Instant Activities
(Elementary K-5)

Created by Aaron Hart, Jim DeLine, Brandon Herwick, Jenna Knapp, Nick Kline, Andy Pickett, and Andrea Hart, RD

Physical educators know and understand the need to get students active and engaged as soon as they enter the PE classroom. This collection of instant activities serves to help teachers get students moving quickly, while also providing meaningful learning tasks designed to work toward grade-level outcomes.

Each activity in this collection focuses on one standard and one strand of outcomes, typically fitness knowledge with an emphasis on nutrition. The activity plan has been simplified to keep instruction concise yet effective, planting seeds of awareness that will grow throughout the entire school year.

Learn more about unpacking the Nutrition Outcomes of Standard 3 with this conference handout from Andrea Hart, RDN, CDN and Aaron Hart.
Nutrition Outcomes & Instant Activities [Conference Handout PDF]

National Standards and Outcomes Focus for Instant Activities

• Standard 1 [E16.3-5c] Catches a gently tossed hand-sized ball from a partner, demonstrating four of the five critical elements of a mature pattern (3); Catches a thrown ball at chest/waist level using a mature pattern in a non-dynamic environment (4); Catches with accuracy, both partners moving (5b); Catches with reasonable accuracy in dynamic, small-sided practice tasks (5c).
• Standard 3 [E1.K;1;2;4] Identifies active play opportunities outside physical education class (K); Discusses the benefits of being active and exercising/playing (1); Describes large-motor and/or manipulative physical activities for participation outside physical education class (2); Analyzes opportunities for participating in physical activity outside physical education class (4).
• Standard 3 [E2.K-5] Actively participates in physical education class (K); Actively engages in physical education class (1); Actively engages in physical education class in response to instruction and practice (2); Engages in the activities of physical education class without teacher prompting (3); Actively engages in the activities of physical education class, both teacher-directed and independent (4); Actively engages in all the activities of physical education (5).
• Standard 3 [E3.K-2b] Recognizes that when you move fast, your heart beats faster and you breathe faster (K); Identifies the heart as a muscle that grows stronger with exercise, play, and physical activity (1); Identifies physical activities that contribute to fitness (2b).
• Standard 3 [E6.K-2] Recognizes that food provides energy for physical activity (K); Differentiates between healthy and unhealthy foods (1); Recognizes the “good health balance” of nutrition and physical activity (2).
• Standard 3 [E6.3-5] Recognizes that food provides energy for physical activity (K); Differentiates between healthy and unhealthy foods (1); Identifies foods that are beneficial for pre- and post-physical activity (3); Analyzes the impact of food choices relative to physical activity, youth sports, & personal health (5).
• Standard 4 [E6.4] Works safely with peers and equipment in physical activity settings (4).
• Standard 5 [E3.2-3] Identifies physical activities that provide self-expression (2); Reflects on the reasons for enjoying selected physical activities (3).