Off Campus PE Reminders
Approved sports for the 2012‐2013 school year: 
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Archery Art Skating Dance Equestrian Fencing Golf Gymnastics Ice Hockey Ice Skating 
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Lacrosse Martial Arts Rock Climbing Rowing Squash Swimming Tennis Table Tennis Track Cycling Category Participation Options: Category 1 ‐ 15 hours per week of supervised practice/instruction; students may arrive to school one period late (AM) or be dismissed 1 period early (PM); required to participate a total of five (5) days per week of which four (4) of those days must be during the week (Monday through Friday). Category 2 – 10 hours per week of supervised practice/instruction; students remain on campus all day; required to participate a total of five (5) days per week of which four (4) of those days must be during the week (Monday through Friday). Category 3 ‐ 25 hours per week of supervised practice/instruction; allows the student to adjust their schedule to take less than the required daily course load; required to participate a total of five (5) days per week of which four (4) of those days must be during the week (Monday through Friday). There is a Category 3 form that needs to completed in addition to the Off Campus PE application. Fee: The enrollment fee is $125.00 per semester or $200.00 for the year if paid in a single payment. Parents may pay online using PayPAMS, by check (made payable to Plano ISD) or with cash. Reminders:  For incoming 6th graders, the school counselor must approve the OCPE application before it is submitted.  Counselors please do not schedule a student into OCPE until the application has been approved through Secondary Academics.  Information is located on the PISD website at: http://www.pisd.edu/students/athletics/off.campus.pe.shtml What to Look for in a Physical Education Class, Melinda Smith, Coordinator of Health and Physical Education, Administration Building
Plano ISD Physical Education
“Reaching one child at a time with a lifetime of healthy habits!”
“As we climb the obstacles of inactivity in youth today, we as educators, find ways to maximize participation and strive
toward total wellness of our students.”
All physical education programs address the knowledge of physical activity, cover movement skills, help with social
development, contribute to physical activity, and cover health concepts as it relates to physical performance.
MVPA (Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity)
Physical activity means movement of the body that uses energy. For health benefits, physical activity should be moderate or
vigorous adding up to at least 30 minutes a day.
Moderate physical activity means you are exercising but not pushing or exerting yourself. Your heart is beating, breathing
increases, but you won’t break a sweat. Brisk walking, hiking, riding a bike on level terrain and shooting a few baskets are
examples of moderate physical activity.
Vigorous physical activity means your heart is beating fast, there is a large increase in breathing (conversation is difficult or
broken) and you sweat. Jogging or running, riding your bike uphill and playing a high speed game of basketball are
examples of vigorous physical activity.
Krull, Sharon, Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity, October 9 8, 2008, February 06, 2012
Elementary Program
At the elementary level you will see students moving. Students should be active between 70-90% of class time. Students
should be active at a moderate to vigorous level for at least 50% of class time. Using pedometers and heart rate monitors
helps measure student activity levels. Teachers are required to teach a variety of activities and address all Texas Essential
Knowledge and Skills for each grade level. You should see units of instruction which include:
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Spatial Awareness
Safety
Chasing, Fleeing, Dodging
Locomotor Skills
Rhythms
Conditioning/Fitness
Throwing and Catching
Striking and Volleying
Kicking and Punting
Balance and Rolling
What to Look for in a Physical Education Class, Melinda Smith, Coordinator of Health and Physical Education, Administration Building
Middle School Program
At the middle school level you will also see students moving. Students should be active between 70-90% of class time.
Students should be active at a moderate to vigorous level for at least 50% of class time. Using pedometers and heart rate
monitors helps measure student activity levels. Teachers are required to teach a variety of activities and address all Texas
Essential Knowledge and Skills for each grade level. You should see units of instruction which include activities from the
following areas:
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Foundations of Personal Fitness
Aerobic Activities
Adventure/Outdoor Activities
Individual Sports
Team Sports
Activities you might see will be: Goal Setting, Developing a Personal Fitness Program, Power Walking, Aerobic Dance,
Jump Rope, Archery, Fishing, Boating, Badminton, Table Tennis, Bowling, Basketball, Ultimate Frisbee, Tennis, and Weight
Training.
