At Frank Wagner Elementary in Washington, veteran PE teacher Rachel Castor is setting high expectations for her students. Balancing standards-based instruction with fun, engaging activities, Rachel aims to help students see the power, importance, and joy of physical activity at a young age.
Rachel explains, “I want my lessons to be highly skill-based, but I also want my students to have fun and feel successful. That balance really matters.”
In this article, Rachel shares her experiences using PLT4M’s new K–5 curriculum and lesson plans—a full set of resources that have helped her save time, engage students, and continue her mission of delivering high-quality physical education to every learner.
From Time-Intensive Planning to Plug & Play
Frank Wagner Elementary is a Title I school with a diverse student population, including many English-language learners. For Rachel Castor, that means designing lessons that are accessible, engaging, and meaningful for every student.
To make that happen, Rachel has always poured countless hours into planning.
“I go over the top with planning,” she explains. “I’m always trying to find ideas and mesh them together.”
Before PLT4M, Rachel’s lesson prep often stretched into evenings and weekends as she searched Teachers Pay Teachers, YouTube, blogs, and printables to build the perfect mix of activities.
Rachel knew she wanted something that would help streamline her planning without sacrificing the high expectations she sets for her students.
Finding a Better Way With PLT4M
The breakthrough came when Rachel signed up for PLT4M. After attending a workshop and downloading a sample K–5 scope and sequence, she felt like she had a complete, organized path forward.
“I was spending hours and hours searching for the right combination of materials,” she explains, “but PLT4M has an awesome library of various games, resources, and more. As a result, it has cut my planning time in half.”
With lessons organized by grade levels, clear skill progressions, and flexible resources she can use in her space, Rachel now works smarter, not harder. She can focus more on how she delivers lessons—and less on tracking down materials—helping her maintain the quality she expects for her students while reclaiming valuable time each week.
Elementary PE Lesson Plans Teachers & Students Love
With PLT4M, Rachel has found activities that students genuinely love—lessons that are fun, challenging, and rewarding for every skill level.
Each PLT4M elementary PE lesson also includes built-in slides that outline the plan and provide visuals of the activities. Rachel uses these to help students see what they’ll be doing, understand key cues, and visualize success before they even begin. It’s a simple addition, but one that keeps students focused and confident.
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Favorite Jump Rope Activities For Elementary PE
One of her favorite units to teach is jump rope. Students look forward to these lessons and often ask when they can do them again.
Jump To 100 has quickly become a class favorite. Rachel explains, “It gets the kids thinking and practicing in a fun and dynamic way.” Students track their progress, set personal goals, and stay engaged while working to improve their consistency and endurance.
Jump Rope Ninjas takes things a step further. This challenge encourages students to work toward hitting a specific number of consecutive jumps, helping them develop focus and persistence. “The kids love it,” Rachel says. The printouts and visuals within the lesson make the challenge feel interactive and accessible. Students can immediately see what they’re working toward, celebrate progress, and strive for the next level.
Jump rope lessons have become a perfect example of how Rachel uses PLT4M to blend skill work, movement, self-assessment, and excitement—giving every student something to work for and feel proud of.
Fun Cooperative Games For Elementary PE
In addition to individual skill challenges, Rachel is committed to helping students develop teamwork and problem-solving skills. She teaches her classes to think about the different steps involved in working as a group—planning, executing, testing, and adjusting.
Rachel explains that these structured steps help students “come up with a plan, test the plan, and then change it if they need to.” This approach keeps students mentally engaged, not just physically active.
PLT4M’s cooperative games, invasion games, and strategy-focused lessons give Rachel the perfect platform to reinforce these skills. She often layers teamwork expectations into gameplay, asking students to pause, huddle, and rethink their strategy based on what’s happening. The result is a classroom culture where students are collaborating, communicating, and thinking critically while having fun.
These games have also helped reduce disengagement—especially for older elementary students who might sit out if they feel they can’t keep up. With structured teamwork tasks, everyone has a role and something meaningful to contribute.
Fun Soccer Games For Elementary PE
Another set of lessons that has stood out for Rachel’s students are PLT4M’s soccer activities. This year was her first time teaching soccer at Frank Wagner, and she immediately saw how engaged her students were.
A highlight has been Kicking For Critters, a game where students practice kicking by trying to land a ball inside a hoop to earn a “critter” for their team. The challenge is simple, but incredibly fun and rewarding.
Rachel says she sees students “really enjoying the experience,” and the playful structure helps them practice fundamental kicking skills without feeling pressure or frustration. The combination of movement, teamwork, and clear goals keeps students focused and excited—especially with elementary students where confidence and engagement can make all the difference.
A Win-Win For Teachers and Students
For Rachel, using PLT4M has become a true win-win. It saves her time, supports her planning, and still raises expectations for every student she teaches. She explains, “I want my lessons to be highly skill-based, but I also want my students to have fun and feel successful. PLT4M helps me do that.”
From streamlined planning tools to complete lesson resources, Rachel feels supported in ways that help her work smarter while still delivering high-quality PE. She now keeps printed lesson plans in her emergency sub folder, ensuring that classes stay consistent and meaningful even when she’s out.
And when she wants to see how a lesson looks in action, she turns to videos from fellow PE teachers—like Mike Graham’s examples on YouTube—which help her visualize and adapt activities for her own space.
These elements come together to create a program that elevates instruction without adding unnecessary stress. Rachel sees her students learning, engaging, and striving toward clear goals. She sees confidence growing, teamwork improving, and skill development becoming more intentional.
All in all, PLT4M has been a success in her classroom. Rachel is excited to continue using the curriculum as she plans future units, supports her diverse learners, and keeps building a PE program where students feel challenged, supported, and inspired.
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