SUBJECT: Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool 

Dear Educator: 

Enclosed is a complimentary copy of the Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT). This tool 

can assist personnel in state and regional education agencies, school districts, and schools to assess how 

closely the written curricula (locally developed or commercially prepared) align with national standards, 

guidelines, and best practices for quality physical education programs. It also includes guidance on how to 

improve your curriculum based upon PECAT results. The PECAT was developed by the Centers for Disease 

Control and Prevention (CDC) in partnership with physical education experts representing state education 

agencies, school districts, schools, colleges/universities, and national organizations in the United States. 

This is what educators are saying about the PECAT. 

“This tool is defi nitely something our school will be using as we work to fully develop a written 

curriculum.” 

“Do you think your school district’s curriculum meets national standards and best practices for 

quality physical education? You may change your mind after completing the PECAT!” 

“It showed us that we are repeating ourselves rather than expanding students’ opportunities by 

applying all of the standards.” 

“We thought our curriculum was in good order, but this instrument pointed out the weaknesses 

that we weren’t aware of. We now have direction for our summer revision.” 

Please take this opportunity to review the PECAT. As you will see, it allows educators to analyze the 

strengths and weaknesses of written curricula in terms of content, student assessment, and sequence. It also 

provides information about curriculum-related resources. 

The PECAT is available at no cost. Additional copies and a promotional brochure can be obtained by using 

any of the following options:

• Download from the web site of CDC/Division of Adolescent and School Health: 

 www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/PECAT 

• Request by e-mail: CDC-INFO@cdc.gov 

• Request by toll-free phone call: (800) CDC-INFO; for hearing impaired, call (888) 232-6348

Best wishes in your efforts to provide quality physical education! 

Sincerely, 

Howell Wechsler, Ed.D., M.P.H. 

Director

Division of Adolescent and School Health 

National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES Public Health Service

Centers for Disease Control

 and Prevention (CDC)

Atlanta GA 30341-3724

Contents

Introduction ...............................................................................................................................1

Instructions ...............................................................................................................................7

Part One: Preliminary Curriculum Considerations

Curriculum Description ..........................................................................................................13

Accuracy Analysis ...................................................................................................................17

Acceptability Analysis .............................................................................................................21

Feasibility Analysis .................................................................................................................25

Affordability Analysis ..............................................................................................................27

Part Two: Content and Student Assessment Analyses

Grades K-2 .......................................................................................................................35

Grades 3-5 ........................................................................................................................69

Grades 6-8 ......................................................................................................................105

Grades 9-12 ....................................................................................................................141

Overall PECAT Scorecard ....................................................................................................173

PECAT Multiple Curricula Comparison Scorecards ...........................................................175

Part Three: Curriculum Improvement Plan

Curriculum Improvement Plan Worksheet ............................................................................187

Appendices: 

Appendix 1: Example of a completed scoring sheet .............................................................191

Appendix 2: National Standards for Physical Education .....................................................193

Appendix 3: Glossary ............................................................................................................197

Appendix 4: Resources ..........................................................................................................199

Suggested citation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Physical Education Curriculum 

Analysis Tool. Atlanta, Georgia, 2006. 
This document was prepared by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Center for 

Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP), Division of Adolescent and School Health 

(DASH), Research and Application Branch.

Howell Wechsler, EdD, MPH

Director

Division of Adolescent and School Health

Lisa Barrios, DrPH

Branch Chief

Research Application Branch

CDC/DASH Authors

Sarah M. Lee, PhD

Research Application Branch

Howell Wechsler, EdD, MPH

Offi ce of the Director

CDC Contributors

NCCDPHP/DASH 

• Allison Balling, MPH

• Lisa Barrios, DrPH

• Carolyn Fisher, EdD

• Elizabeth Haller, MS

• Pete Hunt, MPH, MEd

• Terry O’Toole, PhD

NCCDPHP/Division of Nutrition and 

 Physical Activity

• Jacqueline Epping, MEd

• Deb Galuska, PhD

Technical Advisors

This document was made possible as a result of 

the signifi cant conceptual, technical, and editorial 

guidance provided by the following experts in 

physical education, school health, and health 

education. 

Contributing Writers

Kymm Ballard, MEd

North Carolina Department of Public Instruction

Aaron Bieghle, PhD

University of Kentucky

Charlene Burgeson, MA

National Association for Sport and 

 Physical Education

Bonnie Mohnson, PhD

Bonnie’s Fitware Inc.

Technical Reviewers

Sandra Bargainnier, EdD CHES

Pennsylvania State University 

David Barney, PhD

North Dakota State University 

Shirley Black

Pennsylvania Department of Education 

Marilyn Bruce

Teller County Colorado

Andy Chouinard

Kent State University

Betty Hennessy, PhD

Los Angeles County Offi ce of Education

Artie Kamiya

Wake County Public Schools 

Lois Mauch, MS

Fargo Public Schools

Jim McCall, PhD

New Jersey Department of Education

Jan Mermin, MSW

Rhode Island Department of Education 

Linda Morse

New Jersey Department of Education

Judy Rink, PhD

University of South Carolina

Audrey Satterblom

Indianapolis Public Schools 

Susan Giarratano Russell

Russell and English Research and 

 Evaluation Consulting
PECAT Introduction – Page 1

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Introduction

Establishing and implementing high-quality physical education programs can provide students with 

the appropriate knowledge, skills, behaviors, and confi dence to be physically active for life. Healthy 

People 2010, the health goals for the nation, includes two specifi c objectives calling for greater 

student participation in physical education (1). 

The physical education curriculum shapes physical education instruction in schools. Creating or 

selecting the best physical education curriculum is a critical step in ensuring that physical education 

is effective in developing physically educated individuals, who will choose to participate in physical 

activity throughout their lifetime. 

The Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT) is designed to help school districts 

conduct a clear, complete, and consistent analysis of physical education curricula. PECAT results can 

help school districts enhance, develop, or select appropriate and effective physical education 

curricula for delivering high-quality physical education in schools. This, in turn, will improve the 

ability of schools to positively infl uence knowledge, motor skills, and physical activity behaviors 

among school age youth. 

The PECAT is based on the national standards for physical education (see Appendix) and includes an 

overview of high-quality physical education, information about physical education curricula, tools to 

assess a curriculum, and resources for developing a curriculum improvement plan. The PECAT can 

assist in assessing how closely the written curricula align with national standards for high-quality 

physical education programs. Decisions can then be made about curricula. For example, the PECAT 

can be used to identify where revisions might be needed in a locally developed curriculum. For those 

without a curriculum, the PECAT provides a vision of what should be included in a high-quality, 

written physical education curriculum. Alternatively, the PECAT can be used to compare strengths 

and weaknesses of various published physical education curricula under consideration. 

Intended Users of the PECAT

The PECAT is designed to be used by a team of individuals representing district or school building 

personnel, such as physical education coordinators, curriculum specialists, and curriculum 

committee members. PECAT committees might include a district physical education curriculum 

director; physical education administrators; physical education teachers from elementary, middle, 

and high schools; members of the school health council; health education teachers; school health 

nurses; public health and social service professionals; parents; students; and other administrators. 

Additionally, college/university physical education faculty may use the PECAT as a teaching tool in 

teacher education courses. 

The PECAT can be used at the district level to analyze curricula for all grades from kindergarten 

through grade 12. At the school building level, users should complete grade levels that pertain to 

their school and involve a similarly diverse set of team members as identifi ed above. It is also 
PECAT Introduction – Page 2

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

strongly recommended that, when assessing a school building level curriculum (e.g., only kindergarten to grade 5), the feeder program’s sequence, articulation, goals and objectives be considered when 

planning and enhancing the existing written curriculum. 

Organization of the PECAT 

The PECAT is divided into the following sections: 

 Curriculum Description, which requests basic information about the curriculum; 

 Preliminary Curriculum Analyses (Accuracy, Acceptability, Feasibility, and 

Affordability Analyses), which feature questions to consider about the curriculum before 

analyzing content and student assessment components. 

 Content and Student Assessment Analyses, which feature scoring systems for rating the 

curriculum on how well it addresses each of the six national standards for physical education. 

The content and student assessment analyses are divided into four subsections that 

correspond to the grade-level ranges used in the national standards for physical education: 

K – 2, 3 – 5, 6 – 8, and 9 – 12. Each subsection begins with a list of what students are 

expected to achieve by the end of the identifi ed grade-level range related to each of the 

national standards. These student expectations, developed by the National Association for 

Sport and Physical Education (NASPE), build the framework of the curriculum analysis 

process, as they identify what physically educated students are expected to know and be able 

to do by the end of each grade-level range. 

 This is followed by a one page content analysis (how well the curriculum covers the 

components of what students should know and be able to do) of each of the six standards, a 

one-page student assessment analysis of each standard (how well the curriculum integrates 

standards based assessment protocols for the knowledge and skills expected from students), 

and a scorecard that summarizes the scores from both analyses. A template for both content 

and student assessment analyses is available at the end of each grade- level range to allow 

state or local school physical education standards that are in addition to or different from the 

national standards to be incorporated. 

Each analysis contains several critical components taken directly from the national physical 

education standards. For example, standard 1 (i.e., demonstrates competency in motor skills 

and movement patterns needed to perform a variety of physical activities) features four 

components: fundamental movement skills, specialized movement skills, combination of 

movement skills, and application of skills. Examples of appropriate concepts and skills that 

students should master are provided for each component. Keep in mind that these are simply 

examples; additional examples can be found in the materials listed in the resources section 

(see Appendix 4) (e.g., Assessment Series, Concepts and Principles of Physical Education: 

What Every Student Needs to Know, Designing the Physical Education Curriculum). 
PECAT Introduction – Page 3

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

The content and student assessment analyses refl ect the importance of a sequential written 

curriculum. The sequence identifi es, defi nes, and describes the skills and activities that 

should be covered on a yearly basis. Of special importance is the sequence of instruction 

throughout students’ educational experience (i.e., K - 12). All questions, across the grade 

levels, within the PECAT are based on the premise that students need to be taught 

increasingly advanced forms of physical activity skills and concepts as they progress through 

their educational experience. Therefore, each question for each standard is built on the 

previous grade level. For example, question 1 within content analysis for standard 1, grades 

K-2 asks how well a written curriculum includes specifi c lessons on fundamental movement 

skills. Question 1 within content analysis for standard 1, grades 3-5, asks whether the 

curriculum includes specifi c lessons on mature forms of fundamental movement skills. 

Additionally, each content analysis question for each grade level corresponds to a student 

assessment analysis question to assist users in identifying where weaknesses or gaps may 

appear between what is being taught (i.e., content analysis) and how the skills and concepts 

being taught are assessed (i.e., student assessment analysis). 

The PECAT also includes the following:

 The Overall PECAT Scorecard which allows users to visually identify gaps, strengths, and 

weaknesses of the written curriculum 

 Multiple Curricula Comparison Scorecards which allow users to compare scores of 

multiple curricula

 A Curriculum Improvement Plan section which will help users plan for how to improve 

upon gaps and weaknesses identifi ed in the curriculum and maintain strengths 

 Appendices, with an example of a completed scoring sheet, description of the six national 

standards for physical education, a glossary that defi nes many terms used in this document, 

and resources that can help you develop and implement a high-quality physical education 

program. 

Rationale for the PECAT 

Regular physical activity in childhood and adolescence improves strength and endurance; helps build 

healthy bones and muscles; helps control weight; reduces anxiety and stress; increases self-esteem, 

mood, and concentration; and may improve blood pressure and cholesterol levels (2, 3). 

Physical education is an opportunity for students to gain necessary skills and knowledge for lifelong 

participation in physical activity (4); however, participation in daily physical education has declined 

from 1991 to 2003 (5). Schools can help improve the physical activity habits and health of young 

people by providing quality instruction, programs, and services that promote enjoyable, lifelong 

physical activity. A high quality physical education program is the cornerstone of a school’s physical 

activity programming, and a well-written physical education curriculum is the foundation of a 

physical education program (6, 7). 
PECAT Introduction – Page 4

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

A number of federal documents support the importance of providing high quality, daily physical 

education for all students. These documents include the following:

 Healthy People 2010 (1);

 Physical Activity and Health: A Report of the Surgeon General (2);

 Guidelines for School and Community Programs to Promote Lifelong Physical Activity 

Among Young People (8); 

 School Health Index: A Self-Assessment and Planning Guide (9, 10); 

 The Surgeon General's Call to Action to Prevent and Decrease Overweight and Obesity (3); and,

 Promoting Better Health for Young People Through Physical Activity and Sports: A Report to the 

President from the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Secretary of Education (11). 

Although these documents describe the important characteristics of high-quality physical education, 

they do not provide specifi c directions for developing, implementing, and evaluating a high-quality 

physical education program. Before the PECAT was developed, physical educators did not have a 

tool to assess the quality of written curricula. The PECAT meets this need. 

What is High Quality Physical Education? 

Appropriate actions must be taken in four main areas to ensure a high quality physical 

education program: (1) curriculum, (2) policies and environment, (3) instruction, and 

(4) student assessment (6).

Policy and environmental actions that support high quality physical education require 

the following: 

 Adequate instructional time (at least 150 minutes per week for elementary 

school students and 225 minutes per week for middle and high school students),

 All classes be taught by qualifi ed physical education specialists,

 Reasonable class sizes, and

 Proper equipment and facilities. 

Instructional strategies that support high-quality physical education emphasize the 

following:

 The need for inclusion of all students, 

 Adaptations for students with disabilities, 

 Opportunities to be physically active most of the class time, 

 Well-designed lessons,

 Out-of-school assignments to support learning, and

 Not using physical activity as punishment. 

Regular student assessment within a high-quality physical education program features 

the following: 

 The appropriate use of physical activity and fi tness assessment tools,

 Ongoing opportunities for students to conduct self-assessments and practice 

self-monitoring of physical activity,

 Communication with students and parents about assessment results, and

 Clarity concerning the elements used for determining a grading or student 

profi ciency system. 
PECAT Introduction – Page 5

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Physical Education Curriculum

A curriculum is a sequential system for delivering learning experiences to students. A physical 

education curriculum is the framework that provides guidance for teaching skills and providing 

physical activity instruction. A high quality physical education curriculum will be based on the 

national standards in the document Moving Into the Future: National Standards for Physical 

Education (6), which describes what a physically educated student should know and be able to do. It 

emphasizes meaningful content, which includes the following: 

 Instruction in a variety of motor skills designed to enhance child and adolescent development, 

 Fitness education and assessment that allows for understanding and improvement of physical 

well-being, 

 Development of cognitive concepts related to motor skills and fi tness,

 Opportunities to improve social and cooperative skills, and

 Opportunities to increase the value placed on physical activity for health, enjoyment, selfexpression, and confi dence. 

Appropriate sequencing of learning activities is critical to developing a high-quality physical 

education curriculum. Appropriate sequencing involves the following: 

 Ensuring that motor skills, physical activity, and fi tness assessments are age and 

developmentally appropriate, 

 Methods of teaching motor and movement skills that ensure that basic skills lead to more 

advanced skills, and

 Plans to appropriately monitor, reinforce, and plan for student learning. 

Physical Education in the Context of a Coordinated School Health Program

The effectiveness of school physical education is enhanced when it is implemented as an integral 

part of the Coordinated School Health Program (CSHP) and when physical education outcomes are 

reinforced by other components of a school health program. A CSHP includes eight integrated 

components: (1) physical education; (2) health education; (3) nutrition services; (4) health services; 

(5) healthy school environment; (6) counseling, psychological, and social services; (7) health 

promotion for staff; and (8) family and community involvement. All components play a vital role in 

supporting the health of students, staff, and the community. The impact of the overall school health 

program depends on the quality of each component as well as the quality of the coordination of the 

program. The PECAT can help strengthen the quality of the physical education component.
PECAT Introduction – Page 6

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

References

1. U. S. Department of Health and Human Services. Healthy People 2010. Washington, DC: U.S. 

Department of Health and Human Services, 2000. 

 2. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Physical Activity and Health: a Report of the 

Surgeon General. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for 

Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health 

Promotion, 1996. 

 3. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Surgeon General’s Call to Action to 

Prevent and Decrease Overweight and Obesity. Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and 

Human Services, Public Health Service, Offi ce of the Surgeon General, 2001. 

 4. CDC. Increasing physical activity: a report on recommendations of the Task Force on 

Community Preventive Services. MMWR 2001; 50 (No. RR-18). 

 5. Lowry R, Brener N, Lee S, Epping J, Fulton J, Eaton D. Participation in high school physical 

education—United States, 1991-2003. MMWR 2004; 53 (36):844-847. 

 6. National Association for Sport and Physical Education. Moving into the Future: National 

Standards for Physical Education. 2nd ed. Reston, VA: National Association for Sport and 

Physical Education, 2004.

 7. Melograno VJ. Designing the Physical Education Curriculum. 3rd ed. Champaign, IL: Human 

Kinetics, 1996. 

 8. CDC. Guidelines for school and community programs to promote lifelong physical activity 

among young people. MMWR 1997; (No. RR-6):1-36. 

 9. CDC. School Health Index: A Self-Assessment and Planning Guide. Elementary School Version. 

Atlanta, GA: CDC, 2004.

10. CDC. School Health Index: A Self-Assessment and Planning Guide. Middle School/High School 

Version. Atlanta, GA: CDC, 2004. 

11. CDC. Promoting Better Health for Young People Through Physical Activity and Sport: A Report 

to the President from the Secretary of Health and Human Services. Atlanta, GA: CDC, 2000.
Instructions

There are fi ve steps to completing the PECAT. 

Step 1: Select a PECAT coordinator, form a PECAT committee, and identify roles and 

responsibilities of each member.

✔ The PECAT coordinator will lead the PECAT committee through the curriculum analysis. 

This individual should have several years of experience in physical education as well as 

in curriculum development and improvement. 

✔ An existing curriculum review committee, or some of its members, may be the most 

appropriate individuals to make up the PECAT committee. The committee might include 

the physical education coordinator, state or district curriculum specialists, physical 

education teachers from elementary and secondary schools, college/university professors, 

parents, students, public health practitioners, health education teachers, and school 

administrators. In addition to using any existing review committees, determine whether a 

school health council (SHC) exists at the district or school building level. Individuals 

from the SHC are ideal partners for the curriculum review process. Consider whether one 

or two members from the SHC should serve on the committee and how the committee 

will work with the entire SHC. 

Step 2: Review curriculum materials, the PECAT, and any additional state or local standards.

✔ Once a coordinator and committee are selected, each member should receive a copy of 

the curriculum being reviewed as well as a copy of the PECAT. This allows members to 

understand the framework of the curriculum as well as its contents. Each committee 

member should review the introduction, instructions for completing each analysis, 

national standards for physical education, local or state standards if different or in 

addition to the national standards, and the glossary section of the PECAT. 

✔ The PECAT committee should begin by completing the curriculum description form 

together. This form is located on page 13. 

✔ Finally, decide who will be responsible for completing the preliminary, content, and 

student assessment analyses for each grade-level range. You might have the entire PECAT 

committee work together on all grade-level ranges or you might form subcommittees with 

each completing one grade-level. 

Step 3: Complete the accuracy, acceptability, feasibility, and affordability analyses. 

✔ These four preliminary analyses allow you to determine the accuracy of the curriculum, 

how well the curriculum is aligned with community norms, and how feasible and 

affordable it will be for the school district and physical education teachers to implement 

the curriculum. For each of these analyses, consider the questions carefully, consult with 

knowledgeable individuals, complete the scoring charts, and place the score in the score 

box on the last page of each analysis. 

PECAT Instructions – Page 7 

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)
✔ For a locally developed curriculum, complete each of these analyses to determine any 

initial considerations that should be addressed before proceeding to the content and 

student assessment analyses. For example, the affordability analysis may enable the 

PECAT committee to identify costs that previously were undocumented. These 

considerations will be important when the curriculum improvement plan is established. 

✔ For commercially developed curricula, it is strongly recommended that if a curriculum 

has low scores on any of these preliminary analyses, you should not proceed with the 

content and student assessment analyses. A commercially developed curriculum that is 

not rated as accurate, acceptable, feasible, or affordable is not an appropriate choice. 

Step 4: Complete the content and student assessment analyses.

✔ The content and student assessment analyses feature fi ve questions related to each of the 

six national physical education standards and their main components. Refer to the written 

curriculum and determine the degree to which the curriculum addresses each question. 

 Key point: The examples provided in the PECAT for content and student 

assessment analyses items are just that—examples. They are not intended to be 

the only items that should be considered when determining the extent to which the 

curriculum addresses a specifi c component of a standard. When answering 

questions, be sure to consider additional relevant examples. 

✔ Following are the scoring criteria and steps for calculating scores for the content and 

student assessment analyses.

Scoring criteria for the content analysis

2 = Fully: The curriculum suffi ciently addresses each and every element of 

the question. 

1 = Partially: The curriculum partially addresses the question. 

0 = No: The curriculum does not address the question.

Scoring criteria for the student assessment analysis

2 = Fully: The curriculum includes one or more specifi c protocols for student 

assessment and multiple levels of student competency. 

1 = Partially: The curriculum includes one or more protocols for student 

assessment but not multiple levels of student competency. 

0 = No: The curriculum does not include any protocol for assessing student 

performance in this component. 

Calculating scores for the content and student assessment analyses

To determine the total number of points, fi rst add all of the “2” responses 

together. For example, if the curriculum received three “2” responses on the 

content analysis for standard 1, grades K-2, the total for that column would be 

6. Next, add all of the “1” responses together. If the curriculum received two 

“1” responses, the total for that column would be 2. Finally, add these two 

sums together and place the number in the large box in the lower right corner 

of the scoring sheets. The total score for this example would be 8. See the 

Appendix for an example of a completed scoring sheet. 

PECAT Instructions – Page 8

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)
✔ For any additional state or local standards that differ from the national standards, 

a template follows each grade-level range for both content and student assessment. 