High School Program
At the high school level students choose which path to follow. In Physical Education, students 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 exhibits a physically-active lifestyle and understands the relationship
between physical activity and health throughout the lifespan.
High School Choices include:
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Foundations of Personal Fitness- represents a new approach in physical education and the concept of personal
fitness. The basic purpose of this course is to motivate students to strive for lifetime personal fitness with an
emphasis on the health-related components of physical fitness. The knowledge and skills taught in this course
include teaching students about the process of becoming fit as well as achieving some degree of fitness within the
class. The concept of wellness, or striving to reach optimal levels of health, is the corner stone of this course and is
exemplified by one of the course objectives-students designing their own personal fitness program.
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Aerobic Activities- Students enrolled in aerobic activities are exposed to a variety of activities that promote healthrelated fitness. A major expectation of this course is for the student to design a personal fitness program that uses
aerobic activities as a foundation.
What to Look for in a Physical Education Class, Melinda Smith, Coordinator of Health and Physical Education, Administration Building
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Adventure/Outdoor Activities- Students enrolled in adventure outdoor education are expected to develop
competency in outdoor education activities that provide opportunities for enjoyment and challenge. Emphasis is
placed upon student selection of activities that also promote a respect for the environment and that can be enjoyed
for a lifetime.
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Individual Sports- Students enrolled in individual sports are expected to participate in a wide range of individual
sports that can be pursued for a lifetime. The continued development of health-related fitness and the selection of
individual sport activities that are enjoyable is a major objective of this course.
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Team Sports- Students enrolled in team sports are expected to develop health-related fitness and an appreciation
for team work and fair play. Like the other high school physical education courses, Team sports is less concerned
with the acquisition of physical fitness during the course than reinforcing the concept of incorporating physical
activity into a lifestyle beyond high school.
For additional information concerning Physical Education please contact:
Melinda Smith
Coordinator for 6-12 Health, k-12 Physical Education, Coordinated School Health, and Fitnessgram
2700 W. 15th Street, Plano 75075
469-752-8051
melinda.smith@pisd.edu
What to Look for in a Physical Education Class, Melinda Smith, Coordinator of Health and Physical Education, Administration Building
Additional Information for Physical Education
“No Child Left on Their Behind”
Recent legislation has challenged our programs to get our students “up and “active” with moderate to vigorous levels of
physical activity. Our department adopted “Up and Active” as our theme. Some examples of how our staff has increased
the activity level and expanded our content:
 Refine instant activity, when the students enter the gym, they should be active from the start of class
 Use small sided games, such as 3 on 3 instead of 11 on 11 while playing activities in class
 Place equipment in every students hands during instruction of a new skill
 Provide maximum participation, little or no waiting in line for their turn and no elimination games
 Continue to provide productive and appropriate motor skill learning experiences
 Increase concept knowledge
 Enhance instruction on health-related fitness
 Continue to teach students to have self responsibility and improve their social skills
 Continue to teach students the value physical activity
The general wellness of all students shall be promoted through:
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Nutrition Education
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Physical Activity
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School Based Activities
Coordinated School Health- Plano ISD is one of only two districts in the State of Texas that has written their own
coordinated school health program. This program is called: Healthy in Plano or “HIP”.
The health curriculum includes an active, challenging, and student-centered environment. Written by master
teachers, the curriculum provides rich health content and is naturally interconnected to real life situations
It offers students numerous opportunities to read, write, solve problems, and to access,
synthesize, and use information. In health education, students acquire the health information
and skills necessary to become healthy adults and learn about behaviors in which they should
and should not participate.
Elementary Program
Health instruction is delivered during students integrated curriculum block in the classroom and physical education during
class time. The curriculum covers 4th different themes- one each nine weeks. The themes are: Stay Safe, My Body,
Nutrition and Wellness.
