Rigorous Curriculum Design – Understanding by Design/Universal Design Learning

The Problem to Be Solved: In what ways can motivation of middle school physical education
students be increased, and will this have a positive impact/effect on overall fitness testing
scores?
The Proposed Solution: The curriculum is proposed to solve it by frequent communication
with students, student goal-setting and student-teacher autonomy. Activities/exercises will vary
amongst students based on the area of the physical fitness test that they did not pass, as well as
the students’ own feedback on the planned and carried out activities.
The Data: Data will be collected after students take the physical fitness test for the first time.
Those who have passed 3 of the 4 areas of the test will become the focus group. The focus
group will perform the area of the physical fitness test that they did not pass two additional
times in the 8 week time span allotted for this curriculum plan. Data will be collected on each
of the superseding test dates to determine how many additional students passed from the focus
group.

Subject(s) Physical Education

Grade Level 8th Grade
Unit of Study Physical Fitness
Pacing (days, weeks) 8 Weeks (1 marking period)
Ethics/Moral The overall physical health of our children and adults alike has

Integrity become a concern in the United States. Young children now, more

than ever, are being diagnosed with diseases such as type II

diabetes. Finding creative ways to get children motivated starts in

the physical education classroom, and just like other areas of

importance (reading, math, etc.) it is crucial that students recognize

that keeping their bodies healthy is just as important as keeping their

minds vigorous.

Description: The state-mandated physical fitness test carried out in physical education each

year is a means for measuring student health and fitness. The fitness goals that are set

(national and presidential levels) are created based on student age and gender. The national
level means a student has passed the four areas of the fitness test, while the presidential level

means a student has scored exemplary on the physical fitness test. Seeing as though in 2016,

58% of the eighth-grade student population at Shelton Intermediate School had passed the

physical fitness test and 60% passed in 2017, the population of learners to take into

consideration for the next wave of testing is the incoming eighth-graders for the upcoming

school year. From this class of eighth-graders, the target group will be those students that

passed three of the four tests (push-up, curl-up, pacer, sit-and-reach) that make up the

Connecticut Physical Fitness Test at the national level. Students from this target group will be

broken down into four separate groups based on the one area of the test they did not pass.

During the warm-up portion of physical education class each day, their mandated exercises

will consist of activities aimed to improve on that one area of weakness.

Purpose: Improving students’ motivation in physical education class may help establish

behaviors that would lead to an enriched effort when practicing and taking the tests. Ways to

potentially increase motivation in the classroom are through the use of goal-setting,

incorporating technology when appropriate, and allowing students to take an active role in the

learning and planning process.

Stage 1 – Standards/Goals
Content Standard(s)

Content Standards Primary Expected Performances

Content Standard 10: Use self, peer, teacher Students will provide feedback to both their

and technological resources to recognize and peers and the instructor. When working with a

suggest performance improvements in self partner or in a small group, students will have

and others. the ability to correct their classmates on cues

learned from the teacher on the proper form

when completing fitness based exercises

revolving around the four areas of physical

fitness being (push-up, curl-up, pacer, sit &

reach). Students will provide weekly feedback

to the instructor over an eight-week time frame

with regard to motivation and understanding.

Standard 11: Apply an understanding of the Students will demonstrate an understanding of

connections between the purposes of the connection between performing the planned

movements and their effect on fitness. exercises correctly and the potential impact it

has on improvement on the physical fitness test.

Standard 12: Analyze the results of one or Students will document (through journals and

more components of health-related fitness. surveys) what exercises they feel have been

most effective to improving their area of

weakness on the physical fitness test, as well as

indications of how motivated they are when

 performing their designated exercises. The focal

group of students will be broken down into four

groups, each focusing on the one area of

physical fitness that has prevented them from

passing the overall test.

Standard 14: Through in-class activities, students will choose

 Realize that physical activity and perform exercises daily that are aimed to

challenges present opportunities for increase their overall fitness levels in one

personal growth. particular area. The main idea is for personal

 Value the skill competence that student growth in the one area they are lacking

results from practice. while actively practicing to improve in this

 Demonstrate willingness to attempt a area. The students will provide feedback and

variety of new physical activities. suggestions to the instructor each week that will

allow for analysis of the implemented program

so the instructor can make changes, if

necessary, to increase the motivation of the

students.

