high school physical education project ideas

• Our Content
• Success Stories
• Schedule A Demo
• Login / Register

PE Lesson Plans for High School (FREE High School PE Activities)

• Doug Curtin
• November 17, 2021

Physical education teachers have a lot to cover! We have put together a week’s worth of PE lesson plans for high school students that range in fitness, nutrition, yoga and more. We hope you enjoy the free content and give some lessons a try with your students! 

Struggling to find engaging PE activities for high school students ?

Finding quality physical education lesson plans for high school is no simple task! Getting the right instructional materials that will engage and excite your students while not breaking the bank is hard! 

Yes, you can search online, go to a Shape America conference, or talk to fellow PE teachers and find hundreds of PE activities and physical education lesson plans to use.

But, you will often end up with tons of phys ed games for high school students that are fun once and then quickly lose student’s attention. Or, you end up finding workouts that have barely clothed models that are a far cry from what you want for high school fitness lesson plans . 

What is there for high school PE ?

Producing high school physical education units on multiple topics is tough!

Do you feel like you are a jack of all trades and yet a master of none? You only have so much money in your budget and time in your day to teach all the different PE topics well. You are left asking yourself, 

• What equipment do I need for fun and cutting edge PE games for high school ? 
• Do I have the right equipment to run PE workouts for high school ? 

How does this all even fit into what my administrators want for high school physical education lesson plans ?

A week’s worth of free PE lesson plans for high school classes

When you feel like you are at stalemate with your lessons, sometimes it doesn’t hurt to sample! With so many great phys ed lesson plans for high school, it is hard to make sense of all that is out there. Here you will find a sample week of high-quality content that high school pe teachers tap into on a yearly basis. 

With a combination of fitness, nutrition, yoga, and dance, there is something to for every student to look forward to in the week. Additionally, you’ll find that some days give you a little extra time to sprinkle in some of those fun pe games that your kids still long for!

Day 1: Intro To Fitness – Air Squat & Hinge 

Many students arrive to high school needing a full introduction to foundational human movements. Even if they did learn things like the squat, lunge, hinge, press, and pull at the middle school level, chances are that your high school physical education class will greatly benefit from movement review. 

Today, we are beginning our movement and fitness journey by learning two of the most important foundational human movements – the Squat & the Hinge.

• 2 Minutes of light cardio
• Spiderman & Reach – 1 Minute Continuous Movement, Alternating 
• Alt. Samson – 1 Minute Continuous Movement
• Good Mornings 4 x 10 Reps 
• Elbow Plan 4 x :20 Seconds 
• 1:00 Rest After Each Round
• Introduce the 4 points of performance 
• Air Squat 2 x 5 Reps

5 Rounds Of 10 Air Squats + 2:00 Walk/Jog/Run

Day 2: Intro To Nutrition – Calories 

Are you tasked with teaching wellness within your physical education class? If you need a day off from physical activity and in need of lesson ideas, nutrition can be a fantastic addition. 

While nutrition can be a part of k-12 physical education plan, high school is often the first time where students can start to contextualize the science and practical application of nutrition. With written and video lessons, paired with chapter questions students have an interactive way to start exploring their everyday nutrition.

• Written lesson breaking down what our body sees when we eat and how many calories we need 
• Video breaking down energy and chemistry of calories
• Check out the full lesson segment here
• Written lesson discussing signs of not eating enough or eating too much 
• Video introducing and explaining the hunger to fullness scale
• Check out the full lesson segment here 
• 9 chapter questions provided that can be either done individually or incorporated as part of a group discussion

Discover the Power of PLT4M

Curious how more than 10,000 PE teachers are using PLT4M’s Fitness and Wellness Curriculum and digital learning software? 

Day 3: Intro to Fitness – Press & Pull 

Returning back to another fitness lesson plan for high school PE. Now, we hit the upper body and learn how to safely press and pull. We focus on scaling and modifying with all our physical activity, but place a special emphasis on this with things like pressing and pulling. 

In this lesson students will learn how to appropriately scale the level of difficulty the push up and inverted row.

• Shoulder Warm Up – 15 Slow Reps per movement 
• 1:00 Jumping Jacks
• Introduce the 4 points of performance of push up  
• Review movement scaling and elevating the push up 
• Elevated Push Ups 4 x 5
• Introduce the 4 points of performance of the inverted row 
• Inverted Row 5 x 5
• Introduce the butterfly sit up 
• Butterfly sit up 2 x 5
• AMRAP 8: 60 Jumping Jacks, 10 Push Ups, 10 Butterfly Sit ups

Day 4: Intro To Yoga – Standing Poses 

Yoga is one of the most popular exercise options and requires no equipment. But as a physical education teacher you may not feel comfortable teaching yoga. 

Like any type of physical activity, yoga has basic components that can be introduced as an excellent start. In this lesson, students will get a chance to try and practice four of the most popular standing poses in yoga, and then put them into a more traditional flow.

• Begin yoga integration 
• Flow Sun A with performance and refinement cues 
• Flow Sun A using breath to movement
• Chair Pose Intro & Practice 
• Warrior 2 Intro & Practice 
• Extended Side Angle Intro & Practice 
• Reverse Warrior Intro & Practice
• Apply new poses to a full flow 
• Practice 2 times through, 1 slow, 1 faster

Day 5: Dance Fitness 

Many physical education programs have what is called a ‘fun Friday.’ If you arrive on day 5 and want to give the choice of different gym games for high school students, then go for it!

You have had a great week of lessons, and your students can now have some time to explore and play different games like frisbee, badminton, or volleyball that you have throughout the gym. 

If you want to have a little more structure but keep the fun, give dance fitness a try! A trending topic in the world of fitness, dance gives students a fun way to sweat and move.

• Get moving with some light cardio 
• Layer in a few static stretches
• Introduce and and practice the 8 main dance moves for the main cardio effort
• Put the 8 dance moves to work through a fun sequence following along with Coach Alexa
• Let your heart rates come back down and hit some stretches before going on with the rest of your day

Let us do the heavy lifting! Get access to our complete lineup of PE lesson plans for high school students

This was just one week of PE lesson plans to give you a taste! At PLT4M, you can tap into hundreds of high school physical education lesson plans that fit your goals and needs. Tap into fitness, flexibility, yoga, dance, weightlifting, and more all in a centralized and easy to use spot. 

All of PLT4M’s instructors make these resources with high school students in mind and work to keep it fun and engaging. On top of keeping your students excited about PE, keep your administrators happy knowing all of PLT4M’s programs are aligned to Shape America national standards.

How are Plt4m’s high school PE units delivered?

PLT4M is totally flexible and customizable to your classroom, students and teaching style. Use it as much or as selectively as you like to enhance your curriculum. PLT4M is designed to work seamlessly with your classroom technology, whether you have a projector, are one-to-one, or can allow students to use their phones. 

What types of high school physical education activities do you cover?

Our ever-growing library of original content includes a variety of programs intended to spark lifelong physical literacy. Check out the options below: 

• Weight Training 
• Dance Fitness 
• Mindfulness 
• Remote Learning 
• Personal Hygiene
• Drug and Substance Education 
• Physical Literacy
• Social Emotional Learning
• Health Education Lesson Plans 

Do you only provide fitness activities for high school students?

No, we also have PE lesson plans for middle school students that are age appropriate and engaging! There is something for everyone within PLT4M! 

Share this article:

Recent Posts

Underage Drinking Prevention Lesson Plans

Basketball Lesson Plans

Digital Citizenship Lesson Plans

Interested if PLT4M can work at your school?

Empower kids to say “YES” to a healthy lifestyle and “NO” to underage drinking! PLT4M is proud to now offer easy-to-implement lesson plans from Ask, Listen, Learn: Kids and Alcohol Don’t Mix, a program from http://Responsiblity.org. @AskListenLearn

Underage drinking prevention lesson plans empower kids to say “YES” to a healthy lifestyle and “NO” to underage drinking.

In an age of social media and online connectivity, how can we ensure our students are safe, appropriate, ethical, and empathetic in their virtual world?

Digital citizenship lesson plans explore how students can be safe, appropriate, ethical, empathetic, and more in the digital world.

How do you make use of your school's cardio equipment in PE classes?

Treadmill Running Workouts For Students

Treadmill running workouts build confidence in the world of running for students of all fitness levels. See a free workout from PLT4M!

“Our injury rates are way down. The addition of strength and speed work has helped to keep our athletes healthy and playing throughout the season, which is often the most valuable thing that can come from the weight room.”

