all aspects of the program (e.g., lead-up games, creative dance);
identify the factors that motivate participation in daily physical activity (e.g., fun, improved health, increased energy level);
Physical Fitness
improve their fitness levels by participating in vigorous physical activities (e.g., line dancing) for sustained periods of time (e.g., ten to fifteen minutes), including appropriate warm-up and cool- down procedures;
recognize that the health of the heart and lungs is improved by physical activity (e.g., aerobics activities to music);
recognize that muscle strength and endurance increase with exercise and physical activity;
monitor their pulse rates before and after physical activity (e.g., locate and compare their pulses before and after taking part in physical activity, and explain the reasons for differences in pulse rates);
Living Skills
use a goal-setting process (e.g., set a realistic goal, identify and address barriers, prepare an action plan, decide who can help, and identify how to know when the goal has been reached) related to physical activity;
follow the rules of fair play in games and activities (e.g., displaying good sports etiquette by maintaining self-control whether winning or losing);
demonstrate respectful behaviour towards others in the group (e.g., speaking kindly, refraining from hurtful comments, acknowledging others’ ideas and opinions).
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Active Participation: Grade 5
Overall Expectations
By the end of Grade 5, students will:
participate on a regular basis in physical activities that maintain or improve physical fitness (e.g., one-on-one or two-on-two soccer-type games);
identify the components of physical fitness and describe physical activities that improve these components;
apply living skills (e.g., goal setting, conflict-resolution techniques, and interpersonal skills that contribute to positive group interaction) to physical activities (e.g., games, gymnastics, dance, outdoor pursuits);
follow safety procedures related to physical activity, equipment, and facilities.
Specific Expectations
Students will:
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Physical Activity
participate vigorously in all aspects of the program (e.g., gymnastic stations, fitness circuit);
describe the factors that motivate participation in daily physical activity (e.g., seeing an activity on TV, idolizing a sports hero, doing an activity with your family) and connect them to various activities;
Physical Fitness
improve their fitness levels by participating in vigorous physical activities (e.g., rope skipping to music) for sustained periods of time (e.g., ten to fifteen minutes), including appropriate warm-up and cool-down procedures;
describe the components of physical fitness and relate each component to an appropriate physical activity (e.g., cardiorespiratory · skipping; muscle endurance - abdominal crunches; muscle strength · push-ups; flexibility - sit and reach);
assess their progress in fitness-enhancing activities at regular intervals (e.g., weekly monitoring of their pulses before and after running or completing exercise circuits);
Living Skills
incorporate time-management and organizational skills in the goal-setting process (e.g., set a realistic goal, identify and address barriers, prepare an action plan, decide who can help, and identify how to know when the goal has been reached) related to physical activity or personal fitness.
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