Best Examples of Sportsmanship and Teamwork Lesson Plans for PE

Real examples of sportsmanship and teamwork lesson plans to use this year

Let’s skip the theory and get straight into real examples of sportsmanship and teamwork lesson plans you can run in a gym, on a field, or even in a multipurpose room. Each example includes a clear goal, simple setup, and what it actually looks like in class.

Example of a “Fair Play Warm-Up Circuit” (Grades 3–6)

Goal: Introduce sportsmanship language and behavior in low-pressure activities.

Instead of a traditional warm-up, set up simple stations around the gym: jump rope, dribbling, ladder footwork, partner passing, and balance challenges. At each station, students must practice one sportsmanship behavior along with the physical skill.

For instance, at the partner passing station, students must:

• Greet their partner by name.
• Offer one positive comment every minute ("Nice catch,” “Good try,” “I like how you’re focusing").

Rotate every 2–3 minutes. Before starting, build a quick class list of “fair play words” they can use: good game, nice pass, do you want to join, are you okay, my bad, you go first.

This is one of the best examples of sportsmanship and teamwork lesson plans for younger grades because it builds habits in a non-competitive setting. You’re quietly teaching that encouragement and respect are as normal as stretching and jogging.

Cooperative Challenge Course with Shared Goals (Grades 4–8)

Goal: Practice teamwork under time pressure without focusing on winning.

Create a “challenge course” using simple PE equipment:

• Move 10 balls from one side of the gym to the other using only feet.
• Get your whole team across a “river” (gym floor) using limited mats as “boats.”
• Build a tower of cones as tall as the shortest teammate.

Give each group a shared time goal instead of racing other teams. For example: “Your goal is to complete all three challenges in under 12 minutes. If you finish early, you help another group succeed.”

As students work, you pause them a few times and ask:

• Who is talking the most? Who hasn’t spoken yet?
• How are you handling frustration?
• What’s one way you can show sportsmanship to another team right now?

These kinds of cooperative courses are powerful examples of sportsmanship and teamwork lesson plans because they reward communication, patience, and problem-solving instead of just speed and strength.

“Call Your Own Foul” Small-Sided Games (Grades 5–12)

Goal: Teach integrity, fairness, and self-control in competitive play.

Run small-sided games in basketball, soccer, or ultimate frisbee. The twist: students call their own fouls and out-of-bounds. You only step in for safety or repeated unsportsmanlike behavior.

Before play, the class helps define what counts as:

• A foul
• Unsportsmanlike language
• Respectful disagreement

Post these on the board. During games, when contact or conflict happens, players must stop, talk, and decide together:

• Was there a foul?
• Do we redo the play, or does one team gain possession?

At the end, have teams reflect:

• How did it feel to be responsible for your own calls?
• Did you ever want to cheat a little? What did you do instead?

This is a strong example of a sportsmanship and teamwork lesson plan that mirrors real adult recreation leagues and community sports, where self-officiating and respect for opponents are expected.

Rotating Captain Roles in Team Sports (Grades 6–12)

Goal: Share leadership and highlight different strengths.

In many classes, the same students end up as captains every time. To build teamwork, try a rotating captain system.

For each game or week, assign a different student as team captain with specific responsibilities:

• Lead warm-up for the team.
• Check that everyone understands the rules.
• Make sure every teammate gets playing time.
• Model sportsmanship (help opponents up, thank the other team, accept referee decisions).

You can even add roles like “Encourager,” “Strategist,” or “Equipment Manager” so quieter or less athletic students still have visible leadership roles.

Over a unit, every student gets a turn. This is one of the best examples of sportsmanship and teamwork lesson plans because it challenges natural leaders to share space and gives shy students a low-risk way to practice leadership.

Peer Coaching Skill Stations (Grades 3–10)

Goal: Build empathy, communication, and encouragement.

Set up skill stations (shooting, dribbling, serving, striking, etc.). Pair students so that one is the coach and one is the player for a set time.

The coach’s job:

• Give one clear tip at a time.
• Demonstrate the skill slowly.
• Use encouraging language.

Then they switch roles.

Before starting, brainstorm as a class:

• Examples of helpful coaching phrases.
• Examples of unhelpful or hurtful comments.

You might even model both and let students label which is which. This kind of station work is a simple example of a teamwork lesson plan that trains students to support each other, not just compete.

“Win, Lose, Learn” Reflection Circles (All grades)

Goal: Normalize losing, reduce conflict, and connect PE to life skills.

After a competitive game day, bring students into a quick circle. Ask them to share:

• One moment of good sportsmanship they saw (from anyone).
• One moment they wish had gone differently.
• One thing they learned about themselves as a teammate.

You can keep it anonymous by letting them write on sticky notes or index cards first. Then you read a few aloud.

This reflection routine might seem small, but over a semester it becomes one of the real examples of sportsmanship and teamwork lesson plans that shifts class culture. Students start watching for positive behavior because they know they’ll be asked about it later.

Inclusive Team-Building Games for Mixed Abilities (All grades)

Goal: Teach that good teammates adapt, include, and support everyone.

In 2024–2025, many PE programs are focusing more on inclusive practices. That means designing games where students with different abilities, fitness levels, and comfort levels can still contribute.