Complete as many templates as needed by (1) writing out the entire standard, 

(2) identifying four main components that are essential for students to know and be able to 

do to achieve the standard, and (3) following the scoring system described above. 

✔ When the content and student assessment analyses for each grade level are completed, 

transfer the scores for each standard to the scorecard located at the end of the section for 

that grade level. For example, once all of the content analyses for all six standards are 

completed for grades K-2, the scores from each sheet should be transferred to the 

scorecard for grades K-2. Then, all the scores on the scorecards for each grade level 

should be transferred to the overall PECAT scorecard. 

Step 5: Create a plan for improvement.

✔ For each standard, identify the answers that received 2 points and note those as strengths; 

next, highlight the answers that received 1 or 0 points and note those as potential 

weaknesses or gaps that need to be addressed in the curriculum improvement planning 

process. 

✔ Then, review the scores for each standard on the scorecards for each grade level analyzed. 

Highlight any discrepancies that exist across the two areas analyzed (e.g., considerably 

higher scores for content than for student assessment). This process can help determine 

where improvement is most needed (e.g., within content only, within student assessment 

only, in particular standards, on individual components, on specifi c grade-level ranges). 

✔ For multiple curricula, transfer all content and student assessment analyses scores to the 

corresponding multiple curriculum scorecard located immediately after the individual 

PECAT overall scorecard. This will help you identify strengths and weaknesses of each 

curriculum and enable you to select the one that has strong scores and that will meet your 

local needs.

✔ For those users reviewing a locally developed curriculum, the curriculum improvement 

plan, beginning on page 183, will guide the PECAT committee through the action steps 

needed to create a plan for improvement. The curriculum improvement plan should not be 

used if you are reviewing commercially developed curricula. 

✔ Continue to organize meetings, at least quarterly, to discuss progress made on the 

improvement plan. 

✔ Regularly schedule times for the PECAT committee, or the PECAT coordinator, to meet 

with appropriate school district administrators and school board members to share 

progress reports and heighten awareness of the curriculum needs for physical education. 

PECAT Instructions – Page 9

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Preliminary Curriculum 

Considerations

Physical Education Curriculum Description Form – Page 13

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Physical Education Curriculum Description

The curriculum description is used to provide an overview of the curriculum being assessed. The 

PECAT coordinator or the entire PECAT committee can complete the curriculum description form. 

Curriculum Description Items

1. Name of Curriculum: ______________________________________________

2. Year developed or published: ___________ If applicable, year revised: ____

3. Publisher/Developer/Distributor Name: _______________________________

Contact Person: ___________________________________________________

Address: _________________________________________________________

Phone: ___________________________________________________________

4. What are the overall goals or focus of the curriculum? 

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

5. What grade levels does the curriculum address? (check all that apply)

Kindergarten

Grade 1

Grade 2

Grade 3

Grade 4

Grade 5

Grade 6

Grade 7

Grade 8

Grade 9

Grade 10

Grade 11

Grade 12

6. How many lessons/sessions are in the curriculum? ______________________
Physical Education Curriculum Description Form – Page 14

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

7. Is use of this particular curriculum required by the school board or school 

superintendent’s offi ce? 

Yes

No

N/A

8. Has the curriculum ever been reviewed by another committee? 

Yes

No

Don’t know

If yes, which committee 

________________________________________________________________________

If yes, what type of results were found as a result of the review

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

9. What guidance does the curriculum provide to notify parents and families about the 

curriculum or content of instruction?

 None

 General guidance for teachers

 Specifi c examples: sample letters, sample text for teacher or school newsletter

 Other (describe)
Physical Education Curriculum Description Form – Page 15

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

10. List the materials, tools, technology, and resources included in the curriculum 

(e.g., lesson plans, teaching aids such as posters, fi tness assessment tools, slides or 

transparencies).

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PECAT Accuracy Analysis – Page 17

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Accuracy Analysis

Directions: The accuracy analysis should be completed by persons from the PECAT committee 

capable of assessing the accuracy of the health and scientifi c information in the written physical 

education curriculum. The following questions are starting points for consideration: 

 Are physical activities and skill activities within the written curriculum represented accurately 

(e.g., are fl exibility exercises represented with accurate technique, form, and safety 

considerations) in pictures, graphs, and written text? 

 Are the sources (e.g., research materials, references) of the physical education curriculum 

content made clear? If so, are they reputable sources (e.g., National Association for Sport and 

Physical Education publications)? 

 Are data, information, and sources of information up to date and accurately interpreted? 

 Does the curriculum use accurate and appropriate terminology (e.g., “physical education class” 

versus “gym class”)? 

 Are information, examples, scenarios, etc., relevant to the students’ lives? 

** Add your own accuracy questions as appropriate, based on the PECAT committee’s decision 

making.**

Determining the accuracy analysis score: 

1. If information is found that is NOT scientifi cally sound, accurate, and current, complete items 

A-E, on the accuracy analysis chart located on the following page(s). Then, proceed to the 

acceptability analysis.

A. In column A, list the page(s) in the curriculum where inaccurate, not current, or unsound 

information appears.

B. In column B, briefl y describe the inaccuracies. 

C. In column C, indicate how diffi cult or easy it will be to correct the inaccuracies. 

 (For example, inaccurate information in a teacher’s guide might be easy to replace with a 

district-developed teacher supplement. However, inaccurate information in a printed 

student text might be more diffi cult to correct because it requires revising and 

republishing by the developer.)

D. In column D, briefl y describe what needs to be done to correct the inaccuracies. 

E. In column E, indicate if the corrections will require substantial cost in time or money.

2. If all information appears sound, accurate, and current, write in a score of “4” in the accuracy 

analysis score box (page 19) and proceed to the acceptability analysis (pg. 21). 
PECAT Accuracy Analysis – Page 18

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Accuracy Analysis Chart: Insert information as specifi ed on the previous page, items A – E (if none, go to next page)

A

Page

location in 

curriculum

B

Brief description of 

inaccurate, unsound, or 

not current information 

C

Diffi culty level of correcting 

inaccuracies

D

Brief description of what needs to 

be done to correct the inaccuracies

E

Is correction 

costly in terms 

of money or 

time

❒ = Very diffi cult ❒ = Moderately diffi cult❒ = Moderately easy ❒ = Very easy

❒ Yes ❒ No 

❒ = Very diffi cult❒ = Moderately diffi cult❒ = Moderately easy ❒ = Very easy

❒ Yes ❒ No 

❒ = Very diffi cult ❒ = Moderately diffi cult❒ = Moderately easy ❒ = Very easy

❒ Yes ❒ No 

❒ = Very diffi cult ❒ = Moderately diffi cult❒ = Moderately easy ❒ = Very easy

❒ Yes ❒ No 

❒ = Very diffi cult ❒ = Moderately diffi cult

❒ = Moderately easy ❒ = Very easy

❒ Yes ❒ No 
PECAT Accuracy Analysis – Page 19

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Name of Curriculum: ____________________________________________________Name of Reviewer(s) Credentials Relationship with school district or building

(degree, certifi cation)

_________________________ ________________________ _____________________________________________________________ ________________________ _____________________________________________________________ ________________________ _____________________________________________________________ ________________________ ____________________________________Accuracy analysis score: Using the information from the accuracy analysis chart, score the curriculum based on its accuracy and the extent to which the correction of any errors can be reasonably corrected. (Write the score in accuracy analysis score box below.)

4 = No corrections are necessary. 3 = Only a few minor inaccuracies are evident, and all are easy to correct. 2 = Many minor inaccuracies are evident, but all errors are easy to correct. 1 = Major inaccuracies are evident, and one error is somewhat diffi cult or costly to correct. 0 = Major inaccuracies are evident, and more than one will be diffi cult or costly to correct. 

Accuracy Analysis Score

PECAT Acceptability Analysis – Page 21

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Acceptability Analysis

Directions: The acceptability analysis should be completed by people from the PECAT committee 

who are knowledgeable about the school expectations for physical education material; state and 

local school district policies, requirements, frameworks, and standards that guide physical 

education; and the physical education needs of students. Review the curriculum to determine 

whether there is anything in the curriculum (e.g., text, pictures, activities) that might: 

 Be incompatible with school norms, student needs, or perspectives of families and the 

community; 

 Promote biased or stereotypical perceptions of individuals or groups on the basis of personal 

characteristics such as race, ethnicity, gender, religion, culture, or sexual orientation; or

 Be inconsistent with state statutes, state or district policy, requirements, or standards.

Some questions to consider when analyzing acceptability include the following: 

 Does the curriculum address the physical education and physical activity needs of all students 

in the school, including those with disabilities and those who are not athletically gifted?

 Does the curriculum refl ect the perspectives, diversity, and needs among students, families, 

and the community?

 Does the curriculum address issues required by special statute or policy including the 

requirements identifi ed in the physical education framework or course of study?

 Is there curriculum information or material that violates physical education requirements or 

mandates? 

 Is there anything in the curriculum sponsorship, information, or materials that refl ects an 

inappropriate marketing message or improper attempt to infl uence teachers and students 

(e.g., marketing a particular brand or product, advocating interest that might confl ict with 

the school’s mission, advocating an interest that confl icts with the physical education 

outcomes and objectives)?
PECAT Acceptability Analysis – Page 22

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Determining the acceptability analysis score

1. If there is unacceptable content, complete items A-E on the acceptability analysis chart located 

on page 23, following the directions below. Then, proceed to the feasibility analysis.

 

A. In column A, list the page(s) in the curriculum where unacceptable information or 

depictions appear.

B. In column B, briefl y describe the piece of information or depiction that is biased or that 

is incompatible or inconsistent with policy, frameworks, or standards.

C. In column C, indicate the degree to which the information or depiction is biased or is 

incompatible or inconsistent with policies, frameworks, or standards. 

D. In column D, briefl y describe what needs to be done to correct the problem. 

E. In column E, indicate how diffi cult or easy it will be to correct the incompatible, biased, 

or inconsistent information/depiction or to eliminate the information/depiction from the 

curriculum without affecting the curriculum’s quality. (For example, an unacceptable 

teaching strategy described in a teacher’s guide might be easy to replace or augment 

with a district-developed teacher supplemental lesson. However, racially biased 

information in a printed student text might be more diffi cult to correct, because it 

requires revising and republishing by the developer.) 

2. If all curriculum information and material appears acceptable, write in a score of “4” in the 

acceptability analysis score (pg. 24) and proceed to the feasibility analysis (pg. 25).
PECAT Acceptability Analysis – Page 23

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Acceptability Analysis Chart: Insert information as specifi ed on the previous page, items A-E (if none, go to next page)

A

Page

location in 

curriculum

B

Brief description of biased, 

stereotypical, incompatible, or 

unacceptable information or 

depiction 

C

Degree 

to which 

information is 

unacceptable 

D

Brief description of what 

needs to be done to correct 

unacceptable information 

E

Degree of diffi culty to 

correct or eliminate this 

information and retain 

curriculum quality

❒ = Serious❒ = Minor

❒ = Very diffi cult ❒ = Moderately diffi cult❒ = Moderately easy ❒ = Very easy 

❒ = Serious❒ = Minor

❒ = Very diffi cult ❒ = Moderately diffi cult❒ = Moderately easy ❒ = Very easy 

❒ = Serious❒ = Minor

❒ = Very diffi cult❒ = Moderately diffi cult❒ = Moderately easy ❒ = Very easy 

❒ = Serious❒ = Minor

❒ = Very diffi cult ❒ = Moderately diffi cult❒ = Moderately easy ❒ = Very easy 

❒ = Serious❒ = Minor

❒ = Very diffi cult ❒ = Moderately diffi cult❒ = Moderately easy ❒ = Very easy 

❒ = Serious❒ = Minor

❒ = Very diffi cult 

❒ = Moderately diffi cult❒ = Moderately easy ❒ = Very easy 
PECAT Acceptability Analysis – Page 24

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Name of Curriculum: ____________________________________________________Name of Reviewer(s) Credentials Relationship with school district or building

(degree, certifi cation)

_________________________ ________________________ _____________________________________________________________ ________________________ _____________________________________________________________ ________________________ _____________________________________________________________ ________________________ ____________________________________Acceptability analysis score: Using the information from the acceptability analysis chart, score the curriculum based on its overall acceptability and the extent to which the correction of any errors can be reasonably completed. 

4 = No corrections are necessary. 3 = Only a few minor inaccuracies are evident, and all are easy to correct. 2 = Many minor inaccuracies are evident, but all errors are easy to correct. 1 = Major inaccuracies are evident, and one error is somewhat diffi cult or costly to correct. 0 = Major inaccuracies are evident, and more than one will be diffi cult or costly to correct. 

 Acceptability Analysis Score
PECAT Feasibility Analysis – Page 25

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Feasibility Analysis

The feasibility analysis should be completed by persons from the PECAT committee who know 

whether the physical education curriculum content, materials, and instructional strategies can be 

successfully implemented and utilized in local schools. Complete each item below. Record notes to 

justify scores and to inform PECAT committee discussions and decisions. 

1. The curriculum can be reasonably implemented within the capacity (e.g., level of training, 

certifi cation in teaching physical education) of existing physical education teachers.

 Yes  No

Notes: 

2. The curriculum can be implemented within the available instructional time.

 Yes  No, but time can be adjusted  No, it is too lengthy  No, it is too short

Notes: 
PECAT Feasibility Analysis – Page 26

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

3. The curriculum can be implemented with the existing physical education facilities and 

equipment.

 Yes  No, but this can be addressed  No, it is not feasible

Notes: 

Feasibility Analysis Score: Based on the information above, score the curriculum based on how 

feasible it appears to implement successfully. 

4 = Feasible 

3 = Probably feasible

2 = Possibly feasible

1 = Probably unfeasible 

0 = Unfeasible

 Feasibility Analysis Score
PECAT Affordability Analysis – Page 27

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Affordability Analysis

The affordability analysis should be completed by people who are knowledgeable about curriculum 

development, purchasing, implementation, and revision costs; costs in changing school operating 

procedures; and resources available for covering these costs. Complete each item below. Record 

notes to justify scores and inform PECAT committee discussions and decisions. 

1. What is the initial cost of curriculum materials?

Items

Unit 

Cost

Number 

of Units 

Needed

Total Initial Cost

(Unit cost times 

number of units 

needed)

Core curriculum (breakdown of separate 

grade-specifi c or content-specifi c materials 

might be necessary)

$ $

Necessary instructional materials not included 

as part of core curriculum (may include 

cost of equipment, videos, CDs, master 

transparencies, etc.)

$ $

Required consumable student materials $ $

Other (e.g., parent materials; take-home items) $ $

Total Minimum Curriculum Purchase 

Costs $ $

Optional supplementary materials (including 

suggested, but not required, consumable 

materials) 

$ $

Total Initial Curriculum Costs $ $

 Notes and comments: 
PECAT Affordability Analysis – Page 28

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

2. What is the cost of sustaining the curriculum materials annually? 

Items

Unit 

Cost

Number 

of Units 

Needed

Total Annual Cost

(Unit cost times 

number of units 

needed)

Core curriculum (breakdown of separate 

grade-specifi c or content-specifi c materials 

might be necessary)

$ $

Necessary instructional materials not included 

as part of core curriculum (may include cost of 

equipment, videos, CDs, master transparencies, 

etc.)

$ $

Required consumable student materials $ $

Other (e.g., parent materials; take-home items) $ $

Total Minimum Curriculum Purchase Costs $ $

Optional supplementary materials (including 

suggested, but not required, consumable 

materials) 

$ $

Total Sustaining Curriculum Costs $ $

Notes and comments: 
PECAT Affordability Analysis – Page 29

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

3. What are the additional fi nancial costs related to curriculum implementation?

Additional staff $  Initial Cost

 Continuous Annual Cost 

Professional development costs/ 

training fees $  Initial Cost

 Continuous Annual Cost

Paying substitutes to cover classes $  Initial Cost

 Continuous Annual Cost 

Other $  Initial Cost

 Continuous Annual Cost 

Other $  Initial Cost

 Continuous Annual Cost 

Total Additional Costs $

 Notes and comments: 

4. What funds are available for curriculum purchase and implementation? 

SOURCE AMOUNT

_____________________________________________ $____________

_____________________________________________ $____________

_____________________________________________ $____________

Notes and comments: 
PECAT Affordability Analysis – Page 30

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

5. Funding Summary: 

Item Initial Cost Annual Cost

Costs of materials 

(note: total initial cost is found on 

page 27; total annual cost is found on 

page 28) 

$ $

Additional costs for implementation 

(note: to fi nd initial implementation 

costs, add all “initial costs” from 

question 3 on page 29; next, add all 

“annual costs” identifi ed from question 3, 

page 29) 

$ $

Funds available for purchase and 

implementation (add total amount 

available from question 4 on page 29)

$ $

Notes and comments: 

6. Identify needed changes in staffi ng, facilities, professional development, and class schedule 

so that lessons and student assessment protocols in the curriculum can be implemented as written. Briefl y note any changes that require a cost in dollars, time, or effort.

Notes and comments: 
PECAT Affordability Analysis – Page 31

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

7. Consider any costs that would be involved in revising the curriculum to ensure that 

the content is accurate and acceptable (see notes on the accuracy analysis chart, 

page 18, and acceptability analysis chart, pg. 23).

Notes and comments: 

8. Based on the information above, score how affordable the curriculum appears to be. 

(Write score in box below.)

4 = Defi nitely affordable 

3 = Probably affordable 

2 = Possibly affordable 

1 = Probably not affordable 

0 = Defi nitely not affordable

Affordability Analysis Score

Grades K-2

Grades K-2 – Page 35

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Student Expectations at the End of Grade 2

Standard 1: The learner demonstrates competency in motor skills and movement patterns 

needed to perform a variety of physical activities. 

By the end of grade 2, students should: 

• Achieve mature forms in the basic locomotor skills and vary the manner in which these skills 

are performed in relationship to changing conditions and expectations. 

• Demonstrate smooth transitions between sequential locomotor skills. 

• Show progress toward achieving mature form in the more complex manipulative skills (e.g., foot 

dribble) and achieve mature form in the less complex manipulative skills (e.g., underhand throw). 

• Demonstrate control in traveling (walking, running, skipping), weight-bearing, and balancing 

activities on a variety of body parts. 

Standard 2: The learner demonstrates understanding of movement concepts, principles, 

strategies, and tactics as they apply to the learning and performance of physical activities. 

By the end of grade 2, students should:

• Mature in their basic movement abilities. 

• Apply concepts such as body parts, actions and planes, and personal/general space. 

• Identify and use concepts of the body, space, effort, and relationships that vary the quality of 

movement. 

• Identify elements of correct form for fundamental skills and use them in performance. 

• Use feedback to improve motor performance. 

Standard 3: The learner participates regularly in physical activity. 

By the end of grade 2, students should:

• Participate in physical activities largely for the enjoyment they gain from them. 

• Engage primarily in nonstructured physical activities on an intermittent basis outside physical 

education class and have fun while doing so. 

• Participate in a wide variety of gross motor activities that involve locomotion, 

nonlocomotion, and manipulation of objects. 

• Select and participate in moderate-to-vigorous activities during their leisure time. 

• Recognize that participation in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity has temporary and 

lasting effects on the body and choose to engage in activities that contribute to improved health. 
Grades K-2 – Page 36

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

• Begin to use the skills and knowledge acquired in physical education class during their 

leisure-time physical activity. 

Standard 4: The learner achieves and maintains a health-enhancing level of physical fi tness. 

By the end of grade 2, students should:

• Engage in a variety of activities that serve to promote health-related physical fi tness. 

• Enjoy physical activities for the pleasure experienced from simply moving and may not 

associate the activity with the development of physical fi tness. 

• Participate in physical activity intermittently for short periods of time and accumulate a 

relatively high volume of total activity while having fun doing so. 

• Recognize physiological signs associated with participation in moderate-to-vigorous physical 

activity (e.g., sweating, fast heart rate, heavy breathing). 

• Possess basic knowl edge of the components of health-related fi tness (cardiorespiratory 

endurance, muscular strength and endurance, fl exibility, and body composition). 

Standard 5: The learner exhibits responsible personal and social behavior that respects self 

and others in physical activity settings. 

By the end of grade 2, students should: 

• Discover the joy of playing with friends and how social interaction can make activities more 

fun. 

• Know safe practices, physical education class rules, and procedures and be able to apply 

them with little or no reinforcement. 

• Know how to use accept able behaviors for physical activity settings and be able to build a 

foundation for successful interpersonal communication during group activity. 

• Have improved motor skills that provide a basis and appreciation for working with others in 

cooperative movement, sharing, and working together to solve a problem and/or tackle a 

challenge. 

Standard 6: The learner values physical activity for health, enjoyment, challenge, selfexpression, and/or social interaction. 

By the end of grade 2, students should: 

• Be physically active because of the enjoyment accomplished by merely participating. 

• Like the challenge of experiencing new movements and learning new skills. 

• Feel joy in movement as they gain competence. 

• Begin to function as a member of a group and to work cooperatively for brief periods of time.
Grades K-2 – Page 37

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Content Analysis for Standard 1

Grades K-2

The content analysis for standard 1, grades K-2, is completed by placing a check in the box 

corresponding to “2”, “1”, or “0”, after each question. Once this is complete, add the numbers down 

and then across and place in the content analysis score box for standard 1.

Standard 1: Demonstrates competency in motor skills and movement patterns needed to 

perform a variety of physical activities 

 Fully Partially No*

 2 1 0 

Does the curriculum include

1. Specifi c lessons on fundamental movement skills, 

including locomotor (e.g., walk, skip, hop), nonlocomotor 

(e.g., bend, twist, rock), and manipulative (e.g., striking 

an object) for each skill? 

 

2. Specifi c introductory lessons on motor skills such as 

rolling, transfer of body weight to one leg, or rhythmic 

movement? 

 

3. Specifi c lessons on the combination of movement 

and motor skills, such as dribbling a ball while walking 

or creating movement patterns using different speeds, 

directions, and skills? 

