GET UP

AND GET
MOVING!

November 2015

A White Paper looking at the

Academic Benefits of an Active
and Well Nourished Student
Eleanor Ellison

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Get Up and Get Moving!

Table of Contents
ABSTRACT ........................................................................................................................... 1
INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................... 2
HOW BIG OF A DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE? ..................................................................... 3
Physically Fit for Learning....................................................................................................................... 3
The Decrease in Activity .......................................................................................................................... 4
Fatty Fuel ................................................................................................................................................... 4
Conclusion................................................................................................................................................... 5
WHAT TEACHERS CAN DO IN THE CLASSROOM ................................................................ 6
Get Moving ............................................................................................................................................... 6
Start Cooking ............................................................................................................................................ 7
Dig In........................................................................................................................................................... 8
HOW PARENTS CAN TAKE ACTION.................................................................................... 9
Jump into Action ........................................................................................................................................ 9
Snazzy Snacking .................................................................................................................................... 10
CONCLUSION .................................................................................................................... 11
REFERENCES ...................................................................................................................... 12

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Get Up and Get Moving!

A W H I T E PA P E R L O O K I N G AT T H E AC A D E M I C B E N E F I T S O F A N
ACT IVE A N D WELL NOURIS HE D S TUDE N T

ABSTRACT
The school environment today is not conducive to students health. Recess and PE
times are being cut, and classrooms are lacking movement. The meals provided by
the school, which some of our students rely on as their only substantial meals, are not
well nourishing to our students bodies. On top of the concern that the children of
America are being robbed of a healthy childhood, there is research to support that this
unhealthy lifestyle is hindering their ability to learn effectively. The good news is that
there is a way to start to make a change, starting with childrens parents and teachers.
Teachers can start to incorporate movement and nutrition into their standards based
curriculum without taking away from instructional time. In fact, teachers taking time
to be sure their students are getting exercise and some healthy food will increase their
students focus and decrease behavior problems. Parents can help their children as
well. Developing programs and games to be sure they are getting at least 60 minutes
of activity a day, and taking care to pack fun and healthy snacks and lunches for
school can make all the difference.

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Get Up and Get Moving!

INTRODUCTION
Our education system is far from perfect. There are many factors that go into our public
education and there is a long road ahead of us as we begin to take the steps towards providing
our students with the amazing education they deserve. The first step to achieving that goal should
be to make sure our students are given their best chance to learn while they are in our
care. Right now our students are at a huge disadvantage because of a simple human need: They
are not healthy.
Our students brains are growing and shaping during their elementary years. In order for
childrens brains to get the most out of their schooling, their bodies should be at their best. Daily
exercise in children has been proven to improve cognition, behavior problems in the classroom,
and performance on assessment (Richardson, 2009). This seems like an easy solution, yet with
pressures from No Child Left Behind and a growing number of standards to be met, PE and recess
times are decreasing to a few times a week or being cut altogether (McMurrer, 2008). All this
added pressure put on students academic performance adds more stress and anxiety to their
lives, and now their healthiest option for release, exercise, has been taken away from their
schedules.
Our students are now spending their school days sedentary, stressed, and their brains
performing below potential. They then take their daily break at lunch to nourish their bodies, only
to be met with food that dont meet the standard (Barnes, 2010). Everyone has seen the lunch
trays filled with greasy fried food, and a small side cup with a few pieces of fruit that are
ultimately left untouched. This is especially disturbing considering 71.6% of our students
nationally qualify for free or reduced lunches (USDA, 2015). When students rely on the school
for nourishment, it is our duty to be sure we are providing food that will keep them healthy,
energized for their day, and at their best for learning.

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There are many changes that need to be made within the public schools in America, but
the first step needs to be ensuring our students are healthy in the classroom to give them the best
chance at being successful. Everyone from policy makers, to administrators, teachers, parents,
and even the students themselves can help in this effort to keep students healthy
learners. Together we can ensure that our students are offered the brightest of futures.

HOW BIG OF A DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE?

