High School Health, Physical, and Driver Education Curriculum
In grades 9-10, students apply their physical education knowledge and skills to develop more in-depth fitness plans; use complex movement forms across individual, lifetime, dance and rhythm, and team activities; and explain the benefits of balancing physical activity and nutritional decisions (energy balance). Students in grades 9-10 discuss health education topics including physical health, wellness, and disease prevention; nutrition and physical activity; safety and injury prevention; social, emotional, and mental wellness; violence prevention and healthy relationships; substance abuse prevention and opioids; community and environmental health; and family life education. Students in grade 10 engage in classroom Driver Education.
Visit the PWCS High School Course Catalog for more information on available courses.
Virginia Department of Education 2022 Physical Education Standards of Learning
Virginia Department of Education 2020 Health Standards of Learning
Ninth Grade
Ninth Grade Health and Physical Education
Students in Prince William County Public Schools will learn the 2022 Physical Education and the 2020 Health Standards of Learning (SOLs) set by the Virginia Department of Education. Students will experience the following units in this course:
Quarter 1
Unit 1: Cooperative Games / Outdoor Pursuits
In this unit, students will apply communication, problem-solving, critical-thinking, and conflict-resolutions skills in a variety of cooperative activities. Students will show etiquette, respect, integrity, inclusion, and teamwork in various settings.
Standards Covered: PE: 9.4.a, 9.4.b,9. 4.c, 9.4.e, 9.4.f, 9.4.g, 9.4.i
Unit 2: Disease Prevention / Health Promotion / Body Systems
In this unit, students will explore the function of the immune systems, investigate differences between communicable and noncommunicable diseases, and develop skills for advocating disease prevention.
Standards Covered: PE: 9.2.b HE: 9.1.a, 9.1.e, 9.1.f, 9.1.g, 9.2.a, 9.2.e, 9.2.f, 9.2.g, 9.3.a, 9.3.e, 9.3.f., 9.3.g
Unit 3: Fitness Principles I
In this unit, students will analyze their pre-fitness data, identify fitness goals, and develop a personal fitness plan to include a variety of training principles.
Standards Covered: PE: 9.2.c, 9.3.a, 9.3.b, 9.3.c, 9.3.d, 9.3.e, 9.3.f, 9.3.i
Quarter 2
Unit 4: Safety / Injury Prevention / CPR & First Aid
Students will learn how to provide traditional cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and compression-only CPR to adults and children.
Standards Covered: HE: 9.1.k, 9.1.l, 9.1.m, 9.1.n, 9.2.k, 9.2.l, 9.2.m, 9.2.n, 9.3.k, 9.3.l, 9.3.m, 9.3.n
Unit 5: Net Activities
Some units include badminton, pickleball, tennis, table tennis, speedminton, volleyball, racquetball, wallyball, eclipse ball, spikeball, round-net. This unit also focuses on biomechanical principles with the laws of motion.
Standards Covered: PE: 9.1.a, 9.1.b, 9.2.a, 9.2.e, 9.2.f, 9.2.g
Unit 6: Violence Prevention
Learning the importance of refusing to participate in violent behaviors.
Standards Covered: HE: 9.n1.s, 9.2.s, 9.3.s
Quarter 3
Unit 7: Substance Use Prevention
Gain a comprehensive understanding of various drugs and alcohol. Learn about their risks and effects on the body’s systems, brain function, and behavior. Students will explore the dangers and consequences of using alcohol, tobacco, and other substances, and develop strategies to handle peer pressure and prevent substance use.
Standards Covered: HE: 9.1.h, 9.1.i, 9.1.j, 9.2.h, 9.2.i, 9.2.j, 9.3.h, 9.3.i, 9.3.j
Unit 8: Team Activities / Energy Balance
By comprehensively analyzing our dietary intake alongside our physical activity levels, we can develop and implement a nutrition plan that ensures an optimal energy balance.
Standards Covered: PE: 9.5.a, 9.5.b, 9.5.c, 9.5.d HE: 9.1.d,9. 2.d, 9.3.d
Unit 9: Nutrition
This unit is dedicated to the establishment of nutritional SMART goals, the comprehension of diverse nutritional food sources, and the exploration of careers related to food choices, nutrition, farming, environmental science, food production, food safety, and restaurant ownership.