Try games where:

• Every team member must touch the ball before scoring.
• Points are worth more if scored by someone who usually participates less.
• Students can choose different roles (runner, passer, defender, scorekeeper, strategist).

You can also modify rules: lower nets, larger or lighter balls, walking instead of running, or shorter playing times with more breaks. The CDC notes that inclusive physical activity supports social and emotional health along with physical health (CDC school health guidelines).

These inclusive setups are powerful examples of sportsmanship and teamwork lesson plans because they teach students that being a good teammate means adjusting the game so everyone can take part, not just the fastest or strongest.

“Design Your Own Game” Sportsmanship Project (Grades 5–12)

Goal: Let students create rules that promote fairness and respect.

Give small groups the challenge: Invent a new game that:

• Uses equipment you have.
• Can be played safely in your space.
• Includes at least three clear sportsmanship rules.

Students must:

• Write the rules.
• Decide how to score.
• Build in consequences for unsportsmanlike behavior.

Then groups teach their game to the class and run a short round. Afterward, the class discusses:

• Which sportsmanship rules worked well?
• Which rules were hard to follow?
• How would you improve this game?

This is one of the best examples of sportsmanship and teamwork lesson plans for older students because it pushes them to think like coaches, officials, and organizers, not just players.

How these examples support current PE priorities (2024–2025)

Modern PE standards emphasize social-emotional learning, physical literacy, and lifelong activity. Organizations like SHAPE America highlight sportsmanship and teamwork as key outcomes, not just fitness scores (SHAPE America standards).

The examples of sportsmanship and teamwork lesson plans above line up with those trends in several ways:

• Social-emotional learning (SEL): Reflection circles, peer coaching, and self-officiated games teach emotional regulation, empathy, and responsible decision-making.
• Student voice and choice: Designing their own games or rotating leadership roles gives students ownership, which research from schools of education such as Harvard’s Graduate School of Education suggests increases engagement and motivation (Harvard GSE SEL overview).
• Health and well-being: Cooperative activities that reduce win-at-all-costs pressure can support mental health, which is an ongoing concern in schools according to the CDC and other public health agencies.

By anchoring your PE program in real examples of sportsmanship and teamwork lesson plans, you’re not just checking a standards box—you’re helping students build habits they can take into jobs, relationships, and community life.

Tips for adapting these examples to your setting

You don’t need a huge gym, fancy uniforms, or tons of equipment. You can adapt every example of a sportsmanship and teamwork lesson plan using what you already have.

Limited space?

• Run “call your own foul” games with 3-on-3 or 2-on-2 instead of full courts.
• Use half the gym for a cooperative challenge course and the other half for reflection or peer coaching.

Limited equipment?

• Use beanbags, paper balls, or even rolled-up socks for passing games.
• Rotate stations so only a few balls are needed at a time.

Mixed ages or skill levels?

• Pair older students as peer coaches for younger ones.
• Create mixed-ability teams and assign roles that fit different strengths.

The best examples of sportsmanship and teamwork lesson plans are flexible. The core is always the same: clear behavior expectations, chances to practice those behaviors, and time to reflect on what happened.

Assessment ideas for sportsmanship and teamwork

If you need to grade or document learning, you can assess without turning sportsmanship into a checklist.

Try:

• Self-assessment: Quick exit slips where students rate how well they encouraged others or handled frustration.
• Peer feedback: Simple “two stars and a wish” notes after cooperative challenges.
• Teacher observation: Short rubrics focusing on respect, communication, and effort.

You can align these with your district’s SEL or character education goals, or with national PE standards. The point is to show that these examples of sportsmanship and teamwork lesson plans are as intentional and structured as any fitness or skill unit.

FAQ: Sportsmanship and teamwork lesson plans

Q: What are some easy examples of sportsmanship and teamwork lesson plans for beginners?
A: Start with simple activities like partner passing with required compliments, small-sided games where students call their own fouls, and quick “Win, Lose, Learn” circles after games. These are low-prep and can be added to almost any unit.

Q: Can you give an example of a sportsmanship lesson that fits into one class period?
A: Yes. Try this structure: 5–10 minutes of a fair play warm-up (students practice positive phrases), 20 minutes of small-sided games with self-officiating, then 5–10 minutes of reflection where students share one example of good sportsmanship they saw.

Q: How can I show administrators real examples of growth in sportsmanship and teamwork?
A: Collect short student reflections over time, keep simple behavior rubrics, and jot down specific incidents where students resolved conflicts or supported each other. You can also invite administrators to observe a class using one of these examples of sportsmanship and teamwork lesson plans and point out student behaviors to watch for.

Q: What if students resist or make fun of sportsmanship activities?
A: Normalize it by building small sportsmanship routines into every class instead of treating it like a one-off “feelings day.” When students see that fair play, respect, and teamwork are regular expectations, most will adjust. Modeling calm, consistent responses to poor behavior matters more than long lectures.

Q: Are there examples of sportsmanship and teamwork lesson plans that work in health class, not just PE?
A: Absolutely. You can run team problem-solving tasks, role-plays about conflict on a team, or group projects designing fair play posters and codes of conduct. Then connect those activities to real-life scenarios like workplace teams or community sports leagues.

By weaving these best examples of sportsmanship and teamwork lesson plans into your regular teaching, you turn PE from “just games” into a training ground for how to treat people. That’s the kind of impact students remember long after they’ve forgotten their mile time.