Running Head: Physical Activity, Fitness and Health

PPE 310: Health Literacy For Schools

Physical Activity and the Effects on the Brain
Signature Assignment
Course #18964
Kendra Quinton
Dr. Miller

Running Head: Physical Activity, Fitness and Health

Introduction

Physical activity is defined as any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that
requires energy (World Health Organization. 2016).Students spend the majority of their time in
school, so it is beneficial that their school is promoting physical activity inside and outside of the
classroom. Schools are already receiving PE as a main function as physical activity for the
students, however we need to have it in our classrooms as well. Having physical activity in the
classroom can help students with their academic performance. This is an important aspect for
your students. Teachers want their students to have the best test scores, and having physical
activity in the classroom can help with this situation. It is important that teachers try to
implement this into their classrooms. Having physical activity can also help the students that are
always getting in trouble. These students are represented as impulse students. There is a new
study that suggests a simple solution for these students would be to get physical activity
throughout the day ( Bossenmeyer, M. 2012). There are different physical activity that you could
do in the classroom, some include smart board games, jumping jacks, fitness breaks, and bouncy
chairs. You can incorporate any physical activity into the classroom that is beneficial for teaching
or just breaks between subjects. Not only does physical activities help the body, but like I said
early it also helps with the brain. According to brain HQ website it says exercise affects the
brain on multiple fronts. It increases heart rate, which pumps more oxygen to the brain. It also
aids the bodily release of a plethora of hormones, all of which participate in aiding and providing
a nourishing environment for the growth of brain cells ( Physical Exercise for Brain Health
2015). It is stating that if you get your heart rate up, you are helping benefit your brain as well.

Running Head: Physical Activity, Fitness and Health

Overall, schools need to implement physical activity in the classroom to help their students
bodys and brains.

http://e-portfolio24.weebly.com
Review of Current Literature
Physical education and recess can be a win- win situations for students(Yao, S.
2010). According to a study it says that students that take breaks form their class work to have a
certain amount of physical during the day will have a better concentration when it comes to their
school work and tests. In some cases there are schools that have recess and any physical activity
squeezed out of their schools to focus more on education. That being said experts have done 50
studies that examined the effect of physical activity breaks during school. Half of the findings
showed positive associations and the other half showed no effect. According to these studies
there is more positive affects than negative affects on having physical activity in schools today.
Recess and in class physical activity are not costly and there are a number of schools that have
found ways to find a time to produce physical activity inside and outside of the classroom. A
short five to twenty minutes of physical activity in the classroom can improve attention span,
class behavior and test scores.
Physical exercise may increase childrens cognitive performance and brain function, new
research shows(Brauser, D. 2014). In an experiment by researches they had 221 students
participate in a after school program for nine months to see if their cognitive performance
changed from when they started the program. The students that were in this programed called
FITKids where between the age of seven and nine years. This program was everyday after school
for two hours and consisted of different physical activity for the children to play. During their
time in this program the researches saw that not only did their physical changes happen, but as

Running Head: Physical Activity, Fitness and Health

well as activity in the brain and behavioral measures as well. Once they had the after school
program for nine months they got the percentages of how it helped these children cognitive
performance. They say that 95% of students had their cognitive performance grow form the start
of the FITKids program. The data that the researches have collected not only provides causal
evidence for the beneficial effects of physical activity on cognitive and brain health, but they
warrant modification of contemporary educational policies and practices, and it indicate that
youth should receive more daily physical activities opportunities. We need physical to help our
students throughout school, not only because it helps them focus, but because our students brains
are still growing each year.
Executive function refers to the cognitive processes necessary for goal-directed cognition
and behavior, which develop across childhood and adolescence.(Best, J. R.) There are
experimental designs used to asses the effects of aerobic exercise on the cognition part of the
brain. The first study done was doing aerobic exercise over a two week time period. This showed
improvement in the childrens cardio respiratory functioning. This may improve the cognitive
functioning but is not looked at until the end of the experiment. The second study is done in one
day. This shows the immediate changes in cognitive functioning with the aerobic exercise. Doing
this second study will show the immediate results on the students cognition rather than waiting
for two weeks for the long last effects form the first study. When both of the studies where
conducted their results differed, during the first study the children's cognition was developed
overtime, where as the second study showed how their cognition right after the aerobic exercise.
These two studies showed which one is beneficial to the students when it comes to tests in
school. Since the first test was going on for two weeks or more, these children scored better on