Sports Performance Classes Empower Female Student-Athletes

Preston High School in Idaho is empowering female student-athletes through strength and conditioning classes.

get.plt4m.com

Proud of my kids for what is happening in PE Class! We have gone from sitting on machines to using core muscles and learning functional strength training exercises. Huge culture shift, skill progressions, and health benefits! 💪@GreeceOlympia @PLT4M #physedu #functionalfitness

Where does Gymnastics fit into your Physical Education curriculum?

Gymnastics Lesson Plans

Check out the wide variety of different skills and drills PE teachers can introduce in gymnastics lesson plans.

9 Activity Ideas for STEM in Physical Education

• Lauren Chiangpradit
• November 16, 2023
• Reviewed by Sean Barton
• Reviewed by Haley MacLean

Table of Contents

The Synergy of Movement and Learning

Physical education stem activities for elementary school, stem activities for middle school pe students, advanced stem challenges for high school learners, tech, tools, and resources for stem in physical education.

Integrating STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) into Physical Education (PE) classes offers an innovative approach to education. In an era where sports statistics, science, and technology increasingly influence athletics, PE classes are uniquely positioned to blend physical activity with STEM learning and 21st century skills. This article explores how PE educators and facilitators can use STEM learning in their coursework. It also provides a range of curriculum activity ideas to get students at different education and skill levels engaged.

Research indicates that physical activity can significantly bolster cognitive abilities. When students participate in movement-based learning, they benefit physically and experience enhanced concentration, memory, and creativity. This cognitive boost is crucial for comprehending and applying STEM concepts, which often demand high levels of problem-solving and critical thinking. Active learning, where students engage in physical activities while learning STEM concepts, results in more profound understanding and retention of information. Integrating physical and mental challenges not only makes learning more enjoyable, but is more effective, as students apply theoretical concepts in practical settings, leading to better comprehension and recall.

Integrating STEM into elementary physical education presents a fantastic opportunity to lay the foundation for lifelong learning and curiosity in young students. Through these innovative activities, elementary school children can explore and understand key STEM concepts while engaging in fun and physical play. Each activity is designed to be not only educational but highly interactive and suitable for their developmental stage. Here are some engaging activities that blend physical education with STEM learning for elementary students:

• Jump and Measure: Students perform a variety of jumps – like the long jump and high jump – and measure their distances or heights. This activity introduces basic concepts of measurement and physics, encouraging students to understand how force and motion play a role in their physical activities.
• Geometry with Body Movements: In this activity, children use their bodies to create geometric shapes, either individually or in groups. It’s an engaging way for students to learn about basic geometry, spatial awareness, and symmetry. Teachers can challenge students to form complex shapes, enhancing their understanding and teamwork skills.
• STEM Soccer : In a lesson devoted to measuring throw-ins, students collect data in centimeters and convert their data to meters dividing by 100. Students then evaluate measurement systems to decide the best measurement size. This disguised learning,  interactive lesson is a great way for physical education teachers to add STEM into their PE classes.
• Weather and Exercise: Students observe and record weather patterns over a week and discuss how different weather conditions affect physical activities. This integrates meteorology into PE, allowing students to see the real-world application of science in their everyday activities.
• Heart Rate Exploration: After engaging in various exercises, students measure their heart rates to learn about the cardiovascular system and the science behind exercise. This activity not only educates them about their bodies, but about the importance of physical fitness in maintaining health.
• Playground Physics: Utilizing playground equipment, this activity allows students to explore concepts like gravity, force, and motion. They can experience firsthand how these physical laws impact their play and movements, turning the playground into a living laboratory.

As students enter middle school, their capacity for more complex and abstract thinking grows significantly. This developmental stage is an ideal time to introduce more intricate STEM concepts through physical education, enhancing their learning experience with practical applications. The following STEM activities are tailored for middle school students, offering a blend of intellectual challenge and physical engagement. These activities are designed to pique students’ curiosity in STEM fields through the familiar and enjoyable medium of sports and physical exercises. By participating in these activities, students not only deepen their understanding of STEM concepts, but learn valuable lessons in teamwork, problem-solving, and the practical application of classroom knowledge to real-world scenarios. Here’s a look at some stimulating and educational STEM activities for middle school PE:

• Sports Statistics Analysis: Students gather and analyze sports statistics from games or physical activities. This teaches them about data collection, interpretation, and the importance of statistics in understanding and improving athletic performance.
• STEM Football: During a lesson in STEM Football, students collect and graph data of a controlled experiment by using a line graph. Students then explain the relationship between kinetic energy and mass by writing a claim evidence supported by evidence-based reasoning from class data. This lesson highlights the strong classroom connection between physical education and STEM learning, and how it can help create tangible examples for students.
• Energy and Movement: This activity focuses on the concept of kinetic and potential energy in the context of sports. Students explore how energy is transferred and transformed during different physical activities, such as running, jumping, or throwing a ball.
• Biomechanics of Sports: Here, students delve into the study of human movement and mechanics in various sports. They learn about the science behind athletic performance, injury prevention , and how athletes optimize their movements for maximum efficiency and safety.
• Mathletics Relay: A relay race where each leg involves solving a math problem before passing the baton. This combines physical fitness with mathematical skills, emphasizing quick thinking and teamwork.
• Technology in Sports Training: Students explore how technology is increasingly used in sports training and performance analysis. They might look at wearable tech, video analysis software, or other tools that help athletes improve their skills and coaches to make informed decisions.

High school students, with their advanced cognitive skills and heightened interests, are well-positioned to tackle complex STEM challenges through physical education. This section of the curriculum is designed to offer high school learners in-depth, hands-on experiences that combine higher-level STEM concepts with physical activities and sports. These advanced activities are not just about physical exertion; they require students to engage in critical thinking, problem-solving, and creative innovation. They provide an opportunity for students to see the real-world applications of the STEM knowledge they acquire in their classrooms, bridging the gap between theoretical learning and practical implementation. By participating in these activities, high school students can gain a deeper understanding of various STEM fields, such as physics, engineering, biotechnology, and environmental science, observing how these disciplines intersect with sports and physical fitness. Here are some challenging and intellectually stimulating STEM activities designed for high school learners:

• Physics of Sports Equipment Design: Students research and discuss the physics principles involved in the design of sports equipment. This can include topics like material science, aerodynamics, and ergonomics, providing insights into how equipment is optimized for performance and safety.
• Engineering a Miniature Golf Course: Students design and construct a miniature golf course, applying concepts of geometry, physics, and design. This project not only involves creativity, but a practical application of STEM principles by creating functional and enjoyable mini-golf holes.
• Sports Analytics Project: Students undertake a project to analyze a sports game using statistical methods and tools. This activity introduces them to data science in sports, teaching them how to interpret and use data to understand game strategies and player performance.
• Biotechnology in Athletics: This topic explores how biotechnology is used in sports, from equipment design to performance enhancement techniques. Students might study material innovations, genetic research in athletics, or the ethical implications of biotechnology in sports.
• Environmental Science in Outdoor Sports: Students analyze how environmental factors impact outdoor sports activities. They can study topics like climate change, pollution, and natural terrain, understanding the interplay between sports and the environment.
• Virtual Reality Sports Training: Students explore how VR technology is being used for skill development, strategy training, and injury rehabilitation in various sports by discussing the emerging role of virtual reality in sports.

Bringing STEM into PE classes effectively requires the right resources, including technology tools, educational kits, and comprehensive guides. Resources like the STEM Sports® kits provide ready-to-use activities that seamlessly blend physical education with STEM learning. These kits offer an invaluable resource for teachers looking to enrich their curriculum and engage K-8 students through a cross-curricular learning approach. For additional resources, tools, and innovative ideas, please visit STEM Sports® .

• +1 (602) 845-0316
• 1601 N. 7th Street Suite 400 Phoenix, AZ 85006

Quick Links

• Privacy Policy

Join Our Mailing List

And get access to exclusive offers and content

Do you wish to stay up-to-date with STEM Sports®?

Sign up below to receive the latest information on our STEM education, curriculum and available resources. 

Using Project Based Learning in Physical Education

Project Based Learning (PBL) often seems best suited for academic subjects, and when it comes to physical education and play, it's difficult to see how PBL fits. But with a closer look at Gold Standard PBL , and some creative planning, projects have a place in the gym or on the ball field as much as they do in the classroom. Here are some ideas and tips.

Ensure that Physical Education Is Happening

One reason PBL is not often brought into PE classes is that it’s difficult to find a way to encourage physical activity while working on a project. It’s easy to think of projects about health and wellness that may connect to PE class – such as “create a plan for a healthy lifestyle” – but those do not typically involve actual physical activity. While it may require some creativity, it is possible to ensure students are getting physically active while problem solving, conducting inquiry, creating a product, and all the other elements of PBL.

