Thematic and Concept-based Curriculum Design for PE

This practical, one-day workshop led by Professor Shane Pill invites PE teachers from across Elementary, Middle, and High School to think about curriculum content as key concepts structured through a thematic curriculum design. Concept-based PE has been found to be more likely than conventional PE to promote out-of-school physical activity and to build the habit of mind to be active into the future.  Moving away from the conventional multi-activity curriculum model, participants will explore how organising PE curriculum thematically through game categories – Territory, Net/court, Striking/fielding, Target games, Participation/Recreation, Competition – creates coherent, sequential, vertically articulated progress from Year/Grade K/1 through to senior school PE. 

Through four hands-on sessions, teachers will experience how simple game forms can be scaffolded over time, demonstrating how students can build genuine confidence in their competence without reliance on (but not completely excluding) direct instruction or drill-based instruction. 

The day is designed for individuals and whole-school teams. Participants will complete with  a shared language and common framework of principles of play (the core concepts) that supports curriculum articulation across grade/year levels, embeds student choice and agency, and equips teachers with transferable tools they can immediately take back to their own context. 

True to Shane’s signature style, the workshops are built on a “learn by doing” philosophy, with practical bursts followed by rich professional conversations about pedagogy, progression, and classroom application