Enduring Understandings Essential Questions

Overarching Enduring Understandings:  Why is it important to practice

behaviors that are healthy (such as being
 Why is it important to practice physically active)?
behaviors that are healthy (such as  How can goal-setting be an important
 being physically active)?
Unit Specific Enduring Understanding
 How can goal-setting be an
important asset to success?
 Why is consistency important with
regard to physical fitness?
 How can technology applications be
included creatively into the physical
education atmosphere?
 Do you feel as though giving your
input into activity ideas helped you
become more motivated to
participate? Why or why not?
asset to success?
 Why is consistency important with
regard to physical fitness?
 How can technology applications be
included creatively into the physical
education atmosphere?
 Do you feel as though giving your input
into activity ideas helped you become
more motivated to participate? Why or
why not?

Knowledge and Skills (Objectives)

Knowledge

The students will…

 Understand how goal-setting can aid in success and improvement in physical activity.

 Comprehend the reasoning behind the imposed exercise plan.

 Document and express their level of motivation when performing exercises and

engaging in activities aimed to improve on their area of weakness.

 Bring creative ideas to the table with the intention of collaborating with other students

and teachers on how to improve motivation in the classroom (based on personal

experience).

 Assess whether or not they feel as though the exercise program has helped them

improve physically.
  Assess whether or not they feel more motivated to participate with the upgraded

physical fitness plan tailored to them.

Skills

The students will be able to…

 Perform the four areas of the fitness of the fitness test with the correct form/cues.

 Create goals with the intention of improvement on the one area of the fitness test that

kept them from passing.

 Perform the planned daily exercises in order to maintain the highest level of physical

fitness possible (and potentially show improvement).

Stage 2 – Assessment Evidence

Performance Task

All students will take the Connecticut Physical Fitness Test in the month of October. Data will

be collected in two different areas. The first area where data will be collected is in the number of

students who passed all four sections of the test to get the percentage of passing student scores.

The second collection of data will be of those students who passed three of the four tests, which

will ultimately make up the target group.

Based on the initial data collected, the following provides a step-by-step process in which

the remainder of the study will follow:

 Members of the target group will be categorized and placed into one of four groups based
 on which of the four tests they did not pass.

 The first ten minutes of every physical education class will be dedicated to exercises that

aim to improve upon the area of weakness as determined by the results of the test (i.e. – if

a student failed the pacer test, he/she will be completing fitness-based exercises/activities

aimed to improve upon cardiovascular endurance).

 Students will be tested on three separate occasions throughout the marking period

(including the initial test) in order to track progress and to determine if the activities

provided are effective. In the final three tests, students will only take the one test they did

not pass. The tests will be taken during weeks 1, 4 and 8.

GRASPS Elements of the Performance Task

G – Goal GOAL:
 The goal is for students to find intrinsic motivation in the
What should students physical education classroom, thus ultimately leading to a
accomplish by completing this higher level of physical fitness.
ROLE –
task?  Students will take on an active role as a participant in class, as
R – Role well as a part of planning process via weekly feedback on the
exercises/activities they have participated in.
What role AUDIENCE –
 The target audience is physical education teachers and the
(perspective) will your students
students, themselves.
be taking? SITUATION –
 Students will perform daily exercises/activities in physical
A – Audience education class that focus on their area of weakness. They will
also set goals, evaluate the activities they take part in and
Who is the relevant
provide feedback to the instructor.
audience? PRODUCT/PERFORMANCE/PURPOSE –
 Complete daily exercises to the full ability level.
 Set goals that are aimed to aid in improvement on physical
S – Situation exercises in areas of weakness.
 Provide accurate feedback weekly for teacher evaluation.
The context or STANDARDS & CRITERIA FOR SUCCESS -
Students should:
challenge provided to the
 Take part in performing the physical fitness test.
student.  Perform tests to the best of their ability.
P – Product,  Set appropriate goals that coordinate with the area of the
fitness test in need of improvement
Performance  Provide weekly feedback to teachers regarding motivation
levels when performing activities in class.
What product/performance will  Provide suggestions, as necessary, with ways to improve
personal motivation.
the student

create?