In an article from Whole Child , Andrew Miller explained one way this could work. He presented a scenario where high school seniors were given the task of creating PE units for middle school students, with the goal of encouraging the seniors to apply concepts and strategies they learned in their own PE education to create an engaging unit appropriate for middle school students, similar to those the PE teachers themselves would create. As the students focused on effective solutions, they were required to perform the activities in their unit to ensure that exercise and play were encouraged and achieved, and to prove the units would provide an adequate level of activity.

Create a Compelling Problem or Question

The central focus of Gold Standard PBL is giving students a problem or question they have to answer through the project. The problem or question has to go beyond simple knowledge — it needs to require students to apply the knowledge they have gained.

In Miller's example, the high school seniors, through experience and instruction, knew what activity and play looked like. They were also provided instruction on standards from the National Association for Sports and Physical Education that showed measurable ways they could determine if physical activity and appropriate learning were taking place.

Keep the Task Open Ended

Reflection and student voice and choice are crucial parts of PBL. For a PE classroom attempting to include PBL, keeping the challenge or task open ended is essential; this is done best by asking students to craft something new. Instead of simply quoting back knowledge, they will be involved in inquiry and innovation.

Consider a unit that asks students to create a new game for the class. The teacher may have their students include a skill they’re working on to help them practice, such as dribbling the ball, cardio stamina or one of the NASPE standards. The students are then given free rein to experiment and create, designing a game that will incorporate the skill. The open-ended nature of the challenge makes experimentation natural. Similar ideas include planning and conducting an Olympic Games with original events, or designing and using a running course around the campus (or out in the community, if possible) with obstacles or exercise stations with varying levels of challenge.

Use Peer Feedback

Peer feedback works well in the PE classroom. In the example of a student creating a new game, the class can be asked to play the game. This gives the students more physical activity, and also gives the game's creator crucial feedback as to what works and what doesn’t. Revision, another important spoke on the Gold Standard wheel, is often necessary to perfect the game.

Know the Educational Goal

While the student's main goal is to create and present a product, the entire project needs to center on the unit’s educational goal. From the beginning, teachers should have a clear understanding of what they hope to accomplish through the PBL process, whether it’s meeting PE curriculum standards or seeing students excited and engaged by physical activity.

PBL is effective because it involves the students on a deeper level, providing them with real-world skills they can take into college and beyond. Both of these benefits make it worth considering as an addition to the traditional gym class.

Do you have ideas for projects in PE? Make a comment below!

Don't miss a thing! Get PBL resources, tips and news delivered to your inbox.

PE Game Ideas and Resources

The PE Game Ideas section provides you with Physical Education resources which will help you to plan PE Warm Up Games, PE Tag Games, PE Thinking Games, and PE Coordination Games. Within each section you will find a whole range of different games which will excite and challenge your students. Each PE Game outlines what equipment is required, how to set the game up, how to play the game and how to differentiate the game. The resources can be downloaded and can support your PE planning. Lots of the resources are free.  Click below to explore each section:

Teaching Resources

Thinking Games

Warm Up Games

Coordination  Games

Christmas PE Games

• How to Teach

How to Teach Tennis

When teaching Tennis in Physical Education lessons, it is helpful to have a range of activities, teaching models and styles in the toolbox to help ensure students make great progress. Tennis lessons can be delivered in a range of ways depending upon the age, group size, resources available and your level of knowledge of the game.

Due to the complexity of tennis, most PE classes will have a vast disparity of abilities. From students who have been coached for years to those who may have never played in their lives. Thus, you will need a range of activities and tasks in order that all students are optimally challenged. From individual skill activities, cooperative tasks and rallies, to skill specific activities. It may also be advantageous with older students to utilize the experience in the class by adopting a 'Cooperative Learning' teaching model such as 'Jigsaw'. By which, students can be in mixed ability teams/base groups where they practice and develop skills together cooperatively. After they can compete against members from other teams/base groups of similar abilities . Whereas, with less able students it may be more beneficial to use a more 'traditional' teaching model where pupils progress through a range of teacher led activities and skills before progressing to playing games.

Below are a few Tennis activities, example skill card and teaching considerations taken from the ‘Full Tennis Pack’ that you can use in your lessons.

Activity: Volley bump

• EQUIPMENT: x6-12 balls per group, rackets
• SPACE: Half- or Full-court Tennis
• DURATION: 7-10 mins
• GROUPINGS: 6-10

Description: four pairs facing each other either side of the net. Pair A aim is to volley the ball 14 times in a row, Pair B = 16x, Pair C = 18x, Pair D = 22x. All volleys start at the same time, the first pair to make their specified number in a row calls ‘bump!’, in this case the winning pair bumps up one space, and the other team bumps down one space. The aim is to get to the top position and get 22 volleys before anyone else. If this happens, your pair gets one point and then performs a super bump i.e., they go to position A, and everyone moves up one space. Good competitive game, can be used for ground strokes too.

Teaching Points

• Use a “chopper/axe” grip
• React to the side ball is coming at you
• Use a split step and step into the shot
• Drive your arms forward and fast
• When is a good time to use a volley?
• What do you aim the ball when volleying?
• Why is volleying an important skill to develop in tennis?

Activity: KING, QUEEN, JACK, PAUPER

• EQUIPMENT: x4-12 balls per group
• DURATION: 8-15 mins
• GROUPINGS: 4-7's

Description: Pupils are in groups of 4-7 and start in one of four positions ‘King’, ‘Queen’, ‘Jack’ or ‘Pauper’. The game starts with a rally serve by the pauper (serve doesn’t have to be diagonal), and the ball is played as a doubles game until the point is won. Whichever, player loses the point goes off the court and a new pauper enters. If the King loses the point, then every player moves up (Queen becomes King, Jack becomes Queen and so on). If the Pauper loses the point, then players don’t move up to a new position, but goes to the back of the line. The aim of the game is to get to the King’s position and accumulate as many wins as possible as King.

Alternative: Alternatively, instead of a rally serve, the ball could be fed in from the net by a fellow student waiting their turn or by a teacher. See positions below:

• Dribble with head up
• Dribble below waist
• Alternate between hands
• Avoid dribbling violations (carrying, double-dribble, travelling)
• Where is the best contact point?
• How do you hit the ball higher or lower?
• How can you make the ball move in different directions?

Skill Card: Forehand

Skill Cards: When teaching Tennis it can be extremely useful for students to use skill cards to deepen their understanding of complex skills. For example, when trying to teach students how to execute a Forehand groundstroke they could use the above skill card to learn about the technique with a partner. Then they can take turns practicing the skill whilst their partner observes and gives feedback. This is an example of a 'Reciprocal Teaching Style' which you can learn more about in our 'Teaching Styles' article.

Teaching Considerations

Teaching Considerations: When teaching any activity to children it is important to consider: What grade are they in? What type of ball should they use? How long should the Tennis racket be? Court size? Net height? We hope that the above table will help you answer those questions quickly and confidently.

Would you like more Tennis activities? Download the Full Tennis Pack with over 40 Tennis activities that are appropriate for using in PE lessons. Our pack will help you deliver high-quality Tennis lessons for Phys Ed! It has been developed by highly-qualified and experienced PE teachers for specialists and non-specialists alike who want to deliver the best Tennis lessons where students can make exceptional progress.

In the Full Tennis Pack by the PE Project you will find:

• Over 40 Tennis activities
• Skill Cards
• Lesson Plans
• Assessment Criteria for Elementary, Middle-School, and High-School
• Tennis Rules
• Non-doer sheets
• Plus lots of additional extras like questions, teaching recommendations, differentiation strategies.

The Full Tennis Pack

Follow us on Twitter

Follow us on Facebook

Follow us on Instagram

Free Soccer activities for your Phys Ed. lessons.

Free Basketball activities for your Phys Ed. lessons.

Free Track & Field activities for your Phys Ed. lessons.

Free Volleyball activities for your Phys Ed. lessons.

Free FMS activities for your Phys Ed. lessons.

Free Fitness activities for your Phys Ed. lessons.

Implementing PBL in PE Classes

Physical education performances and playing the whole game.

Many schools have been looking to implement project-based learning, or PBL, for improved student learning. In this instructional approach, students are first presented with a real-world problem or issue with the goal of crafting a solution or response. During the process of developing their response through questioning, research, ideation, and solution building, students develop a host of other essential life skills such as collaboration, leadership and project management.

PBL is a powerful approach to content learning, but does that mean physical education should jump on board as well? Here are a few things to consider.

Project vs. Performance

The vocabulary of project-based learning often gets in the way of using this approach in a variety of settings, especially physical education. PE is about activity and building movement skills with your body and brain, not sitting at a desk working on a project. An easy solution is to insert the word performance every time you encounter the word project . A similar terminology switch can be helpful in music and the arts too.

