6 Resources for Teaching HPE in a Virtual High School Setting
Allison Relyea
As physical education teachers across the country navigate virtual and hybrid instruction, finding effective resources and strategies for engaging high school students remotely is more important than ever. Allison Relyea, 2020 Eastern District High School Physical Education Teacher of the Year, shares six resources she developed and curated to make virtual HPE meaningful and inclusive.
1. Collaborate!
The first and most important resource is collaboration. Connect with your students, colleagues across districts, and professional learning networks on social media to develop classroom resources. You do not have to reinvent the wheel — reach out, share ideas, and build on what others have already created. The resources below are all the result of collaboration with students and fellow educators.
2. Important and Influential People
This idea came from one of my students, Meryam Legesse, a Senior at Guilderland, during a recent Anti-Racism Committee meeting. She mentioned that she wished she saw more examples of influential Black women when learning about different topics and content in her classes. That feedback inspired the creation of a shared Google Sheet called "Important Individuals Who Influenced Sport."
The spreadsheet contains tabs organized by sport, each with article links, names, photos, and biographical information about individuals who advanced sport movements — from historical pioneers to contemporary contributors and emerging figures. This resource helps ensure diverse representation is woven into every unit of study.
Access the resource: Important Individuals Who Influenced Sport Google Sheet
3. Research a Health-Related Career
Developed in collaboration with Jane Connor, Physical Education Teacher at Central Valley Academy, this assignment addresses New York's Learning Standard #6 — which requires students to recognize career opportunities and understand how to manage resources related to physical activity and fitness for lifelong wellness.
Students use a Google Slides template to research a health-related career of their choice, then present their findings through a recorded video. This project works well in a virtual setting because students can work at their own pace and share presentations asynchronously.
Access the resource: Health-Related Career Google Slides Template
4. Google Meet Expectations & Meet Your PE Staff
Developed with Tamara Bryngelson-Eppard, Physical Education Teacher, these two resources help establish virtual classroom community and norms.
Google Meet Expectations
The department created a bitmoji-style presentation to establish virtual classroom norms. This single-slide resource contains nine clear expectations for student behavior during Google Meet sessions — covering camera use, participation, backgrounds, and respectful communication.
Access the resource: Google Meet Expectations
Meet Your PE Staff
Staff members created bitmoji avatars positioned in a gymnasium background. Clicking each avatar reveals a corresponding slide with information about coaching assignments, club advisories, and contact information. Teachers can adapt this template for students to create a class version — using school backgrounds, personal bitmojis, and individual fact slides.
When assigned through Google Classroom, the template can be force-copied to each student for editing as a fun icebreaker activity at the start of the year.
Access the resource: Meet Your PE Staff
Additional Virtual High School PE Resources
5. Needs Assessment Survey
During spring remote learning, I realized I did not know enough about my students' home circumstances. Some students were managing younger siblings, working to support their families, or struggling significantly with remote instruction. A Google Forms needs assessment survey helps teachers understand what students manage at home, enabling more informed instructional and assessment decisions.
Sample survey questions include: Do you have sibling caregiving responsibilities? How quiet and productive is your home work environment? Are your parents or guardians working remotely? What technology resources do you have? What equipment do you have available for physical activity? Would you like a one-on-one meeting to discuss concerns?
These questions help teachers differentiate instruction and assessment in ways that are equitable and realistic for each student's situation.
6. Genius Hour Activity Project
The Genius Hour Activity Project is a project-based learning assignment that asks students to select a physical activity they have always wanted to try, then research and present their findings to classmates. Students receive a Google Slides template with requirements covering: activity pictures and demonstration videos, historical context citing influential contributors, required skills and equipment, available local facilities and natural resources, expense calculations and budgets, and a written reflection on why they chose the activity.
The teacher models the project by sharing a personal example — such as becoming a certified scuba diver — demonstrating the kind of research needed to engage in a new physical activity. Through this project, students become their own "activity genius" and develop lifelong skills for exploring new movement experiences.
About the Author
Allison Relyea— 2020 Eastern District High School Physical Education Teacher of the Year
Allison Relyea, 2020 Eastern District High School Physical Education Teacher of the Year, has been teaching at Guilderland High School in upstate New York since 2003. In addition to her physical education classes, Allison teaches two dance electives and Unified PE. She is one of two faculty managers for physical education and has experience coaching Cross Country, Softball, Unified Bowling, and a Dance team. Allison is very involved in NYS AHPERD and will be joining the Board of Directors in November. Allison enjoys spending time with her daughter Cadence and husband Todd along with weekends at the lake.