26C.6563.10, PE Central, How to Plan and Execute a Field Day

Course Purpose

The purpose of this course is to walk the student through the process of understanding all the nuances that go into planning and executing a successful field day that is exceptional. This course aims to teach students the process of planning a field day from start to finish. This includes the planning process, communicating to stakeholders involved, choosing a theme, choosing activities, when to take what steps, and what documents to use in the process. This course is designed to show students exemplar field day videos and planning documents, which will allow students to create their own field day planning guide that can be used through the duration of their career in any teaching situation.

Course Description

Field day is an exciting time of the year for everyone involved in the process. Students get a day or more to enjoy game play with friends, parents get the chance to be a part of their children’s special day, the community has a chance to support the school, its students and teachers, and teachers enjoy a day that is interactive and fun. However, planning such an event is not as easy as it sounds. Most physical education teaching programs and student teaching experiences do not instruct physical educators how to plan a field day.

Unfortunately, many physical education teachers learn how to plan their first field day by trial and error. And when a teacher must change schools, or the school they work in changes in some way, the physical educator must adjust the field day accordingly. This course teaches physical education teachers, or those responsible for planning a field day, how to plan a field day that goes off without a hitch. This course is built around a proven system that covers every portion of field day planning from A to Z. Students will learn how to plan a field day step by step. Included in the course are all necessary instructions, documents that can be re-purposed, videos, exemplar planning packets, themes, activities, and many other valuable resources. The student taking this course will walk away with a plan of their own they develop using the information laid out in the course that they can use and repurpose throughout their teaching career for many field days to come. This is a practical and hands-on course.

Course Goals

On completion of this course, physical educators will be able:

• To identify the importance of a field day for the school and community
• To understand the components, steps, and methods involved in planning a field day
• To understand the components, steps, and methods involved in proper communication with all stakeholders involved in a field day
• To understand the components, steps, and methods involved in executing a field day
• To understand useful indoor and outdoor activities for a field day
• To evaluate exemplar field day planning strategies, games, and informational packets
• To create a field day planning guide
• To reflect on the experience of completing the field day planning guide