Physically Fit for Learning
Studies show that children with an overall higher fitness perform higher scores on
standardized tests across socioeconomic status, gender, and race when compared to high aerobic
fitness, lower BMI, and overall fitness data gathered from the state fitness tests. There has also
been evidence supporting overweight children with significant improvement in cognition and
academic achievement tests when they engaged in aerobic exercise. These findings suggest
childrens academic performance in the classroom is linked and enhanced by a healthy lifestyle
(Castelli, Hillman, Buck, & Erwin 2007; Davis et al., 2011). There are some physical benefits to
the brain that may explain this link, aerobic exercise pumps more blood throughout the body,
including to the brain. More blood means more oxygen and, therefore, better-nourished brain
tissue, (Richardson, 2009). It is no wonder that the brain would perform better if the physical
tissue is receiving more nutrients to work with ease.
The first step on Maslows Hierarchy of Needs is to satisfy physiological needs. Students
need to be well nourished in order to be fully functioning in the classroom. For instance, students
who eat breakfast have higher, "cognitive performance as demonstrated through their levels of
alertness, attention, memory, problem solving and mathematics skills," (Satcher & Bisceglie,
2013). Just by eating at the start of the day, students are already off to a greater
advantage. The Center for Disease control and Prevention presents a correlation between
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students who are not getting enough fruits, vegetables, or dairy products and low grades (CDC,
2014). Students need to have access to healthy nutrients, not simply be full of empty calories, in
order to be successful in the classroom setting. The United States Department of Agriculture
recommends that roughly half of ones daily calories should be fruits and vegetables, with lean
protein, low-fat dairy, and whole grains making up the other half (USDA, 2011). This balanced
diet is what schools should aim towards when creating meals for students.

The Decrease in Activity

While recess and PE are still offered in most schools, there time and frequency are being
cut in schools. The Center on Education Policy shared that 20 percent of districts decreased their
recess time and nine percent decreased PE instruction, and had no findings of any district
increasing time on recess or PE since No Child Left Behind started in 2001. These schools are
cutting 50 minutes of recess and 40 minutes of PE on average a week. PE time specifically has
dropped on average from 23 minutes a day to 15 minutes a day (McMurrer, 2008). This is the
only time students have instructional time for physical activity. It is recommended that children get
an hour or more of physical activity each day, mostly of aerobic exercise (Barnes 2010; CDC,
2015; Reilly et al., 2012; Richardson, 2009; Satcher & Bisceglie, 2013; USDA, 2011). If the
students are not involved with daily aerobic activity outside of school such as sports teams, then
they are short 75% of the physical activity per day they need.

Fatty Fuel
The fuel students put in their bodies are just as important to brain function as it is to
physical function. According to the White House task force on Childhood Obesity, In the 200405 school year, although most school meals were consistent with meal pattern requirements and
provided most key nutrients, 93-94% of meals failed to meet all nutritional standards, primarily
due to not meeting standards for fat, saturated fat, or calories, (Barnes, 2010). The gross
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majority of schools are providing out students with inadequate meals. The more shocking
revelation lies in the fact that many children receive more than half of their calorie intake from
school meals. Worse, children of low-income families that rely on free or reduced lunches from
schools may not have any access to healthy foods at home, and their only chance at receiving a
nutritious meal would be through the school (Kalich, Bauer, & McPartlin, 2009; Satcher & Bisceglie,
2013; USDA 2011). The biggest argument against bringing healthy food options to the schools is
the expense, and that students wont buy the lunches if they are healthy. However, the CDC
polled 17 schools and districts around the country about their decisions to sell healthier foods and
beverages and found that 71 percent experienced revenue increases while 24 percent had no
change at all, (Satcher & Bisceglie, p. 10). That means that 95% of schools are either profiting
or maintaining revenue while also improving the health of their student body, thus nullifying the
argument that children refuse to eat healthy.

Conclusion
Numerous studies, including reports released by the federal government, have all come to
the same conclusion: Students perform at higher academic standards when they are eating
healthy and exercising. (Barnes, 2010; Castelli, 2007; CDC, 2014; Davis et al., 2011; Kalich et
al., 2009; McMurrer, 2008; Reilly et al., 2012; Richardson, 2009; Satcher et al, 2013) Despite
these facts, schools are not meeting these basic physiological needs for students to be at their
highest achievement level (Barnes, 2010; Castelli et al., 2007; CDC, 2014; Reilly, 2012;
Richardson, 2009; Satcher et al, 2013). Schools need to make the change. But what can we do
in the mean time?