4. At least one initial and one follow-up learning experience 

(e.g., introduction of basic tossing skills and then tossing 

the ball back and forth with partners) for each skill? 

5. Specifi c instructions that clearly indicate the 

appropriate grade level at which each motor skill 

and movement pattern should be introduced and 

subsequently taught? 

Content Analysis Score for Standard 1 (Grades K-2) 

(Add the total numbers to determine the total score and place score 

on scorecard, page 65.)

* Key for Scoring 

2 = Fully: The curriculum suffi ciently addresses each and every element of the question; 1 = Partially: The curriculum

partially addresses the question; 0 = No: The curriculum does not address the question. 

 +  +  = 

❏ ❏ ❏

SCORE

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

Grades K-2 – Page 39

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Content Analysis for Standard 2

Grades K-2

The content analysis for standard 2, grades K-2, is completed by placing a check in the box 

corresponding to “2”, “1”, or “0”, after each question. Once this is complete, add the numbers down 

and then across and place in the content analysis score box for standard 2.

Standard 2: Demonstrates understanding of movement concepts, principles, strategies, and 

tactics as they apply to the learning and performance of physical activities

 Fully Partially No*

 2 1 0 

Does the curriculum include 

1. Specifi c lessons on critical features of motor skills, such as 

teaching students about personal space, body awareness, and 

the distinction between locomotor movements (e.g., run, walk, 

skip, hop, gallop)?

2. Specifi c lessons on movement concepts, including the 

 relationships of movement (e.g., in, out, under, over, 

through), effort, time, and space (e.g., paths, ranges, and 

direction of movement)? 

3. Specifi c lessons on the mechanics of movement, such as 

 balance, the role of muscles in body movements, force 

absorption, and basic throwing mechanics? 

4. Specifi c lessons on motor learning and motor development 

 concepts (e.g., striking with equipment has many similarities 

to striking with your hand; control of movement increases with 

practice; learning a variety of skills allows for more choices)? 

5. Specifi c instructions that clearly indicate the appropriate grade 

 level at which each movement concept, principle, strategy, or 

tactic should be introduced and subsequently taught? 

Content Analysis Score for Standard 2 (Grades K-2) 

(Add the total number to determine the total score and place score

on scorecard, page 65.)

* Key for Scoring 

2 = Fully: The curriculum suffi ciently addresses each and every element of the question; 1 = Partially: The curriculum 

partially addresses the question; 0 = No: The curriculum does not address the question.

SCORE

 +  +  = 

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

Grades K-2 – Page 41

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Content Analysis for Standard 3

Grades K-2

The content analysis for standard 3, grades K-2, is completed by placing a check in the box 

corresponding to “2”, “1”, or “0”, after each question. Once this is complete, add the numbers down 

and then across and place in the content analysis score box for standard 3.

Standard 3: Participates regularly in physical activity 

Does the curriculum include

1. Specifi c lessons that teach students the difference between 

 moderate and vigorous physical activity and encourage students

 to participate in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity during 

 leisure time? 

2. Specifi c lessons that stress the importance of allowing students 

to be able to choose specifi c forms of physical activity and/or 

modify activities they participate in during time outside of 

physical education?

3. Specifi c lessons that allow students to understand the 

 temporary and lasting health-related benefi ts (e.g., healthy 

heart, good feelings, strong muscles) of physical activity? 

4. Specifi c lessons on a variety of activities that allow students to 

 participate in activities that involve locomotion, nonlocomotion, 

 and manipulation of objects (e.g., tossing balls, juggling)? 

5. Specifi c instructions that clearly indicate the appropriate grade 

 level at which each physical activity concept and/or skill should 

 be introduced and subsequently taught? 

Content Analysis Score for Standard 3 (Grades K-2) 

(Add the total numbers to determine the total score and place score 

on scorecard, page 65.)

 

* Key for Scoring 

2 = Fully: The curriculum suffi ciently addresses each and every element of the question; 1 = Partially: The curriculum 

partially addresses the question; 0 = No: The curriculum does not address the question.

 Fully Partially No*

 2 1 0

❏ ❏ ❏

 +  +  = 

SCORE

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

Grades K-2 – Page 43

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Content Analysis for Standard 4

Grades K-2

The content analysis for standard 4, grades K-2, is completed by placing a check in the box 

corresponding to “2”, “1”, or “0”, after each question. Once this is complete, add the numbers down 

and then across and place in the content analysis score box for standard 4.

Standard 4: Achieves and maintains a health-enhancing level of physical fi tness 

 Fully Partially No*

 2 1 0

Does the curriculum include

1. Specifi c lessons about the body’s response to physical activity 

(e.g., increased heart rate, faster breathing, and sweating)? 

2. Specifi c lessons about developing basic knowledge of the 

 components of health-related fi tness (e.g., cardiorespiratory, 

 muscular endurance, muscular strength, fl exibility, and body 

 composition)? 

3. Specifi c lessons that allow students to participate in 

 vigorous, intermittent physical activity for short periods of 

time during physical education class? 

4. Specifi c lessons about the concept of personal choices in 

physical activity and how those physical activity choices 

 contribute to physical fi tness? 

5. Specifi c instructions that clearly indicate the appropriate grade 

level at which each concept and activity related to physical 

fi tness should be introduced and subsequently taught? 

Content Analysis Score for Standard 4 (Grades K-2) 

(Add the total numbers for the total score and place score

on scorecard, page 65.) 

* Key for Scoring 

2 = Fully: The curriculum suffi ciently addresses each and every element of the question; 1 = Partially: The curriculum 

partially addresses the question; 0 = No: The curriculum does not address the question.

 

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

 +  +  = 

SCORE

Grades K-2 – Page 45

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Content Analysis for Standard 5

Grades K-2

The content analysis for standard 5, grades K-2, is completed by placing a check in the box 

corresponding to “2”, “1”, or “0”, after each question. Once this is complete, add the numbers down 

and then across and place in the content analysis score box for standard 5.

Standard 5: Exhibits responsible personal and social behavior that respects self and others in 

physical activity settings

 Fully Partially No*

2 1 0

Does the curriculum include

1. Specifi c lessons that address cooperation, teamwork, and 

personal responsibility (e.g., sharing space and equipment with

 classmates, working with others to complete a task, learning by 

doing, practicing specifi c skills to improve self-confi dence, and 

resolving confl ict through positive mechanisms)? 

 

2. Specifi c lessons that stress the importance of establishing 

 rules, etiquette, and procedures for physical education class 

 as well as for games and activities taught during class? 

3. Specifi c lessons that allow physical educators to teach and 

discuss the importance of safety issues within physical education 

class as well as for physical activities outside of class? 

4. Specifi c lessons that address respect for individual differences 

within and outside of physical education as well as the 

importance of engaging with individuals with disabilities and/or

 special health care needs? 

5. Specifi c instructions that clearly indicate the appropriate grade 

level at which each concept, skill, and activity related to 

responsible personal and social behavior should be introduced

 and subsequently taught? 

Content Analysis Score for Standard 5 (Grades K-2) (Add the total numbers for the total score and place score

on scorecard, page 65.)

 * Key for Scoring 

2 = Fully: The curriculum suffi ciently addresses each and every element of the question; 1 = Partially: The curriculum 

partially addresses the question; 0 = No: The curriculum does not address the question.

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

 +  +  = 

SCORE

Grades K-2 – Page 47

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Content Analysis for Standard 6

Grades K-2

The content analysis for standard 6, grades K-2, is completed by placing a check in the box 

corresponding to “2”, “1”, or “0”, after each question. Once this is complete, add the numbers down 

and then across and place in the content analysis score box for standard 6.

Standard 6: Values physical activity for health, enjoyment, challenge, self-expression, and/or 

social interaction

 

Does the curriculum include 

1. Specifi c lessons that teach students the benefi ts of accepting 

 new challenges in physical activity (e.g., attempting

 a new movement or skill)?

2. Specifi c lessons that allow students to express their feelings 

toward physical activity, identify the physical activities they 

 enjoy and interactions they enjoy with others through physical 

 activity? 

3. Specifi c lessons that allow physical educators to teach and 

discuss the importance of self-expression through movement

 (e.g., artistic concepts of movement, expression of feelings 

about physical activity through movement)?

4. Specifi c lessons that address the role of physical activity 

throughout history (e.g., the role physical activity and games 

played in different cultures)? 

5. Specifi c instructions that clearly indicate the appropriate grade 

 level at which each concept, skill, and activity related to the 

value of physical activity should be introduced and 

subsequently taught?

 

Content Analysis Score for Standard 6 (Grades K-2) 

(Add the total numbers for the total score and place score 

on scorecard, page 65.) 

* Key for Scoring 

2 = Fully: The curriculum suffi ciently addresses each and every element of the question; 1 = Partially: The curriculum 

partially addresses the question; 0 = No: The curriculum does not address the question.

Fully Partially No*

 2 1 0

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

 +  +  = 

SCORE

Grades K-2 – Page 49

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Template for Additional Standards for

Content Analysis, Grades K-2

Standard: Write out the additional physical education standard below.

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

To complete the following section, identify the four main components that are essential for students 

to know or be able to do to achieve the standard. Proceed to determine how well the written 

curriculum addresses each with the same scoring system used throughout the PECAT (i.e., fully, 

partially, or not at all). Question 5 for each additional standard will remain the same. Photocopy 

this page for any additional standards. 

Does the curriculum include

 

1. ____________________________________________________ 

 

2. ____________________________________________________ 

 

3. ____________________________________________________ 

 

4. ____________________________________________________

5. Specifi c instructions that clearly indicate the appropriate 

grade level at which each protocol for student assessment 

should be conducted for the above components? 

Content Analysis Score 

(Add the total numbers for the total score and place score 

on scorecard, page 65.)

* Key for Scoring 

2 = Fully: The curriculum suffi ciently addresses each and every element of the question; 1 = Partially: The curriculum 

partially addresses the question; 0 = No: The curriculum does not address the question.

Fully Partially No*

 2 1 0

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

 +  +  = 

SCORE

Grades K-2 – Page 51

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Student Assessment Analysis for Standard 1

Grades K-2

The student assessment analysis for standard 1, grades K-2, is completed by placing a check in the 

box corresponding to “2”, “1”, or “0”after each question. Once this is complete, add the numbers 

down and then across and place in the student assessment analysis score box for standard 1.

Standard 1: Demonstrates competency in motor skills and movement patterns needed to 

perform a variety of physical activities

 

Does the curriculum include

1. Protocols for assessing fundamental movement skills, including 

locomotor (e.g., walk, skip, hop), nonlocomotor (e.g., bend, 

 twist, rock), and manipulative (e.g., striking an object) skills? 

2. Protocols for assessing specialized movement skills such as 

rolling, transfer of body weight to one leg, or rhythmic 

movement?

3. Protocols for assessing the combination of movement and motor 

skills such as dribbling a ball while walking or creating movement patterns using different speeds, directions, and skills? 

 

4. Protocols for assessing the application of a variety of locomotor, 

 nonlocomotor, manipulative, combination, and specialized skills, 

 such as having a student demonstrate how to adapt movement 

skills to changing conditions (e.g., rolling a ball to a moving 

partner or moving to music)? 

5. Specifi c instructions that clearly indicate the appropriate grade 

level at which each protocol for student assessment should be 

conducted for the above components? 

Student Assessment Score for Standard 1 (Grades K-2) 

(Add the numbers across for the total score and place score 

on scorecard, page 65.)

* Key for Scoring 

2 = Fully: Includes 1 or more specifi c protocols for assessment and multiple levels of competency; 1 = Partially: Does 

include 1 or more protocols but not multiple levels of competency; 0 = No: Does not include any protocol for assessing 

student performance.

Fully Partially No*

 2 1 0

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

 +  +  = 

SCORE

Grades K-2 – Page 53

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Student Assessment Analysis for Standard 2

Grades K-2

The student assessment analysis for standard 2, grades K-2, is completed by placing a check in the 

box corresponding to “2”, “1”, or “0”after each question. Once this is complete, add the numbers 

down and then across and place in the student assessment analysis score box for standard 2.

Standard 2: Demonstrates understanding of movement concepts, principles, strategies, and 

tactics as they apply to the learning and performance of physical activities

 

Does the curriculum include

1. Protocols for assessing critical features of movement forms such 

as assessing students’ ability to make the distinction between 

various locomotor movements (e.g., run, walk, skip, hop, gallop)?

2. Protocols for assessing movement concepts, such as 

 the relationships of movement (e.g., in, out, under, over, 

through), effort, time, and space (e.g., paths, ranges, direction 

of movement)? 

3. Protocols for assessing the mechanics of movement, such as 

asking students to demonstrate balance and basic throwing 

mechanics?

 

4. Protocols for assessing motor learning and motor development 

concepts, such as striking with equipment and with hands and 

 demonstrating control of movement with increased practice? 

5. Specifi c instructions that clearly indicate the appropriate grade 

 level at which each protocol for student assessment should be 

conducted for the above components? 

Student Assessment Score for Standard 2 (Grades K-2) 

(Add the numbers across for the total score and place score 

on scorecard, page 65.)

* Key for Scoring 

2 = Fully: Includes 1 or more specifi c protocols for assessment and multiple levels of competency; 1 = Partially: Does 

include 1 or more protocols but not multiple levels of competency; 0 = No: Does not include any protocol for assessing 

student performance.

Fully Partially No*

 2 1 0

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

 +  +  = 

SCORE

Grades K-2 – Page 55

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Student Assessment Analysis for Standard 3

Grades K-2

The student assessment analysis for standard 3, grades K-2, is completed by placing a check in the 

box corresponding to “2”, “1”, or “0”after each question. Once this is complete, add the numbers 

down and then across and place in the student assessment analysis score box for standard 3.

Standard 3: Participates regularly in physical activity 

Does the curriculum include

1. Protocols for assessing student ability to identify different 

 types of physical activity, such as student knowledge 

 about moderate and vigorous activities in and outside of

 physical education classes? 

2. Protocols for assessing student choice and/or modifi cation of 

physical activity, such as asking students to identify and 

explain their favorite activities; likes and dislikes related to 

physical activities; and ways to modify physical activities 

according to personal ability? 

3. Protocols for assessing students’ knowledge of the temporary 

and lasting health benefi ts of physical activity, such as physical 

benefi ts (e.g., healthy heart) and psychological benefi ts 

(e.g., good feelings)? 

4. Protocols for assessing students’ ability to participate in 

activities that involve manipulating objects, such as ball tossing 

and juggling? 

5. Specifi c instructions that clearly indicate the appropriate grade 

level at which each protocol for student assessment should be 

conducted for the above components? 

Student Assessment Score for Standard 3 (Grades K-2) 

(Add the numbers across for the total score and place score 

on scorecard, page 65.) 

* Key for Scoring 

2 = Fully: Includes 1 or more specifi c protocols for assessment and multiple levels of competency; 1 = Partially: Does 

include 1 or more protocols but not multiple levels of competency; 0 = No: Does not include any protocol for assessing 

student performance.

Fully Partially No*

 2 1 0

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

 +  +  = 

SCORE

Grades K-2 – Page 57

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Student Assessment Analysis for Standard 4

Grades K-2

The student assessment analysis for standard 4, grades K-2, is completed by placing a check in the 

box corresponding to “2”, “1”, or “0”after each question. Once this is complete, add the numbers 

down and then across and place in the student assessment analysis score box for standard 4.

Standard 4: Achieves and maintains a health-enhancing level of physical fi tness 

 

Does the curriculum include

1. Protocols for assessing student knowledge about 

 the body’s response to physical activity, such as 

 asking students to identify physical reactions to activity?

2. Protocols for assessing students’ basic knowledge about the 

components of health-related fi tness, such as asking students to 

identify which activities done during physical education class 

affect fl exibility?

 

3. Protocols for assessing students’ participation in vigorous, 

intermittent physical activities during physical education class? 

4. Protocols for assessing students’ personal choice in physical 

activity (e.g., asking students to identify their favorite physical 

activities outside of physical education) and how choice 

contributes to physical fi tness (e.g., asking students to identify 

which activities contribute to muscular strength)? 

5. Specifi c instructions that clearly indicate the appropriate grade 

level at which each protocol for student assessment should be 

conducted for the above components? 

Student Assessment Score for Standard 4 (Grades K-2) 

(Add the numbers across for the total score and place score 

on scorecard, page 65.)

* Key for Scoring 

2 = Fully: Includes 1 or more specifi c protocols for assessment and multiple levels of competency; 1 = Partially: Does 

include 1 or more protocols but not multiple levels of competency; 0 = No: Does not include any protocol for assessing 

student performance.

Fully Partially No*

 2 1 0

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

 +  +  = 

SCORE

Grades K-2 – Page 59

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Student Assessment Analysis for Standard 5

Grades K-2

The student assessment analysis for standard 5, grades K-2, is completed by placing a check in the 

box corresponding to “2”, “1”, or “0”after each question. Once this is complete, add the numbers 

down and then across and place in the student assessment analysis score box for standard 5.

Standard 5: Exhibits responsible personal and social behavior that respects self and others in 

physical activity settings 

 

Does the curriculum include

1. Protocols for assessing students’ ability to practice 

cooperation, teamwork, personal responsibility, and 

 confl ict resolution? 

2. Protocols for assessing students’ identifi cation of and 

adherence to rules, etiquette, and procedures for physical 

education class?

 

3. Protocols for assessing students’ knowledge of safety issues 

within physical education as well as physical activity outside 

of class, such as asking students to identify major safety issues 

related to certain sports and games they participate in after 

school? 

4. Protocols for assessing personal and social respect regarding 

 individual differences within and outside of physical education? 

5. Specifi c instructions that clearly indicate the appropriate grade 

level at which each protocol for student assessment should be 

conducted for the above components? 

Student Assessment Score for Standard 5 (Grades K-2) 

(Add the numbers across for the total score and place score 

 on scorecard, page 65.)

 

* Key for Scoring 

2 = Fully: Includes 1 or more specifi c protocols for assessment and multiple levels of competency; 1 = Partially: Does 

include 1 or more protocols but not multiple levels of competency; 0 = No: Does not include any protocol for assessing 

student performance.

Fully Partially No*

 2 1 0

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

 +  +  = 

SCORE

Grades K-2 – Page 61

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Student Assessment Analysis for Standard 6

Grades K-2

The student assessment analysis for standard 6, grades K-2, is completed by placing a check in the 

box corresponding to “2”, “1”, or “0”after each question. Once this is complete, add the numbers 

down and then across and place in the student assessment analysis score box for standard 6.

Standard 6: Values physical activity for health, enjoyment, challenge, self-expression, and/or 

social interaction 

 

Does the curriculum include 

1. Protocols for assessing students’ ability to identify new 

challenges in physical activity, such as attempting a new 

movement or participating in a new game or sport? 

2. Protocols for assessing students’ ability to identify the physical 

activities they enjoy and to explain why they enjoy being 

physically active with others? 

3. Protocols for assessing students’ ability to identify the importance 

of self expression through movement (e.g., artistic concepts of 

movement, expression of feelings through movement)? 

4. Protocols for assessing students’ knowledge about the role of 

physical activity throughout history, such as asking students to 

identify the different types of games played across cultures and 

throughout history?

5. Specifi c instructions that clearly indicate the appropriate grade 

level at which each protocol for student assessment should be 

conducted for the above components? 

Student Assessment Score for Standard 6 (Grades K-2) 

(Add the numbers across for the total score and place score 

on scorecard, page 65.)

* Key for Scoring 

2 = Fully: Includes 1 or more specifi c protocols for assessment and multiple levels of competency; 1 = Partially: Does 

include 1 or more protocols but not multiple levels of competency; 0 = No: Does not include any protocol for assessing 

student performance.

Fully Partially No*

 2 1 0

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

 +  +  = 

SCORE

Grades K-2 – Page 63

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Template for Additional Standards for 

Student Assessment Analysis, Grades K-2

Standard: Write out the additional physical education standard below.

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

To complete the following section, identify the four types of protocols that are essential for assessing 

student knowledge and skills. Proceed to determine the extent to which the written curriculum 

includes these protocols with the same scoring system used throughout the PECAT (i.e., fully, 

partially, or not at all). Question 5 for each additional standard will remain the same. Photocopy 

this page for any additional standards. 

Does the curriculum include 

1. ____________________________________________________ 

 

2. ____________________________________________________ 

 

3. ____________________________________________________ 

 

4. ____________________________________________________

5. Specifi c instructions that clearly indicate the appropriate 

grade level at which each protocol for student assessment 

should be conducted for the above components? 

 

Student Assessment Analysis Score 

(Add the total numbers across for the total score and place score 

on scorecard, page 65.)

* Key for Scoring 

2 = Fully: Includes 1 or more specifi c protocols for assessment and multiple levels of competency; 1 = Partially: Does 

include 1 or more protocols but not multiple levels of competency; 0 = No: Does not include any protocol for assessing 

student performance.

Fully Partially No*

 2 1 0

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

 +  +  = 

SCORE

Grades K-2 – Page 65

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

SCORECARD FOR CONTENT AND 

STUDENT ASSESSMENT ANALYSES

Grades K-2

To complete the scorecard for content and student assessment analyses (grades K-2), transfer the 

individual scores for each standard from the preceding pages. 

NATIONAL

STANDARD

CONTENT 

ANALYSIS

SCORE

STUDENT ASSESSMENT

ANALYSIS

SCORE

1

2

3

4

5

6

ADDITIONAL

STANDARDS

Note: Add each of these scores to the overall PECAT scorecard on page 173.

Grades 3-5

Grades 3-5 – Page 69

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Student Expectations at the End of Grade 5

Standard 1: The learner demonstrates competency in motor skills and movement patterns 

needed to perform a variety of physical activities. 

By the end of grade 5, students should:

• Develop maturity and versatility in the use of fundamental skills for more enjoyable 

movement experiences.

• Achieve mature forms in the basic nonlocomotor and manipulative skills. 

