SIMPLE SETUP – MAXIMIZE EFFICIENCY IN PE FROM START TO FINISH
Transition time can be one of the trickiest parts of teaching physical education. There are the transitions between classes where one class leaves the gym while the next class is waiting at the door. Our goal is to get the incoming class moving as soon as possible. This can be difficult when it requires even the slightest setup. Then, there’s the transition between activities. It’s always good practice to give your students ownership of the setup and take down process between activities and at the end of class. Even with this, breakdown, setup, and explaining the activity while maintaining attention can still take a large chunk of valuable time, cutting into student movement. Seeking purposeful lessons with limited equipment and setup/breakdown will maximize efficiency and student engagement.
I thought I’d share a setup I used last week with my first-grade students. The equipment arrangement remained consistent throughout lesson. The first video below explains the setup and details each part of the lesson and how it utilizes the setup. The second video shows my first graders in action, efficiently transitioning from one activity to the next.