S – Standards &

Criteria for Success

Other Evaluations Student Self-Assessment

Tests, quizzes, surveys, etc. How will students reflect upon the learning

process?

 Week 3 Feedback on personal goals:  Students will express their levels of

students will give their opinion enjoyment and motivation regarding the

regarding the question: do you feel as exercise program through a weekly

though you will have a chance to “journal response”, handing in their

reach your goal at the conclusion of responses as part of an exit slip at the

week 4 – why or why not? closure of the last class of the week.

 Week 4 (2nd round of fitness testing) - Suggestions may be made with regard to

Students will fill out a questionnaire including new, fun exercises that target

highlighting their feelings and the area they are aiming to improve.

motivational level on the day of

testing after taking the test. They will

offer insight as to why they felt they

reached their first goal or did not reach

 their first goal.

Stage 3- Learning Plan

Where are your students
headed? Where have they been?
The learners will be expected to:
How will you make sure the
students know where they are
going?
 Students will be expected to take an active role in
their own learning and fitness journey. They will
o Perform the four areas of the fitness of the fitness
test with the correct form/cues.
o Understand how goal-setting can aid in success and
improvement in physical activity.
o Create goals with the intention of improvement on
the one area of the fitness test that kept them from
passing.
o Comprehend the reasoning behind the imposed
exercise plan.
o Document and express their level of motivation
when performing exercises and engaging in
activities aimed to improve on their area of

How will you hook students at
the beginning of the unit?
What events will help students
experience and explore the big
idea and questions in the unit?
weakness.
o Bring creative ideas to the table with the intention
of collaborating with other students and teachers on
how to improve motivation in the classroom (based
on personal experience).
o Assess whether or not they feel as though the
exercise program has helped them improve
physically.
o Assess whether or not they feel more motivated to
participate with the upgraded physical fitness plan
tailored to them.
 Means of assessment and exercises for learning
include: teacher observation (are students using
correct cues, are they putting forth an effort, are
they coming prepared for class in the proper attire);
students will be graded on their participation in both
the physical activities, as well as their ability to
complete and turn-in the weekly journal entries.
 Goal setting: Students will set their own fitness
goals and evaluate those goals within the eight
week exercise program.
 Social media is your friend, your ally and a tool you
that will be utilized in class; #healthylife! Students
will have the ability to discover and share a healthy
application that may contribute to the class’s
fitness-based activities. A place to share this
information is in a weekly journal entry.
 Want to be a teacher, or just like being in charge?
You have the ability to become a part of the
planning and teaching process during the fitness
unit. Tell us about a physical activity or game you
enjoy and it may be included in a daily lesson (or
you could be the one teaching it to your
classmates).
 Discussion: why is physical fitness so important?
 Explore! Questions for thought: Do you enjoy the
world of sports, fitness or personal training? Do you
prefer collaboration or working alone? Are you
content doing a generic abdomen workout or do you
prefer an organized game? Students will be
How will you equip them with
needed skills and knowledge?
How will you cause students to
reflect and rethink?
How will you tailor and
otherwise personalize the
learning plan to optimize the
engagement and effectiveness of
ALL students, without
compromising the goals of the
unit?
How will you organize and
sequence the learning activities
to optimize the engagement and
achievement of ALL students?
involved in choosing their own path of learning and
exploring exercises and activities that help promote
healthy decision-making for life.
 Personal preference: all students will be provided
with the same information and expectations. How
they show understanding and the goals they set will
be up to the individual.
 Weekly journal entries.
 A variety of activities to base judgments and
personal preference from (team games, fitness-
based exercises, collaboration, individual work,
partner-based work).
 Goal-setting.
 Students will be provided with audio, visual and
kinesthetic learning activities.
 Students will have a voice in the learning process
and may express this verbally and/or through
weekly journal entries.
 Some students may gain the opportunity to teach a
portion of the class if their activity/exercise ideas
are approved by the instructor.
 Students will be broken up into four small groups,
each with specific exercises to take on based on the
area of the fitness test they did not pass.
 Activities may include partner work, group work
and individual work.
 Assessment of students is based on effort and
progress. For example, if Student A completed 2
push-ups on the first wave of testing and by the
third wave of testing completed 4 push-ups, this
would be a sense of physical achievement for
Student A. They would not be expected to improve
at the same level as another classmate (Student B)
who initially completed six push-ups and has gone
on to improve to ten push-ups by the final testing
 period. In other words, there is no generic standard
for where students should or should not be. The
goal is for all students to improve on their own
individual scores.