Standards Covered: HE: 9.1.b, 9.1.c, 9.2.b, 9.2.c, 9.3.b, 9.3.c
Unit 10: Mental Wellness / Social-Emotional Health
They will learn the positive and negative effects of social media and of sharing personal information online.
Standards Covered: HE: 9.1.o, 9.1.p, 9.1.q, 9.1.r, 9.2.o, 9.2.p, 9.2.q, 9.2.r, 9.3.o, 9.3.p, 9.3.q, 9.3.r
Quarter 4
Unit 11: Fitness Principles
Exhibit a comprehensive understanding of the concepts and principles pertinent to the development and implementation of personalized physical activity plans and the design of individualized fitness levels. Execute, assess, and analyze a diverse array of resources to explain the relationship between various heart rate zones.
Standards Covered: PE: 9.3.a, 9.3.d, 9.3.f
Unit 12: Community and Environmental Health
Promote community health promotion and/or disease prevention. It is important to support public health and health literacy in our community and in our country. It is also important to support efforts for global public health. (To understand the interconnection between community health and environmental factors.)
Standards Covered: HE: 9.1.t, 9.1.u, 9.2.t, 9.2.u, 9.3.t, 9.3.u
Unit 13: Family Life Education
To learn more about the PWCS Family Life Education Program, please visit the Family Life Education webpage.
Unit 14: Individual & Dual Activities
Participate in individual and dual activities to show competency in various motor skills and movement patterns.
Standards Covered: PE 9.1.a
Tenth Grade
Tenth Grade Health and Physical Education
Students in grade ten health demonstrate comprehensive health and wellness knowledge and skills. Their behaviors reflect a conceptual understanding of the issues associated with maintaining good personal health. They serve the community through the practice of health-enhancing behaviors that promote wellness throughout life (self-awareness, social awareness, self-management, responsible decision making, and relationship skills).
Students in grade ten physical education are proficient in fundamental movement skills and skill combinations and are competent in self-selected physical activities that they are likely to pursue throughout life including outdoor pursuits, fitness activities, dance and rhythmic activities, aquatics, selected individual performance activities, and net/wall and target games. They understand and apply concepts and principles of mechanics and anatomy in relation to human movement and apply the concepts and principles of the body’s metabolic response to short-term and long-term physical activity. Students are good leaders and good followers; they respect others and anticipate and avoid unsafe physical activity situations. They develop the ability to understand and they anticipate how physical activity interests and abilities change across a lifetime. Students demonstrate competency in lifelong physical activities and plan, implement, self-assess, and modify a personal fitness plan. Students are prepared to lead a physically active lifestyle
Students in Prince William County Public Schools will learn the 2022 Physical Education and the 2020 Health Standards of Learning (SOL) set by the Virginia Department of Education. Students will experience the following units in this course:
Quarter 1
Unit 1: Driver Education Modules 1-4
In this unit, students learn about Virginia traffic laws, licensing procedures, and basic vehicle operating, and driving strategies. Students will identify the consequences associated with alcohol and drug use while driving. Students will identify ways to prevent and reduce injury, explain proper braking techniques, and apply problem-solving skills to minimize risks on the roadway.
Standards Covered: DE.1, DE.2, DE.3, DE.4, DE.5, DE.7, DE.8, DE.10, DE.15, DE.18, DE.19
Unit 2: Cooperative Activities / Outdoor Pursuits
In this unit, students apply relationships, conflict resolution, and social awareness in a variety of cooperative activities. Students will identify ways to promote equity and inclusion in physical activity settings.
Standards Covered: PE: 10.3.f, 10.4.a, 10.4.b, 10.4.c, 10.4.d, 10.4.h
Unit 3: Fitness Principles I
In this unit, students apply basic principles of training when creating a personal fitness and activity plan. Students will identify key factors to consider when purchasing fitness products or services and identy fitness needs to prevent future health concerns.
Standards Covered: PE: 10.1.d, 10.3.a, 10.3.b, 10.3.c, 10.3.g, 10.3.h
Unit 4: Physical Health / Nutrition
In this unit, students examine a variety of diets such as traditional American, Mediterranean, vegetarian, and vegan. Students will create a personal wellness plan for physical health and wellness.
Standards Covered: HE: 10.1.b, 10.1.c,10. 2.b, 10..2.c, 10.3.b, 10.3.c
Quarter 2
Unit 5: Driver Education Modules 5-8
In this unit, students will learn to communicate with roadway users and understand right-of-way, intersections, and turning navigation. They will develop skills to adjust their driving in various situations, considering visibility and traction. Additionally, they will identify environmental factors that affect driving and make informed decisions to reduce risks. Finally, students will compare braking systems and learn proper techniques for different conditions.
