Move, Connect, Feel Good

Overview

This wet-weather Health and Physical Education lesson introduces Prep students to why movement is important and how physical activities can help people connect with family, friends and the community. Without moving around the classroom, students explore movement through pictures, discussion, mime and drawing, building on familiar experiences of play and active outdoor participation.

Learning intentions

Students will:

• understand that movement helps our bodies feel strong, healthy and ready to learn
• identify ways physical activities can help people have fun and connect with others
• recognise places in the community where people can be active
• practise making safe and inclusive choices about participating in activities

Success criteria

• I can name one way movement helps my body or feelings.
• I can name a physical activity I can do with other people.
• I can identify a place where people can be active.
• I can explain one way to help someone join in safely and kindly.

Curriculum links

• Participation in physical activities in natural and outdoor settings and exploring the benefits of being physically active.
• Participating safely in outdoor or natural settings and discussing opportunities to be active in spaces around home.
• Participating in physical activities in natural settings and examining factors that influence their own and others’ participation.
• Connecting with other members of the community through physical activities.

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Welcome and hook. Teacher displays the question, “How can moving help us?” and opens the movement hook slide, showing a striking image of children being active together; students quietly think, then share one thing they notice. Establish that today is a PE learning lesson in the classroom: students will use safe, small movements only when invited, and will also use talking, drawing and imagining.

2. 5–12 min · Why movement matters. Teacher uses the body and feelings slides to introduce simple benefits: movement helps our heart and muscles, gives us energy, supports balance and coordination, and can help us feel happy, calm or ready to learn. Students copy three seated actions—stretch fingers, march hands on knees and reach up—then show with thumbs up or sideways whether each action made them feel energised, calm or unsure. Avoid promising that movement always makes people feel a particular way; explain that people can experience benefits differently.

3. 12–20 min · Picture talk: active places. Teacher shows the community places slides with familiar settings such as a park, oval, beach, walking path, backyard and playground. Students turn to a partner and complete the sentence, “People can be active at the ___ by ___.” Pairs share ideas, while the teacher records examples on the board. Briefly discuss caring for shared places: follow signs and rules, look after plants and animals, use equipment safely and leave spaces clean.

4. 20–30 min · Movement and belonging sort. Teacher distributes the movement, place and people worksheet and reads each picture prompt aloud. Students draw or circle an activity, a place where it could happen and people who could join in, such as family, friends or community members. Invite students to use words, drawings or dictated responses. Pause for partner talk and ask, “How could this activity help people feel connected?”

5. 30–37 min · Safe and inclusive choices. Teacher presents short scenarios from the joining-in scenarios: a child is unsure how to play, a space is crowded, someone needs a rest, or a person moves differently. Students use a quiet hand signal to choose a helpful response, then practise saying one kind sentence, such as “Would you like to join us?” or “We can find a safe way for everyone.” Reinforce that participation can look different: walking, stretching, balancing, playing, helping, watching briefly or taking a rest can all be appropriate choices.

6. 37–43 min · Share and reflect. Teacher returns to the benefits and belonging recap slides and asks students to complete three oral prompts: “Movement can help my…”, “I can be active at…”, and “I can help others join in by…”. Students share with a partner, then volunteer responses for a class word-and-picture web.

7. 43–45 min · Exit check. Teacher displays the final reflection slide and asks each student to draw or tell one activity, one active place and one benefit. Students place their completed the final reflection box in the collection tray or tell the teacher before packing up.

Resources

• the movement and community slide deck
• the movement, place and people worksheet
• Interactive whiteboard or projector
• Whiteboard and markers
• Pencils, crayons and coloured pencils
• Optional picture cards of local community places
• Collection tray for completed work
• Clear floor space beside desks for seated actions only

Assessment

• Listen during partner talk for students identifying a movement benefit, an active place and a social connection.
• Observe responses to the safe and inclusive scenarios, noting whether students suggest kind, safe and flexible ways to participate.
• Use the final worksheet response or oral exit check to identify students who can connect movement with a body, emotional or social benefit.

Differentiation

• Read every worksheet instruction and scenario aloud. Offer dyslexia-friendly support through a clear sans-serif font, large print, strong contrast, minimal text, picture cues and extra processing time.
• Accept drawing, pointing, gesture, home-language responses, oral answers or adult scribing instead of independent writing. Pair students thoughtfully and provide sentence starters: “Movement helps me…”, “I can be active at…”, and “I can include…”.
• For students needing sensory, physical or attention support, offer seated alternatives, a quiet observation role, movement choice, predictable turn-taking and a short break without penalty.
• Advanced learners can design a simple “Everyone can join in” community activity, including its location, equipment, safety rule, how it supports wellbeing and one adaptation for another participant.