The language of performance-based assessments is a place to start. What can you ask students to do to demonstrate proficiency? This could be a performance or a product and oftentimes the lines are blurred. For example, acting for a video is a performance, making a speech to local business owners is a performance, even writing a letter to persuade local government officials is a performance.

PBL in the PE Classroom

According to the SHAPEAmerica standards, the goal of physical education is to "develop physically literate individuals who have the knowledge, skills and confidence to enjoy a lifetime of healthful physical activity."

While this goal certainly does not state one needs to meet standards with a project or PBL, it also does not state play basketball. But basketball is a part of many PE programs because it is a way to help students meet this goal, and more specifically:

• [demonstrate] competency in a variety of motor skills and movement patterns.
• [apply] knowledge of concepts, principles, strategies and tactics related to movement and performance.

PBL offers similar opportunities.

UN Sustainable Development Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were approved by all member nations in 2015. The 17 SDGs are designed to promote peace and prosperity for all people now and in the future. The third goal, Good Health and Well-Being is perfectly suited to the goals of the Physical Education Curriculum.

Specifically, SDG Goal 3 encourages the world to develop solutions that "ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages." The wording of this goal opens up a range of possibilities for "products" that meet the goals of physical education as well.

For example, students in PE classes could:

• Develop fitness courses and signage for their school or community.
• Work with their food service department to design a healthy school lunch menu .
• Raise awareness and promote mental health.
• Use 3D printers to construct prosthetic hands for those who can't afford them.
• Develop PSAs to promote health and safety .
• Partner with a local sports team to apply their strategies to improving fitness community-wide.

Find Connections to Other Subjects

You might also connect fitness, health, and safety topics to learning in other subjects. For example, physics teachers at Dripping Springs High School in Texas asked students to help improve the free throw percentages of players on their basketball team. Students dissected a specific player's free throw shooting to determine if the issue might be trajectory or force, mapping out the parabola and making physics-based suggestions for improvement.

While this was a physics classroom, PE students can certainly benefit from using properties of physics to improve their own sports performance. Similarly, athletes benefit from knowledge of structure, function, body systems, and nutrition.

Students in history class at South Doyle High School in Tennessee noticed a lack of sidewalks in their community, impacting both safety and possibilities for active lifestyles. After a visit by a city engineer, students quickly learned about budgets and the criteria for constructing new sidewalks.

While PE needs to include physical activity and movement, tackling health requires skills that may not normally shine during a typical PE class. This allows many kids to participate in physical education classes in ways they wouldn't otherwise normally, forming better connections between students and valuing a range of skills for athletic and non-athletic students.

Use Big Ideas to Guide Instructional Design

Any great PBL addresses a big idea and involves an interesting question or challenge to drive student motivation and engagement. Start by considering big ideas and essential questions in physical education, like:

• How can you take care of yourself?
• What does it mean to be healthy?
• What motivates a person to be healthy?

Use the big ideas to drive instructional goals and help you develop more specific questions to drive student work. For example, the essential question of "What does it mean to be physically fit?" can be made into more specific and actionable driving questions like:

• How can I personally increase and maintain proper fitness?
• Can I design a game to make fitness or skill practice more fun?
• How can I motivate someone else to increase and maintain proper fitness?

Even better, kick off a unit by asking that question to students and let them come up with more specific applications and questions to drive their work, boosting motivation, engagement, ownership and responsibility.

PE Educators as PBL Leaders

Connecting PBL to the content area of physical education may not be obvious, but it is easy to connect the pedagogy of the PE teachers. I might even argue that many sites implement PBL in order to make core learning a lot more like the experience students have in PE!

PE teachers are uniquely qualified to support a PBL approach. Why? Consider David Perkins's statement, "You don't learn to play baseball by a year of batting practice." In his book, Making Learning Whole , Perkins describes the often " elementis " nature of academics, where students are taught individual pieces (rules, theories, and procedures) with the promise that they will learn them later in high school or college.

Physical education doesn't ask students to wait, students learn to play sports, not just develop specific sports skills. While students may practice skills, they are quickly applied and learned more deeply through playing the whole game and in doing so:

• make the game worth playing,
• provide obvious reasons to work on the hard parts,
• play out of town (use it in different contexts),
• help reveal the hidden game, and
• learn from the team (social, interactive, and interdependent).

Grant Wiggins words it similarly:

"In athletics this is very clear: the game is the curriculum; the game is the teacher. And each game is different (even as helpful patterns emerge). Knowledge about the game is secondary, an offshoot of learning to play the game well. As I learn to play, knowledge — about rules, strategy, and technique — accrues, but it is not the point."

This doesn't mean "gamify" the classroom, but being clear that the goal of classroom learning isn't knowledge about a subject, but using that knowledge in order to actively think like a mathematician, inquire like a scientist, or work as a historian.

Instead of asking PE teachers to implement PBL, consider asking them to coach and model a more performance-based approach to learning for the ELA, math, science, and social studies teachers working to take a PBL approach to learning.

In Conclusion

Before you ask physical education classes to implement PBL, consider the goals of PBL and the nature of physical education. By asking PE teachers to implement classroom projects, we can actually encourage them to move away from the student-centered, powerful nature of PBL by moving to an " aboutis " form of learning where students end up telling us about a sport without "taking part in the processes that created that knowledge."

PBL does, however, provide powerful opportunities for students to become physically literate, understanding the benefits of involvement in physical activity and understanding how it contributes to overall health.

by Melinda Kolk

Melinda Kolk ( @melindak ) is the Editor of Creative Educator and the author of Teaching with Clay Animation . She has been helping educators implement project-based learning and creative technologies like clay animation into classroom teaching and learning for the past 15 years.

Project-based Learning Professional Development

Creative Educator can help you bring project-based learning to your school.

• What is PBL and why do it?
• Make It Matter! Move it from projects to project-based learning
• Developing the questions for project-based learning
• Write a Great Authentic Task
• It's the Process, Not the Product
• Assessing Project Work
• Formative assessment during project-based learning
• Collaboration
• PBL and Presentations of Learning

Six ways to implement digital storytelling

Get the most out of collaboration during student project work

The glorious, wonderful, empty page

Make It Matter! Move from projects to project-based learning

More sites to help you find success in your classroom

Share your ideas, imagination, and understanding through writing, art, voice, and video.

Rubric Maker

Create custom rubrics for your classroom.

Pics4Learning

A curated, copyright-friendly image library that is safe and free for education.

Write, record, and illustrate a sentence.

Interactive digital worksheets for grades K-8 to use in Brightspace or Canvas.

Professional Learning

Digital Storytelling

21st Century Classrooms

Project-based Learning

Teaching and Learning

Informational Text

English Language Aquisition

Language Arts

Social Studies

Visual Arts

© 2024 Tech4Learning, Inc | All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy

© 2024 Tech4Learning, Inc | All Rights Reserved | https://www.thecreativeeducator.com

A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

A lock ( ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

• Physical Activity in Daily Life
• About Physical Activity
• Increasing Physical Activity
• Built Environment Assessment Tool Manual
• Data & Statistics for Physical Activity
• Reports and Featured Research
• Community Design Examples
• Physical Activity Fact Sheets and Infographics
• Guidelines and Recommended Strategies
• Community Design Resources
• Community Design Definitions
• Military Readiness
• Stairwell Ideas
• Community Design Visual Guide

Strategies for School and Youth Programs

• Comprehensive school physical activity programs use a combination of strategies to increase physical activity before, during, and after school.
• See approaches you can take, examples of what others have done, and resources.

Comprehensive physical activity programs may include physical education, recess, classroom physical activity, staff involvement in employee wellness programs, and family and community engagement. By implementing a comprehensive physical activity program, schools help students get the recommended 60 minutes of daily physical activity.

Comprehensive physical education

Physical education (PE) is a K–12 academic subject. It provides standards-based curricula to develop students' knowledge and behaviors for physical activity, physical fitness, and motor skills. Schools can develop and carry out comprehensive PE policies for daily physical activity . This will prepare students to be physically active at school and beyond.

Opportunities before, during, and after school

In addition to quality physical education, schools can carry out recess and classroom policies to ensure students are physically active during the day. Physical activity before and after school might include:

• Physical activity clubs.
• Intramural programs (recreational sports for fun).
• Interscholastic sports (competitive sports between schools).
• Access to team and individual sports.
• Physical activity in before- and after-school programs.

