2026 SHAPE Iowa

What does it mean for students to truly become movers? This session explores the intersection of SHAPE America Standard 1 (motor competence), contemporary motor learning research, and the Meaningful Physical Education (MPE) framework. Participants will engage in movement experiences that highlight principles such as representative design, constraint manipulation, and repetition without repetition, while examining how these ideas can deepen students’ sense of competence, agency, and meaningful engagement. Rather than viewing skill development as the replication of a single “ideal” form, this session invites educators to consider how learning emerges through exploration, adaptation, and purposeful design.Participants will:

• Reframe motor competence (SHAPE Standard 1) as adaptive, functional, and context-dependent rather than fixed or form-based
• Explore and apply key motor learning principles (e.g., representative design, constraint manipulation, repetition without repetition, form follows function) through embodied experiences
• Design learning tasks that support autonomy, exploration, and variability while promoting meaningful participation

Mix it up will be presentation from Mic Seifert a 27 year elementary teacher at a title one school focusing on ideas and activities that he has created out of inspiration to increase student engagement, enhance learning opportunities and improve classroom management.

What if the most powerful tools for inclusion in your physical education program weren’t found in a catalog—but in your storage closet, garage, or even your junk drawer?This session is designed for general physical education teachers who serve diverse learners without direct access to adapted PE support. Participants will explore how everyday, low-cost materials—such as PVC pipes, pool noodles, zip ties, wrapping paper, holiday lights, and even leaf blowers—can be transformed into highly effective tools for adapting instruction, increasing engagement, and improving access for students with disabilities.Attendees will leave with practical, easy-to-implement strategies that require minimal preparation and no additional budget.Through real-world examples, visual demonstrations, and classroom-tested ideas, participants will learn how to:Modify equipment and environments using accessible materialsIncrease participation and independence for students with a wide range of abilitiesCreate inclusive learning experiences without relying on specialized equipmentThink differently about the resources they already haveWalk away ready to turn everyday items into game-changing supports—and to confidently say, “I can make this work.”

Need something fresh and new for your program?  Come learn about Archery!  I'll show you how I used Faux Bows with my K-5th students for a fun, new experience.  This new unit is preparing my students for the real thing when they get to middle school and beyond.

There's many ways we can organize a year or a unit. You're invited to learn about how Will uses different structures of play to aid student engagement in his classroom.

This session will have 3 main pieces:
- What are structures of play?
- A lower elementary synchronized activities structures of play unit.
- A upper elementary/middle school units where several structures play are used throughout.