Lesson 2: My Muscles Are a Team
Monday, October 12, 2026
1Stretching & Mobility5 min›
Shoulder Rolls
10 back, 10 forward- Arms relaxed at sides.
- Lift shoulders toward ears.
- Roll them back and down.
- Reverse.
Muscles/joints: Trapezius, deltoids
Coaching cue: "Draw circles with your shoulders."
Modification: Seated version works perfectly.
Leg Swings
10 each leg- Hold a wall or partner's shoulder.
- Swing one leg forward and back like a pendulum.
- Keep standing leg slightly bent.
- Switch legs.
Muscles/joints: Hamstrings, hip flexors, glutes
Coaching cue: "Smooth pendulum — no kicking hard."
Modification: Smaller swings; slow tempo.
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.
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
- Point to your biceps. What does it do?
- Where are your calves?
Vocabulary
- Hamstrings
- Muscles on the back of your thigh. They bend your knee.
- Abdominals (abs)
- Muscles on your belly. They help you sit up and stay balanced.
- Partner muscles
- Two muscles that work together — one pulls one way, the other pulls back.
What the Teacher Should Say
Last time we met four muscles. Who remembers one? Great! Today we learn a secret: muscles work in TEAMS. When your biceps pulls to bend your arm, your triceps relaxes. When the triceps pulls to straighten it, the biceps relaxes. They take turns, like a seesaw! Your legs have a team too: the quadriceps on the front of your thigh and the HAMSTRINGS on the back. Bend your knee and bring your heel toward your bottom — that's your hamstrings working! And your belly has muscles called ABDOMINALS. They keep you strong and steady, like the trunk of a tree.
Step-by-step demonstration
- Show the arm seesaw: bend (biceps) and straighten (triceps) slowly, narrating each.
- Stand holding a wall; curl heel to bottom (hamstrings), then kick forward (quadriceps).
- Lie on back, lift head and shoulders slightly — feel abs tighten.
Real-world examples
- Riding a bike: quads push the pedal down, hamstrings pull it up.
- Sitting up from bed uses your abs.
Questions to ask students
- Which muscle is the biceps' teammate?
- What do your hamstrings do?
- Why do we need belly muscles?
Visual resource
Extension
Partners take turns: one names a muscle, the other shows its teammate move.
4Group Activity: Muscle Team Relay15–20 min›
Purpose: Practice partner-muscle movements while working as a team.
Equipment
- 8 cones
- 4 hula hoops
- Muscle picture cards (biceps, triceps, quads, hamstrings, calves, abs)
Players
4 teams of 4–6
Space & setup
Make 4 lanes, each with a start cone and a hoop 15 yards away holding a face-down muscle card stack.
Rules
- One runner at a time.
- Flip one card, do 5 reps of that muscle's movement, then jog back and high-five the next teammate.
- Cheer for your team — no pushing.
Step-by-step
- Demonstrate each card's movement (curl, push, kick, heel-curl, calf raise, mini sit-up).
- First runner jogs to the hoop.
- Flip a card, say the muscle name out loud, do 5 reps.
- Jog back, high-five, sit at the end of the line.
- Play 2–3 rounds.
Teacher demonstration
Run the relay yourself once, calling out the muscle name loudly.
Safety
- Lanes 3 yards apart.
- Jog — no sprinting into hoops.
- Return on the outside of the lane.
Modifications
Walk instead of jog; shorten the lane; partner helpers for students who need support.
Advanced challenge
Runner must also name the muscle's teammate.
Assessment
Listen to each student say the muscle name correctly as they flip.
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