Working together

• Achieving Impact on Childhood Obesity: Georgia Shape's 'Power Up for 30'
• Schools Work to Make Physical Education Count in Suburban Chicago, Illinois
• Afterschool Programs Expand Opportunities for Obesity Prevention in Boston, Massachusetts

Community Preventive Services Task Force recommendations

Enhanced School-Based Physical Education

Classroom-based Physical Activity Break Interventions

Classroom-based Physical Activity Lesson Interventions

Comprehensive School Physical Activity Programs: A Guide for Schools How to develop, implement, and evaluate comprehensive school physical activity programs.

Increasing Physical Education and Physical Activity: A Framework for Schools Identifies key opportunities and resources for professional development to help schools implement the framework.

Inclusive School Physical Education and Physical Activity * How to create an inclusive culture for physical education and physical activity in schools.

Infographic: Benefits of school-based physical activity How 60 minutes of daily moderate-to-vigorous physical activity can benefit students, teachers, and the community.

Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT) Self-assessment and planning guide helps school districts and schools conduct clear, complete, and consistent analyses of physical education curricula.

Strengthen Physical Education in Schools data brief Snapshot of current U.S. physical education practices and ways to improve physical education.

Opportunities before, during, or after school

Healthy Out-of-School Time Assessment * Track what schools are already doing and highlight opportunities for improvement.

Strategies for Classroom Physical Activity in Schools Describes 10 evidence-based strategies to promote and plan classroom physical activity. Also see A Guide for Putting Strategies into Practice .

Strategies for Recess in Schools How to plan and provide recess in schools to increase physical activity participation.

Youth Compendium of Physical Activities List of 196 common youth activities and their estimated energy cost. It can be used for research, public health policies, and education.

*Can be used to help address equitable and inclusive access to physical activity.

Want additional tips and resources to be active? Learn about Active People, Healthy Nation SM , CDC’s national initiative to help people be more physically active.

Physical Activity

Physical activity is vital throughout life. See strategies, data, and resources to increase physical activity in states and communities.

For Everyone

Public health.

All Formats

Resource types, all resource types.

• Rating Count
• Price (Ascending)
• Price (Descending)
• Most Recent

Physical education projects

Complete Kindergarten - Grade 2 PE Games - Elementary physical education lessons

Winter and Summer Olympics PE Activities Bundle

PE Unit Plans Bundle | Grade 2, 3, 4 or 5

48 Sports Mandala Coloring Pages

Fast Food Nutrition Lessons for Teen Healthy Eating: 4 Lessons!

Health & Wellness Presentation Assignment

• Word Document File
• Internet Activities

Mental and Physical Health for Elementary

• Google Apps™

Kobe Bryant Collaboration Poster

Build Your Own Field Day! Project Based Learning (PBL) Print & Distance Learning

Sports Craft | Football Player | Super Bowl 2024 | Super Bowl Activities

Philadelphia Phillies Phanatic Baseball Hat

Inquiry Based Learning Project: VAPING

Celebrity Mental Illness Research Project | Mental Health | Distance Learning

• Google Docs™

Summer Games 2024 Activity: Sports Torch Craft, Template, & Writing Prompts

• Easel Activity

Vaping QR Code Activities: Smoking, Laws, Juuls, E-Cigarettes, Drug Addiction

The Mini-Golf Sculpture Project!

Nutrition Project for Health Class with Learning Menu, Choice Board, and More

Sports Craft | Basketball Player Craft | Sport Activities | Basketball Activity

New Alberta Curriculum - Grade 6 Health and Wellness - Healthy Relationship Unit

Physical Education Create a Game Project | No Prep

Celebrity Graveyard Drug & Alcohol Death Project, Health, Addiction, NO-PREP!

• Google Slides™

The Health Triangle Lesson/Project- Basic Health | Physical, Mental and Social

Dance Research Project

Health Ontario Curriculum Healthy Eating Projects Grades 5, 6, and 7

Olympics Bundle: 5 Resources (Writing, Research, Word Searches, Commercial Skit)

Sports Craft | Baseball Player Craft | Sport Activities | Baseball Activities

High School Nutrition Project

Make a Tik Tok: Mental Health + Social-Emotional Learning | Social Media Project

• We're hiring
• Help & FAQ
• Privacy policy
• Student privacy
• Terms of service
• Tell us what you think

Are you seeking one-on-one college counseling and/or essay support? Limited spots are now available. Click here to learn more.

60 Senior Project Ideas for High School Students – 2024

May 13, 2024

Many high school students look forward to the exciting moment of choosing a senior project. This makes sense since senior projects provide opportunities for students to direct what they’ve learned into something they care about, and to take their academic interests beyond the classroom. At the same time, deciding what to pursue can be nerve-wracking. After all the anticipation, when it finally comes time to decide on a project, students might ask themselves, now what ? If you find yourself in this dilemma, or if you could just use some further inspiration, continue reading for a list of 60 senior project ideas for high school students. Once you find a senior project idea that catches your eye, you can always put your own spin on it, or use it to inspire projects on topics outside this list.

What is a senior project?

Put simply, a senior project is a semester-long project you take on in your final year of high school. So, what counts as a senior project? This can vary widely. While different schools have different requirements (for example, some high schools expect students to focus specifically on internship experiences), the assignments tend to be pretty flexible. In the senior project ideas listed below, you will find suggestions ranging from assisting a science researcher, to interning at a local museum, to organizing an academic tutoring program, to helping with community voter registration. The final outputs for senior projects may also vary in form, from guidebooks, to plays, to research papers, and apps.

Considerations when choosing a senior project

Because a senior project is often seen as the culmination of your high school experience, you should choose a topic that reflects your passions and interests. At the same time, it’s an opportunity to develop new skills and challenge yourself as you prepare for your next steps after graduation. Whether you have plans to begin a 4-year university program, enroll in a 2-year degree program , take a gap year , or start a new job, a senior project can prepare you with experience that you wouldn’t receive in your high school classes in an ordinary semester.

Here are a few questions you can ask yourself when thinking of a senior project idea:

• What field or career do you wish to pursue? If you’re not sure, what are 2-3 fields that you could possibly see yourself pursuing at this point in your life?
• What world issues do you care most about? Climate change? LGBTQIA+ rights? Accessible healthcare? If thinking about a particular issue sparks a passion, this could be a great place to start.
• Based on your high school coursework experience, could you see yourself spending extra time on an artistic project? A science-based one? A research paper with a political theme?
• What do you enjoy doing in your free time? Volunteering with kids? Hiking and camping? Dancing? Cooking? Perhaps you can orient your senior project to something that you already know brings you joy.

60 senior project ideas

Below you can find 60 high school senior project ideas, divided into some general categories that might help you focus your search. As you read through, feel free to stick to these exact ideas or use them to inspire other ones.

Business – Senior Project Idea

• Write a printed or virtual guidebook to small local businesses in your area, including descriptions, photographs phone numbers and social media accounts.
• Help a local business with an advertising campaign, through local news outlets and social media.
• Develop a mentorship program to help those who are searching for jobs with resumes, interviews, and cover letters.
• Intern at a start-up based in your area.
• Write a research paper about models for sustainable businesses.
• Organize an after-school program that helps students learn financial literacy.

Community service

• Organize a ride service to bring elderly community members to and from doctor’s appointments, or to provide them with groceries and other needs.
• Volunteer at a local soup kitchen.
• Organize a food drive at your school.
• Create a social media campaign for a local animal shelter to raise awareness.
• Collaborate with a local charity or non-profit with a mission you believe in to organize a fundraiser.
• Collect school supplies and art supplies for families in need.

Creative writing – Senior Project Ideas

• Write and illustrate a children’s book.
• Create a handmade poetry book.
• Intern at a small local publisher or magazine.
• Work to translate a short story or poem to another language.
• Write a screenplay for a short film.
• Start a school literary magazine that accepts student submissions of poems, essays, and short stories. Organize a team so that the magazine can continue after you graduate.
• Organize a peer tutoring program at your school for students who need extra help with writing, languages, or math.
• Construct a free library box in your neighborhood so that more people have access to books.
• Volunteer at a local elementary school to help children with their homework after school.
• Work with a local senior center to teach a foreign language to residents.
• Develop a website or app for students to match with language partners for practicing conversation skills.
• Start a visual or performing arts class for children in your community.

Environmentalism- Senior Project Ideas

• Design and build a sustainable garden.
• Organize a community clean-up day, or a series of community clean-up days, at a local park or waterfront.
• Organize an Earth Day festival at your school. This could involve live music and performance, environmental art displays, local vegetarian food, and sustainable clothing swaps.
• Write a research paper on one thing that contributes to climate change, as well as potential solutions.
• Write a guidebook to local parks and hiking trails so that locals and visitors alike can appreciate these outdoor spots.
• Create a fashion line with all reused materials.
• Research historic sites in your neighborhood or town, and write a printed or online guidebook to these points of local history.
• Record a podcast on the history of one of your hobbies (fashion? sports?) Contact an expert on this history to ask if you can interview them on the podcast.
• Write a research paper on the history of a particular protest movement.
• Write and direct a short play with a contemporary take on a historical event that interests you.
• Create a documentary film on the history of your community (school, town, etc.), and organize a community screening.
• Intern at a local history museum.

