Physical Education (Subtest 2)
Subtest 2 (113) assesses K–12 physical education: motor development and motor learning, movement concepts, fitness and physical activity, pedagogy and class management, assessment, and professional/legal responsibilities. Questions often present a grade level and a learning goal and ask for the most developmentally appropriate teaching decision.
Core rules and concepts
- Standards. Michigan's physical education standards align with SHAPE America's five: (1) motor skills and movement patterns; (2) movement concepts and principles; (3) health-related fitness; (4) personal and social behavior; (5) valuing physical activity. Every objective should map to one.
- Motor development sequence. Fundamental motor skills-locomotor (run, hop, skip), nonlocomotor (balance, twist), and manipulative (throw, catch, strike)-develop through maturity and practice. Young children need exploratory, station-based practice; older students need tactical and fitness applications.
- Movement concepts. Space (personal/general), effort (speed, force), and relationships (with objects/others) are concepts that transfer across skills.
- Activity time and fitness. SHAPE America recommends students be moderately to vigorously active for at least 50% of class time. FITNESSGRAM is the common health-related fitness assessment (aerobic capacity, muscular strength/endurance, flexibility, body composition); it uses criterion-referenced Healthy Fitness Zones, not norm-referenced ranking.
- Models and adaptation. Skill-themes, Teaching Games for Understanding (TGfU), Sport Education, and cooperative learning are legitimate models. Under IDEA and Section 504, students with disabilities receive adapted physical education as a direct service when needed.
Worked example
Second graders are learning to throw overhand. The best sequence begins with a light object and a clear cue ('side to target, step with the opposite foot, follow through'), uses stations for repeated trials, gives specific feedback, and assesses with a simple checklist of critical elements. That matches standard 1 and developmental needs. A unit that begins with a full game of softball does not: it reduces trials and practice quality.
Traps that cost marks
- Confusing physical education with recess or athletics; the exam favors standards-based, inclusive instruction.
- Using exercise as punishment-unacceptable and often a distractor.
- Assuming competition must be removed; appropriate, modified competition can support learning.
- Ignoring the affective domain (standard 4) or failing to adapt for IEP/504 students.
- Selecting norm-referenced fitness ranking instead of FITNESSGRAM's criterion-referenced zones.