Running Head: Physical Activity, Fitness and Health

their test than the second study that was only one day. The reason for this is because the children
that had a greater amount of aerobic exercise which helped with their cognitive part of their brian
to develop.
Child obesity is growing everyday, more than 12 million young people are obese. There
are a few strategies to implement more physical activity into schools today(Do Short Activity
Breaks Work, 2013). There are different programs that are being taught to teacher all around the
word to put in physical activity in the classroom to help with the obesity rate, but also help with
students behaviors. When conducting activities in the classroom it is hard to find ones that will
keep the students on task and to behave right. There are a couple of programs that showed great
significant growth in this area, however there are some that didnt exactly meet these. One of the
programs was called Texas I-CAN where students participated in an active lesson, however the
results were not good. It showed that when students participate in these activities declines in on
task behavior among students. That being said the program that succeeded in on task behavior
was the energizers program and instant recess. Both of these physical activities has the students
up and moving to music or activities that has the students up and moving for ten minutes. This
seem to work best because the students got up and moved throughout this ten minute interval.
These showed a on task behavior growth between 8-11 when conducted in a classroom.
Students in every grade level at schools across the country are struggling in class. Its not
because theyre underachievers, or theyre not smart, or they dont care. Its because were
working against them. The longer children and teens are forced to sit and grow roots in their
chairs, the harder it will be for them to bloom (How Physical Activity Affects Academic
Performance.). Mayriad research proves that students need a significant amount of physical

Running Head: Physical Activity, Fitness and Health

activity throughout the school period. Physical activity helps with obesity rates to go down, but it
also helps with their academics as well. There are multiple Universities that have done research
on this topic, they all agree that physical activity needs to happen more in our schools than it
does. According to CDC physical activity can have an impact on cognitive skills, attitudes and
academic behavior. All of these are important when we want to improve our childrens academic
performance in school. There is higher chance for student to enhance their academic
performance if we have more physical activity in the classrooms and schools. These activities
could just be a ten minute break from school work and it would still help the children learn to the
best of their abilities. Instead of schools cutting physical activities out of school, we need to
implement them into each and every classroom to help our children to achieve a higher academic
performance.
Synthesis of Information
Overall all the articles say that we need to have physical activities integrated into the
classroom some how. By having physical activities it can show positive achievement when it
comes to school work and tests. In multiply texts it also states that if we have activity based
breaks this could help with our students concentration, cognitive performance, attitudes and
lower obesity rates.
One of the quotes that stood out to me a whole bunch would be that students will grow
roots if they are stuck in their chairs, this makes it harder for them to bloom. Basically this is
saying if we had students not to move throughout the whole entire day they would be tried out
from all the content that is coming in and not preform the best of their capabilities. Therefore the
articles say we need to integrate some physical activity into the classroom . It could be a short

Running Head: Physical Activity, Fitness and Health

little stretch or quick jumping jacks. Doing this will help the students brain to relax and not be so
stressed from all the information that is coming in throughout the day. We need something so
these students arent in their seats all day long, because they will lose concentration and just not
want to learn.
When reading all of these articles they somehow intertwine with each other. They all state
that physical activity is something that students need in their lives. With that being said the
research shows the importance of integrating physical activity inside and outside of the
classroom. Not only is nutrition an important aspect to teach our children to stay healthy, but we
need to teach our children that not only will it give you an active lifestyle, but it will also
improve their brain function and performance in school. It is important that teacher let the
students get up and move throughout out the day, or just have physical small activities in their
lesson. The more movement of the students the better their academic performance will be.