Performing Arts – Senior Project Ideas

• Write and record an original song.
• Write, direct, and show a one-act play.
• Organize a community dance performance with student choreographers and performers, featuring a range of different styles.
• Volunteer to help with accessibility needs (theater access, live captioning, etc.) at a local theater.
• Organize a school comedy night or talent show that benefits a charity of your choice.
• Research the history of a film genre, and direct a short film that reflects this genre.
• Intern for a local political newspaper or magazine.
• Volunteer on the campaign of a local candidate.
• Create an online blog to write on a political issue you care about, or write a series of op-eds for a local newspaper.
• Write a research paper on a local problem (housing prices, green space, voting access) that discusses possible solutions to this problem.
• Create a Model UN or Mock Trial team at your school if one doesn’t already exist.
• Help teens and other community members register to vote.

Science and medicine – Senior Project Ideas

• Build a Rube Goldberg machine .
• Work in the lab of a STEM professor at a nearby university who works on a topic you’re interested in.
• Research a community health problem (drug safety, air/water quality, nutritional food access) and develop solutions with the help of local politicians and/or medical experts. Create a research paper, blog, or documentary film on your findings.
• Assist at a doctor’s office or hospital by helping to translate for patients who are non-native English speakers.
• Design an architectural structure (for example, a house or bridge) and build a 3D model.
• Organize a technology support group at your school to make technology more accessible and help with easy tech repairs.

Visual arts

• Design a mural for your school to highlight an aspect of the school culture or commemorate an important moment in its history.
• Intern at a local art museum and learn how to give a tour of its current exhibits.
• Organize the collaborative building of a sculpture at your school made of all reused or found objects.
• Offer to take wedding or senior photographs for those who might not be able to afford a professional photographer.
• Study a famous painter, and then create a series of paintings (or art of another medium) based on, or in response to, their works.
• Create a school-wide photography exhibition, with a theme of your choosing.

Senior Project Ideas – Final thoughts

We hope that this list has sparked inspiration for your high school senior project. Remember that while senior projects are important (and hopefully fun) opportunities to culminate your high school experience, you don’t need to do it all in one project! If you’re inspired by more than one of these project ideas, hold onto them for years to come or pursue them as summer internships .

If you’re interested in more project ideas for high school students, we recommend the following articles:

• 100 Examples of Community Service Projects
• 98 Passion Project Ideas
• 100 Best Clubs to Start in High School
• Persuasive Speech Topics
• High School Success

Sarah Mininsohn

With a BA from Wesleyan University and an MFA from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Sarah is a writer, educator, and artist. She served as a graduate instructor at the University of Illinois, a tutor at St Peter’s School in Philadelphia, and an academic writing tutor and thesis mentor at Wesleyan’s Writing Workshop.

• 2-Year Colleges
• Application Strategies
• Best Colleges by Major
• Best Colleges by State
• Big Picture
• Career & Personality Assessment
• College Essay
• College Search/Knowledge
• College Success
• Costs & Financial Aid
• Data Visualizations
• Dental School Admissions
• Extracurricular Activities
• Graduate School Admissions
• High Schools
• Law School Admissions
• Medical School Admissions
• Navigating the Admissions Process
• Online Learning
• Private High School Spotlight
• Summer Program Spotlight
• Summer Programs
• Teacher Tools
• Test Prep Provider Spotlight

“Innovative and invaluable…use this book as your college lifeline.”

— Lynn O'Shaughnessy

Nationally Recognized College Expert

College Planning in Your Inbox

Join our information-packed monthly newsletter.

• Browse By Category
• View ALL Lessons
• Submit Your Idea
• Shop Lesson Books
• Search our Lessons
• Browse All Assessments
• New Assessments
• Paper & Pencil Assessments
• Alternative Assessments
• Student Assessments
• View Kids Work
• Submit Your Ideas
• Browse All Best Practices
• New Best Practices
• How BPs Work
• Most Popular
• Alphabetical
• Submit Your Best Practice
• Browse All Prof. Dev.
• Online PD Courses
• Onsite Workshops
• Hall of Shame
• Becoming a PE Teacher
• PE Articles
• Defending PE
• Substitute Guidelines
• Online Classes
• PE Research
• Browse All Boards
• Board of the Week
• Submit Your Bulletin Board
• Browse All Class Mngt
• Lesson Ideas
• New Teacher Tips
• Reducing Off-Task Behavior
• Browse All Videos
• Find Grants
• Kids Quote of the Week
• Weekly Activities
• Advertise on PEC
• FREE Newsletter

PE Central has partnered with S&S Discount Sports to provide a full range of sports and PE products for your program.

Get Free Shipping plus 15% OFF on orders over $59! Use offer code B4260. Shop Now!

• Shop Online Courses:
• Classroom Management
• Integrating Literacy & Math
• Grad Credit
• All PE Courses

• Cooperative Fitness Challenge
• Cooperative Skills Challenge
• Log It (Activity Tracker)

• Instant Activities
• Grades 9-12
• Dance of the Month
• Special Events Menu
• Cues/Performance Tips
• College Lessons
• Search All Lessons

• Paper & Pencil Assessments
• Shop Assessment

• How BP's Work

• Shop Bulletin Board Books

• Apps for PE Main Menu
• Submit Your App
• Ask our App Expert
• Active Gaming

• What is Adapted PE
• Ask Our Expert
• Adapting Activities
• IEP Information
• Adapted Web Sites
• Shop Adapted Store

• PreK Lesson Ideas
• PreK Videos
• Homemade PreK PE Equip
• Shop PreK Books

• Shop Class Mngt Products

• Search Jobs
• Interview Questions
• Interview Tips
• Portfolio Development

• Becoming PE Teacher
• Fundraising/Grants

• New Products
• T-Shirts/Accessories
• Class Management
• Middle School
• High School
• Curriculums
• Limited Space

• Search Our Lessons

Last Updated

Lesson type, sub-category, activity name.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter and receive

physical education lesson ideas, assessment tips and more!

Your browser does not support iframes.

No thanks, I don't need to stay current on what works in physical education.

PE Central� Copyright � 1996-2020 All Rights Reserved

PE Central � 2516 Blossom Trl W Blacksburg, VA 24060 E-mail : [email protected] Phone : 540-953-1043 Fax : 540-301-0112

Copyright � 1996-2016 PE Central® www.pecentral.org All Rights Reserved Web Debut : 08/26/1996

• Yekaterinburg
• Novosibirsk
• Vladivostok

• Tours to Russia
• Practicalities
• Russia in Lists

Rusmania • Deep into Russia

Out of the Centre

Savvino-storozhevsky monastery and museum.

Zvenigorod's most famous sight is the Savvino-Storozhevsky Monastery, which was founded in 1398 by the monk Savva from the Troitse-Sergieva Lavra, at the invitation and with the support of Prince Yury Dmitrievich of Zvenigorod. Savva was later canonised as St Sabbas (Savva) of Storozhev. The monastery late flourished under the reign of Tsar Alexis, who chose the monastery as his family church and often went on pilgrimage there and made lots of donations to it. Most of the monastery’s buildings date from this time. The monastery is heavily fortified with thick walls and six towers, the most impressive of which is the Krasny Tower which also serves as the eastern entrance. The monastery was closed in 1918 and only reopened in 1995. In 1998 Patriarch Alexius II took part in a service to return the relics of St Sabbas to the monastery. Today the monastery has the status of a stauropegic monastery, which is second in status to a lavra. In addition to being a working monastery, it also holds the Zvenigorod Historical, Architectural and Art Museum.

Belfry and Neighbouring Churches

Located near the main entrance is the monastery's belfry which is perhaps the calling card of the monastery due to its uniqueness. It was built in the 1650s and the St Sergius of Radonezh’s Church was opened on the middle tier in the mid-17th century, although it was originally dedicated to the Trinity. The belfry's 35-tonne Great Bladgovestny Bell fell in 1941 and was only restored and returned in 2003. Attached to the belfry is a large refectory and the Transfiguration Church, both of which were built on the orders of Tsar Alexis in the 1650s.  

To the left of the belfry is another, smaller, refectory which is attached to the Trinity Gate-Church, which was also constructed in the 1650s on the orders of Tsar Alexis who made it his own family church. The church is elaborately decorated with colourful trims and underneath the archway is a beautiful 19th century fresco.

