Health and Physical Education Level 3 (Years 3 and 4)
Learning focus
As students work towards the achievement of Level 3 standards in Health and Physical Education, they practise and use complex manipulative and locomotor skills in a range of movement environments (indoor, outdoor and aquatic). They practise and develop competency in a range of complex motor skills such as leaping, dodging, the over-arm throw, dribbling and striking balls, cart wheeling and handstanding. In aquatic environments they practise a range of movements such as: propelling the body on the front and back using freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and survival backstroke for 10 to 20 metres; and a land-based rescue. They discuss the performance criteria of motor skills and practise observing a partner’s performance. Through modified major games (for example, games with modified rules, equipment, playing field, length of game or numbers on a team such as modified netball), and athletics activities (for example, discus, shot put and modified versions of jumps), students begin to apply their skills in sport-specific settings. During gymnastics or dance sessions students learn, reproduce and choreograph more complex movement sequences. Students participate in a range of activities that promote health-related fitness components of cardio-respiratory fitness, flexibility and strength and explore the link between health-related fitness and lifestyle activities.
They explore basic games’ tactics such as: introducing the concepts of attack and defence; following the rules of the game; and describing the roles of various positions. They begin to work with others to set and achieve goals in both cooperative and competitive games’ settings. They invent games for themselves and others to play, and discuss and practise appropriate safety considerations for these games. Students consider the different tasks undertaken by officials to ensure a game or activity can proceed smoothly. They discuss how all students can have equal opportunity to participate, irrespective of skill level. Where appropriate, they participate in competitive activities through intra-school sport.
Students learn about outdoor adventure activities to enable them to better understand the nature of outdoor environments and how they can prepare themselves for safe involvement in such activities.
Students examine their physical development in detail; for example, changes in their height. They develop an understanding of human development across the lifespan as a continuous process involving changes and predictable stages such as conception, prenatal, infancy, childhood, adolescence, adulthood and aging. Students learn that while the nature of changes associated with these stages is predictable, the timing will vary for individuals. Students begin to explore how their emotions are affected by the way they view themselves, identifying factors (including the influence of peers and family) that affect, positively or negatively, their sense of identity and self-worth. They learn skills for maintaining and supporting their self-worth. They examine roles and expectations of people which arise from gender, culture and age.
They investigate a variety of scenarios identifying potential hazards and harms at home, at school and in the community, using given criteria such as a home safety checklist. They begin to explore the relationship between safety, risk and challenge, with an emphasis on developing their knowledge and understanding of strategies and skills to reduce harms, prevent accidents and create safe and supportive environments.
Students explore how the school and community contribute to the health of its members, both through the impact of its physical and social environments and through the services and facilities it provides. Examples of facilities and services that contribute to health could include school crossings, safety signs, playgrounds, parks, clubs and a school environment free of bullying.
Students develop their understanding of the need for variety and frequency of food intake in active and healthy lives, and begin to relate the foods they eat with the energy they need for everyday and physical activities. They consider the physiological, social, cultural and economic factors that influence food choice, and the impact of these factors on healthy eating. Examples could include: how taste or mood affects food choice; the impact of meeting nutritional requirements for growth and energy; the influence of peers and family on food choice; popular foods in other countries; and the availability of low cost healthy snacks or lunches. Students reflect on the importance of healthy eating and participation in physical activity for their physical, social and emotional health.
Standards
Movement and physical activity
At Level 3, students perform a broad range of complex motor skills. They demonstrate a wide variety of motor skills and apply them to basic, sport-specific situations. They create and perform coordinated movement sequences that contain a variety of motor skills and movement patterns. They participate regularly in physical activities for the purpose of improving skill and health, and identify and describe the components of health-related fitness. They begin to use basic games’ tactics. They work with others to achieve goals in both cooperative and competitive sporting and games’ situations, explain the concept of fair play, and respect the roles of officials. Students follow safety principles in games and activities.
Health knowledge and promotion
At Level 3, students describe the stages of human development across the human lifespan. Students explain basic concepts of identity and use simple strategies to maintain and support their self-worth. They identify basic safety skills and strategies at home, school and in the community, and describe methods for recognising and avoiding harmful situations. They describe how physical and social components in the local environment contribute to wellbeing and identify how health services and products address the health needs and concerns of the local community. They identify healthy eating practices and explain some physiological, social, cultural and economic reasons for people’s food choices.
Downloads
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Health and Physical Education booklet (
PDF - 240KB) - Health and Physical Education standards table (Doc - 42KB)
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Victorian Essential Learning Standards Level 3 ( PDF - 649KB)
