In Physical Education, the student will acquire the knowledge and skills for movement that provide the foundation for enjoyment, continued social development through physical activity, and access to a physically-active lifestyle. The student will exhibit a physically-active lifestyle and understand the relationship between physical activity and health throughout their lifespan.

Therefore, the Cypress-Fairbanks I.S.D. physically educated student at the elementary level will:

• apply movement concepts and principles to the learning and development of motor skills,
• exhibit a physically active lifestyle,
• strive to achieve and maintain a health enhancing level of physical fitness,
• develop positive self-management and social skills needed to work independently and with others,
• benefit from increased self-esteem through participation in physical activity,
• recognize that participation in physical activity can lead to multicultural and international understanding,
• understand that physical activity stimulates the brain to enhance their academic achievement,
• participate in activities that promote critical thinking and problem-solving skills,
• develop a life-long appreciation for physical activity.

• Parents/Guardians with a student in grades three through twelve receiving physical education credit may submit a written request for a child’s physical fitness assessment results at the end of the school year.

• The District shall implement, in accordance with law, a coordinated health program with physical education and physical activity components and shall offer at least the required amount of physical activity for all grades [see EHAB and EHAC].

• Parents/Guardians with a student in grades three through twelve may submit a written request for a child’s physical fitness assessment results at the end of the school year.

All elementary students will engage in at least 30 minutes per school day or 135 minutes per school week of TEKS-based physical activity as required by SB 42.  The Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for elementary physical education have been developed from three broad-based goals designed to assist students in acquiring content knowledge, in developing positive attitudes, and in making connections among physical education, health and other aspects of social life. In physical education, students acquire skills for movement that provide the foundation for enjoyment, continued social development through physical activity, and access to a physically active lifestyle. In grades K-2, students learn fundamental movement skills and begin to understand how the muscles, bones, heart, and lungs function in relation to physical activity. In grades 3-5, students continue to develop strength, endurance, and flexibility. Identifying personal fitness goals for themselves and beginning to understand how exercise affects different parts of the body is an important part of the instructional process. The three basic strands for the physical education curriculum are summarized below.

1. Movement

   The student demonstrates competency in fundamental movement patterns, applies movement concepts to the learning and development of motor skills.

2. Physical Activity and Health

   The student exhibits a physically active lifestyle, knows the benefits of daily physical activity and understands and applies safety practices associated with physical activities.

3. Social Development

   The student understands basic components of games, sports, dance and gymnastics and develops positive self-management and social skills needed to work independently and with others in physical activity settings.

By reflecting on physical activity and movement skills, students understand their role in society and are able to participate successfully in a diverse culture. Students analyze and evaluate movement activities while developing criteria for making critical judgments and informed choices.

Large Group Grading Criteria

In the National Standards for Physical Education, the following is stated:

“The content standards essentially say that physical education has academic standing. They say there is such a thing as achievement, that knowledge and skills matter, and that mere participation is not the same as education. They affirm that discipline and rigor are essential to achievement and that all behaviors associated with physical education can be measured.”

For all students to become physically educated, assessment practices must support the instruction of physical education and the learning of each student. Assessment should be a dynamic process that continually yields information about student progress toward the achievement of the curriculum goals and objectives.

A broad spectrum of assessment tools must be used for measurement in physical education. These tools must be sensitive to the students’ learning context and the particular area of physical education skills. In elementary physical education, many times the measurement may be through informed critical judgment. Often, the measurement will be in terms of assessment of performance/demonstration skills. As in other areas of the curriculum, can be through paper and pencil techniques. However, most assessments in physical education must involve a more subtle and varied approach – including skill demonstrations, performance tasks, and oral assessments.

Activities in the physical education curriculum are suggested for use in teaching the objectives. A teacher would need to develop personal assessment tools based on the objectives and the needs of students in the class. Some possible assessments are:

• Demonstrations in large and/or small groups
• Individual demonstrations where appropriate
• Performance-based assessment of movement activities and locomotor skills
• Working cooperatively with team members to complete an assigned task
• Using equipment and space safely and properly
• Responding to verbal questions or demonstrating the appropriate signal to a series of questions
• Written activity/student journal

Health awareness and physical fitness attitudes are formed at the elementary level. Physical education classes are the building blocks for lifetime sports and healthy living practices. Teaching young students to set goals for a healthy lifestyle is one of the curriculum objectives that are assessed by the district physical fitness test. This health-related fitness test emphasizes the development of exercise rather than high-level fitness performance and is one of the many assessments used in the physical education classroom.

FITNESSGRAM Parent Letter ~ [Carta a los Padres acerca del FITNESSGRAM]

Fitnessgram is a comprehensive health-related fitness and activity assessment and computerized reporting system. The program generates reports that provide feedback based on achievement of criterion-referenced standards for physical fitness. These standards include:

• Aerobic Capacity
• Body Composition
• Muscular Strength, Endurance, and Flexibility

The primary objective of Fitnessgram is to assist teachers in helping students establish lifelong healthy habits.

A portion of the funds raised by the annual Health Expo supports H.O.P.E. scholarships. The Health Organization of Physical Educators seeks to promote lifelong health and fitness by raising funds to provide scholarship opportunities for CFISD graduates studying health/fitness education fields. 

The Health Organization of Physical Educators seeks to promote lifelong health and fitness by raising funds to provide scholarship opportunities for CFISD graduates studying health/fitness education fields.  

A teaching scholarship will be awarded each May to a qualifying CFISD graduating high school senior who plans to pursue an education degree to become a teacher of Health, Physical Education, Recreation or Dance.  The applicant must be planning on pursuing a major in education in one of the following areas:  Health Education, Physical Education, Recreation or Dance Education. (Please note: Pre-med, pharmacy, physical therapy, and nursing majors do not qualify for this scholarship.)  The scholarship is awarded by the Cypress-Fairbanks H.O.P.E. Association. 

Contact the Elementary Physical Education Department with any questions – 281.897.4140.

In Physical Education, the student will acquire the knowledge and skills for movement that provide the foundation for enjoyment, continued social development through physical activity, and access to a physically-active lifestyle. The student will exhibit a physically-active lifestyle and understand the relationship between physical activity and health throughout their lifespan.

Therefore, the Cypress-Fairbanks I.S.D. physically educated student at the elementary level will:

• apply movement concepts and principles to the learning and development of motor skills,
• exhibit a physically active lifestyle,
• strive to achieve and maintain a health enhancing level of physical fitness,
• develop positive self-management and social skills needed to work independently and with others,
• benefit from increased self-esteem through participation in physical activity,
• recognize that participation in physical activity can lead to multicultural and international understanding,
• understand that physical activity stimulates the brain to enhance their academic achievement,
• participate in activities that promote critical thinking and problem-solving skills,
• develop a life-long appreciation for physical activity.