Lesson 1: What Are Muscles?
Thursday, October 8, 2026
1Stretching & Mobility5 min›
Arm Circles
10 forward, 10 backward- Stand tall, feet hip-width apart.
- Lift arms straight out to the sides at shoulder height.
- Make small circles, slowly growing them bigger.
- Reverse direction after 10.
Muscles/joints: Deltoids (shoulders), shoulder joint
Coaching cue: "Arms like airplane wings — long and strong!"
Modification: Do one arm at a time, or seated.
Heel Raises
12 reps- Stand tall, hands on hips.
- Rise up onto the balls of your feet.
- Hold for 1 second at the top.
- Lower slowly with control.
Muscles/joints: Calves, ankle joint
Coaching cue: "Grow tall like a giraffe, then melt down slowly."
Modification: Hold a wall or partner's shoulder for balance.
Knee Lifts (Marching)
30 seconds- March in place.
- Lift each knee to hip height.
- Swing opposite arm with each knee.
- Keep your chest up.
Muscles/joints: Hip flexors, quadriceps, core
Coaching cue: "Knee to the table top!"
Modification: Lower knee height; hold a chair or wall.
2WARM-UP RUN / JOG — 2–3 MINUTESRequired›
Mark a safe route
- Mark a loop with 4–6 cones around the field or blacktop (about 100–150 yards).
- Keep the route away from fences, poles, parked cars, and uneven ground.
- Stand where you can see the entire loop.
Starting & stopping
- Gather students at the start cone. Say: 'When I blow the whistle, jog at a talking pace.'
- One whistle = start; two whistles = slow to a walk and come back to the start cone.
- Use the countdown timer below so everyone finishes together.
Pacing
Students should jog at a 'talking pace' — they could still chat with a friend. This is not a race and never a punishment.
Safety
- Pass on the outside, call 'On your left.'
- Shoes tied before starting.
- Walk if you feel dizzy, have chest pain, or can't catch your breath — tell the teacher.
Alternatives
Students may brisk-walk, power-march, or do seated arm-pumping. Wheelchair users can roll the loop or do arm circuits.
Hydration
Water break immediately after the run. Remind students to drink before and after PE.
3Review & Mini-Lesson10 min›
Review questions
- What body parts did you use to get to school today?
- Can you wiggle something on your body? What helped it move?
Vocabulary
- Muscle
- A part of your body that pulls on your bones to help you move.
- Biceps
- The muscle on the front of your upper arm. It bends your elbow.
- Triceps
- The muscle on the back of your upper arm. It straightens your elbow.
- Quadriceps
- The big muscle on the front of your thigh. It straightens your knee.
- Calves
- The muscles on the back of your lower leg. They help you jump and stand on tiptoes.
What the Teacher Should Say
Friends, put your hand on your arm. Feel how it's a little soft, and under that, a little firm? That firm part is a muscle. Muscles are like rubber bands inside your body. When they pull, your bones move! Now hold your arm out and bend your elbow — bring your hand to your shoulder. Feel the front of your arm get hard? That's your BICEPS. It pulls to bend your arm. Now straighten your arm and feel the back — that's your TRICEPS. Biceps and triceps are teammates: one bends, one straightens. Your legs have muscles too. The front of your thigh is your QUADRICEPS — it helps you kick and stand up. The back of your lower leg is your CALVES — stand on tiptoes and feel them squeeze! Every time you run, jump or throw today, your muscles are working.
Step-by-step demonstration
- Hold your arm out straight; slowly bend the elbow and squeeze — touch the front of the arm (biceps).
- Straighten the arm and push down like pushing a door — touch the back (triceps).
- Sit on the ground, straighten one leg and squeeze the top of the thigh (quadriceps).
- Stand and rise onto tiptoes — touch the back of the lower leg (calves).
Real-world examples
- Carrying a backpack uses your biceps.
- Pushing open a door uses your triceps.
- Climbing stairs uses your quadriceps.
- Jumping rope uses your calves.
Questions to ask students
- Which muscle bends your elbow?
- Show me where your calves are!
- Which muscle do you use to kick a ball?
Visual resource
Extension
Students draw a stick figure and color the four muscles in different colors.
4Group Activity: Muscle Simon Says15–20 min›
Purpose: Reinforce muscle names by connecting each muscle to a movement.
Equipment
- 4 cones (to mark boundaries)
- Optional: muscle picture cards
Players
Whole class
Space & setup
Students spread out in a coned square, arms-length apart ("airplane space"). Teacher stands at the front where all can see.
Rules
- Only move when you hear 'Simon says.'
- If you move without 'Simon says,' do 5 jumping jacks and rejoin — nobody is out.
- Stay in your own space.
Step-by-step
- Practice each muscle movement once together: biceps curl, triceps push, quad kick, calf raise.
- Call 'Simon says flex your biceps!' — students curl and point to the muscle.
- Mix in commands without 'Simon says' to build listening.
- Speed up gradually.
- Let 2–3 students take turns being Simon.
Teacher demonstration
Model each move slowly and say the muscle name out loud as you touch it.
Safety
- Stay arms-length apart.
- Controlled movements — no wild kicking.
Modifications
Students who can't stand can do arm commands seated; use picture cards for English learners.
Advanced challenge
Simon calls a sport action ("Simon says throw a ball") and students shout the muscle used.
Assessment
Watch who can point to the correct muscle without copying a neighbor.
5Supervised Free Play & Cooldown20–30 min›
Activity choices
Expectations
- Stay inside the coned boundary.
- Take turns and share equipment.
- Include anyone who wants to join.
- Teacher circulates and keeps eyes on all groups.
- Water available throughout.
Cooldown
- Standing quad stretch (hold wall) — 15 sec each leg
- Seated reach for toes — 15 sec, breathe slowly
- Big belly breaths — 3 slow breaths