Practical Implications
When thinking about implications to put into Desert Sun Academy I think about getting
the teachers and parents involved to get their students moving when completing work or
homework. There are different ways that I can try and get this action into the school. I will go
further into description of each, and how these would be beneficial for the students brain growth.
Flyers
One way to get the parents and teachers in the school involved would to be hand out
flyers, these will have some key information on why its important to have students move
throughout the day. Showing parents and teachers that dont already implement physical activity
into the classroom could help them see that sitting in desk all day doesnt help students learn.

Running Head: Physical Activity, Fitness and Health

They need to have a short activity break throughout the day to rejuvenate their thinking. These
flyers will have engaging pictures to show that this is something that we need to do not only in
the class but at home as well. The flyer will go home to the parents and than the week after there
will be a meeting to show how exactly this works.
Meeting
Once the flyers are taken home, I hope to have parents to come to a meeting that will be
held at the school a week from the day the flyer is handed out. During this meeting I will show
some more facts and teach my parents how teachers are trying to implement physical activity
into classroom to enhance their students brain. When we stimulate the brain by movement it
tends to take in more information and be more focused. Thats why we should have a little
activity breaks even if it is a brain break. Once going over some points like the one I just made, I
will show how activities will help the brain. I will do this by doing a math problem than a quick
physical activity for these parents, after the activity I than teach them a the same math problem.
After doing both of these I will ask my parents which one they will remember. Hopefully the
answer that will come out is the second one because the brain is more awake by completing the
physical activity before. This meeting is basically teaching the parents that teachers should
implement activities in the class and the parents can do this at home as well.
Staff involvement
Since I am getting the parents involved I want to get the school involved, so that every
teacher a can put this into their classroom to help students. Something that I could do to help the
teachers get involved is to have a little meeting of our own. We could have a school meeting and
do the same presentation that I did for the parents. However in this presentation I will have the

Running Head: Physical Activity, Fitness and Health

numbers on how many students have higher academic scores when they have some sort of
physical activity in school besides the regular recess and PE.
T-shirts/ Advertisement
Another thing that I want my school to have to show other schools and promote it is to
wear a designed T-shirt that has the words Move it. This will get other interested in exactly what
this means. The words Move it mean to get the students up and moving during school and at
home. Get up and move to help strengthen their brain to have higher academic scores and
alterness. When other people see the shirt and it has DSA on it they will ask specifically what it
means. The people wearing the shirt will help other understand that students all around the world
should have some movement and breaks throughout the eight hours they are in school.

Conclusion
Having physical fitness breaks inside the classroom will improve students concentration,
cognitive performance, attitudes and lower obesity rates. With that being said it is vital that
schools are promoting it around the Cave creek district. One way to show other schools how
physical breaks can help their students have a better academic performance and also have more

Running Head: Physical Activity, Fitness and Health

10

concentration when it comes to school work/tests is our T-shirts. The move it T-shirt
advertisement will help other schools around DSA to see that we are trying to implement
physical activities into the classroom to get physical fitness, and also have students academic
levels improve. Not only will the T-shirts help, but also the flyers that some important facts will
get the involvement of staff, students, families and the community to see that physical fitness
helps students academic achievement.
The T-shit and flyers will reach out to the staff, students, community and families and
should show them that we need some sort of physical activity integrated into the classroom.
Hopefully if other schools see that this is effective at DSA, than the other schools will integrate it
into their classrooms as well. This will hopefully reach all of the schools in the community and
by the end of two thousand and eighteen all the schools in Cave Creek will have some sort of
physical activity in the classroom. We will see academic growth in all of the schools that have
some sort of physical fitness movement. Once Cave creek community see that having physical
movement in the classroom helps their students performance, they will show other communities
and try to implement them into other schools around Arizona. When showing other schools in
Arizona this will be implemented into other school districts in three to five years and will grow
to be statewide. By having physical fitness state wide Arizona will not only have healthier
students, but they will students that will have more success in their academics.

