Introduction:
Physical activity (PA) can be defined as the action of skeletal muscle producing bodily movement and the subsequent energy cost due to that movement (Donnelly, 2016). PA has a well-established positive relationship associated with cognitive function and development in children, making the delivery of physical education classes a vital aspect of the education process for school-aged children (Aadland et al., 2017). The benefits associated with PA and academic performance are related to cognitive improvements such as processing information, attention span and memory (Álvarez-Bueno et al., 2016). Additionally, psychological benefits related to emotional regulation and self-perception are also attained from PA, which also play a role in improving academic performance and mental-health (Álvarez-Bueno et al., 2016). Furthermore, there is also substantial evidence supporting the positive benefits of classroom related physical activity breaks—showing the importance of decreasing sedentary instructional time and increasing child involvement in PA (Mullender‐Wijnsma, 2015). The purpose of this paper is to outline the effects of PA on academic performance and develop a structured physical education lesson plan that incorporates classroom management, movement litteracy and aerobic fitness into a 25-30 minute time-block for elementary aged school children. A well designed physical education program for children will ensure they are exposed to sufficient PA and obtaining vital movement skills while experiencing the known benefits in academic performance.
PART I:
Impact of Physical Activity on Learning:
The benefits associated with PA and cognition are related to its effects on executive functioning—which is defined as the goal-directed behaviors and cognitions that result from cognitive processing (Aadland et al., 2017). Research in pediatric exercise physiology shows that aerobic fitness improves with moderate the vigorous PA, and is a vital aspect of improving executive function; thus, ensuring sufficient PA is obtained to elicit improvements in aerobic fitness will help improve executive function (Aadland et al, 2017; as cited in Armstrong, Tomkinson, & Ekelund, 2011). With the advances in neuroscience, researchers have helped establish the links between cognitive functioning and PA. For instance, PA has shown to produce changes within the hippocampus and elicit improvements in memory tasks and various skilled actions in a laboratory setting (Donnelly et al., 2016). Research has also enabled the development of the neurogenic-reserve hypothesis; showing the link between PA early in life has potential to positively influence an individual’s learning capacity due to creation of precursor cell reserves in the brain and improvement of information retention (Kempermann, 2008). Moreover, Kopp found improvement in executive function resulting from regular PA resulted from increased vascularization, neural development, improved ability to make decisions—among others—due to positive changes in synaptic transmission and brain structure (2012). Based on the above information, it can be concluded that regular and sufficient PA has many benefits children both physically and mentally; these cognitive benefits transfer over into the classroom, improving academic performance.
Why Physical Activity Works:
PART II:
Classroom Management:
Due to the inherent nature of physical education classes and increased risk of accidents, it is imperative teachers maintain order in a classroom with a structured plan for classroom management (Barker & Annerstedt, 2016). With the development of a classroom management model, Doyle’s Ecological theory helps ease its establishment by separating the classroom ecosystem into three systems: management, instruction and social (Barker & Annerstedt, 2016; as cited in Supaporn et al., 2003). When it comes to classroom management there are many strategies available for educators; however, for purposes of this paper one potentially effective method will be discussed. For this method, effective management results from: developing rules and consequences, molding desirable behavior, setting expectations accordingly, being active and attentive, establishing effective routines and lessons, and reflecting on each lesson Pangrazi & Beighle, 2010). Establishing an effective classroom management model from day one, will help mitigate time spent in the future managing the children through the automatic regulation of student behavior positive and negative (Pangrazi & Beighle, 2010). To establish basic classroom management, creating a plan to improve organizational skills will prove to be beneficial (Emmett, 2014). A organization skills program will be summarized and outlined below.
Organization Signals in the Classroom (Emmett, 2014):
1. Listening Circle – signal children to quietly walk to a designated circle and sit cross-legged.
2. Listening Line – signal children to quietly walk and arrange themselves while standing in a line along a wall or line, while ensuring proper spacing amongst each other
3. Quite Signal – signal children to stop what they are doing and give full attention to the speaker
Physical Education Lesson Plan for children:
Prior to commencing the physical education lesson, children will be gathered using the organizational signals and have them quietly line up in the gymnasium and prepare for their lesson. The lesson plan will begin with (1) a structured warm-up and movement exercise that will introduce the children to various movements that mimic those of four animals. Upon completion of this exercise children will be introduced to (2) a game that will be run for the remainder of the class. After finishing the game, students will be signaled to line up and exit the gymnasium and quietly return to class.
Active/Dynamic Warm-up and Movement Exercise (adapted from: Bessert, 2012):
This exercise will consist of four stations that will be setup around the perimeter of the gymnasium and introduce the students to a variety of movements. The class will be split up into 4 groups and perform each station twice. Students will be instructed to line up single file and complete the station one at a time. After completion of a station the students will be instructed to line up single file and wait for their classmates at the start of the next station.
Station 1. (Horses): This consists of a line-up of several hurdles along the short side of the gymnasium. The students will be instructed to hop over sets of hurdles varying in height and jog between each set of hurdles.
Station 2. (Fishes): This consists of the student laying prone of a scooter and pretending to swim across the gymnasium to the end of the station.
Station 3. (Frogs): This consists of the student hopping across sets of lily pads until they reach the end of the station.
Station 4. (Cheetahs): This station consists of the student running as fast as they can to the end of the station and back to their group. After every student has completed the station they will be instructed to move to the next one in order.
References:
Aadland, K. N., Moe, V. F., Aadland, E., Anderssen, S. A., Resaland, G. K., & Ommundsen, Y. (2017). Relationships between physical activity, sedentary time, aerobic fitness, motor skills and executive function and academic performance in children. Mental Health and Physical Activity, 12, 10-18.
Álvarez-Bueno, C., Pesce, C., Cavero-Redondo, I., Sánchez-López, M., Pardo-Guijarro, M. J., & Martínez-Vizcaíno, V. (2016). Association of physical activity with cognition, metacognition and academic performance in children and adolescents: a protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ open, 6(6), e011065.
Barker, D., & Annerstedt, C. (2016). Managing physical education lessons: an interactional approach. Sport, Education and Society, 21(6), 924-944.
Bessert, A. (2012). Welcome to the Jungle. PE Central. Retrieved from:
Chatoupis, C. (2016). Planning Physical Education Lessons as Teaching “Episodes”. Strategies, 29(2), 20-26.
Donnelly, J. E., Hillman, C. H., Castelli, D., Etnier, J. L., Lee, S., Tomporowski, P., … & Szabo-Reed, A. N. (2016). Physical activity, fitness, cognitive function, and academic achievement in children: a systematic review. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 48(6), 1197.
Emmett, S. (2014). Organization Signals. PE Central. Retrieved from: http://www.pecentral.org/l essonideas/ViewLesson.asp?ID=12760
Kempermann, G. (2008). The neurogenic reserve hypothesis: what is adult hippocampal neurogenesis good for?. Trends in neurosciences, 31(4), 163-169.
Kopp, B. (2012). A simple hypothesis of executive function. Frontiers in human neuroscience, 6.
Mullender‐Wijnsma, M. J., Hartman, E., de Greeff, J. W., Bosker, R. J., Doolaard, S., & Visscher, C. (2015). Improving academic performance of school‐age children by physical activity in the classroom: 1‐year program evaluation. Journal of school health, 85(6), 365-371.
Pangrazi, R. P. & Beighle, A. (2010). Management and Discipline in Dynamic physical education for elementary school children. (16th ed.) Boston: Benjamin Cummings.