Middle School Program
Health instruction is delivered during the student’s semester in physical education. There are 6th, 7th and 8th grade lessons
for health instruction.
Physical Education lessons are delivered during physical education class time.
Themes include: Health, Wellness and Fitness, Decisions, Growth and Development, Self Esteem and Body Image,
Nutrition, Mental Health and Stress, Your Body Systems, Diseases and Disorders, Substance Abuse and Personal Safety.
What to Look for in a Physical Education Class, Melinda Smith, Coordinator of Health and Physical Education, Administration Building
Campus Wellness Teams include: Parents, Students, Physical Education Teachers, Classroom Teachers, Administrators,
Counselors, Food and Nutritional Services Manager. Campus wellness teams establish wellness goals based on the
campus needs.
Rotation Equipment
Over 100 different equipment packages available for check out to enhance lessons. Examples include: Action Based Learning,
Ages Golf, Badminton, Balance & Core Stability, Archery, Bocce, Bowling, Box Hockey, CatEye Game Bike, Core Conditioning Pack, Speed "Cup"
Stacking, Dance Dance Revolution, Field and Floor Hockey, Frisbee Golf, Juggling, Lacrosse, Orienteering, Soccer, Speedminton, Table Tennis,
Team Handball, Tennis, and Exergaming.
The Heart Adventure Challenge Course is on the rotation equipment and travels to each elementary school. The Heart
Adventure Challenge Course is a fantastic journey allowing children to move through the four chambers of the heart in a
larger-than-life setting. This specially designed fitness course encompasses more than just physical activity; it is a science
lesson on the move where students acquire a general understanding of the heart, as well as the importance of exercise, in
maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
A pedometer or step counter is a device, in modern times usually portable and electronic or electromechanical, that counts
each step a person takes by detecting the motion of the person's hips. We currently have class sets of pedometers on
every campus. The elementary pedometer counts steps only. The secondary pedometer counts steps, time and calories
expended. Currently a pilot is being conducted testing a pedometer that measures MVPA.
Heart Rate Monitors allow teachers to objectively assess student and class performance while safely motivating students
with instant feedback on a daily basis. Heart rate monitors also provide teachers with a reliable way to ensure that all
students are exercising at the right intensity because time spent in the target heart rate zone is recorded. Incorporating
heart rate monitors into New PE programs enable teachers to get all students involved, regardless of athletic ability. Every
elementary and secondary campus has class sets of heart rate monitors.
Fitnessgram is a fitness assessment and reporting program for youth, first developed in 1982 by The Cooper Institute. The
assessment includes a variety of health-related physical fitness tests that are used to determine students' overall physical
fitness and suggest areas for improvement when appropriate. Plano ISD administers the Fitnessgram test to 3rd -12th grade
students during physical education class. Fitnessgram reports are required to be sent home in the 4th and the 7th grade.
High school students are tested in any area that provides physical education credit. A parental report can be requested by
the parent to the principal of the campus.
Action Based Learning is based on brain research that supports the link of movement and physical activity to increased
academic performance. Brain science strongly supports the link of movement to learning. The brain and body’s movement
and learning systems are interdependent and interactive. For example, motor development provides the framework that the
brain uses to sequence the patterns needed for academic concepts. Action based learning labs travel to campus through
the rotation system.
Exergaming is a term used for video games that are also a form of exercise. The genre has been credited with upending
the stereotype of gaming as a sedentary activity, and promoting an active lifestyle. The District currently has Wii’s, Dance
Dance Revolution, GameBikes, Xbox Kinect, PS3 Move, and Jackie Chan available to campuses.
Extra Innings- Our campuses participate in a variety of additional outside activities. We have included these events in our
curriculum. The include Adventure Camp Curriculum, Marathon Kids, Speed Stacks, District Hoop Shoot, Thrill of the Grill,
and Play 60.
Physical education and health prepares our students for “lifetime readiness”.