Week Pacing Guide/Calendar

Week 1  All eighth-grade students will perform the state-mandate physical

fitness test (push-ups, curl-ups, sit & reach, pacer).

 Data will be collected to determine what percentage of the students

passed the test.

 All students passing three out of the four areas will be placed into a

target, or focus, group. The focus group will be categorized into four

areas based on the fitness test students did not pass.

 Students will fill out a short survey with questions that revolve around

personal motivation and likes/dislikes with regard to exercises/activities.

Week 2  An explanation of realistic goals will be explained to all students (i.e. –

if you performed six push-ups, a realistic goal for the second testing

period would not be to perform twelve push-ups).

 Students will write out a realistic physical goal for what they would like

to achieve by the next testing date during week 4.

 In the 2-3 times students will attend physical education class, they will

be placed into sub-groups based on the test they did not pass. During a

warm-up period of class, students will engage in exercises aimed to

improve upon that area in need of improvement.

1. Push-up exercises:

- Perform push-ups daily using correct form/cues to cadence

(up-down command). Students will complete as many as

possible.

- With a partner, students will perform a plank so they are

face-to-face and for 30 seconds they will alternate high-

fiving one another before taking a break for 30 seconds and

repeating the exercise two more times in this fashion

- Students will use a weighted exercise ball to pass back and

forth to one another in the same fashion they would using a

basketball (repetitions may vary per pair).

2. Curl-up/core exercises:

- Perform curl-up test to cadence (complete as many as

possible using correct form/cues).

- Students will sit on the ground with their knees bent, toe-to-

toe with a partner. One partner will start with the ball laying

flat on their back, sitting up and passing the ball off to their

partner, who will proceed to hold the ball above their head,

lay flat and sit up. He/she will pass the ball to their partner

and repeated this exercise for 30 seconds (repeat two more

times).

- Plank holds (15 seconds straight, 15 seconds left, 15 seconds

 right).

3. Sit & Reach exercises:

- Static stretching period (full body).

- Dynamic stretching period (high kicks, inchworms, walking

lunges, high-knees, kick-butts).

- Partner stretching with holds (leg-specific)

4. Pacer/cardiovascular exercises:

- Two-minute warm-up jog.

- Relay races in small groups (the length of the pacer test

requirement across the gym).

- 15 second intervals of the following exercises without

stopping: jumping jacks, split-leg shuffles, up-and-down

hops, side-to-side hops, burpees (repeat a second time).

 Students will express their levels of enjoyment and motivation regarding

the exercise program through an anonymous “journal response”,

handing in their responses as part of an exit slip at the closure of the last

class of the week. Suggestions may be made with regard to including

new, fun exercises that target “problem area”.

Week 3  Students will repeat the exercises conducting during the warm-up period

during week 2. Changes may be made to these exercises based on

responses to student journal-responses and based on teacher

observations of how students are performing on the tasks.

  Students will express their levels of enjoyment and motivation

regarding the exercise program through another weekly journal response

to be handed in at the closure of the last class of the week.

 Feedback on student goals will be a second focal point of the journal

response. Students will give their opinion regarding the question: do you

feel as though you will have a chance to reach your goal at the

conclusion of week 4 – why or why not?

Week 4  Students will repeat the exercises conducting during the warm-up period

during weeks 2 and 3. Changes may be made to these exercises based

on responses to student journal-responses and based on teacher

observations of how students are performing on the tasks (i.e. – 30

second intervals may rise to 40 second intervals if observations show

this is necessary).

 Students will perform the physical fitness test in which they failed with

their sub-group. Test scores will be recorded and evaluated by the

instructor.

 Students will fill out a questionnaire highlighting their feelings and

motivational level on the day of testing after taking the test. They will

offer insight as to why they felt they reached their first goal or did not

reach their first goal.

