Inquiry Based Professional Action

Plan

Presented by, Josh Boldt

What role does physical activity have on a

students academic performance?

Key Topic of Interest and Context

I have always found the correlation between
physical activity and academic learning interesting.
As an athlete growing up it always occurred to me
that the greater my overall fitness the greater I
found my ability to concentrate academically.
After performing a physical activity I entered a
deeper place of calm where my brain seemed to
function with an improved clarity. For this
investigation I will dig deeper into my childhood
hypothesis and see how it relates to the education
environment of today. I have formed a preliminary

What benefit
does physical
activity have on
learning?

How can the

elementary
learning process
use physical
fitness as a
tool?

How has
technology
affected the
amount of
physical activity
children are
engaging in?

Is there
concrete proof
that physical
activity has
positive impacts
on neural health
and growth?

SPECIFIC ACTIONS

a. INTERVIEW- January 15, 2016: Speak with

educators from Ripple Rock Elementary in
Campbell River about how they have observed
the role of physical activity in academic
success.
b. WATCH_January 31, 2016: Watch Ted Talks
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V81cO8xyM
a
, https://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBSVZdTQmDs

c. READ- February 15, 2016: Read the book,

A. Conclusions from speaking with teachers at Ripple

Rock Elementary
-. Ripple Rock the students have at least 30 minutes of
designated physical activity every day, on top of the recess
times
-. Students are less wound up and restless after having
exercise
-. They are better able to get into the green zone of selfregulation (ready to learn)
-. Students given frequent physical brain breaks seem to
refocus and be able to get going on the subsequent task
more efficiently

By brain breaks I mean, brain breaks.

Literally giving the students, and teachers,
brains a minute to refocus through movement.
These breaks can consist of activities from playing
Simon Says to playing Head and Shoulders Knees
and Toes. Every 20 minutes or so getting the
blood pumping can have a huge effect on a
students ability to absorb information and reset
their minds into a place of calm.

B. Ted Talks Paul Zientarski Want Smarter, Healthier Kids? Try Physical Education!

Zientarski as created the Learning Readiness Physical Education (LRPE) program

The program focuses on physical education and fitness as the starting point
in high school with the purpose of increasing academic performance
The program saw results immediately and in leaps and bounds
Students that had physical activity prior to class improved 56% on average
over a semester and continued to improve over the following years
Math scores had risen at the most dramatic percentage of 93% when students
engaged in physical activity prior to coming to class, and brain breaks were
incorporated through-out the class every 20mins
PHYSICAL EDUCATION BUILT THE BRAIN CELLS AND SUBSQUENT CLASS
WORK FILLED THEM UP!!!

C. KEY POINTS FROM:

Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise
and the Brain, by John J. Ratey
Exercise remodels the brain for peak performance
Beats stress, lifts mood, fights memory loss
Our brains thrive on the benefits of exercise just like our hearts
Outcomes? Learn faster, learn better, decrease anxiety, get happy

What does this mean for the teachers and students of the world?
Inactivity and poor diet have risen into the spot light as two of the most pressing issues
when it comes to health problems in North American society today. Many factors are
at play when it come to this.
Technology has made our lives easier and taken the place of more conventional hobbies
Lack of play-time
Exercise has taken a back-seat to other subject areas

SO?

What we need to do, so we can do what we are supposed to do, as educators.

In order for us as teachers to be able to help students achieve at the optimal levels that they need to, we must fundamentally understand the advantages that physical activity has on the brains of learners.
We must strive to implement physical movement into every step of the learning process, every subject, every day.

A direction to point towards

The research and investigation from my central question did indeed prove that I was on the right track with my childhood thinking. I was in a better place mentally and emotionally to learn when I had incorporated physical activity into my day,
especially prior to learning.
Our society, and its children, have become so invested in spending time on social media and relying on technology to serve as our entertainment that we have forgotten to look up and away from the blue lights of our screens and get up and move.
The education community must find a way to incorporate more play and physical activity into the daily lives of the students so that they are best equipped to learn, find peace, and succeed in the future.

From Michelle Obamas Lets Move