Standards Covered: DE.6, DE.7, DE.8, DE.14, DE.17, DE.18, DE.19, DE.20, DE.21
Unit 6: Net Activities
In this unit, students identify the planes of motion and demonstrate how movement is created. Students will analyze lifetime movement activities and energy needs during physical activity.
Standards Covered: PE: 10.1.b, 10.1.c, 10.2.a, 10.2.b
Unit 7: Violence Prevention & Safety / Injury Prevention
In this unit, students will discuss and analyze the protective factors needed to make healthy decisions throughout life. Students will learn to advocate for personal well-being and promote health-enhancing behaviors for others.
Standards Covered: HE: 10.1.j, 10.1.o, 10.1.p, 10.1.q, 10.1.r, 10.2.j,10. 2.o, 10.2.p, 10.2.q, 10.2.r, 10.3.j, 10.3.o, 10.3.p, 10.3.q, 10.3.r
Quarter 3
Unit 8: Driver Education Modules 9-12
In this unit, students will identify expressway characteristics and apply risk management strategies while driving. They will learn about occupant-protection features that reduce injury severity and analyze the impact of technology on driving practices. Additionally, students will examine the effects of alcohol and drugs on awareness and driving behavior, recognize the consequences of aggressive driving, and make informed choices about vehicle insurance, purchasing, and safe interactions with law enforcement.
Standards Covered: DE.1, DE.7, DE.9, DE.10, DE.11, DE.12, DE.13, DE.15, DE.16, DE.21, DE.22, DE.23, DE.24
Unit 9: Substance Use Prevention
In this unit, students will identify unsafe behaviors and examine research trends that contribute to adolescent substance use and abuse.
Standards Covered: HE: 10.1.g, 10.1.h, 10.1.i, 10.2.g, 10.2.h, 10.2.i, 10.3.g, 10.3.h, 10.3.i
Unit 10: Team Activities / Energy Balance
In this unit, students use effective communication skills in a variety of team activities.
Standards Covered: PE: 10.4.a, 10.5.a, 10.5.b, 10.5.c,10. 5.d, 10.5.e, 10.5.f, 10.5.g, 10.5.h
Unit 11: Mental Wellness / Social Emotional Health
In this unit, students will learn the positive and negative effects of social media and of sharing personal information online. The difference between mental distress, mental health problems, and mental illness. Identify causes of conflict with friends/family.
Standards Covered: HE: 10.1.k, 10.1.l, 10.1.m, 10.1.n, 10.2.k, 10.2.l, 10.2.m, 10.2.n, 10.3.k, 10.3.l, 10.3.m, 10.3.n
Quarter 4
Unit 12: Fitness Principles II
In this unit, students will identify the critical impact physical activity has on lifelong health and wellness. Students apply knowledge of anatomical principles to explain the importance of proper technique in physical activities to prevent injuries.
Standards Covered: PE: 10.1.a, 10.2.c, 10.2.d, 10.3.a, 10.3.c, 10.3.d, 10.3.e
Unit 13: Community & Environmental Health
In this unit, students examine the impact the quality of the environment has on environmental and human health. Students identify a variety of environmental and community related health concerns.
Standards Covered: HE: 10.1.s, 10.1.t, 10.1.u, 10.1.v, 10.1.w, 10.2.s, 10.2.t, 10.2.u, 10.2.v, 10.2.w, 10.3.s, 10.3.t, 10.3.u, 10.3.v, 10.3.w
Unit 14: Body Systems / Disease Prevention / Health Promotion
In this unit, students develop skills for advocating for disease prevention.
Standards Covered: HE: 10.1.a, 10.1.d, 10.1.e, 10.1.f, 10.2.a, 10.2.d, 10.2.e, 10.2.f, 10.3.a, 10.3.d, 10.3.e, 10.3.f
Unit 15: Family Life Education
To learn more about the PWCS Family Life Education Program, please visit the Family Life Education webpage.
Unit 16: Individual / Dual Activities
In this unit, individual and dual sports/activities help students focus on their personal development of locomotor, non-locomotor, and manipulative skills. These are skills students can use to remain active throughout life.
Standards Covered: PE: 10.4.e, 10.4.f, 10.4.g