• Demonstrate locomotor, nonlocomotor, and manipulative skills for performance outcomes 

(e.g., hitting targets). 

• Use fundamental, nonlocomotor, locomotor, and manipulative skills in dynamic and complex 

environments (e.g., formal dance to music) and in combination with each other. 

• Use specialized skills basic to a movement form (e.g., basketball chest pass, softball fi elding 

with a glove). 

Standard 2: The learner demonstrates understanding of movement concepts, principles, 

strategies, and tactics as they apply to the learning and performance of physical activities.

By the end of grade 5, students should:

• Comprehend more complex concepts and principles and apply them in structured settings. 

• Use performance feedback to increase their cognitive understanding of a skill as well as to 

improve performance. 

• Use knowledge of critical elements of form or simple biomechanical or motor development 

principles to provide feedback to others. 

• Participate in complex motor skills, transfer concepts learned in other skills/games for 

performance of the new skill/game (e.g., bending the knees lowers the center of gravity and 

increases stability). 

Standard 3: The learner participates regularly in physical activity. 

By the end of grade 5, students should: 

• Develop an awareness of participation in physical activity as a conscious personal decision, 

choosing activities for both the enjoyment and the health benefi ts they produce. 

• Voluntarily participate in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity for longer periods of time 

outside of physical education class. 
Grades 3-5 – Page 70

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

• Be able to identify and make use of opportunities at school and within the community for 

regular participation in physical activity. 

• Begin to recognize and use critical elements and movement concepts to sustain their 

participation in activities they enjoy. 

• Be capable of using information from a variety of sources (internal and external) to regulate 

their participation in an activity.

Standard 4: The learner achieves and maintains a health-enhancing level of physical fi tness. 

By the end of grade 5, students should: 

• Regularly participate in physical activity for the purpose of improving physical fi tness. 

• Participate in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity for longer periods of time without tiring. 

• Begin to engage in physical activities specifi cally related to each component of physical 

fi tness and be capable of monitoring the physiological indicators that accompany moderateto-vigorous physical activity and adjusting personal activity accordingly. 

• Complete standardized fi tness testing and achieve desired levels consistent with 

contemporary health-related recommendations. 

• With teacher assistance, interpret the results and understand the signifi cance of information 

provided by formal measures of physical fi tness. 

Standard 5: The learner exhibits responsible personal and social behavior that respects self 

and others in physical activity settings. 

By the end of grade 5, students should: 

• Be active participants in class and learn to work independently and with small groups 

enjoying the diversity of others. 

• Identify the purposes for and follow activity-specifi c safe practices, rules, procedures, and 

etiquette. 

• Continue to develop cooperation and communication skills to enable completion of a 

common goal while working with a partner and/or small groups. 

• Work independently and produc tively for short, as well as progressively longer, periods of 

time during and outside of physical education classes. 

• Continue to develop cultural/ethnic self-awareness, appreciate their heritage, and appreciate 

the differences in others. 
Grades 3-5 – Page 71

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Standard 6: The learner values physical activity for health, enjoyment, challenge, 

self-expression, and/or social interaction.

By the end of grade 5, students should: 

• Identify activities they consider to be fun. 

• Relate enjoyment directly to competence in a particular activity. 

• Be challenged by learning a new skill or activity and enjoy broadening their repertoire 

of movement skills. 

• Attribute success and improvement to effort and practice. 

• Choose an appropriate level of challenge in an activity so as to experience success and 

engage in activity with students of similar skill levels. 

Grades 3-5 – Page 73

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Content Analysis for Standard 1

Grades 3-5

The content analysis for standard 1, grades 3-5, is completed by placing a check in the box 

corresponding to “2”, “1”, or “0”after each question. Once this is complete, add the numbers down 

and then across and place in the content analysis score box for standard 1.

Standard 1: Demonstrates competency in motor skills and movement patterns needed to 

perform a variety of physical activities

 

 

Does the curriculum include

1. Specifi c lessons on mature forms of fundamental 

manipulative skills (e.g., striking an object) for each skill? 

 

2. Specifi c lessons on a few specialized motor skills such as 

basketball chest pass, soccer dribbling, or jumping a rope? 

3. Specifi c lessons on the combination of movement and motor 

 skills, such as dribble and kick an object while moving, overhand 

 throw, or combining traveling, balancing, weight transfer, and

 rolling actions with a change in level, fl ow, direction, or speed?

4. At least one initial and one follow-up learning experience in 

applied settings (e.g., tossing skills are practiced and then 

tossing a ball to a teammate during a game) for each skill? 

5. Specifi c instructions that clearly indicate the appropriate grade 

level at which each motor and movement skill should be 

introduced and subsequently taught? 

Content Analysis Score for Standard 1 (Grades 3-5) 

(Add the numbers across for the total score and place this score 

on scorecard, page 101.)

 

* Key for Scoring 

2 = Fully: The curriculum suffi ciently addresses each and every element of the question; 1 = Partially: The curriculum 

partially addresses the question; 0 = No: The curriculum does not address the question.

Fully Partially No*

 2 1 0

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

 +  +  = 

SCORE

Grades 3-5 – Page 75

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Content Analysis for Standard 2

Grades 3-5

The content analysis for standard 2, grades 3-5, is completed by placing a check in the box 

corresponding to “2”, “1”, or “0”after each question. Once this is complete, add the numbers down 

and then across and place in the content analysis score box for standard 2.

Standard 2: Demonstrates understanding of movement concepts, principles, strategies, and 

tactics as they apply to the learning and performance of physical activities

Does the curriculum include 

1. Specifi c lessons about critical features of movement forms, 

 such as teaching students about the critical features of 

dribbling, kicking, catching, throwing, and striking? 

2. Specifi c lessons on basic game concepts, such as 

 invasion and net activities?

3. Specifi c lessons on the mechanics of movement, such as how 

to safely lift an object and the infl uences of speed and force? 

4. Specifi c lessons on motor learning and motor development 

concepts (e.g., visual focus is an important component of skill, 

 appropriate practice improves performance of skills, basic skills 

 help with specialized skills)?

5. Specifi c instructions that clearly indicate the appropriate grade 

level at which each movement concept, principle, strategy, or 

tactic should be introduced and subsequently taught? 

Content Analysis Score for Standard 2 (Grades 3-5) 

(Add the numbers across for the total score and place score 

on scorecard, page 101.)

 

 

* Key for Scoring 

2 = Fully: The curriculum suffi ciently addresses each and every element of the question; 1 = Partially: The curriculum 

partially addresses the question; 0 = No: The curriculum does not address the question.

Fully Partially No*

 2 1 0

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

 +  +  = 

SCORE

Grades 3-5 – Page 77

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Content Analysis for Standard 3

Grades 3-5

The content analysis for standard 3, grades 3-5, is completed by placing a check in the box 

corresponding to “2”, “1”, or “0”after each question. Once this is complete, add the numbers down 

and then across and place in the content analysis score box for standard 3.

Standard 3: Participates regularly in physical activity

Does the curriculum include

1. Specifi c lessons that teach students how to recognize and 

monitor intensity levels of a variety of activities as well as 

materials to assist teachers with promoting age-appropriate 

moderate-to-vigorous physical activities outside of physical 

education class? 

2. Specifi c lessons that stress the importance of allowing students 

to be able to choose specifi c forms and intensities of physical 

activity and/or modify an activity that is taught during physical 

education class? 

3. Specifi c lessons that teach students the health-related benefi ts 

(e.g., healthy heart) and mental health benefi ts (e.g., stress 

reduction) of physical activity during physical education class? 

4. Specifi c lessons on how to incorporate self-assessment into 

physical activity through a variety of sources, such as 

pedometers, a physical activity log, or heart rate monitors?

5. Specifi c instructions that clearly indicate the appropriate grade 

level at which each physical activity concept and/or skill should 

be introduced and subsequently taught? 

Content Analysis Score for Standard 3 (Grades 3-5) 

(Add the numbers across for the total score and place score 

on scorecard, page 101.) 

* Key for Scoring 

2 = Fully: The curriculum suffi ciently addresses each and every element of the question; 1 = Partially: The curriculum 

partially addresses the question; 0 = No: The curriculum does not address the question.

Fully Partially No*

 2 1 0

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

 +  +  = 

SCORE

Grades 3-5 – Page 79

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Content Analysis for Standard 4

Grades 3-5

The content analysis for standard 4, grades 3-5, is completed by placing a check in the box corresponding to “2”, “1”, or “0”after each question. Once this is complete, add the numbers down and 

then across and place in the content analysis score box for standard 4.

Standard 4: Achieves and maintains a health-enhancing level of physical fi tness

 

Does the curriculum include

1. Specifi c lessons on self assessment of physical fi tness 

(e.g., a teaching activity using a criterion-referenced standard 

fi tness test such as Fitnessgram for self-assessment of fi tness)?

2. Specifi c lessons on the defi nition of the components of fi tness 

and appropriate use of tools for assessing each fi tness component 

(e.g., fl exibility, body composition, muscular strength, muscular 

endurance, and cardio-respiratory)?

3. Specifi c lessons that allow students to participate in moderate to 

vigorous physical activity for longer periods of time without tiring?

4. Specifi c lessons that allow physical educators to teach the 

concept of interpreting fi tness test results and choosing 

appropriate activities to improve each component of physical 

fi tness? 

5. Specifi c instructions that clearly indicate the appropriate grade 

level at which each concept and activity related to physical fi tness 

should be introduced and subsequently taught? 

Content Analysis Score for Standard 4 (Grades 3-5) 

(Add the numbers across for the total score and place score 

on scorecard, page 101.) 

 

* Key for Scoring 

2 = Fully: The curriculum suffi ciently addresses each and every element of the question; 1 = Partially: The curriculum 

partially addresses the question; 0 = No: The curriculum does not address the question.

Fully Partially No*

 2 1 0

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

 +  +  = 

SCORE

Grades 3-5 – Page 81

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Content Analysis for Standard 5

Grades 3-5

The content analysis for standard 5, grades 3-5, is completed by placing a check in the box corresponding to “2”, “1”, or “0”after each question. Once this is complete, add the numbers down and 

then across and place in the content analysis score box for standard 5.

Standard 5: Exhibits responsible personal and social behavior that respects self and others in 

physical activity settings

Does the curriculum include

1. Specifi c lessons that address and emphasize cooperation, 

 teamwork, personal responsibility, and communication skills

 such as activities that require small group work and opportunities 

for communicating needs and ideas? 

 

2. Specifi c lessons that stress the importance of and purposes 

for rules, classroom and game etiquette, and procedures for 

physical education class as well as the distinctions between 

rules for a variety of activities? 

3. Specifi c lessons that allow physical educators to teach and 

discuss the importance of safety issues and protocol within 

physical education class as well as physical activities outside 

of class? 

4. Specifi c lessons about teaching students ways to engage 

students with disabilities and respect peers from different 

cultural backgrounds? 

5. Specifi c instructions that clearly indicate the appropriate grade 

level at which each concept, skill, and activity related to 

responsible personal and social behavior should be introduced 

and subsequently taught? 

Content Analysis Score for Standard 5 (Grades 3-5) 

(Add the numbers across for the total score and place score 

on scorecard, page 101.)

* Key for Scoring 

2 = Fully: The curriculum suffi ciently addresses each and every element of the question; 1 = Partially: The curriculum 

partially addresses the question; 0 = No: The curriculum does not address the question.

Fully Partially No*

 2 1 0

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

 +  +  = 

SCORE

Grades 3-5 – Page 83

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Content Analysis for Standard 6

Grades 3-5

The content analysis for standard 6, grades 3-5, is completed by placing a check in the box 

corresponding to “2”, “1”, or “0”after each question. Once this is complete, add the numbers down 

and then across and place in the content analysis score box for standard 6.

Standard 6: Values physical activity for health, enjoyment, challenge, self-expression, and/or 

social interaction

 

Does the curriculum include

1. Specifi c lessons about the role of physical activity in dance and 

artistic movement throughout history and in different cultures?

 

2. Specifi c lessons for activities that allow students to determine 

the relationship between success and enjoyment in physical 

 activity and the types of activities that bring personal satisfaction? 

3. Specifi c lessons that allow physical educators to teach and 

discuss the role of artistic concepts in physical activity, such as 

how the rhythm of a movement along with meter and tempo 

affects its outcome; combinations of locomotor movements in 

space and time create a movement pattern; and varying the 

distance between objects creates different aesthetic relationships? 

4. Specifi c lessons that teach students the differences between 

personal challenges and competition and provide the opportunity 

for students to choose at least one personally challenging 

physical activity to attempt? 

5. Specifi c instructions that clearly indicate the appropriate grade 

level at which each concept, skill, and activity related to the value 

of physical activity should be introduced and subsequently taught? 

Content Analysis Score for Standard 6 (Grades K-2) 

(Add the numbers across for the total score and place score

on scorecard, page 101.)

 

* Key for Scoring 

2 = Fully: The curriculum suffi ciently addresses each and every element of the question; 1 = Partially: The curriculum 

partially addresses the question; 0 = No: The curriculum does not address the question.

Fully Partially No*

 2 1 0

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

 +  +  = 

SCORE

Grades 3-5 – Page 85

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Template for Additional Standards for

Content Analysis, Grades 3-5

Standard: Write out the additional physical education standard below.

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

To complete the following section, identify the four main components that are essential for students 

to know or be able to do to achieve the standard. Proceed to determine how well the written 

curriculum addresses each with the same scoring system used throughout the PECAT (i.e., fully, 

partially, or not at all). Question 5 for each additional standard will remain the same. Photocopy 

this page for any additional standards. 

Does the curriculum include

 

1. ____________________________________________________ 

 

2. ____________________________________________________ 

 

3. ____________________________________________________ 

 

4. ____________________________________________________

5. Specifi c instructions that clearly indicate the appropriate 

grade level at which each protocol for student assessment 

should be conducted for the above components? 

Content Analysis Score 

(Add the numbers across for the total score and place score 

on scorecard, page 101.)

* Key for Scoring 

2 = Fully: The curriculum suffi ciently addresses each and every element of the question; 1 = Partially: The curriculum 

partially addresses the question; 0 = No: The curriculum does not address the question.

Fully Partially No*

 2 1 0

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

 +  +  = 

SCORE

Grades 3-5 – Page 87

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Student Assessment Analysis for Standard 1

Grades 3-5

The student assessment analysis for standard 1, grades 3-5, is completed by placing a check in the 

box corresponding to “2”, “1”, or “0”after each question. Once this is complete, add the numbers 

down and then across and place in the student assessment analysis score box for standard 1.

Standard 1: Demonstrates competency in motor skills and movement patterns needed to 

perform a variety of physical activities 

 

Does the curriculum include

1. Protocols for assessing mature forms of movement skills, 

 including locomotor, nonlocomotor, and manipulative (e.g., 

 changing movement from running to skipping, striking an 

object) skills? 

2. Protocols for determining competency in a few specialized 

movement skills such as basketball chest pass, soccer dribbling, 

 and jumping rope?

 

3. Protocols for assessing the combination of motor skills, such 

 as asking students to demonstrate dribbling or kicking an object 

 while moving; overhand throw; or combining traveling, 

balancing, weight transfer, and rolling? 

4. Protocols for assessing the application of a variety of locomotor, 

nonlocomotor, manipulative, combination, and specialized skills 

(e.g., asking students to demonstrate the skill to adapt movement 

skills to changing conditions, such as tossing a ball to a moving 

partner or performing dance sequences to music)?

5. Specifi c instructions that clearly indicate the appropriate grade 

 level at which each protocol for student assessment should be 

 conducted for the above components? 

Student Assessment Score for Standard 1 (Grades 3-5) 

(Add the numbers across for the total score and place score 

on scorecard, page 101.)

* Key for Scoring 

2 = Fully: Includes 1 or more specifi c protocols for assessment and multiple levels of competency; 1 = Partially: Does 

include 1 or more protocols but not multiple levels of competency; 0 = No: Does not include any protocol for assessing 

student performance.

Fully Partially No*

 2 1 0

 +  +  = 

SCORE

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

Grades 3-5 – Page 89

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Student Assessment Analysis for Standard 2

Grades 3-5

The student assessment analysis for standard 2, grades 3-5, is completed by placing a check in the 

box corresponding to “2”, “1”, or “0”after each question. Once this is complete, add the numbers 

down and then across and place in the student assessment analysis score box for standard 2.

Standard 2: Demonstrates understanding of movement concepts, principles, strategies, and 

tactics as they apply to the learning and performance of physical activities 

 

Does the curriculum include

1. Protocols for assessing the performance of critical features of 

movement forms, such as asking students to demonstrate 

features of dribbling, kicking, catching, throwing, and striking? 

2. Protocols for assessing movement concepts, such as chasing, 

fl eeing, and dodging skills? 

 

3. Protocols for assessing various concepts of the mechanics of 

movement, such as asking students to demonstrate how to 

safely lift an object? 

4. Protocols for assessing motor learning and motor development 

 concepts, such as asking students to explain that appropriate 

 practice improves performance of skills and that basic skills 

 help with specialized skills?

5. Specifi c instructions that clearly indicate the appropriate grade 

level at which each protocol for student assessment should be 

conducted for the above components? 

Student Assessment Score for Standard 2 (Grades 3-5) 

(Add the numbers across for the total score and place score 

on scorecard, page 101.)

* Key for Scoring 

2 = Fully: Includes 1 or more specifi c protocols for assessment and multiple levels of competency; 1 = Partially: Does 

include 1 or more protocols but not multiple levels of competency; 0 = No: Does not include any protocol for assessing 

student performance.

Fully Partially No*

 2 1 0

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

 +  +  = 

SCORE

Grades 3-5 – Page 91

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Student Assessment Analysis for Standard 3

Grades 3-5

The student assessment analysis for standard 3, grades 3-5, is completed by placing a check in the 

box corresponding to “2”, “1”, or “0”after each question. Once this is complete, add the numbers 

down and then across and place in the student assessment analysis score box for standard 3.

Standard 3: Participates regularly in physical activity

Does the curriculum include

1. Protocols for assessing students’ knowledge about different 

 types of physical activities and the difference between 

moderate and vigorous activities they participate in during 

and outside of physical education class? 

2. Protocols for assessing student modifi cation of physical 

activity, such as asking students to demonstrate a variety of 

modifi cations for different physical activities? 

3. Protocols for assessing student knowledge about the health 

 benefi ts of physical activity, such as asking students to identify 

 and explain the physiological (e.g., healthy heart) and mental 

 health (e.g., good feelings) benefi ts of activity? 

4. Protocols for assessing students’ knowledge about physical 

 activity opportunities outside of physical education class, 

such as asking students to create a written report about 

physical activity options in the community or after school? 

5. Specifi c instructions that clearly indicate the appropriate grade 

level at which each protocol for student assessment should be 

conducted for the above components? 

Student Assessment Score for Standard 3 (Grades 3-5) 

(Add the numbers across for the total score and place score 

on scorecard, page 101.)

 * Key for Scoring 

2 = Fully: Includes 1 or more specifi c protocols for assessment and multiple levels of competency; 1 = Partially: Does 

include 1 or more protocols but not multiple levels of competency; 0 = No: Does not include any protocol for assessing 

student performance.

Fully Partially No*

 2 1 0

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

 +  +  = 

SCORE

Grades 3-5 – Page 93

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Student Assessment Analysis for Standard 4

Grades 3-5

The student assessment analysis for standard 4, grades 3-5, is completed by placing a check in the 

box corresponding to “2”, “1”, or “0”after each question. Once this is complete, add the numbers 

down and then across and place in the student assessment analysis score box for standard 4.

Standard 4: Achieves and maintains a health-enhancing level of physical fi tness 

Does the curriculum include

1. Protocols for assessing students’ knowledge about the 

 components of fi tness, the tools for assessing personal

 fi tness levels, and identifi cation of physical activities that

 can assist in developing the components? 

2. Protocols for assessing students’ knowledge about the FITT 

Principles related to improving health-related fi tness? 

3. Protocols for assessing students’ ability to conduct selfassessment and initiate self-improvement for physical 

activity and fi tness, such as having students complete a 

fi tness test (e.g., Fitnessgram), identify strengths and 

weaknesses, and discuss ways to improve their fi tness? 

 

4. Protocols for assessing students’ personal choices in physical 

activities that contribute to physical fi tness, such as having 

students identify their favorite activities during or outside of 

physical education class and briefl y explain how they 

contribute to fi tness? 

5. Specifi c instructions that clearly indicate the appropriate grade 

level at which each protocol for student assessment should be 

conducted for the above components? 

Student Assessment Score for Standard 4 (Grades 3-5) 

(Add the numbers across for the total score and place score 

on scorecard, page 101.)

* Key for Scoring 

2 = Fully: Includes 1 or more specifi c protocols for assessment and multiple levels of competency; 1 = Partially: Does 

include 1 or more protocols but not multiple levels of competency; 0 = No: Does not include any protocol for assessing 

student performance.

Fully Partially No*

 2 1 0

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

 +  +  = 

SCORE

Grades 3-5 – Page 95

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Student Assessment Analysis for Standard 5

Grades 3-5

The student assessment analysis for standard 5, grades 3-5, is completed by placing a check in the 

box corresponding to “2”, “1”, or “0”after each question. Once this is complete, add the numbers 

down and then across and place in the student assessment analysis score box for standard 5.

Standard 5: Exhibits responsible personal and social behavior that respects self and others in 

physical activity settings 

 

Does the curriculum include

1. Protocols for assessing students’ ability to cooperate, work as 

 a member of a team, demonstrate personal responsibility, and 

 participate positively in confl ict resolution? 

2. Protocols for assessing students’ knowledge about specifi c rules, 

etiquette, and procedures for physical education class, such as 

asking students to explain rules for a variety of activities?

 

3. Protocols for determining students’ knowledge of safety issues 

within physical education as well as physical activity outside of 

class, such as asking students to identify the basic safety issues 

 involved with certain games and sports they participate in? 

