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Checklist: 5 starter plays for implementing physical activity,
physical education, and health education
Print this page to help track your progress
toward completing the 5 starter steps.
1. Require physical
education and health
education instruction
!
Ensure inclusion of health
education (HE) and physical
education (PE) instruction time
in the master school schedule.
Don’t allow waivers for either.
! PE and HE teachers should
conduct at-home student surveys
to design equitable and appropriate
learning experiences that build
meaningful relationships with
students and families.
! Include students with disabilities
in both in-person and virtual
PE instruction. Adapt teaching
strategies, equipment,
environments, and assessments
to meet the needs of all students.
2. Make necessary
accommodations
!
For in-person PE class, focus
on activities
that require no
person-to-person contact
and limited or no physical
activity equipment.
! For virtual learning PE class,
focus on activities
that can
be done in small spaces with
equipment found at home.
! For in-person HE class, follow
CDC and local guidance for
classroom instruction. Focus
on health decisions, health
information, and coping skills.
! For virtual learning HE class,
focus on developing
connections with students,
communicating expectations,
creating consistency, and
making content accessible
for all learners
.
3. Provide
professional
development
!
Provide professional
development to PE teachers
and recess supervisors on
schoolwide COVID-19
prevention protocols,
equipment sanitation, and
virtual learning strategies.
! PE instruction in the virtual
environment may require the
use of additional technology
by PE teachers in order to
deliver synchronous or
asynchronous instruction and
to assess students.
! Ensure that health and PE
teachers receive sufficient
support, funding, and
professional development to
make necessary adaptations
to their curriculums.
4. Offer recess in
person and virtually
! Utilize multiple locations for
recess throughout the school
and outside to reduce the
number of students playing in
one area.
! Ensure sufficient adult
supervision.
! Limit use of play structures or
play equipment.
! PE teachers should provide
students and caregivers with
guidance, resources, and
suggested physical activities to
help students participate in
daily physical activity when
learning from home.
! All teachers should schedule
physical activity within their
class time for their students
to allow breaks from seat
and screen time.
5. Offer physical
activity in person
or virtually
!
Provide teachers with examples of
classroom-based physical activities
that can be used to safely increase
student engagement, build
community within the classroom,
and reestablish rapport between
students and teachers.
! Increase the emphasis on
incorporating physical activity
during transitions, the beginning
of the school day, and the closing
of the school day.
! Provide students and caregivers
with daily activities to stay
physically active and mentally
healthy at home.
! Don’t withhold physical activity
breaks or require physical
activities as disciplinary actions
for students.
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These plays are useful in both in-person and virtual learning environments.