Running Head: Physical Activity, Fitness and Health

11

References

Physical activity. (n.d.). Retrieved February 27, 2016, from http://www.who.int/topics/

physical_activity/en/
Physical Exercise for Brain Health. (2015). Retrieved February 27, 2016, from http://
www.brainhq.com/brain-resources/everyday-brain-fitness/physical-exercise
Bossenmeyer, M. (2012, December 06). The Benefits of Physical Activity in Schools.
Retrieved February 27, 2016, from http://peacefulplaygrounds.com/benefits-of-physical-activityin-school/

Yao, S. (2010, April 14). Education. Retrieved February 14, 2016, from http://
usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/education/2010-04-14-letsmoveinschool15_ST_N.htm
Brauser, D. (2014, October 1). Medscape Log In. Retrieved February 14, 2016, from
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/832645
Best, J. R. (n.d.). Effects of Physical Activity on Childrens Executive Function:
Contributions of Experimental Research on Aerobic Exercise. Retrieved February 14, 2016, from
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3147174/
Do Short Activity Breaks Work ? (2013, February). Retrieved March 20, 2016, from
http://activelivingresearch.org/sites/default/files/ALR_Brief_ActivityBreaks_Feb2013.pdf
How Physical Activity Affects Academic Performance. (n.d.). Retrieved February 14,
2016, from http://www.sparkpe.org/blog/how-physical-activity-affects-academic-performance/

Running Head: Physical Activity, Fitness and Health

Criteria

(5) Exemplary

with
(97 100%)
Professiona

(4) Highly
Proficient

(93 96%)
l Standards
Referenced
Outline
10 Points
Outline
Logical,
Brief outline
detailed
outline
Turned
with at least 5
with at least 5
In(Already
original peer
original peer
submitted reviewed
reviewed
for points) references
references
written in APA written in APA
format is
format is
submitted with
a technology submitted.
choice selected
to embed the
assignment.
5 x 2=10 points
Introduction
10 Points

(3) Proficient
(83 92%)

Brief outline

12

(2)

(1)

Approaching Unsatisfactory
Proficient
(72%
and below)
(73 82%)
Brief outline

No outline was

with some
with one or no submitted.
references but references
not 5 original submitted.
peer reviewed
references
written in APA
format are
submitted.

Running Head: Physical Activity, Fitness and Health

Criteria

(5) Exemplary

with
(97 100%)
Professiona

(4) Highly
Proficient

(3) Proficient
(83 92%)

13

(2)

Approaching Unsatisfactory
Proficient
(72%
and
below)
(73 82%)

(93 96%)
l Standards
Referenced
Introductio Introduction is Introduction is Introduction is Introduction is
fully
fully developed addressed well, addressed
n to the
developed, well with all topics
topic and
somewhat
adequately.
organized,
introduced.
overview introduces all
organized and
(In your
created a plan
topics, created
a plan for the
purpose
for the paper.
paper
and
statement
invites the
also
reader to read
introduce further.
all
subtopics) 5 x 2=10 points
InTASC
1c,k; 5k; 9f;
10h
NAEYC 6b
NETS-T
3a,d; 4a,c
CEC
EC2S1;
CC7K1;
EC7K1;CC
9K4;CC9S
8
Literature Review

15 Points

(1)

Introduction is
omitted or was
disorganized
and did not
create a plan
for the paper.

Running Head: Physical Activity, Fitness and Health

Criteria

(5) Exemplary

with
(97 100%)
Professiona

(4) Highly
Proficient

(3) Proficient
(83 92%)

14

(2)

(1)

Approaching Unsatisfactory
Proficient
(72%
and
below)
(73 82%)