4. Protocols for analyzing students’ personal and social respect 

 regarding individual differences within physical education, such 

 as observing students’ social behavior during class? 

5. Specifi c instructions that clearly indicate the appropriate grade 

level at which each protocol for student assessment should be 

conducted for the above components? 

Student Assessment Score for Standard 5 (Grades 3-5) 

(Add the numbers across for the total score and place score 

on scorecard, page 101.)

* Key for Scoring 

2 = Fully: Includes 1 or more specifi c protocols for assessment and multiple levels of competency; 1 = Partially: Does 

include 1 or more protocols but not multiple levels of competency; 0 = No: Does not include any protocol for assessing 

student performance.

Fully Partially No*

 2 1 0

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

 +  +  = 

SCORE

Grades 3-5 – Page 97

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Student Assessment Analysis for Standard 6

Grades 3-5

The student assessment analysis for standard 6, grades 3-5, is completed by placing a check in the 

box corresponding to “2”, “1”, or “0”after each question. Once this is complete, add the numbers 

down and then across and place in the student assessment analysis score box for standard 6.

Standard 6: Values physical activity for health, enjoyment, challenge, self-expression, and/or 

social interaction 

 

Does the curriculum include

1. Protocols for assessing students’ knowledge about the role of 

physical activity throughout history, such as asking students to 

identify and explain the role of games played in cultures across 

the world? 

2. Protocols for assessing students’ ability to identify physical 

activities they enjoy and explain their reasons for enjoyment 

(either written or verbally)?

 

3. Protocols that ask students to identify and explain the importance 

of self expression through movement, such as asking students to 

explain certain types of physical activity that are artistic in nature?

4. Protocols for assessing students’ ability to identify new 

challenges in physical activity, such as asking students to create 

a new game or sport? 

5. Specifi c instructions that clearly indicate the appropriate grade 

level at which each protocol for student assessment should be 

conducted for the above components? 

Student Assessment Score for Standard 6 (Grades 3-5) 

(Add the numbers across for the total score and place score 

on scorecard, page 101.)

 

* Key for Scoring 

2 = Fully: Includes 1 or more specifi c protocols for assessment and multiple levels of competency; 1 = Partially: Does 

include 1 or more protocols but not multiple levels of competency; 0 = No: Does not include any protocol for assessing 

student performance.

Fully Partially No*

 2 1 0

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

 +  +  = 

SCORE

Grades 3-5 – Page 99

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Template for Additional Standards for

Student Assessment Analysis, Grades 3-5

Standard: Write out the additional physical education standard below.

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

To complete the following section, identify the four types of protocols that are essential for assessing 

student knowledge and skills. Proceed to determine the extent to which the written curriculum 

includes these protocols with the same scoring system used throughout the PECAT (i.e., fully, 

partially, or not at all). Question 5 for each additional standard will remain the same. Photocopy 

this page for any additional standards. 

Does the curriculum include

 

1. ____________________________________________________ 

 

2. ____________________________________________________ 

 

3. ____________________________________________________ 

 

4. ____________________________________________________

5. Specifi c instructions that clearly indicate the appropriate 

grade level at which each protocol for student assessment 

should be conducted for the above components? 

Student Assessment Analysis Score 

(Add the numbers across for the total score and place score 

on scorecard, page 101.)

* Key for Scoring 

2 = Fully: Includes 1 or more specifi c protocols for assessment and multiple levels of competency; 1 = Partially: Does 

include 1 or more protocols but not multiple levels of competency; No: Does not include any protocol for assessing 

student performance.

Fully Partially No*

 2 1 0

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

 +  +  = 

SCORE

Grades 3-5 – Page 101

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

SCORECARD FOR CONTENT AND 

STUDENT ASSESSMENT ANALYSES

Grades 3-5

To complete the scorecard for content and student assessment analyses (grades 3-5), transfer the 

individual scores for each standard from the preceding pages. 

NATIONAL

STANDARD

CONTENT

ANALYSIS

SCORE

STUDENT ASSESSMENT

ANALYSIS

SCORE

1

2

3

4

5

6

ADDITIONAL

STANDARDS

Note: Add each of these scores to the overall PECAT scorecard on page 173.

Grades 6-8

Grades 6-8 – Page 105

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Student Expectations at the End of Grade 8

Standard 1: The learner demonstrates competency in motor skills and movement patterns 

needed to perform a variety of physical activities.

By the end of grade 8, students should:

 Participate with skill in a variety of modifi ed sport, dance, gymnastics, and outdoor activities. 

 Perform the basic skills of the more specialized sports, dance, and gymnastics activities with 

mature form. 

 Use skills successfully in modifi ed games or activities of increasing complexity and in 

combination with other basic skills. 

 Demonstrate use of tactics within sport activities. 

Standard 2: The learner demonstrates understanding of movement concepts, principles, 

strategies, and tactics as they apply to the learning and performance of physical activities.

By the end of grade 8, students should: 

 Exhibit an increasingly complex discipline-specifi c knowledge. 

 Identify principles of practice and conditioning that enhance movement 

performance. 

 Have higher levels of understanding and application of movement concepts/principles and 

game strategies, critical elements of activity-specifi c movement skills, and characteristics 

representing highly skilled performance. 

 Know when, why, and how to use strategies and tactics within game play. 

 Use information from a variety of sources, both internal and external, to 

guide and improve performance. 

Standard 3: The learner participates regularly in physical activity. 

By the end of grade 8, students should: 

 Be able to set physical activity goals independently and participate in individualized 

programs based on personal goals and interests, as well as the results of fi tness assessments. 

 Select and utilize physical activities that are appropriate for the activity goals they set. 

 Have an increasing awareness of the opportunities for participation in a broad range of 

physical activities and interests. 

 Participate regularly in moderate-to-vigorous physical activities in both school and non 

school settings.
Grades 6-8 – Page 106

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

 Have a level of knowledge and understanding of physical movement principles and tactics 

that allows them to apply these concepts to their participation in more situations. 

Standard 4: The learner achieves and maintains a health-enhancing level of physical fi tness.

By the end of grade 8, students should: 

 Participate in moderate-to-vigorous physical activities on a regular basis without undue 

fatigue. 

 Know the components of health-related fi tness and how these relate to their overall fi tness 

status.

 Participate in moderate-to-vigorous activities that address each component of health-related 

fi tness, including cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular strength and endurance, fl exibility, 

and body composition. 

 Monitor their own heart rate, breathing, and recovery rate during and after strenuous physical 

activity. 

 Assess their personal fi tness status for each component and use the development of 

individualized physical fi tness goals with little help from the teacher. 

 Show progress towards knowing the concepts and theories of physical fi tness (e.g., threshold, 

overload, specifi city) and how these principles can be used to improve their level of physical 

fi tness. 

Standard 5: The learner exhibits responsible personal and social behavior that respects self 

and others in physical activity settings.

By the end of grade 8, students should: 

 Understand the concept of physical activity as a component of modern culture and social life. 

 Understand the role of diversity in physical activity and continue to include and support each 

other, respecting limitations and strengths of group members. 

 Move from merely identifying and following rules, procedures, safe practices, ethical 

behavior, and positive forms of social interaction to refl ecting on their role in physical 

activity settings. 

 Have well-developed cooperation skills and accomplish group/team goals in both cooperative 

and competitive situations.

 Seek greater independence from adults and effectively work independently and in groups to 

complete assigned tasks. 

 Make appropriate decisions to resolve confl icts arising from the infl uence of peers and 

practice appropriate problem-solving techniques to resolve confl icts when necessary in 

competitive activities. 
Grades 6-8 – Page 107

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Standard 6: The learner values physical activity for health, enjoyment, challenge, 

self-expression, and/or social interaction.

By the end of grade 8, students should: 

 Seek physical-activity experiences for group membership and positive social interaction. 

 Participate in physical activities that provide a positive outlet for competition with peers 

and a means of gaining respect and recognition so that they can increase self-confi dence 

and self-esteem. 

 Understand that physical activities can help them take steps toward independence. 

 Recognize that challenge is found both in high levels of competition and in learning new 

and/or different activities. 

 Experience a greater awareness of feelings toward the avenues of self-expression provided 

through dance, gymnastics, and other artistic sports.

Grades 6-8 – Page 109

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Content Analysis for Standard 1

Grades 6-8

The content analysis for standard 1, grades 6-8, is completed by placing a check in the box corresponding to “2”, “1”, or “0”after each question. Once this is complete, add the numbers down and 

then across and place in the content analysis score box for standard 1. 

Standard 1: Demonstrates competency in motor skills and movement patterns needed to 

perform a variety of physical activities 

 

Does the curriculum include

1. Specifi c lessons on advanced forms of movement skills 

including locomotor (e.g., run), nonlocomotor, and manipulative (e.g., striking an object with another object) skills? 

 

2. Specifi c lessons on advanced specialized motor skills such 

as batting, tennis overhand serve, or badminton smash for 

individual noncompetitive activity, competitive activity, team 

court sports, and team fi eld sports?

3. Specifi c lessons on the combination of two or more 

 specialized or fundamental movement forms, such as 

dribbling and passing or receiving and passing an object 

against a defender?

4. Specifi c lessons on rhythm or dance, such as combining 

traveling, balancing, and weight transfer into smooth, fl owing 

 sequences with intentional changes in direction, speed, and fl ow?

5. Specifi c instructions that clearly indicate the appropriate grade 

level at which each motor and movement skill should be 

introduced and subsequently taught? 

Content Analysis Score for Standard 1 (Grades 6-8) 

(Add the numbers across for the total score and place score 

on scorecard, page 137.) 

 * Key for Scoring 

2 = Fully: The curriculum suffi ciently addresses each and every element of the question; 1 = Partially: The curriculum 

partially addresses the question; 0 = No: The curriculum does not address the question.

Fully Partially No*

 2 1 0

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

 +  +  = 

SCORE

Grades 6-8 – Page 111

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Content Analysis for Standard 2

Grades 6-8

The content analysis for standard 2, grades 6-8, is completed by placing a check in the box 

corresponding to “2”, “1”, or “0”after each question. Once this is complete, add the numbers down 

and then across and place in the content analysis score box for standard 2. 

Standard 2: Demonstrates understanding of movement concepts, principles, strategies, and 

tactics as they apply to the learning and performance of physical activities

 

Does the curriculum include 

1. Specifi c lessons on critical features of movement forms, 

 such as teaching students about the critical features of 

overhand tennis serve, golf swing, or basketball shooting? 

2. Specifi c lessons on movement concepts, including 

 game tactics for invasion and net activities? 

3. Specifi c lessons about the mechanics of movement, such as 

air and water resistance, relationships between spin and 

rebound, gravity, and friction? 

4. Specifi c lessons on motor learning and motor development 

 concepts (e.g., discussing the role of long-term memory in 

physical movements, speed and accuracy tradeoff, the role 

of physical abilities in performing movement)?

5. Specifi c instructions that clearly indicate the appropriate grade 

level at which each movement concept, principle, strategy, or 

tactic should be introduced and subsequently taught? 

 

Content Analysis Score for Standard 2 (Grades 6-8) 

(Add the numbers across for the total score and place score 

on scorecard, page 137.)

 

* Key for Scoring 

2 = Fully: The curriculum suffi ciently addresses each and every element of the question; 1 = Partially: The curriculum 

partially addresses the question; 0 = No: The curriculum does not address the question.

Fully Partially No*

 2 1 0

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

 +  +  = 

SCORE

Grades 6-8 – Page 113

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Content Analysis for Standard 3

Grades 6-8

The content analysis for standard 3, grades 6-8, is completed by placing a check in the box corresponding to “2”, “1”, or “0”after each question. Once this is complete, add the numbers down and 

then across and place in the content analysis score box for standard 3. 

Standard 3: Participates regularly in physical activity

 

 

Does the curriculum include

1. Specifi c lessons that teach students how to identify 

opportunities for participation in moderate to vigorous physical 

activities in both school and non-school settings? 

2. Specifi c lessons that stress the importance of using results of 

fi tness assessments to establish personalized physical activity 

programs that refl ect personal goals and interests?

3. Specifi c lessons that teach students how to select and utilize 

practice procedures and training principles appropriate for the 

physical activity goals that they set?

4. Specifi c lessons that teach students how to independently 

participate in physical activity monitoring (e.g., through 

pedometers or activity logs) and regulate physical activity 

behavior by using appropriate fi tness and movement principles? 

5. Specifi c instructions that clearly indicate the appropriate grade 

level at which each physical activity concept and/or skill should 

be introduced and subsequently taught? 

Content Analysis Score for Standard 3 (Grades 6-8) 

(Add the numbers across for the total score and place score 

on scorecard, page 137.)

* Key for Scoring 

2 = Fully: The curriculum suffi ciently addresses each and every element of the question; 1 = Partially: The curriculum 

partially addresses the question; 0 = No: The curriculum does not address the question.

Fully Partially No*

 2 1 0

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

 +  +  = 

SCORE

Grades 6-8 – Page 115

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Content Analysis for Standard 4

Grades 6-8

The content analysis for standard 4, grades 6-8, is completed by placing a check in the box corresponding to “2”, “1”, or “0”after each question. Once this is complete, add the numbers down and 

then across and place in the content analysis score box for standard 4. 

Standard 4: Achieves and maintains a health-enhancing level of physical fi tness

 

Does the curriculum include

1. Specifi c lessons on how to assess personal fi tness status for 

each component of fi tness and use this information to develop 

individualized physical fi tness goals with little help from the 

teacher? 

2. Specifi c lessons on basic principles of training (e.g., threshold, 

overload, specifi city) and how these principles can be used to 

improve one’s level of physical fi tness? 

3. Specifi c lessons that provide opportunities for students to 

participate in and effectively monitor physical activities that 

improve each component of fi tness?

4. Specifi c lessons that teach students about how each component 

of physical fi tness is related to their overall fi tness status?

5. Specifi c instructions that clearly indicate the appropriate grade 

level at which each concept and activity related to physical fi tness 

should be introduced and subsequently taught? 

Content Analysis Score for Standard 4 (Grades 6-8) 

(Add the numbers across for the total score and place score 

on scorecard, page 137.)

 

* Key for Scoring 

2 = Fully: The curriculum suffi ciently addresses each and every element of the question; 1 = Partially: The curriculum 

partially addresses the question; 0 = No: The curriculum does not address the question.

Fully Partially No*

 2 1 0

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

 +  +  = 

SCORE

Grades 6-8 – Page 117

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Content Analysis for Standard 5

Grades 6-8

The content analysis for standard 5, grades 6-8, is completed by placing a check in the box corresponding to “2”, “1”, or “0”after each question. Once this is complete, add the numbers down and 

then across and place in the content analysis score box for standard 5. 

Standard 5: Exhibits responsible personal and social behavior that respects self and others in 

physical activity settings

 

Does the curriculum include

1. Content that addresses and emphasizes the role of personal 

reactions during interactions with others as well as the 

importance of supportive behavior and social skills? 

 

2. General guidance and specifi c lessons that ask students to 

engage in teaching rules, protocol, and etiquette of various 

sports and games played during physical education? 

3. Specifi c lessons that allow physical educators to teach students 

how to apply safety issues and protocols that exist within sports, 

games, and other physical activities outside of physical education 

class? 

4. Specifi c lessons on teaching students inclusive behaviors and 

accommodations for individual differences in a variety of 

physical activity settings? 

5. Specifi c instructions that clearly indicate the appropriate grade 

level at which each concept, skill, and activity related to 

responsible personal and social behavior should be introduced 

and subsequently taught? 

Content Analysis Score for Standard 5 (Grades 6-8) 

(Add the numbers across for the total score and place score 

on scorecard, page 137.)

* Key for Scoring 

2 = Fully: The curriculum suffi ciently addresses each and every element of the question; 1 = Partially: The curriculum 

partially addresses the question; 0 = No: The curriculum does not address the question.

Fully Partially No*

 2 1 0

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

 +  +  = 

SCORE

Grades 6-8 – Page 119

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Content Analysis for Standard 6

Grades 6-8

The content analysis for standard 6, grades 6-8, is completed by placing a check in the box corresponding to “2”, “1”, or “0”after each question. Once this is complete, add the numbers down and 

then across and place in the content analysis score box for standard 6. 

Standard 6: Values physical activity for health, enjoyment, challenge, self-expression, and/or 

social interaction

 

Does the curriculum include

1. Specifi c lessons about the role of physical activity as a means 

for group membership and positive social interaction and the 

importance of this type of interaction throughout history and 

in different cultures?

 

2. Specifi c lessons that allow students to increase their opportunities for improved self-confi dence and self-esteem through 

physical activity? 

3. Specifi c lessons that enable students to experience avenues 

of self- expression provided by activities such as dance, 

gymnastics, and other forms of artistic movement? 

4. Specifi c lessons that teach students the differences between 

personal challenges and competition and provide the opportunity for students to choose at least one personally 

challenging physical activity to attempt? 

5. Specifi c instructions that clearly indicate the appropriate grade 

level at which each concept, skill, and activity related to the value 

of physical activity should be introduced and subsequently taught?

Content Analysis Score for Standard 6 (Grades 6-8) 

(Add the numbers across for the total score and place score 

on scorecard, page 137.)

* Key for Scoring 

2 = Fully: The curriculum suffi ciently addresses each and every element of the question; 1 = Partially: The curriculum 

partially addresses the question; 0 = No: The curriculum does not address the question.

Fully Partially No*

 2 1 0

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

 +  +  = 

SCORE

Grades 6-8 – Page 121

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Template for Additional Standards for

Content Analysis, Grades 6-8

Standard: Write out the additional physical education standard below.

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

To complete the following section, identify the four main components that are essential for students 

to know or be able to do in order to achieve the standard. Proceed to determine how well the written 

curriculum addresses each with the same scoring system used throughout the PECAT (i.e., fully, 

partially, or not at all). Question 5 for each additional standard will remain the same. Photocopy 

this page for any additional standards. 

Does the curriculum include

 

1. ____________________________________________________ 

 

2. ____________________________________________________ 

 

3. ____________________________________________________ 

 

4. ____________________________________________________

5. Specifi c instructions that clearly indicate the appropriate 

grade level at which each protocol for student assessment 

should be conducted for the above components? 

Content Analysis Score 

(Add the numbers across for the total score and place score 

on scorecard, page 137.)

* Key for Scoring 

2 = Fully: The curriculum suffi ciently addresses each and every element of the question; 1 = Partially: The curriculum 

partially addresses the question; 0 = No: The curriculum does not address the question.

Fully Partially No*

 2 1 0

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

 +  +  = 

SCORE

Grades 6-8 – Page 123

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Student Assessment Analysis for Standard 1

Grades 6-8

The student assessment analysis for standard 1, grades 6-8, is completed by placing a check in the 

box corresponding to “2”, “1”, or “0”after each question. Once this is complete, add the numbers 

down and then across and place in the student assessment analysis score box for standard 1.

Standard 1: Demonstrates competency in motor skills and movement patterns needed to 

perform a variety of physical activities

Does the curriculum include

1. Protocols for assessing advanced forms of movement skills 

including nonlocomotor and manipulative, such as asking 

 students to demonstrate striking an object with another 

 object (e.g., striking a ball with a bat)?

2. Protocols for assessing students skill level in specialized 

movement skills, such as having students demonstrate a tennis 

overhand serve, or badminton smash for individual noncompetitive 

activity, competitive activity, team court sports, and team fi eld sports?

 

3. Protocols for assessing students skill level in the combination 

of two or more specialized or fundamental movement forms, 

such as asking students to demonstrate dribbling and passing 

or receiving and passing an object against a defender? 

4. Protocols for assessing students’ ability to apply a variety of 

locomotor, nonlocomotor, manipulative, combination, and 

 specialized skills (e.g., asking students to demonstrate the ability 

 to perform a routine using manipulative equipment to music). 

5. Specifi c instructions that clearly indicate the appropriate grade 

level at which each protocol for student assessment should be 

 conducted for the above components? 

Student Assessment Score for Standard 1 (Grades 6-8) 

(Add the numbers across for the total score and place score 

on scorecard, page 137.)

* Key for Scoring 

2 = Fully: Includes 1 or more specifi c protocols for assessment and multiple levels of competency; 1 = Partially: Does 

include 1 or more protocols but not multiple levels of competency; 0 = No: Does not include any protocol for assessing 

student performance.

Fully Partially No*

 2 1 0

❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

 +  +  = 

SCORE

Grades 6-8 – Page 125

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Student Assessment Analysis for Standard 2

Grades 6-8

The student assessment analysis for standard 2, grades 6-8, is completed by placing a check in the 

box corresponding to “2”, “1”, or “0”after each question. Once this is complete, add the numbers 

down and then across and place in the student assessment analysis score box for standard 2.

Standard 2: Demonstrates understanding of movement concepts, principles, strategies, and 

tactics as they apply to the learning and performance of physical activities

Does the curriculum include

1. Protocols for assessing students’ ability to explain and 

 demonstrate the critical features of movement forms, such

 as the features of the overhand tennis serve, golf swings, 

 or basketball shooting? 

2. Protocols for assessing advanced movement concepts, such 

as asking students to explain and demonstrate game tactics

 for invasion and net activities? 

 

3. Protocols for assessing a variety of concepts of the mechanics 

of movement, such as asking students to explain the concepts of

 air and water resistance or relationships between spin and rebound? 

4. Protocols for assessing students’ ability to perform advanced 

motor learning and motor development concepts, such as 

asking students to explain the role of long-term memory in 

physical movements, speed and accuracy tradeoff, and the role 

of physical abilities in performing movement?

5. Specifi c instructions that clearly indicate the appropriate grade 

level at which each protocol for student assessment should be 

 conducted for the above components? 

Student Assessment Score for Standard 2 (Grades 6-8) 

(Add the numbers across for the total score and place score 

on scorecard, page 137.)

* Key for Scoring 

2 = Fully: Includes 1 or more specifi c protocols for assessment and multiple levels of competency; 1 = Partially: Does 

include 1 or more protocols but not multiple levels of competency; 0 = No: Does not include any protocol for assessing 

student performance.