Week 5  Students will set a second physical goal to be achieved by week 8. If

students did not reach their first goal they will set a secondary goal in
 the affective domain which will aim to improve their motivation going

forward (i.e. – I will provide the teacher with more feedback on what

exercises I enjoy, or what improvements could be made to help me,

specifically).

 Students will repeat the exercises conducting during the warm-up period

during weeks 2-4. Changes may be made regarding new student goals.

The exercises will increase in intensity based on margins determined by

teacher observations of student performance.

 Students will express their levels of enjoyment and motivation regarding

the exercise program through their weekly journal response at the

closure of week 5. Students may provide suggestions of activities to

add to the warm-up routine to be added if deemed appropriate by the

instructor.

Week 6  Students will repeat the exercises conducting during the warm-up period

during weeks 2-5. Changes may be made based on student feedback at

the closure of week 5. The exercises will increase in intensity based on

margins determined by teacher observations of student performance.

 Journal responses to be handed in at the closure of week 6 will still

revolve around motivation; however an additional focal point will be

added asking students to assess whether or not they feel as though they

are physically stronger/more capable for success and improvement in

their designated area of weakness after taking part in the program for 6
 weeks. Another essential question for students to respond to is as

follows: is there anything you would like to specifically work on,

perform or focus on during the final two weeks of the program?

Week 7  Students will repeat the exercises conducting during the warm-up period

during weeks 2-6. Changes may be made based on student feedback at

the closure of week 6. The exercises will increase in intensity based on

margins determined by teacher observations of student performance.

 Student goals will be revisited. Journal responses will revolve around

whether or not they feel as though it is realistic to meet their second

goal (and why). Students will be asked specifically how much they feel

as though motivation has played a role in their performance throughout

the program (in other words, has personal motivation affected their

physical performance). All responses will continue to be anonymous.

Week 8  Students will repeat the exercises conducting during the warm-up period

during weeks 2-7. Changes may be made based on student feedback at

the closure of week 7. The exercises will increase in intensity based on

margins determined by teacher observations of student performance.

 Students will perform the physical fitness test in which they failed for

the third time with their sub-group. Test scores will be recorded and

evaluated by the instructor to look for improvement from testing period

1 to testing period 3.

 Students will fill out a questionnaire highlighting their feelings and

 motivational level on the day of testing after taking the test. They will

offer insight as to why they felt they reached their second goal.

 Students will fill out a survey at the closure of week 8, providing an

assessment of the fitness unit from their own personal

perspective/experience. Questions will revolve around the effectiveness

of the physical nature of the program as well as whether or not the

journal responses, activities planned and allowance of student-input

contributed to their personal motivation to perform the exercises

designed to help them improve on their area of weakness.


Considerations
Required Areas of Study:
Is there alignment between
outcomes, performance
assessment and learning
experiences?
Adaptive Dimension:
Have I made purposeful
adjustments to the curriculum
content (not outcomes),
instructional practices, and/or
the learning environment to
meet multiple learners’ needs?
Instructional Approaches:
Do I use a variety of teacher
directed and student centered
instructional approaches?
Stage 4 - Assess and Reflect
Comments
The ultimate goal is for students to feel more motivated to put forth a genuine
effort in physical education class. The outcomes being observed are whether
or not techniques to aid in student motivation during regular classes for eight
weeks (technology inclusion, goal-setting, student-teacher autonomy) will
contribute to an increased number of students passing all four portions of the
physical fitness test. This aligns will performance assessments because
students are actively documenting their experiences, setting concrete goals,
evaluating those goals, making suggestions that the individual student feels
will personally heighten their own, personal motivation and engaging in a
variety of activities aimed to help them improve.
Improvement is the ultimate goal for the students, themselves. Students will
all have different starting lines and it is likely that where they finish will vary.
Not all students are expected to complete 10 pushups, for example. The
progress of each student will be measured based on improvement.
The teacher has the final say of what to include and what not to include in any
given lesson; however, all students will have the opportunity on a regular
basis to make suggestions with regard to what activities are being carried out
in physical education. Students are also required to document their level of
motivation and enjoyment as part of a weekly journal assessment. Students
have the ability to play a big role in their learning journey.