Any of the following instructions may be repeated to the whole class as often as
necessary during each skill’s assessment.
Instructions for students: Running and galloping
RUNNING pre­test and mid year test:
● Today, we are going to work on
running.
● This is what running looks like.
(Demonstrate the skill to the class.)
● Pump your arms forward and
backwards, moving them opposite of
your legs. Your toes point forward and
your foot lands heel to toe.
● On my signal, run fast staying in the
running lane.
● Do not stop running until after you
cross the finish line.
● Run as fast as you can, showing me
your best running form.
RUNNING post-test:
● Today, I am going to watch you run.
● Stand behind the starting line.
● On my signal, run fast all the way
through the course.
● Stay in the running lane by running in
a straight line.
● Do not stop running until after you
cross the finish line.
● Run as fast as you can, showing me
your best running form by swinging
your arms forward and backward,
having your toes pointed forward and
landing on the heel of your foot first.
GALLOPING pre-test and mid year test:
● Today, we’re going to work on
galloping.
● Watch me first. I’m going to put one
foot in front of the other. Notice how
my back foot chases my front foot
while I am moving forward. (Gallop
four or five paces)
● Stand behind the starting line.
● On my signal, gallop to the end of the
lane, with one foot leading.
● Stop, then turn around and gallop
back, with the other foot leading.
● Stay in your lane.
● This is not a race.
● Show me your best galloping form by
using the same foot in front, facing
forward, bringing your feet together
without crossing them and without
stopping your movement.
GALLOPING post-test:
● Today, I’m going to look at your
galloping.
● Stand behind the starting line.
● On my signal, gallop to the end of the
lane, with one foot leading.
● Stop, then turn around and gallop
back, with the other foot leading.
● Stay in your lane.
● This is not a race.
● Show me your best galloping form by
using the same foot in front, facing
forward, bringing your feet together
without crossing them and without
stopping your movement.
Instructions for students: Skipping and hopping
SKIPPING pre-test and mid year test:
● Today we are going to work on
skipping.
● Watch me first. I take a step and a
hop on one foot and then a step and a
hop on the other foot. Keep repeating
this pattern. (Skip four or five paces)
● On my signal, start skipping from the
starting line to the finish line, while
staying in your lane.
● This is not a race.
● Show me your best skipping!
SKIPPING post-test:
● Today, I’m going to look at you
skipping.
● Stand behind the starting line.
● Skip from the starting line to the finish
line, while staying in your lane.
● This is not a race.
● Show me your best skipping; step­hop
on one foot, then step­hop on the
other without stopping in between.
● On my signal, skip to the finish line.
HOPPING pre-test and mid year test:
● Today, we are going to work on
hopping.
● Watch me first. I am going to stand on
one foot, push off the ground with that
foot and land back on the ground with
the same foot. Look how I am landing
in the same spot from where I took off
each time. I can hop up and down for
10 seconds without stopping. (Hop up
and down four or five times)
● Stand in the middle of your own
square.
● On my signal, start hopping on one
foot in your square until I give the stop
signal.
● Then, I will ask you to switch to your
other foot.
● I am looking to see if you take off and
land on the same foot without
stopping or moving outside your
square for 10 seconds.
HOPPING post-test:
● Today, I am going to watch you hop.
● Stand in the middle of your own
square.
● On my signal, start hopping on one
foot in your square until I give the stop
signal.
● Then, I will ask you to switch to your
other foot.
● I am looking to see if you take off and
land on the same foot without
stopping or moving outside your
square for 10 seconds.
Kindergarten Locomotor Skills Rubric
RUNNING
Similar to the walk, except that the tempo and
body lean differ. There is a time at which both
feet are off the ground simultaneously. Arms
should move forward and backward in
opposition to the legs without crossing the
midline.
Form
1
Runs with 2 or fewer
essential elements
present.
Runs with 3 of 4
essential elements
present.
2
3
4
Consistency
GALLOPING
A form of locomotion which is a combination
of an open step by the leading foot and a
closed step by the trailing foot. The same
foot leads throughout. The rhythm is uneven.
Form
Stops running action Gallops with 2 or fewer
OR
essential elements
falls down.
present.
Runs…
Gallops with only 3 of 4
without stopping or essential elements
falling down,
present.
BUT stumbles, runs
in erratic pathway or
has inconsistent
stride.
Runs with the essential Runs…
elements of a mature
in straight pathway
pattern:
without stumbling,
arm/leg opposition
stopping, or falling
toes point forward
down.
arms swing
forward/backward
and do not cross
midline of body
feet land at the ball
or midfoot.
Displays all the
Runs…
essential elements of a
smoothly
mature pattern, with
in straight pathway
fluid motion.
without breaks in
stride.
Consistency
Two or more
breaks in action
AND/OR
does not return to
the start with the
other foot leading.
Gallops…
with no more than
1 break in action
for entire task,
turns and gallops
back to the start,
with other foot
leading.
Gallops…
with no break in
action for 40-60
feet
turns and gallops
back to the start,
with the other foot
leading.
Gallops with the
essential elements of a
mature pattern for
entire task:
same foot leading
forward orientation
moment of nonsupport
back foot does not
move in front of
lead foot.
Displays all the
Gallops…
essential elements of a
smoothly
mature pattern, with
with continuous
fluid motion for entire
action
task.
with each foot
leading.
HOPPING
Springing action from one foot and landing on
the same foot. The knee stays bent and the
ankle joint is primarily what accomplishes the
push into the air.
Form
Performs hopping
action incorrectly for
both feet
1
3
4
Loses balance
OR
cannot sustain
hopping motion on
both left and right
feet for 10 seconds.
Hops…
continuously for 10
seconds
with no loss of
balance
BUT
does not stay in selfspace.
Hops…
Hops…
taking off from one
within self-space
foot
continuously for 10
AND
seconds
landing on the same
with no loss of
foot.
balance or
Performs action on
extraneous arm
other foot.
motion.
Performs action on other
foot.
Hops…
Hops…
taking off from one
within self-space
foot
continuously for 10
AND
seconds
landing on the same
with fluid motion
AND
foot
with smooth,
consistency on each
balanced action.
foot.
Performs action
correctly on other foot.
Performs hopping
action correctly for one
but not the other foot
2
Consistency
SKIPPING
A combination of a step and a hop, first on
one foot then the other. The pattern has the
alternation and opposition of the walk plus
the same-sided one-foot step. It's an uneven
rhythm.
Form
Lacks the essential
elements of skipping.
Skips with 1 of 2
essential elements
present.
Consistency
Skips…
for less than 40-60
feet
OR
with 2 or more
breaks in movement
OR
loses balance.
Skips…
for 40-60 feet
with no more than 1
break in movement
or loss of balance.
Skips with the
Skips…
essential elements of a
for 40-60 feet
with no breaks in
mature pattern:
step-hop action
movement or loss of
on alternating feet
balance.
with a moment of
non-support.
Displays all the
Skips…
essential elements of a
with smooth
mature pattern, with
movement
fluid motion.
for 40-60 feet.