Fully Partially No*

 2 1 0

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

 +  +  = 

SCORE

Grades 6-8 – Page 127

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Student Assessment Analysis for Standard 3

Grades 6-8

The student assessment analysis for standard 3, grades 6-8, is completed by placing a check in the 

box corresponding to “2”, “1”, or “0”after each question. Once this is complete, add the numbers 

down and then across and place in the student assessment analysis score box for standard 3.

Standard 3: Participates regularly in physical activity

 

Does the curriculum include

1. Protocols for assessing students’ability to identify 

opportunities for participation in moderate and vigorous

 physical activities in school and nonschool settings 

(e.g., ask students to record community-based physical 

 activities they participated in)? 

 

2. Protocols for assessing students’ ability to use fi tness 

assessment results to establish personal physical activity 

 programs to refl ect personal goals and interests? 

3. Protocols for assessing students’ knowledge about basic 

concepts within principles of training and how to apply 

them when establishing personal physical activity goals? 

4. Protocols for assessing students’ ability to independently 

self-monitor and regulate physical activity behavior 

(e.g., asking students to record daily physical activity and 

explain how any adjustments were made to regulate behavior)? 

5. Specifi c instructions that clearly indicate the appropriate grade 

level at which each protocol for student assessment should be 

 conducted for the above components? 

Student Assessment Score for Standard 3 (Grades 6-8) 

(Add the numbers across for the total score and place score 

on scorecard, page 137.)

* Key for Scoring 

2 = Fully: Includes 1 or more specifi c protocols for assessment and multiple levels of competency; 1 = Partially: Does 

include 1 or more protocols but not multiple levels of competency; 0 = No: Does not include any protocol for assessing 

student performance.

Fully Partially No*

 2 1 0

❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

 +  +  = 

SCORE

Grades 6-8 – Page 129

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Student Assessment Analysis for Standard 4

Grades 6-8

The student assessment analysis for standard 4, grades 6-8, is completed by placing a check in the 

box corresponding to “2”, “1”, or “0”after each question. Once this is complete, add the numbers 

down and then across and place in the student assessment analysis score box for standard 4.

Standard 4: Achieves and maintains a health-enhancing level of physical fi tness 

 

Does the curriculum include 

1. Protocols for assessing students’ knowledge about and 

 ability to assess personal fi tness and eventually use the 

 information to establish personalized fi tness plans? 

2. Protocols for assessing students’ knowledge about the basic 

 concepts within various principles of training (e.g., threshold,

 overload, specifi city) and how to apply the principles to their

 own programs for improving personal fi tness?

 

3. Protocols for assessing students’ capacity to participate in 

 activities for improving each component of fi tness, without 

 undue fatigue (e.g., asking students to demonstrate the 

 ability to maintain a circuit training session for improving 

 cardiorespiratory endurance and muscular strength)? 

4. Protocols for analyzing students’ personal health-related fi tness 

 programs, including an analysis of their ability to monitor their

 own heart rate, perceived exertion, and breathing rate?

 

5. Specifi c instructions that clearly indicate the appropriate grade 

level at which each protocol for student assessment should be 

 conducted for the above components? 

Student Assessment Score for Standard 4 (Grades 6-8) 

(Add the numbers across for the total score and place score 

on scorecard, page 137.)

* Key for Scoring 

2 = Fully: Includes 1 or more specifi c protocols for assessment and multiple levels of competency; 1 = Partially: Does 

include 1 or more protocols but not multiple levels of competency; 0 = No: Does not include any protocol for assessing 

student performance.

Fully Partially No*

 2 1 0

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

 +  +  = 

SCORE

Grades 6-8 – Page 131

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Student Assessment Analysis for Standard 5

Grades 6-8

The student assessment analysis for standard 5, grades 6-8, is completed by placing a check in the 

box corresponding to “2”, “1”, or “0”after each question. Once this is complete, add the numbers 

down and then across and place in the student assessment analysis score box for standard 5.

Standard 5: Exhibits responsible personal and social behavior that respects self and others in 

physical activity settings

Does the curriculum include

1. Protocols for assessing students’ ability to work in groups, 

 apply problem solving skills (e.g., during an orienteering

 activity), and utilize confl ict resolution skills? 

2. Protocols for assessing student knowledge and skills in 

teaching (e.g., asking students to teach their peers) and identifying specifi c rules, etiquette, and procedures for sports and 

games played during and outside of physical education class? 

 

3. Protocols for assessing student knowledge of and ability to 

apply safety protocols to a variety of activities and sports they 

participate in during and outside of physical education 

(e.g., asking students to explain, through written format, how 

safety protocols were important during a family bike ride)?

4. Protocols for analyzing students’ personal and social respect 

 regarding individual differences within and outside of physical 

 education, such as observing students’ social behavior during class? 

5. Specifi c instructions that clearly indicate the appropriate grade 

level at which each protocol for student assessment should be 

 conducted for the above components? 

Student Assessment Score for Standard 5 (Grades 6-8) 

(Add the numbers across for the total score and place score 

on scorecard, page 137.)

* Key for Scoring 

2 = Fully: Includes 1 or more specifi c protocols for assessment and multiple levels of competency; 1 = Partially: Does 

include 1 or more protocols but not multiple levels of competency; 0 = No: Does not include any protocol for assessing 

student performance.

Fully Partially No*

 2 1 0

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

 +  +  = 

SCORE

Grades 6-8 – Page 133

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Student Assessment Analysis for Standard 6

Grades 6-8

The student assessment analysis for standard 6, grades 6-8, is completed by placing a check in the 

box corresponding to “2”, “1”, or “0”after each question. Once this is complete, add the numbers 

down and then across and place in the student assessment analysis score box for standard 6.

Standard 6: Values physical activity for health, enjoyment, challenge, self-expression, and/or 

social interaction

 

Does the curriculum include

1. Protocols for assessing students’ knowledge about the role of 

 physical activity in group and larger social interactions, such as 

 asking students to identify and explain the social role of games 

played in cultures across the world? 

2. Protocols for assessing students’ ability to self-select appropriate 

physical activities they enjoy and explain their reasons for 

 enjoyment (either written or verbally)?

 

3. Protocols for assessing students’ ability to identify the importance 

of self expression through movement, such as asking students to 

 explain and demonstrate certain types of dance and gymnastics? 

4. Protocols for assessing students’ ability and motivation to 

identify new challenges in physical activity, such as asking 

students to create a new game or sport? 

5. Specifi c instructions that clearly indicate the appropriate grade 

level at which each protocol for student assessment should be 

 conducted for the above components? 

Student Assessment Score for Standard 6 (Grades 6-8) 

(Add the numbers across for the total score and place score 

on scorecard, page 137.)

* Key for Scoring 

2 = Fully: Includes 1 or more specifi c protocols for assessment and multiple levels of competency; 1 = Partially: Does 

include 1 or more protocols but not multiple levels of competency; 0 = No: Does not include any protocol for assessing 

student performance.

Fully Partially No*

 2 1 0

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

 +  +  = 

SCORE
 
Grades 6-8 – Page 135

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Template for Additional Standards for

Student Assessment Analysis, Grades 6-8

Standard: Write out the additional physical education standard below.

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

To complete the following section, identify the four types of protocols that are essential for assessing 

student knowledge and skills. Proceed to determine the extent to which the written curriculum 

includes these protocols with the same scoring system used throughout the PECAT (i.e., fully, 

partially, or not at all). Question 5 for each additional standard will remain the same. Photocopy 

this page for any additional standards. 

Does the curriculum include

 

1. ____________________________________________________ 

 

2. ____________________________________________________ 

 

3. ____________________________________________________ 

 

4. ____________________________________________________

5. Specifi c instructions that clearly indicate the appropriate 

grade level at which each protocol for student assessment 

should be conducted for the above components? 

 

Student Assessment Analysis Score 

(Add the numbers across for the total score and place score 

on scorecard, page 137.)

 * Key for Scoring 

 2 = Fully: Includes 1 or more specifi c protocols for assessment and multiple levels of competency; 1 = Partially: Does 

include 1 or more protocols but not multiple levels of competency; 0 = No: Does not include any protocol for assessing 

student performance.

Fully Partially No*

 2 1 0

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

 +  +  = 

SCORE

Grades 6-8 – Page 137

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

SCORECARD FOR CONTENT AND

STUDENT ASSESSMENT ANALYSES

Grades 6-8

To complete the scorecard for content and student assessment analyses (grades 6-8), transfer the 

individual scores for each standard from the preceding pages. 

NATIONAL

STANDARD

CONTENT

ANALYSIS

SCORE

STUDENT ASSESSMENT

ANALYSIS

SCORE

1

2

3

4

5

6

ADDITIONAL

STANDARDS

Note: Add each of these scores to the overall PECAT scorecard on page 173.

Grades 9-12

Grades 9-12 – Page 141

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Student Expectations at the End of Grade 12

Standard 1: The learner demonstrates competency in motor skills and movement patterns 

needed to perform a variety of physical activities.

By the end of grade 12, students should: 

 Possess motor skills and movement patterns to perform a variety of physical activities to a 

degree of success that makes the activities enjoyable. 

 Demonstrate basic and advanced skills and tactics to participate in at least three of the 

following different types of movement forms: aquatics, team sports, individual sports, dual 

sports, outdoor pursuits, self- defense, dance, and gymnastics. 

 Demonstrate basic skills and tactics to participate in at least two other movement forms from 

the above list. 

Standard 2: The learner demonstrates understanding of movement concepts, principles, 

strategies, and tactics as they apply to the learning and performance of physical activities.

By the end of grade 12, students should: 

 Demonstrate the knowledge and understanding necessary to develop scientifi cally based 

personal activity plans that include self-selected physical activities and sports. 

 Use complex movement concepts and principles to independently refi ne their skills and apply 

them to the learning of new skills. 

 Integrate advanced physical activities so that the ability to learn, self-assess, and improve 

movement skills exists independently. 

 Recognize elite-level performance. 

Standard 3: The learner participates regularly in physical activity. 

By the end of grade 12, students should: 

 Fully recognize and understand the signifi cance of physical activity in maintaining a healthy 

lifestyle and possess the skills, knowledge, interest, and desire to maintain an active lifestyle. 

 Willingly participate on a regular basis in physical activities that contribute to the attainment 

and maintenance of personal physical activity goals. 

 Make decisions about their physical activity participation and assume a role in managing 

their participation based on personal interests, capabilities, and resources. 

 Possess adequate movement and behavioral skills that provide a basis for continued learning 

and regular physical activity participation. 

 Independently apply appropriate training prin ciples to their physical activity and use 

pertinent scientifi c principles to enhance their participation in a specifi c activity or sport. 

 Demon strate an understanding of how and why adult patterns of physical activity 

participation change over time. 
Grades 9-12 – Page 142

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Standard 4: The learner achieves and maintains a health-enhancing level of physical fi tness.

By the end of grade 12, students should: 

 Assume greater self-responsibility in their lives and display greater autonomy in their 

personal behaviors.

 Demonstrate responsibility for their health-related fi tness status by participating on a regular 

basis in appropriate physical activities. 

 Engage in activities in a variety of settings (e.g., school, home, workplace, community) for 

the purpose of achieving and maintaining health-related fi tness. 

 Interpret information from fi tness tests and use the information to plan and design their own 

programs to achieve and maintain personal fi tness goals that encompass all components of 

fi tness. 

Standard 5: The learner exhibits responsible personal and social behavior that respects self 

and others in physical activity settings.

By the end of grade 12, students should: 

 Demonstrate the ability to initiate responsible personal and social behavior, function 

independently, and positively infl uence the behavior of others in a physical activity setting. 

 Demonstrate leadership by holding themselves and others responsible for following safe 

practices, rules, procedures, and etiquette in all physical activity settings. 

 Be able to respond to potentially explosive interactions with others by mediating and settling 

confl icts.

 Synthesize and evaluate knowledge regarding the role of physical activity in a culturally 

diverse society. 

 Make enlightened personal choices for engaging in physical activity over the life span recognizing 

the infl uence of age, disability, gender, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and culture. 

 Develop a personal philosophy of physical activity participation that refl ects personal 

practices in a variety of physical activity settings. 

Standard 6: The learner values physical activity for health, enjoyment, challenge, selfexpression, and/or social interaction.

By the end of grade 12, students should: 

 Be more comfortable with their new interests and their physiques, thus once again enjoying 

movement for the sheer pleasure of moving. 

 Enjoy the challenge of working hard to better their skills and feel satisfaction when they are 

successful in improving and while pursuing personal goals. 

 Enjoy selected activities for regular participation either alone or with friends. 

 Express several reasons why participa tion in regularly selected activities is enjoyable and 

desirable. 
Grades 9-12 – Page 143

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Content Analysis for Standard 1

Grades 9-12

The content analysis for standard 1, grades 9-12, is completed by placing a check in the box corresponding to “2”, “1”, or “0”after each question. Once this is complete, add the numbers down and 

then across and place in the content analysis score box for standard 1. 

Standard 1: Demonstrates competency in motor skills and movement patterns needed to 

perform a variety of physical activities 

 

Does the curriculum include

1. Specifi c lessons about basic and advanced skills for at least 

three of the following types of activities: aquatics, team sports, 

individual and dual sports, outdoor pursuits, self-defense, 

dance, and gymnastics?

2. Specifi c lessons about increasingly advanced specialized 

motor skills such as karate kicks, forehand and backhand 

tennis strokes, or step aerobics?

3. Specifi c lessons about the combination of two or more 

 specialized movement forms, such as a discus throw 

(e.g., spin, jump, land, and drive) or a series of dance steps 

performed to music? 

4. Specifi c lessons that allow for follow-up learning experiences 

to use basic and advanced skills and tactics of movement forms 

 in applied settings (e.g., initial practice of polka steps broken 

 down into basic form, followed by demonstrating the 

 correct pattern for the polka with music)?

5. Specifi c instructions that clearly indicate the appropriate grade 

 level at which each motor and movement skill should be 

introduced and subsequently taught? 

Content Analysis Score for Standard 1 (Grades 9-12) 

(Add the numbers across for the total score and place score 

on scorecard, page 171.)

* Key for Scoring 

2 = Fully: The curriculum suffi ciently addresses each and every element of the question; 1 = Partially: The curriculum 

partially addresses the question; 0 = No: The curriculum does not address the question.

Fully Partially No*

 2 1 0

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

 +  +  = 

SCORE

Grades 9-12 – Page 145

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Content Analysis for Standard 2

Grades 9-12

The content analysis for standard 2, grades 9-12, is completed by placing a check in the box 

corresponding to “2”, “1”, or “0”after each question. Once this is complete, add the numbers down 

and then across and place in the content analysis score box for standard 2.

Standard 2: Demonstrates understanding of movement concepts, principles, strategies, and 

tactics as they apply to the learning and performance of physical activities

 

Does the curriculum include 

1. Specifi c lessons on critical features of movement forms, 

 such as teaching students about the critical features of all 

 specialized skills taught in grades 9-12? 

2. Specifi c lessons on movement concepts, including 

 game, physical activity, and sport tactics taught throughout 

grades 9-12? 

3. Specifi c lessons on the mechanics of movement, such as 

torque, projectile distance, buoyancy, or the application of 

biomechanical principles to the self-assessment of motor skills? 

4. Specifi c lessons on motor learning and motor development 

 concepts (e.g., discussing the role of short-term improvement in 

 the learning process; stages of learning; or the role of reaction 

 time across all age groups)?

5. Specifi c instructions that clearly indicate the appropriate grade 

level at which each movement concept, principle, strategy, or 

tactic should be introduced and subsequently taught? 

 

Content Analysis Score for Standard 2 (Grades 9-12) 

(Add the numbers across for the total score and place score 

on scorecard, page 171.)

* Key for Scoring 

2 = Fully: The curriculum suffi ciently addresses each and every element of the question; 1 = Partially: The curriculum 

partially addresses the question; 0 = No: The curriculum does not address the question.

Fully Partially No*

 2 1 0

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

 +  +  = 

SCORE

Grades 9-12 – Page 147

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Content Analysis for Standard 3

Grades 9-12

The content analysis for standard 3, grades 9-12, is completed by placing a check in the box corresponding to “2”, “1”, or “0”after each question. Once this is complete, add the numbers down and 

then across and place in the content analysis score box for standard 3.

Standard 3: Participates regularly in physical activity

 

Does the curriculum include

1. Specifi c lessons that teach students why patterns of participation 

in moderate and vigorous physical activity change over the 

life-span and how much activity is recommended for their age

and for adults? 

2. Specifi c lessons that teach students how to independently 

develop and implement a personal physical activity program, 

based upon self-assessed physical activity and fi tness, and 

personal choices and interests? 

3. Specifi c lessons that allow students to independently apply 

 training principles to their own participation in their favorite

 activities and/or sports? 

4. Specifi c lessons that allow students to monitor physical activity 

and use appropriate behavior change strategies for improvement 

(e.g., goal setting, identifying social support systems)? 

5. Specifi c instructions that clearly indicate the appropriate grade 

level at which each physical activity concept and/or skill should 

be introduced and subsequently taught? 

Content Analysis Score for Standard 3 (Grades 9-12)

(Add the numbers across for the total score and place score 

on scorecard, page 171.)

* Key for Scoring 

2 = Fully: The curriculum suffi ciently addresses each and every element of the question; 1 = Partially: The curriculum 

partially addresses the question; 0 = No: The curriculum does not address the question.

Fully Partially No*

 2 1 0

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

 +  +  = 

SCORE

Grades 9-12 – Page 149

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Content Analysis for Standard 4

Grades 9-12

The content analysis for standard 4, grades 9-12, is completed by placing a check in the box corresponding to “2”, “1”, or “0”after each question. Once this is complete, add the numbers down and 

then across and place in the content analysis score box for standard 4.

Standard 4: Achieves and maintains a health-enhancing level of physical fi tness

Does the curriculum include

1. Specifi c lessons on appropriate activities for each component 

of fi tness, as well as activities that will help students meet 

their personal fi tness goals?

2. Specifi c lessons on basic exercise physiology concepts, such 

 as: the brain’s ability to send signals and receive them from 

muscles, the cardiorespiratory system’s ability to adapt to 

varying levels of intense physical activity, and the principles 

of training in preparing for competitive sports or recreational 

activities? 

3. Specifi c lessons on age- and gender-appropriate health-related 

 fi tness standards and how to monitor and interpret personal 

fi tness data?

4. Specifi c lessons that allow students to develop a personal 

health-related fi tness program, including specifi c goals?

5. Specifi c instructions that clearly indicate the appropriate grade 

level at which each concept and activity related to physical 

fi tness should be introduced and subsequently taught? 

Content Analysis Score for Standard 4 (Grades 9-12) 

(Add the numbers across for the total score and place score 

on scorecard, page 171.)

* Key for Scoring 

2 = Fully: The curriculum suffi ciently addresses each and every element of the question; 1 = Partially: The curriculum 

partially addresses the question; 0 = No: The curriculum does not address the question.

Fully Partially No*

 2 1 0

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

 +  +  = 

SCORE

Grades 9-12 – Page 151

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Content Analysis for Standard 5

Grades 9-12

The content analysis for standard 5, grades 9-12, is completed by placing a check in the box corresponding to “2”, “1”, or “0”after each question. Once this is complete, add the numbers down and 

then across and place in the content analysis score box for standard 5.

Standard 5: Exhibits responsible personal and social behavior that respects self and others in 

physical activity settings

 

Does the curriculum include

1. Specifi c lessons that provide students with an opportunity 

to demonstrate leadership, such as leading a walking club 

 during after-school hours or coordinating a community 

service project to promote physical activity? 

2. Specifi c lessons that ask students to engage in establishing and 

 teaching rules, protocol, and etiquette of various sports and 

games played during and outside of physical education class? 

3. Specifi c lessons that allow physical educators to teach and 

discuss the safety issues and protocols that exist within a 

variety of physical activities, fi tness testing, games, and sports 

(e.g., setting up safety procedures to guide a class hike)? 

4. Specifi c lessons that challenge students to identify and refl ect 

on the infl uence of age, disability, gender, race, ethnicity, 

environment, and culture on physical activity participation? 

5. Specifi c instructions that clearly indicate the appropriate grade 

level at which each concept, skill, and activity related to responsible personal and social behavior should be introduced and 

subsequently taught? 

Content Analysis Score for Standard 5 (Grades 9-12) 

(Add the numbers across for the total score and place score 

on scorecard, page 171.)

* Key for Scoring 

2 = Fully: The curriculum suffi ciently addresses each and every element of the question; 1 = Partially: The curriculum 

partially addresses the question; 0 = No: The curriculum does not address the question.

Fully Partially No*

 2 1 0

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

 +  +  = 

SCORE

Grades 9-12 – Page 153

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Content Analysis for Standard 6

Grades 9-12

The content analysis for standard 6, grades 9-12, is completed by placing a check in the box corresponding to “2”, “1”, or “0”after each question. Once this is complete, add the numbers down and 

then across and place in the content analysis score box for standard 6.

Standard 6: Values physical activity for health, enjoyment, challenge, self-expression, and/or 

social interaction

Does the curriculum include

1. Specifi c lessons on the role and infl uence of physical activity

in different cultures (e.g., the importance of specifi c sports 

and games in different countries)? 

2. Specifi c lessons that allow students to analyze the 

characteristics of sports and physical activities that are 

personally enjoyable? 

3. Specifi c lessons that allow students to know and discuss the 

role of artistic concepts in physical activity, such as why 

movement for self-expression is enjoyable and satisfying? 

4. Specifi c lessons that teach students the differences between 

personal challenges and competition and provide the 

opportunity for students to choose at least two personally 

challenging physical activities to attempt? 

5. Specifi c instructions that clearly indicate the appropriate grade 

level at which each concept, skill, and activity related to the 

value of physical activity should be introduced and 

subsequently taught?

