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30125179
Question:
Does physical activity improve students academic abilities?
Rationale:
Many studies have shown the correlation between childrens overall health, including
mental health and the physical activity. However, more recently physical activity is
also being linked to improved concentration, memory and cognition (Martin, 2010).
According the Australian Health Survey: Physical Activity, 2011-12 only one third of
Australian children are undertaking the recommended 60 minutes of physical activity
each day. (Australian Government Health Department, 2014).
Many Australian schools have a high focus on academia following the
implementation of The National Assessment Program Literacy and Numeracy
(NAPLAN) in 2008. NAPLAN is a test for students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 which is
carried out every year testing students reading, writing, language conventions and
numeracy. (Daraganova, Edwards, & Sipthorp, 2013). This test can have a huge
impact on students feelings about school, crating stress and anxiety (Klenowski, &
Wyatt-Smith, 2012). According to Martin (2010) this focus on academic achievement
scores has caused a drop in the physical activity offered to students at school. Berk
(2013), notes that schools have cut back on physical education in favour of
academia with only 6% of US schools offering daily physical education. The social
environment, in this case, school plays a prominent role in childrens attitudes
towards physical activity.
It has been shown that physical activity reduces stress and anxiety in students,
which can improve concentration in the class room. Physical activity could lower
students stress and anxiety through endorphin release (Graham, G & Jin, 2016).
This can help to create positive associations with schooling, helping to bring down
the barriers created through the NAPLAN and other testing. Reilly, Buskist, & Gross
(2013) argue that incorporating movement into the school day and keep students'
minds and bodies functioning optimally.
Maths, awareness, and reaction time have been said to increase with extra physical
activity. Research conducted by Sallis, et al. (1999) concluded that doubling the
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amount of physical activity each week did not negatively affect students academic
abilities which may be a concern for teachers implementing more physical activity
within the classroom. Physical activity helps with cognitive functioning in the
classroom and helps in the future to lower the risk for age-related cognitive decline
(Winter, et al., 2007). Introducing physical activity as a fundamental part of students
learning journey will promote a healthier lifestyle, with increase benefits even after
the students have left school. Research indicates that students that are overweight
or obese are associated with lesser academic achievement than their peers (Taras,
& PottsDatema, 2005). Children that are overweight are less likely to be as
physically active as their peers (Berk, 2013). Increased physical education within the
classroom as well as other factors can help to improve students body mass index
directly relating to weight (Hollar, et al., 2010). In 2003 6.6% of the burden of disease
in Australia was due to physical inactivity. Worldwide physical inactivity has been the
greatest cause of diabetes, breast and colon cancers as well as ischaemic heart
disease (Australian Government Health Department, 2014). Adding physical activity
into the classroom will help to combat these stats, making students healthier now
and arguably in the future.
Physical activity has been used within a classroom setting for students with Attention
Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) as reinforcement. Azrin, Vinas, & Ehle, (2007)
found that students with ADHD were calmer in the classroom after participating in
physical activity, as a result the rest of the class was calmer and the students were
more effective learners. Using this concept this project extends the physical activity
to the whole class. Carlson et al. (2015), found that adding physical education
breaks into the daily running of a class improved student behaviour. This study
suggested using physically active breaks to help manage students behaviour.
When exploring physical activity in the classroom, there are many aspects to
consider. One area that is not often explored within the classroom is students
fundamental movement skills, these include throwing, catching, and running. These
skills are vital for students coordination and will help to develop their left brain, right
brain abilities (Graham, 2013). Within the planned lessons, these skills are
considered and planned for. Children must develop these skills in order to extend
their physical abilities which could be argued promotes their learning.
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This project has been created as an interactive way to combine physical education
and movement skills into everyday mathematics and lessons. By doing this the
students are not missing out on class time or lessons, and are able to work towards
the hour of recommended physical activity each day. This project proposal suggests
that this could be worked into planned lessons throughout the curriculum, which
could improve students attention and behaviour as well as their physical wellbeing.
Aims and objectives:
The aspect that I have chosen to focus on for this project is incorporating physical
activity into other areas of the curriculum. After analysing the Mathematics and
English curriculum, I developed two lesson plan which incorporate physical activity
into the Mathematics and English domains.