(93 96%)
l Standards
Referenced
Adequacy 1. Literature 1. Literature 1. Literature 1. Literature 1. Literature
of
review
review
review may
review does not review does not
Knowledge highlights
addresses
address major address the
have the depth
(includes 5 major issues in major issues in issues, but
major issues in of knowledge
peer
the area.
the area.
issues may not the area; the
appropriate to
reviewed 2. Thorough 2. Thorough be supported level of support this upper level
original
use of a range use of a range with expert
for the issues is course.
research
of references to of references to knowledge.
not adequate.
articles
support key
support key
2. Includes less
references) issues.
issues.
2. Good use of 2. Includes 3 than 2
references, but references.
references.
InTASC 3. Description 3. Includes
additional
1c,k; 5k; 9f; of important descriptions of references may
10h
studies
important
have
NAEYC 6b establishes
studies to
strengthened
NETS-T context for the provide context the paper.
3a,d; 4a,c reader.
for the reader.
CEC
3. Includes 4
4. Includes
4. Includes 5 or references.
EC2S1;
more than 5
more
CC7K1;
informative
references.
EC7K1;CC references.
9K4;CC9S
5 x 3=15 points
8
Practical Implications and Technology infusion
30 Points

Running Head: Physical Activity, Fitness and Health

Criteria

(5) Exemplary

with
(97 100%)
Professiona
l Standards
Referenced
Practical 1. Practical
Implication implications of
your event
s (Discuss
details
how the
including your
findings
teaching level
can or will and in a
particular
later be
setting are
applied to discussed
your
thoroughly. A
teaching minimum of 6
topics are
setting)
applied
InTASC including the
1c,k; 5k; 9f; creation of at
least 3 visual
10h
NAEYC 6b support of
NETS-T topics are used
3a,d; 4a,c and listed as
appendices.
CEC
EC2S1;

2. Contains
CC7K1;
thorough
EC7K1;CC discussion on
9K4;CC9S how each of
the 6 program/
8
components
that are in
place are
organized,
conducted, and
overseen or a
detailed plan
about how each
component can
be added.
3. All
programs/
components
implemented

(4) Highly
Proficient

(3) Proficient
(83 92%)

(93 96%)

15

(2)

Approaching Unsatisfactory
Proficient
(72%
and
below)
(73 82%)

1. Practical

1. Pratical
1.
implications
implications
Practical
are discussed
are discussed
implications
but not at a
but not related particularly
are not
to a particular level or in a
thoroughly
teaching setting particular
discussed and
setting
and
or topic or
only a few
many details of
certain details your event are details of the
are missing.
event are
missing.
2. Contained at
least 3-4
components of
a
comprehensive
school
program;
however, some
of the needed
detail is
missing. (At
least 1-2 visual
supports are
used).
3. Contains
thorough
discussion on
how most of
the program/
component that
are in place are
organized,
conducted, and
overseen or a
detailed plan
about how the
components
can be added.

(1)

present.

1. Practical
implications
are not
discussed and
no details of
the event are
present.
2. Contained 3
or fewer
components of
a
comprehensive
school program
(0-1 visual
supports are
created).
3. Contains
little discussion
on which
programs/
components are
currently in
place.
4. Contains
little discussion
on how each
program/
component is
organized,
conducted, and
overseen and
little detail
about how the
components
can be added.
5. Few
programs/
components

Running Head: Physical Activity, Fitness and Health

Criteria

(5) Exemplary

with
(97 100%)
Professiona

(4) Highly
Proficient

(93 96%)
l Standards
Referenced
Conclusion
10 Points
Conclusion Major issues
ITASC
support and
1c,k; 5k; 9f; establish
10h
conclusions
NAEYC 6b and your
NETS-T conclusion
The major
3a,d; 4a,c contained a
issues are
CEC
detailed
summary of
summarized
EC2S1;
what your
under
CC7K1;
Healthy and
EC7K1;CC Active School conclusions.
9K4;CC9S Plan will look
like in 1, 3 and
8
5 years.

16

(3) Proficient
(83 92%)

(2)

Approaching Unsatisfactory
Proficient
(72%
and
below)
(73 82%)

The
conclusions are Provides
not complete
and your
conclusion
contained a

(1)

No conclusions

opinions, but are included

not a summary nor did this
of findings for section contain
a description of
both the

brief
conclusion and what your
Healthy and
description of what your
Active School
what your
Healthy and
Plan will look
Healthy and
School Plan
Active School will look like
Plan will look in 1, 3 and 5

like in 1, 3 and
5 years.

like in 1, 3 and years.