Content Analysis Score for Standard 6 (Grades 9-12) 

(Add the numbers across for the total score and place score 

on scorecard, page 171.)

* Key for Scoring 

2 = Fully: The curriculum suffi ciently addresses each and every element of the question; 1 = Partially: The curriculum 

partially addresses the question; 0 = No: The curriculum does not address the question.

Fully Partially No*

 2 1 0

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

 +  +  = 

SCORE

Grades 9-12 – Page 155

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Template for Additional Standards for

Content Analysis, Grades 9-12

Standard: Write out the additional physical education standard below.

_________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

To complete the following section, identify the four main components that are essential for students 

to know or be able to do to achieve the standard. Proceed to determine how well the written 

curriculum addresses each with the same scoring system used throughout the PECAT (i.e., fully, 

partially, or not at all). Question 5 for each additional standard will remain the same. Photocopy 

this page for any additional standards. 

Does the curriculum include

 

1. ____________________________________________________ 

 

2. ____________________________________________________ 

 

3. ____________________________________________________ 

 

4. ____________________________________________________

5. Specifi c instructions that clearly indicate the appropriate 

grade level at which each protocol for student assessment 

should be conducted for the above components? 

Content Analysis Score 

(Add the numbers across for the total score and place score 

on scorecard, page 171.)

* Key for Scoring 

2 = Fully: The curriculum suffi ciently addresses each and every element of the question; 1 = Partially: The curriculum 

partially addresses the question; 0 = No: The curriculum does not address the question.

Fully Partially No*

 2 1 0

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

 +  +  = 

SCORE
 
Grades 9-12 – Page 157

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Student Assessment Analysis for Standard 1

Grades 9-12

The student assessment analysis for standard 1, grades 9-12, is completed by placing a check in the 

box corresponding to “2”, “1”, or “0”after each question. Once this is complete, add the numbers 

down and then across and place in the student assessment analysis score box for standard 1.

Standard 1: Demonstrates competency in motor skills and movement patterns needed to 

perform a variety of physical activities 

Does the curriculum include:

1. Protocols for assessing student skill levels in at least three 

of the following types of activities: aquatics, team sports, 

individual and dual sports, outdoor pursuits, self-defense, 

dance, and gymnastics?

2. Protocols for determining competency in movement skills, 

such as asking students to demonstrate karate kicks, forehand

 and backhand tennis strokes, or step aerobics?

 

3. Protocols for assessing students’ ability to combine two or 

more specialized movement forms, such as asking students to 

 demonstrate or explain the discus throw or a series of dance steps? 

4. Protocols for assessing students’ ability to apply a variety of 

locomotor, nonlocomotor, manipulative, combination, and 

 specialized skills, such as asking students to demonstrate the 

ability to perform a routine using manipulative equipment to 

music?

5. Specifi c instructions that clearly indicate the appropriate grade 

 level at which each protocol for student assessment should be 

 conducted for the above components? 

Student Assessment Score for Standard 1 (Grades 9-12) 

(Add the numbers across for the total score and place score 

on scorecard, page 171.) 

* Key for Scoring 

2 = Fully: Includes 1 or more specifi c protocols for assessment and multiple levels of competency; 1 = Partially: Does 

include 1 or more protocols but not multiple levels of competency; 0 = No: Does not include any protocol for assessing 

student performance.

Fully Partially No*

 2 1 0

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

 +  +  = 

SCORE

Grades 9-12 – Page 159

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Student Assessment Analysis for Standard 2

Grades 9-12

The student assessment analysis for standard 2, grades 9-12, is completed by placing a check in the 

box corresponding to “2”, “1”, or “0”after each question. Once this is complete, add the numbers 

down and then across and place in the student assessment analysis score box for standard 2.

Standard 2: Demonstrates understanding of movement concepts, principles, strategies, and 

tactics as they apply to the learning and performance of physical activities

Does the curriculum include

1. Protocols for determining students’ ability to describe and 

demonstrate the critical features of movement forms for all 

 specialized skills taught in grades 9-12? 

2. Protocols for assessing advanced movement concepts, 

 such as asking students to describe and demonstrate tactics for 

all games, physical activities, and sports taught in grades 9-12? 

 

3. Protocols for assessing students’ knowledge of concepts of the 

mechanics of movement, such as asking students to explain the 

 concepts of torque, projectile distance, buoyancy, or the application 

 of biomechanics principles to the self-assessment of motor skills? 

4. Protocols for assessing students’ knowledge of ability to perform 

advanced motor learning and motor development concepts, such 

as asking students to explain the role of short-term physical 

 improvements in the learning process, stages of learning, or 

the reaction time as people age?

5. Specifi c instructions that clearly indicate the appropriate grade 

 level at which each protocol for student assessment should be 

 conducted for the above components? 

Student Assessment Score for Standard 2 (Grades 9-12) 

(Add the numbers across for the total score and place score 

on scorecard, page 171.) 

* Key for Scoring 

2 = Fully: Includes 1 or more specifi c protocols for assessment and multiple levels of competency; 1 = Partially: Does 

include 1 or more protocols but not multiple levels of competency; 0 = No: Does not include any protocol for assessing 

student performance.

Fully Partially No*

 2 1 0

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

 +  +  = 

SCORE

Grades 9-12 – Page 161

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Student Assessment Analysis for Standard 3

Grades 9-12

The student assessment analysis for standard 3, grades 9-12, is completed by placing a check in the 

box corresponding to “2”, “1”, or “0”after each question. Once this is complete, add the numbers 

down and then across and place in the student assessment analysis score box for standard 3.

Standard 3: Participates regularly in physical activity

 

Does the curriculum include

1. Protocols for assessing students’ knowledge (e.g., through 

written exams or quizzes) about patterns of physical activity 

participation and how they change over the life span? 

2. Protocols for determining students’ ability to independently 

 develop and implement a personal physical activity program, 

 such as asking students to write a comprehensive program and 

 identify reasons for their choice of physical activities? 

3. Protocols for determining students’ ability to independently 

apply training principles to their own participation in their

 favorite activities and/or sports, such as asking students which 

 principles of training are being utilized in basketball? 

4. Protocols for determining students’ capacity to monitor their 

own physical activity and use appropriate behavior change 

 strategies to positively infl uence their activity patterns? 

5. Specifi c instructions that clearly indicate the appropriate grade 

 level at which each protocol for student assessment should be 

 conducted for the above components? 

Student Assessment Score for Standard 3 (Grades 9-12) 

(Add the numbers across for the total score and place score 

on scorecard, page 171.)

 * Key for Scoring 

2 = Fully: Includes 1 or more specifi c protocols for assessment and multiple levels of competency; 1 = Partially: Does 

include 1 or more protocols but not multiple levels of competency; 0 = No: Does not include any protocol for assessing 

student performance.

Fully Partially No*

 2 1 0

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

 +  +  = 

SCORE

Grades 9-12 – Page 163

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Student Assessment Analysis for Standard 4

Grades 9-12

The student assessment analysis for standard 4, grades 9-12, is completed by placing a check in the 

box corresponding to “2”, “1”, or “0”after each question. Once this is complete, add the numbers 

down and then across and place in the student assessment analysis score box for standard 4.

Standard 4: Achieves and maintains a health-enhancing level of physical fi tness 

Does the curriculum include

1. Protocols for determining student knowledge about the 

 appropriate activities for each component of fi tness as well 

as the activities that will help students meet their personal 

goals? 

2. Protocols for knowledge about the basic concepts of exercise 

 physiology, such as asking students to identify and explain two 

 or more principles of training that infl uence their own personal 

 physical activity program?

3. Protocols for determining students’ knowledge about fi tness 

 testing standards and their ability to monitor and interpret 

 personal fi tness data? 

4. Protocols for analyzing students’ personal health-related fi tness 

 programs, including an analysis of their personal fi tness goals? 

5. Specifi c instructions that clearly indicate the appropriate grade 

 level at which each protocol for student assessment should be 

 conducted for the above components?

Student Assessment Score for Standard 4 (Grades 9-12) 

(Add the numbers across for the total score and place score 

on scorecard, page 171.)

* Key for Scoring 

2 = Fully: Includes 1 or more specifi c protocols for assessment and multiple levels of competency; 1 = Partially: Does 

include 1 or more protocols but not multiple levels of competency; 0 = No: Does not include any protocol for assessing 

student performance.

Fully Partially No*

 2 1 0

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

 +  +  = 

SCORE
 
Grades 9-12 – Page 165

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Student Assessment Analysis for Standard 5

Grades 9-12

The student assessment analysis for standard 5, grades 9-12, is completed by placing a check in the 

box corresponding to “2”, “1”, or “0”after each question. Once this is complete, add the numbers 

down and then across and place in the student assessment analysis score box for standard 5.

Standard 5: Exhibits responsible personal and social behavior that respects self and others in 

physical activity settings 

Does the curriculum include

1. Protocols for assessing students’ ability to take initiative 

in leadership opportunities, such as determining how well 

a student used input from many students to develop an 

after-school walking club? 

2. Protocols for assessing students’ knowledge, skills, and 

ability in teaching and identifying specifi c rules, etiquette, 

and procedures for sports and games played during and 

outside of physical education class? 

 

3. Protocols for assessing students’ knowledge, skills, and 

ability to set up safety procedures for a variety of physical 

activities, fi tness testing, games, and sports?

4. Protocols for analyzing students’ knowledge about the 

infl uence of age, disability, gender, race, ethnicity, environment, 

and culture on physical activity participation, such as asking 

students to conduct audits of the built environment 

(e.g., sidewalks and curb ramps around their school)?

5. Specifi c instructions that clearly indicate the appropriate grade 

 level at which each protocol for student assessment should be 

 conducted for the above components? 

Fully Partially No*

 2 1 0

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

 +  +  = 

SCORE

Student Assessment Score for Standard 5 (Grades 9-12) 

(Add the numbers across for the total score and place score 

on scorecard, page 171.)

* Key for Scoring 

2 = Fully: Includes 1 or more specifi c protocols for assessment and multiple levels of competency; 1 = Partially: Does 

include 1 or more protocols but not multiple levels of competency; 0 = No: Does not include any protocol for assessing 

student performance.

Grades 9-12 – Page 167

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Student Assessment Analysis for Standard 6

Grades 9-12

The student assessment analysis for standard 6 grades 9-12, is completed by placing a check in the 

box corresponding to “2”, “1”, or “0”after each question. Once this is complete, add the numbers 

down and then across and place in the student assessment analysis score box for standard 6.

Standard 6: Values physical activity for health, enjoyment, challenge, self-expression, and/or 

social interaction 

 

Does the curriculum include

1. Protocols for determining students’ understanding about the role 

 and infl uence of physical activity in different cultures, such as asking 

students to create written reports about a specifi c game played in 

a different country that is not common in the United States? 

2. Protocols that ask students to identify and analyze the 

characteristics of sports and physical activities they enjoy 

and explain their reasons for enjoyment?

 

3. Protocols for assessing students’ knowledge and ability to 

discuss the role of artistic concepts in physical activity, such 

as asking students to analyze the artistic components of dance 

and gymnastics?

4. Protocols for assessing students’ ability and willingness to 

pursue new challenges and competition in physical activity, 

such as asking students to participate in a new activity outside 

of physical education class and provide a brief overview of 

the experience? 

5. Specifi c instructions that clearly indicate the appropriate grade 

level at which each protocol for student assessment should be 

 conducted for the above components? 

Student Assessment Score for Standard 6 (Grades 9-12) 

(Add the numbers across for the total score and place score 

on scorecard, page 171.)

* Key for Scoring 

2 = Fully: Includes 1 or more specifi c protocols for assessment and multiple levels of competency; 1 = Partially: Does 

include 1 or more protocols but not multiple levels of competency; 0 = No: Does not include any protocol for assessing 

student performance.

Fully Partially No*

 2 1 0

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

 +  +  = 

SCORE

Grades 9-12 – Page 169

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Template for Additional Standards for

Student Assessment Analysis, Grades 9-12

Standard: Write out the additional physical education standard below.

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

To complete the following section, identify the four types of protocols that are essential for assessing 

student knowledge and skills. Proceed to determine the extent to which the written curriculum 

includes these protocols with the same scoring system used throughout the PECAT (i.e., fully, 

partially, or not at all). Question 5 for each additional standard will remain the same. Photocopy 

this page for any additional standards. 

Does the curriculum include

 

1. ____________________________________________________ 

 

2. ____________________________________________________ 

 

3. ____________________________________________________ 

 

4. ____________________________________________________

5. Specifi c instructions that clearly indicate the appropriate 

grade level at which each protocol for student assessment 

should be conducted for the above components? 

 

Student Assessment Analysis Score 

(Add the numbers across for the total score and place score 

on scorecard, page 171.)

* Key for Scoring 

2 = Fully: Includes 1 or more specifi c protocols for assessment and multiple levels of competency; 1 = Partially: Does 

include 1 or more protocols but not multiple levels of competency; 0 = No: Does not include any protocol for assessing 

student performance.

Fully Partially No*

 2 1 0

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

❏ ❏ ❏

 +  +  = 

SCORE

Grades 9-12 – Page 171

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

SCORECARD FOR CONTENT AND

STUDENT ASSESSMENT ANALYSES

Grades 9-12

To complete the scorecard for Content and Student Assessment Analyses (grades 9-12), transfer the 

individual scores for each standard from the preceding pages. 

NATIONAL

STANDARD

CONTENT

ANALYSIS

SCORE

STUDENT ASSESSMENT

ANALYSIS

SCORE

1

2

3

4

5

6

ADDITIONAL

STANDARDS

Note: Add each of these scores to the overall PECAT scorecard on page 173.

Overall PECAT Scorecard – Page 173

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

OVERALL PECAT SCORECARD

To complete the overall PECAT scorecard and examine strengths and weaknesses of a single curriculum, transfer each of the individual scores from the completed content and student assessment analyses scorecards to the corresponding location below. 

Content Analysis Score 

for Each Grade Level

Student Assessment 

Analysis Score for Each 

Grade Level

STANDARD K-2 3-5 6-8 9-12 STANDARD K-2 3-5 6-8 9-12

Standard #1 Standard #1Standard #2 Standard #2Standard #3 Standard #3Standard #4 Standard #4Standard #5 Standard #5Standard #6 Standard #6Additional Standards: Additional Standards:#1 #1#2 #2#3 #3#4 #4

PECAT Multiple Curricula Comparison – Page 175

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

PECAT MULTIPLE CURRICULA COMPARISON SCORECARD

GRADES K-2

CONTENT ANALYSIS

SCORES FOR GRADES K-2

STUDENT ASSESSMENT ANALYSIS 

SCORES FOR GRADES K-2

Curricula being analyzed Curricula being analyzed

Name: Name: Name: Name: Name: Name: Name: Name:

Standard #1 Standard #1Standard #2 Standard #2Standard #3 Standard #3Standard #4 Standard #4Standard #5 Standard #5Standard #6 Standard #6Additional Standards:

Additional Standards:

#1 #1#2 #2#3 #3#4 #4

PECAT Multiple Curricula Comparison – Page 177

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

PECAT CURRICULA COMPARISON SCORECARD

GRADES 3-5

CONTENT ANALYSIS

SCORES FOR GRADES 3-5

STUDENT ASSESSMENT ANALYSIS 

SCORES FOR GRADES 3-5

Curricula being analyzed Curricula being analyzed

Name: Name: Name: Name: Name: Name: Name: Name:

Standard #1 Standard #1Standard #2 Standard #2Standard #3 Standard #3Standard #4 Standard #4Standard #5 Standard #5Standard #6 Standard #6Additional Standards:

Additional Standards:

#1 #1#2 #2#3 #3#4 #4

PECAT Multiple Curricula Comparison – Page 179

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

PECAT CURRICULA COMPARISON SCORECARD

GRADES 6-8

CONTENT ANALYSIS

SCORES FOR GRADES 6-8

STUDENT ASSESSMENT ANALYSIS 

SCORES FOR GRADES 6-8

Curricula being analyzed Curricula being analyzed

Name: Name: Name: Name: Name: Name: Name: Name:

Standard #1 Standard #1Standard #2 Standard #2Standard #3 Standard #3Standard #4 Standard #4Standard #5 Standard #5Standard #6 Standard #6Additional Standards:

Additional Standards:

#1 #1#2 #2#3 #3#4 #4

PECAT Multiple Curricula Comparison – Page 181

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

PECAT CURRICULA COMPARISON SCORECARD

GRADES 9-12

CONTENT ANALYSIS

SCORES FOR GRADES 9-12

STUDENT ASSESSMENT ANALYSIS 

SCORES FOR GRADES 9-12

Curricula being analyzed Curricula being analyzed

Name: Name: Name: Name: Name: Name: Name: Name:

Standard #1 Standard #1Standard #2 Standard #2Standard #3 Standard #3Standard #4 Standard #4Standard #5 Standard #5Standard #6 Standard #6Additional Standards:

Additional Standards:

#1 #1#2 #2#3 #3#4 #4

Curriculum Improvement Plan – Page 183

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Curriculum Improvement Plan

This section describes the process by which your school district, school building, or region can use 

the information from the PECAT to improve its locally developed, written curriculum. If users are 

reviewing commercially developed curriculum, the curriculum improvement plan is not applicable. 

There are four distinct steps to the curriculum improvement plan. 

Step 1: Consider the PECAT Score(s)

✔ First, the grade level content and student assessment scorecards and the overall PECAT 

scorecard should be reviewed to help determine where improvement is most needed. They 

also indicate whether improvement is needed in content, student assessment, or both. 

✔ Next, a list of weaknesses should be completed by the PECAT committee. Scores of 0 on the 

individual questions within content and student assessment analyses are considered major 

weaknesses, and scores of 1 can be considered an area/component that needs improvement. 

Scores of 2 refl ect that the curriculum includes and fully addresses the specifi c component 

being analyzed within a standard. 

Step 2: Complete the Curriculum Improvement Plan Worksheet 

✔ Ideally, all areas needing improvement should be addressed within the same time frame. 

However, making comprehensive revisions to a curriculum within a limited time frame is not 

always feasible. The PECAT committee might need to establish priorities to decide which 

improvements to work on fi rst. A number of variables, including resources, may need to be 

considered in deciding which areas to address fi rst. The PECAT committee may determine 

that, whereas some areas of the curriculum are considered less important than others, they 

require fewer resources to address and thus are easier to address fi rst. Use the collective 

judgment and knowledge of PECAT committee members to prioritize. Once the areas in need 

of improvement are prioritized, the committee should complete the curriculum improvement 

plan worksheet. 

 Identifi ed Weaknesses: In the fi rst column list the weaknesses, in prioritized order, that 

were identifi ed within the PECAT results. 

 Recommendations: In the second column of the curriculum improvement plan 

worksheet, write the recommendations the committee has agreed on. An example 

recommendation is “adjust the curriculum content and student assessment across the 

K-2 grade level to fully address standard 2, component 4: specifi c lessons on motor 

learning and motor development concepts.”

 Actions: Write a brief description of all actions needed to implement each 

recommendation in the third column of the curriculum improvement plan worksheet. 

For example, to adjust the curriculum content and student assessment across the K-2 
Curriculum Improvement Plan – Page 184

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

grade level for standard 2, component 4, here is a list of example action items that 

might be included: 

 Identify which motor learning concepts are missing. 

 Select resources for assisting with developing or enhancing the missing 

concepts. 

 Assign resources that should be reviewed to appropriate PECAT committee 

members.

 Discuss the resources as an entire committee to determine which resources 

meet local needs. 

 Decide on the sequence for addressing each missing component of standard 2 

for grades K-2. 

 Assign subcommittees to develop curricular components for content and 

student assessment protocols. 

 Obtain administrative approval for the newly developed content as well as 

student assessment protocols.

 Integrate and implement the new curricular content and student assessment 

protocols within the existing written curriculum. 

 Responsibilities and completion dates: Designate those responsible for leading each 

of the identifi ed actions as well as other PECAT committee members who will assist 

in each action initiation and completion. Finally, include a target completion date for 

each action. These items are placed in the fourth column of the worksheet.

Step 3: Implement the Curriculum Improvement Plan 

Once the plan has been approved, implement the plan and monitor progress. Successful 

implementation means completing all the steps by the target completion date. Some 

implementation steps can be handled quickly and easily by one team member, whereas 

others, such as gathering information or securing funding support, may require a group effort. 

A full discussion of project management is beyond the scope of this section, but the 

following are some general principles: 

Workgroups: Form implementation workgroups so that no single person is 

overwhelmed with responsibility. 

Short- and long-term goals: Most positive changes will take some time to make, yet 

delayed gratifi cation can be frustrating for many volunteers. Having a mix of short 

(e.g., rewrite content for standard 1, grades 3-5) and long-term goals allows for early 

accomplishments, which can keep the team motivated while tackling the long-term 

goals (e.g., development of an entire series of K-12 student assessment protocols for 

all standards). 
Curriculum Improvement Plan – Page 185

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Timeline: Create a timeline of activities and set target completion dates.

Assistance: Ask for help when you need it. See the PECAT resources section for 

information on national organizations that might be of assistance. Look for help from 

state and local education agencies and local universities. 

Monitor and report progress: Ongoing monitoring of activities is essential for smooth 

and successful implementation and to recognize both problems and special 

achievements. Establish a mechanism for reporting progress so that there is some 

level of accountability, and evaluation can be ongoing. 

Meet consistently: Set a meeting schedule that is reasonable to keep the group moving 

forward without burdening schedules. 

Recognition: Recognize those who are involved in planning and implementation. 

Write letters of appreciation and publicize their good work. Share progress with local 

school board, curriculum advisory committees, and other stakeholders. 

Resources: Consider all resources that will be needed (e.g., stipends, release time for 

teachers) and advocate for or solicit them. Sources of funding and other support may 

be found within the school or by the local community partners. 

Step 4: Reassess and Strive for Continuous Improvement 

✔ A curriculum should not be stagnant. National and state standards, guidelines, and best 

practices are regularly updated, and these revisions should be refl ected in your curriculum. 