Nativity of Virgin Mary Cathedral

The Nativity of Virgin Mary Cathedral is the oldest building in the monastery and among the oldest buildings in the Moscow Region. It was built between 1404 and 1405 during the lifetime of St Sabbas and using the funds of Prince Yury of Zvenigorod. The white-stone cathedral is a standard four-pillar design with a single golden dome. After the death of St Sabbas he was interred in the cathedral and a new altar dedicated to him was added.

Under the reign of Tsar Alexis the cathedral was decorated with frescoes by Stepan Ryazanets, some of which remain today. Tsar Alexis also presented the cathedral with a five-tier iconostasis, the top row of icons have been preserved.

Tsaritsa's Chambers

The Nativity of Virgin Mary Cathedral is located between the Tsaritsa's Chambers of the left and the Palace of Tsar Alexis on the right. The Tsaritsa's Chambers were built in the mid-17th century for the wife of Tsar Alexey - Tsaritsa Maria Ilinichna Miloskavskaya. The design of the building is influenced by the ancient Russian architectural style. Is prettier than the Tsar's chambers opposite, being red in colour with elaborately decorated window frames and entrance.

At present the Tsaritsa's Chambers houses the Zvenigorod Historical, Architectural and Art Museum. Among its displays is an accurate recreation of the interior of a noble lady's chambers including furniture, decorations and a decorated tiled oven, and an exhibition on the history of Zvenigorod and the monastery.

Palace of Tsar Alexis

The Palace of Tsar Alexis was built in the 1650s and is now one of the best surviving examples of non-religious architecture of that era. It was built especially for Tsar Alexis who often visited the monastery on religious pilgrimages. Its most striking feature is its pretty row of nine chimney spouts which resemble towers.

Plan your next trip to Russia

Ready-to-book tours.

Your holiday in Russia starts here. Choose and book your tour to Russia.

REQUEST A CUSTOMISED TRIP

Looking for something unique? Create the trip of your dreams with the help of our experts.

40 Facts About Elektrostal

Written by Lanette Mayes

Modified & Updated: 19 May 2024

Reviewed by Jessica Corbett

Elektrostal is a vibrant city located in the Moscow Oblast region of Russia. With a rich history, stunning architecture, and a thriving community, Elektrostal is a city that has much to offer. Whether you are a history buff, nature enthusiast, or simply curious about different cultures, Elektrostal is sure to captivate you.

This article will provide you with 40 fascinating facts about Elektrostal, giving you a better understanding of why this city is worth exploring. From its origins as an industrial hub to its modern-day charm, we will delve into the various aspects that make Elektrostal a unique and must-visit destination.

So, join us as we uncover the hidden treasures of Elektrostal and discover what makes this city a true gem in the heart of Russia.

Key Takeaways:

• Elektrostal, known as the “Motor City of Russia,” is a vibrant and growing city with a rich industrial history, offering diverse cultural experiences and a strong commitment to environmental sustainability.
• With its convenient location near Moscow, Elektrostal provides a picturesque landscape, vibrant nightlife, and a range of recreational activities, making it an ideal destination for residents and visitors alike.

Known as the “Motor City of Russia.”

Elektrostal, a city located in the Moscow Oblast region of Russia, earned the nickname “Motor City” due to its significant involvement in the automotive industry.

Home to the Elektrostal Metallurgical Plant.

Elektrostal is renowned for its metallurgical plant, which has been producing high-quality steel and alloys since its establishment in 1916.

Boasts a rich industrial heritage.

Elektrostal has a long history of industrial development, contributing to the growth and progress of the region.

Founded in 1916.

The city of Elektrostal was founded in 1916 as a result of the construction of the Elektrostal Metallurgical Plant.

Located approximately 50 kilometers east of Moscow.

Elektrostal is situated in close proximity to the Russian capital, making it easily accessible for both residents and visitors.

Known for its vibrant cultural scene.

Elektrostal is home to several cultural institutions, including museums, theaters, and art galleries that showcase the city’s rich artistic heritage.

A popular destination for nature lovers.

Surrounded by picturesque landscapes and forests, Elektrostal offers ample opportunities for outdoor activities such as hiking, camping, and birdwatching.

Hosts the annual Elektrostal City Day celebrations.

Every year, Elektrostal organizes festive events and activities to celebrate its founding, bringing together residents and visitors in a spirit of unity and joy.

Has a population of approximately 160,000 people.

Elektrostal is home to a diverse and vibrant community of around 160,000 residents, contributing to its dynamic atmosphere.

Boasts excellent education facilities.

The city is known for its well-established educational institutions, providing quality education to students of all ages.

A center for scientific research and innovation.

Elektrostal serves as an important hub for scientific research, particularly in the fields of metallurgy, materials science, and engineering.

Surrounded by picturesque lakes.

The city is blessed with numerous beautiful lakes , offering scenic views and recreational opportunities for locals and visitors alike.

Well-connected transportation system.

Elektrostal benefits from an efficient transportation network, including highways, railways, and public transportation options, ensuring convenient travel within and beyond the city.

Famous for its traditional Russian cuisine.

Food enthusiasts can indulge in authentic Russian dishes at numerous restaurants and cafes scattered throughout Elektrostal.

Home to notable architectural landmarks.

Elektrostal boasts impressive architecture, including the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord and the Elektrostal Palace of Culture.

Offers a wide range of recreational facilities.

Residents and visitors can enjoy various recreational activities, such as sports complexes, swimming pools, and fitness centers, enhancing the overall quality of life.

Provides a high standard of healthcare.

Elektrostal is equipped with modern medical facilities, ensuring residents have access to quality healthcare services.

Home to the Elektrostal History Museum.

The Elektrostal History Museum showcases the city’s fascinating past through exhibitions and displays.

A hub for sports enthusiasts.

Elektrostal is passionate about sports, with numerous stadiums, arenas, and sports clubs offering opportunities for athletes and spectators.

Celebrates diverse cultural festivals.

Throughout the year, Elektrostal hosts a variety of cultural festivals, celebrating different ethnicities, traditions, and art forms.

Electric power played a significant role in its early development.

Elektrostal owes its name and initial growth to the establishment of electric power stations and the utilization of electricity in the industrial sector.

Boasts a thriving economy.

The city’s strong industrial base, coupled with its strategic location near Moscow, has contributed to Elektrostal’s prosperous economic status.

Houses the Elektrostal Drama Theater.

The Elektrostal Drama Theater is a cultural centerpiece, attracting theater enthusiasts from far and wide.

Popular destination for winter sports.

Elektrostal’s proximity to ski resorts and winter sport facilities makes it a favorite destination for skiing, snowboarding, and other winter activities.

Promotes environmental sustainability.

Elektrostal prioritizes environmental protection and sustainability, implementing initiatives to reduce pollution and preserve natural resources.

Home to renowned educational institutions.

Elektrostal is known for its prestigious schools and universities, offering a wide range of academic programs to students.

Committed to cultural preservation.

The city values its cultural heritage and takes active steps to preserve and promote traditional customs, crafts, and arts.

Hosts an annual International Film Festival.

The Elektrostal International Film Festival attracts filmmakers and cinema enthusiasts from around the world, showcasing a diverse range of films.

Encourages entrepreneurship and innovation.

Elektrostal supports aspiring entrepreneurs and fosters a culture of innovation, providing opportunities for startups and business development.

Offers a range of housing options.

Elektrostal provides diverse housing options, including apartments, houses, and residential complexes, catering to different lifestyles and budgets.

Home to notable sports teams.

Elektrostal is proud of its sports legacy, with several successful sports teams competing at regional and national levels.

Boasts a vibrant nightlife scene.

Residents and visitors can enjoy a lively nightlife in Elektrostal, with numerous bars, clubs, and entertainment venues.

Promotes cultural exchange and international relations.

Elektrostal actively engages in international partnerships, cultural exchanges, and diplomatic collaborations to foster global connections.

Surrounded by beautiful nature reserves.

Nearby nature reserves, such as the Barybino Forest and Luchinskoye Lake, offer opportunities for nature enthusiasts to explore and appreciate the region’s biodiversity.

Commemorates historical events.

The city pays tribute to significant historical events through memorials, monuments, and exhibitions, ensuring the preservation of collective memory.

Promotes sports and youth development.

Elektrostal invests in sports infrastructure and programs to encourage youth participation, health, and physical fitness.

Hosts annual cultural and artistic festivals.

Throughout the year, Elektrostal celebrates its cultural diversity through festivals dedicated to music, dance, art, and theater.

Provides a picturesque landscape for photography enthusiasts.