5 years.
10 Points

5 x 2=10 points
Writing and Referencing Style
First Draft Detailed draft
of all sections Detailed draft
of all
of the paper
of ALL
sections
with
sections with
submitted appropriate
some errors in
with
content,
content
headers,
changes
writing style, a covered,
made
choice of
integrating technology to headings,
writing style
instructor embed the
comments assignment and and/or
from the references in references in
APA 6.0 style. APA 6.0 style.
outline

Detailed draft Missing

of MOST
sections or
sections with paper has
Incomplete
some errors in regular errors
(missing half of
content
across content
the
covered,
covered,
requirements)
headings,
headings,
or completely
writing style writing style
missing paper.
and/or
and/or
references in references in
APA 6.0 style. APA 6.0 style.

Running Head: Physical Activity, Fitness and Health

Criteria

(5) Exemplary

with
(97 100%)
Professiona
l Standards
Referenced
Integration

All comments
of
from instructor
instructor integrated into
comments final version.
from first All were
highlighted in
draft
yellow.

(4) Highly
Proficient
(93 96%)

(3) Proficient
(83 92%)

17

(2)

(1)

Approaching Unsatisfactory
Proficient
(72%
and
below)
(73 82%)

Most
Some
Very few
No comments
comments from comments from comments from
from instructor
instructor
instructor
instructor
integrated into
integrated into integrated into integrated into
final version.
final version. final version. final version.
The changes
All were
Most were
Most were
were not
highlighted in highlighted in highlighted in
highlighted.
yellow.
yellow.
yellow.

Running Head: Physical Activity, Fitness and Health

Criteria

(5) Exemplary

with
(97 100%)
Professiona
l Standards
Referenced
Writing

(4) Highly
Proficient

proper spelling
and grammar,
all references
in APA 6.0
style. Paper
was
appropriate
length (at least
5 pages).
2. The file
1. Cover page
document
name
included, few
contains
grammatical
Lastname.firstn
errors and
ame.assignmen
misspellings,
t#.course#
all references
3. This rubric in APA 6.0
was added to style.
the last page of
the document
submitted
except on the 2. Paper was
final copy you appropriate
will submit to length (at least
TK20.
5 pages).
4. All sentences
are clear and
well developed
5. Proposals
and events are
appropriate
length with
standard

(83 92%)

(93 96%)

and
1. Cover page
referencing included,
style

(3) Proficient

18

(2)

(1)

Approaching Unsatisfactory
Proficient
(72%
and
below)
(73 82%)

1. Cover page
included, some
grammatical
errors and
misspellings,
some errors in
referencing
style APA 6.0.

1. Cover page
not included,
major
grammatical
errors and
misspellings,
many errors in
referencing
style APA 6.0.

2. Paper was
too short for
the topic (3-4
pages).

2. Paper was
too short for
the topic (1-2
pages) .

1. Cover page
3. The file
not included, 3. The file
document
name
many
name does not
somewhat
grammatical contain the
contains the
Lastname.firstn
Lastname.firstn errors and
ame.assignmen misspellings, ame.assignmen
t#.course#
some errors in t#.course#
referencing
4. This rubric
was added but style APA 6.0.
not at the end
of the
document
2. Paper was
submitted.
too short for
5. Most
sentences are
clear and well
developed.

the topic (1-2

pages).

4. This rubric
was not added
to the
document
submitted.
5. Many
sentences are
not clear and
underdevelope
d.

6. Proposals

6. Proposals

and events are

mostly

and events are

not of

appropriate
length with

appropriate
length with

standard

larger than

Running Head: Physical Activity, Fitness and Health

Criteria

(5) Exemplary

with
(97 100%)
Professiona
l Standards
Referenced
Total Score
Grade

(4) Highly
Proficient
(93 96%)

(3) Proficient
(83 92%)

19

(2)

(1)

Approaching Unsatisfactory
Proficient
(72%
and
below)
(73 82%)