The aim of this project is to introduce more physical activity within the classroom
setting. Taking opportunities to develop academic skills in active lessons. The
objective of this project is to increase the amount of time students are physically
activity within the classroom.
The following lesson plans have been created for students in level one, they have
been developed in relation to the Victorian curriculum. Using the Mathematics and
English curriculum and are supported by the health and physical education
curriculum.
Perform fundamental movement skills in different movement situations in indoor,
outdoor and aquatic settings (VCHPEM080)
Create and participate in games (VCHPEM082)
Develop confidence with number sequences to and from 100 by ones from any
starting point. Skip count by twos, fives and tens starting from zero (VCMNA086)
PLOTS:
The following lessons have been planned in conjunction with the principles of
teaching and learning which outlines the ways that teachers can reflect on
pedagogical practice (Victorian Department of Education and Training, 2013).
Students are challenged and supported to develop deep levels of thinking and
application. Examples of this include: using strategies to develop the students
investigation and problem solving skills and using different strategies to foster the
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Lauren Kennedy
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CLASS SIZE:
DURATION:
50 minutes
DATE:
26/07/16
Level one:
This lesson has been planned for a grade one class, level two and foundation level
statements have been included as the students will be broken up based on their individual
learning needs based on their math groups.
Teachers will support children of diverse abilities through, modification of content, modification
of the products (or resources) used and modification of the process, the way that a lesson is
taught can be flexible for students of varying abilities.
OBJECTIVE:
To successfully integrate physical activity into a mathematical lesson.
From this experience the students will gain knowledge about skip counting while developing
fundamental movement skills.
PRIOR KNOWLEDGE:
Students will have already had lessons about skip counting. They will coming in knowing the
meaning of skip counting and having had some practice at skip counting in twos, fives and
tens.
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TIME
TEACHING POINTS:
Key questions
Key
organisational/manag
ement issues
Introduction/Opening
Students will be taken outside to the asphalt.
10
minutes
Hands up for
answers
20-30
minutes
students to do this
quickly
Teacher walks
around during
session supporting
students.
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Closure/Pulling it all together:
At the end of the session students will record their partner
Teachers will be
minutes
walking around
(five
minutes
each)
throughout this to
ensure students stay
on task. They will be
give 5 minutes each
and then they will
swap.
Teachers can spend
extra time with some
students that require
extra support
throughout this
lesson.
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YEAR LEVEL:
CLASS SIZE:
1&2
Support group
DURATION:
DATE:
30 minutes
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LESSON OUTLINE (focusing mainly on what the teacher
TEACHING POINTS:
Key questions
Key
organisational/manag
ement issues
Introduction/Opening
Discussion about what we have been talking about ---
10
minutes
10
minutes
10
minutes
stuck
Lauren Kennedy
30125179
Lauren Kennedy
30125179
Reilly, E., Buskist, C., & Gross, M. K. (2012). Movement in the classroom: Boosting
brain power, fighting obesity. Kappa Delta Pi Record, 48(2), 62-66.
Sallis, J. F., McKenzie, T. L., Kolody, B., Lewis, M., Marshall, S., & Rosengard, P.
(1999). Effects of health-related physical education on academic achievement:
Project SPARK. Research quarterly for exercise and sport, 70(2), 127-134.
Taras, H., & PottsDatema, W. (2005). Obesity and student performance at
school. Journal of School Health, 75(8), 291-295.
Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority. (2016). The Victorian Curriculum F
10. Retrieved from: http://victoriancurriculum.vcaa.vic.edu.au/
Victorian Department of Education and Training. (2013). Principles of Learning and
Teaching P-12 and the Components. Retrieved from:
http://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/teachers/support/Pages/components12.aspx
Victorian Department of Education and Training. (2014). The e5 Instructional Model.
Retrieved from:
http://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/teachers/support/Pages/e5.aspx
Winter, B., Breitenstein, C., Mooren, F. C., Voelker, K., Fobker, M., Lechtermann,
A., ... & Knecht, S. (2007). High impact running improves learning. Neurobiology of
learning and memory, 87(4), 597-609.\