ERIC Number: ED634291
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2023-Apr-11
Pages: 103
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: 979-8-3794-4367-2
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
How Daily Movement Impacts Elementary Students in Math
Lawson, Lesley McMahan
ProQuest LLC, Ed.D. Dissertation, Morehead State University
Following the COVID-19 pandemic, students returned to the classroom facing heightened challenges. Students lacked motivation, struggled with increased mental health issues, and required social emotional learning. As teachers worked extensively to close deep academic deficits, they dealt with barriers such as increased behaviors that caused frustration and tested educators to the extent of creating a teacher shortage across the United States. Educators were challenged to improve school culture and manage the various needs of students. Prior to the pandemic, this school had found success using a zero-hour fitness program targeting students that struggled with Adverse Childhood Experiences that impacted attendance, behavior, and academics. The school built on this idea the following year by taking the physical education teacher out of the performing arts special class rotation to be used as an interventionist, increasing the minutes of physical activity each week for all students. This quantitative study compared the growth on the math iReady assessment before and after 20 minutes of physical activity was added before math class each day for fourth and fifth grade students. It also compared the growth of various subgroups to determine if physical activity had a greater impact on one subgroup over the other. The results indicated a significant statistical difference in both fourth and fifth grade math scores when students participated in 20 minutes of physical activity before math. It is important to note that the 20 minutes used for physical activity was taken from math instruction. The students went from 90 minutes of math instruction the first year to 70 minutes the second year. There was not a significant difference in subgroups other than the external, internal, both behaviors and no identified behavior subgroup. Therefore, it can be concluded that physical activity makes a significant difference in math for all students. Humans were designed to move. Physical activity not only increases math scores but can be used as a built-in intervention to assist students in many ways. Not only does physical activity impact the body but most importantly for students, it impacts the brain. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]
Descriptors: Elementary School Students, Mathematics Achievement, Mathematics Tests, Grade 4, Grade 5, Physical Activities, Physical Activity Level, Intervention, Scores, Mathematics Instruction
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Publication Type: Dissertations/Theses - Doctoral Dissertations
Education Level: Elementary Education; Grade 4; Intermediate Grades; Grade 5; Middle Schools
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A