Consider reassessing your written curriculum every 3 to 5 years. In addition to keeping the 

curriculum current, this can help ensure regular visibility for the physical education program 

in your school. Be sure to take the time to recognize the progress of your written curriculum 

and the accomplishments of your program. Report annually to school administration and to 

your school board on progress for the year and plans for the upcoming year. 

Curriculum Improvement Plan – Page 187

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Curriculum Improvement Plan Worksheet

Identifi ed weaknesses within 

PECAT results

PECAT Committee 

recommendations

 Necessary 

actions 

Persons responsible 

and completion dates

Appendices

Appendix 1: Example of Completed Scoring Sheet – Page 191

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Example of a Completed Scoring Sheet

Content Analysis for Standard 1 Grades K-2

The content analysis for standard 1, grades K-2, is completed by placing a check mark in either the 

box for “2”, “1”, or “0”after each question. Once this is complete, add the numbers down and then 

across and place in the content analysis total score box.

Standard 1: Demonstrates competency in motor skills and movement patterns needed to 

perform a variety of physical activities 

 Fully Partially No

Does the curriculum include 2 1 0

1. Specifi c lessons on fundamental movement skills,  

including locomotor (e.g., walk, skip, hop), nonlocomotor 

(e.g., bend, twist, rock), and manipulative (e.g., striking an 

object)? 

 

2. Specifi c introductory lessons on motor skills, such as  

rolling, transfer of body weight to one leg, or rhythmic 

movement? 

3. Specifi c lessons about the combination of movement  

 and motor skills, such as dribbling a ball while walking

 or creating movement patterns using different speeds, 

 directions, and skills?

4. At least one initial and one follow-up learning experience  

(e.g., introduction of basic tossing skills and then tossing 

a ball to a moving partner)? 

5. Does the curriculum clearly indicate the grade level at  

 which each motor and movement skill should be introduced

 and subsequently taught? 

 

 

Content Analysis Score for Standard 1 (Grades K-2)  +  +  =	

Appendix 2: National Standards for Physical Education – Page 193

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

National Standards for Physical Education

Quality physical education is driven by standards that guide physical education teachers in the 

process of assisting youth to become physically educated individuals. The following descriptions 

were taken directly from the National Standards for Physical Education (NASPE, 2004). These 

standards are the framework for the PECAT analyses found in the preceding sections. 

Standard 1: Demonstrates competency in motor skills and movement patterns needed to 

perform a variety of physical activities 

The intent of this standard is development of the movement/physical skills needed to enjoy 

participation in physical activities. Mastering movement fundamentals establishes a foundation to 

facilitate continued motor-skill acquisition and gives students the capacity for successful and 

advanced levels of performance to further the likelihood of participation on a daily basis. In the 

primary years, students develop maturity and versatility in the use of fundamental skills (e.g., 

running, skipping, throwing, striking) that are further refi ned, combined, and varied during the 

middle school years. These motor patterns, now having evolved into specialized skills (e.g., a 

specifi c dance step, chest pass, catching with a glove), are used in increasingly more complex 

movement environments, including the use of tactics, through the middle school years. On the basis 

of interest and ability, high school students select a few activities for regular participation within 

which more advanced skills are mastered. In preparation for adulthood, students acquire the basic 

skills to participate in a wide variety of leisure and work-related physical activities. 

Standard 2: Demonstrates an understanding of movement concepts, principles, strategies, 

and tactics as they apply to the learning and performance of physical activities 

The intent of this standard is to facilitate the ability of the learner to use cognitive information to 

understand and enhance motor-skill acquisition and performance. It enhances the ability to use the 

mind to control or direct one’s performance. This includes the application of concepts from 

disciplines such as motor learning and development, sport psychology and sociology, and 

biomechanics and exercise physiology. It includes, for example, increasing force production through 

the summation of forces, the effects of anxiety on performance, and the principle of specifi city of 

training. Knowledge of these concepts and principles and applying them enhances the likelihood of 

independent learning and therefore more regular and effective participation in physical activity. In 

the lower elementary grades, emphasis is placed on establishing a movement vocabulary and initial 

application of introductory concepts. Through the upper elementary and middle school years, an 

emphasis is placed on applying and generalizing these concepts to real-life physical activity 

situations. In high school, emphasis is placed on students independently and routinely using a wide 

variety of increasingly complex concepts. By graduation, the student has developed a suffi cient 

knowledge and ability to independently use his/her knowledge to acquire new skills while continuing 

to refi ne existing ones. 
Appendix 2: National Standards for Physical Education – Page 194

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Standard 3: Participates regularly in physical activity 

The intent of this standard is for students to establish patterns of regular participation in meaningful 

physical activity. The standard connects what is done in the physical education class with the lives 

of students outside of the classroom. While participation within the physical education class is 

important, what the student does outside of the physical education is critical to developing an 

active, healthy lifestyle that could help prevent a variety of health problems among future 

generations of adults. Students make use of the skills and knowledge learned in physical education 

class as they engage in regular physical activity outside of the physical education class. They 

demonstrate effective self-management skills that enable them to participate in physical activity on 

a regular basis. Voluntary participation often develops from the initial enjoyment that is derived 

from the activity coupled with the requisite skills needed for participation. As students develop an 

awareness of the relationships between activity and its immediate and identifi able effects on the 

body, regular participation in physical activity enhances the physical and psychological health of 

the body, social opportunities and relationships, and quality of life. Students are more likely to 

participate if they have opportunities to develop interests that are personally meaningful to them. 

Young children learn to enjoy physical activity yet also learn that a certain level of personal 

commitment and earnest work is required to reap the benefi ts from their participation. They partake 

in developmentally appropriate activities that help them develop movement competence and should 

be encouraged to participate in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and unstructured play. As 

students get older the structure of activity tends to increase and the opportunities for participation in 

different types of activity increase outside of the physical education class. Attainment of this 

standard encourages participation commensurate with contemporary recommendations regarding 

the type of activity as well as the frequency, duration, and intensity of participation believed to 

promote a healthy lifestyle. 

Standard 4: Achieves and maintains a health-enhancing level of physical fi tness 

The intent of this standard is for students to have both the ability and the willingness to accept 

responsibility for personal fi tness leading to an active, healthy lifestyle. Students develop higher 

levels of basic fi tness and physical competence as needed for many work situations and active leisure 

participation. Health-related fi tness components include cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular 

strength and endurance, fl exibility, and body composition. Expectations for students’ fi tness levels 

should be established on a personal basis, taking into account variation in entry levels rather than 

setting a single standard for all children at a given grade level or comparing one student to another. 

Students progress in their ability to participate in moderate-to-vigorous physical activities that 

address each component of health-related fi tness. Moreover, students become more skilled in their 

ability to plan, perform, and monitor physical activities appropriate for developing physical fi tness. 

For elementary students, the emphasis is on an awareness of fi tness components and having fun 

while participating in health-enhancing activities that promote physical fi tness. Middle school 

students gradually acquire a greater understanding of the fi tness components, how each is developed 

and maintained, and the importance of each in overall fi tness. Secondary students are able to design 

and develop an appropriate personal fi tness program that enables them to achieve desired levels of 

fi tness. 
Appendix 2: National Standards for Physical Education – Page 195

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)

Standard 5: Exhibits responsible personal and social behavior that respects self and others in 

physical activity settings 

The intent of this standard is achievement of self-initiated behaviors that promote personal and 

group success in activity settings. These include safe practices, adherence to rules and procedures, 

etiquette, cooperation and teamwork, ethical behavior in sport, and positive social interaction. Key 

to this standard is developing respect for individual similarities and differences through positive 

interaction among participants in physical activity. Similarities and differences include 

characteristics of culture, ethnicity, motor performance, disabilities, physical characteristics (e.g., 

strength, size, shape), gender, age, race, and socioeconomic status. Achievement of this standard in 

the lower elementary grades begins with recognition of classroom rules, procedures, and safety. In 

the upper elementary levels, children learn to work independently, with a partner, and in small 

groups. Throughout elementary school students begin to recognize individual similarities and 

differences and participate cooperatively in physical activity. In middle school, adolescents identify 

the purpose for rules and procedures and become involved in decision making processes to establish 

the rules and procedures to guide specifi c activity situations. They participate cooperatively in 

physical activity with persons of diverse characteristics and backgrounds. High school students 

initiate responsible behavior, function independently and responsibly, and positively infl uence the 

behavior of others in physical activity settings. They participate with all people, avoid and resolve 

confl icts, recognize the value of diversity in physical activity, and develop strategies for inclusion of 

others. High school students begin to understand how adult roles of work and family 

responsibilities affect their decisions about physical activity. 

Standard 6: Values physical activity for health, enjoyment, challenge, self-expression, and/or 

social interaction 

The intent of this standard is to develop an awareness of the intrinsic values and benefi ts of 

participation in physical activity that provides personal meaning. Physical activity provides 

opportunities for self-expression and social interaction and can be enjoyable, challenging, and fun. 

These benefi ts develop self-confi dence and promote positive self-image, thereby enticing people to 

continue participation in activity throughout the life span. Elementary school children derive 

pleasure from movement sensations and experience challenge and joy as they sense a growing 

competence in movement ability. At the middle school level, participation in physical activity 

provides important opportunities for challenge, social interaction, and group membership as well as 

opportunities for continued personal growth in physical skills and their applied settings. Participation 

at the high school level continues to provide enjoyment and challenge as well as opportunities for 

self-expression and social interaction. As a result of these intrinsic benefi ts of participation, students 

will begin to actively pursue lifelong physical activities that meet their own needs. 

Reprinted from Moving Into the Future: National Standards for Physical Education, 2nd Edition (2004), with 

permission from the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE), an association of the 

American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (AAHPERD), 1900 Association 

Drive, Reston, Virginia 20191-1598. 

Glossary

Alignment—Clear and direct relationship among standards, curricula, instructional materials, 

instructional methods, and assessments. 

Assessment—Process of gathering evidence and documentation of a student’s learning. 

Biomechanics—Application of scientifi c principles, such as force and power, in the study of human 

movement. 

Components—Main elements of each national standard as determined by the National Standards 

for Physical Education book and the panel of experts that guided standards for the PECAT. 

Content standard—What a physically educated student should know and be able to do. 

Criterion-referenced assessment—Describes how well a student performs compared with a 

predetermined and specifi ed standard of performance, as opposed to a norm-referenced assessment 

where a student’s performance is compared with a normative sample of other students. 

Critical features of movement—Those elements (e.g., stepping forward on the opposite foot when 

throwing) of performing a skill deemed necessary for its correct execution.

Follow-up learning experience—The use of reviewing a concept or objective after it was initially 

introduced. See defi nitions for initial learning experience and learning experience.

Fundamental movement skills—Locomotor, nonlocomotor, and manipulative skills are all 

considered fundamental, as they form the basis of numerous forms of movement and advanced skill 

development. See defi nitions of locomotor, nonlocomotor, and manipulative. 

Initial learning experience—The fi rst time a movement or motor concept or skill is presented. See 

defi nitions for follow-up learning experience and learning experience.

Learning experience—Presentation of and subsequent participation in a movement or motor 

concept or skill. See defi nitions for follow-up learning experience and learning experience.

Locomotor skills—Basic motor skills involving a change of position of the feet and/or a change of 

direction of the body. Locomotor skills include walking, running, hopping, skipping, jumping, 

leaping, sliding, and galloping. 

Manipulative skills—Basic motor skills involving handling an object. Manipulative skills include 

throwing, catching, kicking, trapping, and striking. 

Mature form—The most effi cient pattern of movement (e.g., for an overhand throw, stepping 

forward on the opposite foot, combined with hip rotation and appropriate follow-through).

Moderate physical activity—Intensity of physical activity that corresponds to 50-69 percent of an 

individual’s maximal heart rate. Examples include brisk walking and slow bike riding. 

Motor development—The study of change in movement behaviors and motor skills across the life 

span. 

Appendix 3: PECAT Glossary – Page 197

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)
Motor learning—The study of change in a person’s ability to perform a motor skill. The 

examination of a child’s changing ability to skip from kindergarten through sixth grade represents 

changes in motor learning. 

Nonlocomotor skills—Movement of the body performed from a relatively stable base of support. 

Examples include bending, stretching, twisting, turning, leaning, swaying, and swinging. 

Performance assessment (of students)—Direct observation and judgment of student products or 

performances. High-quality performance assessment uses pre-established performance criteria. In 

standards-based assessment, these criteria are taken directly from the standards. 

Performance standard—The expected quality of student work and specifying “how good is good 

enough.” In the PECAT, questions in the student assessment analyses refl ect necessary components 

of each national standard for age-appropriate assessment of student performance. 

Physical activity—Any bodily movement that is produced by skeletal muscle and that substantially 

increase energy expenditure. 

Protocol (for student assessment)—Step-by-step instructions and/or directions for how to 

administer a specifi c assessment of student performance. 

Sequence—The vertical articulation of a curriculum; it identifi es, defi nes, and describes the skills 

and activities that should be covered on a yearly basis. Appropriate sequence ensures that students 

will be provided with different instruction at each grade-level range, so as to build on skills in an 

age-appropriate fashion. 

Specialized movement forms—The more complex skills and movements unique to individual and 

team sports, dance, and gymnastics activities. Examples of specialized movement forms include the 

overhand serve in volleyball, the underhand clear in badminton, the handstand in gymnastics, and the 

grapevine step in dance. 

Standards—Statements that identify the essential knowledge, skills, and attitudes that should be 

taught and learned in school. See defi nitions for content and performance standards. 

Standards-based curriculum—A curriculum designed to produce student understanding and work 

that demonstrates achievement of standards. 

Vigorous physical activity—Intensity of physical activity that corresponds to approximately 70 

percent or more of an individual’s maximal heart rate. Examples include running, aerobic dance, 

singles tennis, swimming laps, and competitive basketball. 

Appendix 3: PECAT Glossary – Page 198

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)
Resources

The following resources may be helpful for designing and implementing quality K-12 physical 

education programs. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list. 

Federal Government

Guidelines for School and Community Programs to Promote Lifelong Physical Activity Among 

Young People (1997). 

Author and Publisher: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Cost: None 

URL: www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/physicalactivity/guidelines 

Healthy People 2010: Volume II, 2nd Edition Chapter 22, Physical Activity and Fitness 

Author and Publisher: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 

Cost: None 

URL: www.healthypeople.gov 

Physical Activity and Health: A Report of the Surgeon General (1996) 

Author and Publisher: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 

Cost: None for Executive Summary 

URL: www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/sgr/sgr.htm 

School Health Index: A Self-Assessment and Planning Guide – Elementary School (2005), 

Middle/High School (2005) 

Author and Publisher: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 

Cost: None 

URL: www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/shi

The Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Prevent and Decrease Overweight and Obesity (2001) 

Author and Publisher: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 

Cost: $5.50 or download for free 

URL: www.surgeongeneral.gov/topics/obesity 

Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance – United States, 2003. Citation: Centers for Disease Control 

and Prevention. Surveillance Summaries, May 21, 2004. MMWR 2004:53(No. SS-2). 

Cost: None. 

URL: www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/yrbs 

Appendix 4: PECAT Resources – Page 199

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)
General Education

Succeeding with Standards: Linking Curriculum, Assessment, and Action Planning (2001)

Authors: Carr JF, Harris DE

Publisher: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD)

Cost: $24.95 ($20.95 for ASCD members)

URL: http://shop.ascd.org/index.cfm 

Transforming Classroom Grading (2000)

Author: Marzano RJ

Publisher: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD)

Cost: $22.95 ($19.95 for ASCD members)

URL: http://shop.ascd.org/index.cfm 

Physical Education

A-Level Physical Education: The Refl ective Performer 

Authors: Kirk D, Penney D, Burgess-Limerick R, Gorely T, Maynard C

Publisher: Human Kinetics 

Cost: $35.00 

URL: www.humankinetics.com/products/showproduct.cfm?isbn=0736033920 

Appropriate Practices for Elementary School Physical Education (2000)

Appropriate Practices for Middle School Physical Education (2001)

Appropriate Practices for High School Physical Education (2004)

Author and Publisher: National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE)

Cost: $7/booklet

URL: www.aahperd.org/naspe 

Assessment Series Introduction 

Standards-Based Assessment of Student Learning: A Comprehensive Approach (1999) 

Author: Lambert LT 

Publisher: National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE)

Cost: $13/book 

URL: www.aahperd.org/naspe 

Physical Education Assessment Series:

Assessing and Improving Fitness in Elementary Physical Education (1999) 

Author: Holt-Hale SA 

Assessing Heart Rate in Physical Education (2002) 

Author: Buck M 

Appendix 4: PECAT Resources – Page 200

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)
Assessing Motor Skills in Elementary Physical Education (1999) 

Author: Holt-Hale SA 

Assessing Student Responsibility and Teamwork (2000) 

Authors: O’Sullivan M, Henninger M

Assessing Concepts: Secondary Biomechanics (2004)

Author: Mohnson B

Assessing Dance in Elementary Physical Education (2005)

Authors: Cone TP, Cone S

Assessment of Swimming in Physical Education (2005)

Author: Grosse SJ

Assessment in Games Teaching (1999)

Authors: Mitchell S, Oslin J

Authentic Assessment of Physical Activity for High School Students (2002)

Authors: Doolittle S, Fay T

Creating Rubrics for Physical Education (2000)

Author: Lund JL

Elementary Heart Health: Lessons and Assessment (2001)

Author: Baker D

Portfolio Assessment for K-12 Physical Education (2000)

Author: Melograno VJ

Assessment in Outdoor Adventure Physical Education (2003)

Authors: Steffen J, Grosse SJ

Assessing Student Outcomes in Sport Education (2003)

Authors: Townsend JS, Mohr DJ, Rairigh RM, and Bulger SM

Video Tools for Teaching Motor Skills Assessment (2002)

Author: Ignico AA

Publisher of the assessment series: National Association for Sport and Physical Education 

(NASPE)

Cost: $13/book 

URL: www.aahperd.org/naspe 

Appendix 4: PECAT Resources – Page 201

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)
Assessment Strategies for Elementary Physical Education (2000)

Author: Schiemer S

Publisher: Human Kinetics

Cost: $24

URL: www.humankinetics.com/products/showproduct.cfm?isbn=0880115696 

Children Moving: A Refl ective Approach to Teaching Physical Education, (2004)

Authors: Graham GM, Holt-Hale SA, Parker M

Publisher: McGraw-Hill

Cost: $104.38

URL: http://books.mcgraw-hill.com/

Concepts and Principles of Physical Education: What Every Student Needs to Know, 

2

nd Edition (2003)

Author: Mohnsen B

Publisher: National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE)

Cost: $59.00

URL: www.aahperd.org/naspe 

Designing the Physical Education Curriculum, 3rd Edition (1996)

Author: Melograno V

Publisher: Human Kinetics

Cost: $39

URL: www.humankinetics.com/products/showproduct.cfm?isbn=0873225252 

Fit, Healthy, and Ready to Learn: A School Health Policy Guide (2000)

Author: Bogden JF

Publisher: National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE)

Cost: $22

URL: www.nasbe.org

Instructional Strategies for Secondary School Physical Education, 5th Edition (2001)

Authors: Harrison JM, Buck MM, Blakemore CJ

Publisher: McGraw-Hill

Cost: $102.81

URL: http//books.mcgraw-hill.com

Moving Into the Future: National Standards for Physical Education,2nd Edition (2004)

Author and Publisher: National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE)

Cost: $28

URL: www.aahperd.org/naspe 

Appendix 4: PECAT Resources – Page 202

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)
National Standards for Beginning Physical Education Teachers, 2nd Edition (2003)

Author and Publisher: National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE)

Cost: $28

URL: www.aahperd.org/naspe 

Opportunity to Learn Standards for Elementary School Physical Education (2000), Middle School 

Physical Education (2004), and High School Physical Education (2004)

Author and Publisher: National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE)

Cost: $7

URL: www.aahperd.org/naspe 

Performance-Based Assessment for Middle and High School Physical Education (2002)

Authors: Lund JL, Kirk MF

Publisher: Human Kinetics

Cost: $29

URL: www.humankinetics.com/products/showproduct.cfm?isbn=0736032703 

Physical Education for Lifelong Fitness: The Physical Best Teacher’s Guide, 2nd edition (2005)

Author: National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE)

Publisher: Human Kinetics

Cost: $39

URL: www.humankinetics.com/products/showproduct.cfm?isbn=0880119837 

Physical Education Program Improvement and Self-Study Guide – Middle School (1998), 

High School (1998)

Author and Publisher: National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE)

Cost: $7

URL: www.aahperd.org/naspe 

Senior Physical Education: An Integrated Approach (1999)

Authors: Kirk D, Burgess-Limerick R, Kiss M, Lahey J, Penney D

Publisher: Human Kinetics

Cost: $31.00

URL: www.humankinetics.com/products/showproduct.cfm?isbn=0880117885 

Standards-Based Physical Education Curriculum Development (2005)

Authors: Lund JL, Tannehill D

Publisher: Jones and Bartlett

Cost: $53.95

URL: www.jbpub.com/catalog/0763747165/

Appendix 4: PECAT Resources – Page 203

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)
Teaching Children Physical Education: Becoming a Master Teacher, 2nd Edition (2001)

Author: Graham GM.

Publisher: Human Kinetics

Cost: $34

URL: www.humankinetics.com/products/showproduct.cfm?isbn=0736033351 

Teaching Middle School Physical Education: A Blueprint for Developing an Exemplary Program, 

2nd Edition (2003)

Author: Mohnsen B

Publisher: Human Kinetics

Cost: $35

URL: www.humankinetics.com/products/showproduct.cfm?isbn=0736043810 

Teaching Physical Education for Learning, 4th Edition (2002)

Author: Rink J

Publisher: McGraw-Hill

Cost: $66.56

URL: http://books.mcgraw-hill.com 

Appendix 4: PECAT Resources – Page 204

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)