The city’s scenic beauty, architectural landmarks, and natural surroundings make it a paradise for photographers.

Connects to Moscow via a direct train line.

The convenient train connection between Elektrostal and Moscow makes commuting between the two cities effortless.

A city with a bright future.

Elektrostal continues to grow and develop, aiming to become a model city in terms of infrastructure, sustainability, and quality of life for its residents.

In conclusion, Elektrostal is a fascinating city with a rich history and a vibrant present. From its origins as a center of steel production to its modern-day status as a hub for education and industry, Elektrostal has plenty to offer both residents and visitors. With its beautiful parks, cultural attractions, and proximity to Moscow, there is no shortage of things to see and do in this dynamic city. Whether you’re interested in exploring its historical landmarks, enjoying outdoor activities, or immersing yourself in the local culture, Elektrostal has something for everyone. So, next time you find yourself in the Moscow region, don’t miss the opportunity to discover the hidden gems of Elektrostal.

Q: What is the population of Elektrostal?

A: As of the latest data, the population of Elektrostal is approximately XXXX.

Q: How far is Elektrostal from Moscow?

A: Elektrostal is located approximately XX kilometers away from Moscow.

Q: Are there any famous landmarks in Elektrostal?

A: Yes, Elektrostal is home to several notable landmarks, including XXXX and XXXX.

Q: What industries are prominent in Elektrostal?

A: Elektrostal is known for its steel production industry and is also a center for engineering and manufacturing.

Q: Are there any universities or educational institutions in Elektrostal?

A: Yes, Elektrostal is home to XXXX University and several other educational institutions.

Q: What are some popular outdoor activities in Elektrostal?

A: Elektrostal offers several outdoor activities, such as hiking, cycling, and picnicking in its beautiful parks.

Q: Is Elektrostal well-connected in terms of transportation?

A: Yes, Elektrostal has good transportation links, including trains and buses, making it easily accessible from nearby cities.

Q: Are there any annual events or festivals in Elektrostal?

A: Yes, Elektrostal hosts various events and festivals throughout the year, including XXXX and XXXX.

Elektrostal's fascinating history, vibrant culture, and promising future make it a city worth exploring. For more captivating facts about cities around the world, discover the unique characteristics that define each city . Uncover the hidden gems of Moscow Oblast through our in-depth look at Kolomna. Lastly, dive into the rich industrial heritage of Teesside, a thriving industrial center with its own story to tell.

Was this page helpful?

Our commitment to delivering trustworthy and engaging content is at the heart of what we do. Each fact on our site is contributed by real users like you, bringing a wealth of diverse insights and information. To ensure the highest standards of accuracy and reliability, our dedicated editors meticulously review each submission. This process guarantees that the facts we share are not only fascinating but also credible. Trust in our commitment to quality and authenticity as you explore and learn with us.

Share this Fact:

Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Architecture: Heritage, Traditions and Innovations (AHTI 2020)

The Academy of Construction and Architecture of the USSR: Formation of the Idea of a New Goal in the Conditions of Transition to “Industrial Rails”

Article details Download article (PDF)

Modern Challenges and the Outline of the Future of Architecture

Wooden architecture of central russia: a new discovery, on the traditional attitude towards architectural innovation, “structural rationalism” as a trend in architecture of the second half of the xix — early xx centuries: in the context of the cities in the south of russia, dacha of the merchant k.p. golovkin — bright sample of samara art nouveaux, the program of urbanization of russia in the activities of s. yu. witte and p. a. stolypin (late 19th – early 20th century), the results of new studies of the rock-hewn churches of the historical regions of endärta and tämben (tigray region, ethiopia), genesis of architecture and synthesis of arts, the role of medieval armenian architecture in the process of the national self-identification, western european prototypes in the cult architecture of the lower volga region (second half of the xviii – early xx centuries), analysis on the modeling characteristics of the masonry in the han dynasty architectural portraits, moisei ginzburg’s studies in milan (1910 – 1914) and italian architecture of the early xx c, the interpretation of the culture and belief of color in tibetan architecture, study on the tone and aesthetics of architecture, sacral topography of the tver kremlin in the period of appanage principalities, the ancestral tomb model in the tomb system of tang dynasty, architectural image and structural system: two churches of ani in the epoch of the bagratids, architectural ensembles of the cities-plants of the orenburg province on the example of the katav plants, historical industrial ensembles in the landscape of saint petersburg: renovationas and losses, the monuments of wooden architecture of shenkurskiy uyezd of the xix century: from the tradition to the architecture style, abdullah akhmedov and the phenomenon of author in soviet modernism, a narrative study of architectural construction from the perspective of ancient geomancy science, architect johann august giesel (1751-1822) and the question of the “english garden” in saxony, the gate belfry of vysokopetrovsky monastery with the church of the intercession: to the question of the genesis of the type, organic architecture of japan, problems of structural understanding of the image of medieval town/city, concerning restoration approaches in italy at the turn of the 20-21 centuries, reconstruction of the wanshougong historical district in nanchang city, jiangxi province, china, architectural heritage in the areas of industrial development of the lower angara region: stages of formation and problems of preservation, revival of light industry enterprises (on the example of silk-weaving factories in shchelkovo), evolutionary attitude towards the preservation of the national architectural heritage: the concept of time cycles, revitalization of the penitentiary complexes in the historic centre of florence, inheritance and protection of the water-faring community (dan jia) boathouse structure in the guangdong-hong kong-macao greater bay area, the impact of virtual reality technology on the protection of traditional ancestral temple architecture in eastern hubei province, protection and recycling of architectural heritage in macau’s urban renewal, research on the relationship between the protection and utilization of modern buildings and the regional economic development in xi’an, protection and development of excellent architectural heritage in modern times, analysis on the development of industrial architectural heritage regenerative design, study on the identification and protection of the historical landscape of traditional settlements of the de’ang nationality based on the theory of rural landscape heritage, research on protection and restoration of heritage buildings based on heritage building information model (hbim) technology and its application, research on the application strategy of virtual reality technology in the historic building protection courses, building arches: typological potential of an architectural form, hybridization in architecture, research on the similarities of morphogenesis in architecture and nature, the master’s creed: richard rogers, concepts of project forecasting in the formation of the architectural space of the future, high-rise dominants in the urban landscape of baghdad: architecture and composition, media facade as a new mean of artistic image in the space of the xxi century city, study on the application of green decoration materials in residential environment, research on implanting the sustainable design in rural revitalization: taking the qianyang village in jin’an district, fuzhou city as an example, study on the update design method of existing residential buildings in northern china: taking ji’nan as an example, analysis of light art application in the gallery exhibition, history, types and regeneration of gasholders, research significance of architectural color in modern chinese universities, research on the application of natural daylighting system in office space, research on the multi-path construction of nostalgia space in the town with beautiful rural characteristics, research on the design of elderly-oriented public activity center in rural planning and construction, the research on the optimum design strategies of the public space against the background of active aging, socio-environmental paradigm of architectural knowledge and russian strategies for urban formation, the city as an art integration space, retrospective of settlement scheme formation in coastal zone of ob-yenisei waterway in 18th and 19th centuries, academy of municipal engineering in the 1930s: the failed scientific center of urban planning, search for the principles of architectural and spatial organization of a residential quarter in the research of soviet architects in the 1930s, the research into morphogenesis patterns of residential planning units in the early 21st century, the architecture of the conflicts, technological paradigm and the social life of the metropolis (on the example of moscow), priorities for the development of large cities of the central black earth region from their foundation to the 20th century, historic “modus operandi” in the revitalization of ancient towns: japanese and polish experience, an analysis on the design of public communication space in college student apartments: taking the student apartments on the nanhu campus of wuhan textile university as an example, the historical and genetic model as a method of structuring and choice of the settlement development strategy, the matrix coupling integrated planning experiment of coastal sponge city under the framework of pressure-state-impact-respond (psir): taking xiamen as an example, the effect of memory construction of cultural landmarks on urban development, research on the inheritance and innovation of regional culture in environmental art design, suture and revival of historical blocks in the context of modernity: comprehensive planning and architectural design of the leqiao-caoqiao section in the ancient district of ganjiang road, suzhou city, a study on the revitalization of community building in taiwan based on qianyang village, research on the reconstruction and reuse of historic blocks from the perspective of urban catalysts: taking a historical district of foshan as an example, visual culture and spatial infiltration: modern traditional architecture of fuzhou from the perspective of creative city, study on the spatial morphological characteristics of traditional village settlements in nanxijiang river basin, comprehensive development and utilization of underground space and underground rail transit, research on the design of rural revitalization in remote areas of yunnan: taking wengding village of cangyuan as an example.