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Get Up and Get Moving!

WHAT TEACHERS CAN DO IN THE CLASSROOM

Get Moving
So we have talked about what
the ideal physical and nutritious school
day would look like. What can
teachers start to do in their classrooms
to be sure they are not short changing
their students the opportunities to
experience a healthy school day when
its not being met by scheduled PE,
recess times, or in the cafeteria?
According to Reilly, Buskist, and Gross
When students are inactive for

Deal or No Deal
A great way to review for a test. Have small
activities written out on note cards and place a
number on the blank side. Post the numbers up on
the board. Have a student answer a review
question and if they are correct, they may pick a
number. Read the task on the note card and ask,
Deal, or No Deal? If the student says Deal the
whole class participates in the activity, if No
Deal, the student chooses another task from the
board but the class must do the activity the second
time without the option of choosing again. Some
activities could be resting for a moment, read
aloud time, squats, jumping jacks, walk like a crab
once around the room, etc.
Reilly, E., Buskist, C., Gross, M.K. (2012, May 14). Movement in the
classroom: Boosting brain power, fighting obesity. Kappa Delta Pi
Record, 48(2). 62-66. Retrieved November 3, 2015 from:
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00228958.2012.6803
65

periods longer than 20 minutes, they

experience a drop in glucose and oxygen to the brain, resulting in diminished ability to focus,
comprehend, and remember (2012), this is the main reason teachers need to incorporate
movement into their class time. Teachers

Slap Counting can be used to practice

counting by groups of numbers, practicing
spelling words, or any listing memorization.
The activity is a partner activity, mimicking
a patty cake like action. With each clap to
the partners hand, one piece of the list is
recited. Slap Counting can be done for
informal data collection on recall of the
subject being taught.
Reilly, E., Buskist, C., Gross, M.K. (2012, May 14). Movement in
the classroom: Boosting brain power, fighting obesity. Kappa
Delta Pi Record, 48(2). 62-66. Retrieved November 3, 2015
from:
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00228958.20
12.680365

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benefit with the increased the focus of their

students on task learning. In the same
article, it is suggested that movement in the
classroom can be organic and take little
time, such as standing up between lessons
and doing a few jumping jacks, or my
personal favorite, getting the shakes out. To

Get Up and Get Moving!

get the shakes out, students stand up, and shake their right hand 16 times as fast as possible, then
their left, then their right foot, then left foot, then booty, and then start back at the hands for 8
and continue through, then shake out 4 times, then 2 times, then once to finish it out. The students
love it and it gets them a quick break to wiggle around.

Star t Cooking
Healthy nutrition can also be
supplemented in a classroom environment. There
are already small amounts of allotted time for
health curriculum in the classroom, but lets take
nutrition beyond the minimum. Having students
involved in their food increases their interest in
the product. You can incorporate recipes in
mathematics with measuring ingredients, even
turning the amounts into equations the students
have to solve. To further integrated curriculum,
the dishes being prepared can be from diverse
cultures and introduce students to experience
other cultures through the common human
experience of cooking. Exploring chemistry
components like the difference between physical
and chemical reactions, mixtures, or phases of
matter are all authentic cooking processes.
Create meals featured in a story that was just
read in literature, and have the students write
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Money, Measure, Mix

A few years ago I implemented
a lesson with money and
measurement objectives while
creating trail mix. You should
have a variety of different
ingredients for your trail mix (try
to keep it on the healthier side,
but adding some M&Ms or
chocolate chips allows for
students to be more excited to
try the mix), a balance scale, and
a few bags or bowls with a
mixture of different coins. Have
the students pick out a certain
number of a certain type of coin
from the pile. Each ingredient
can either have the same
measurement of coins or keep a
constant (I had Kindergartners
find four pennies to use for each
measurement). Have the coins on
one side of the balance scale,
and measure out ingredients on
the opposite side until the weight
is balanced. Students have
worked on identifying coins,
learned about weight, and
obtained a healthy snack! For
older grades, density and math
word problems can be created
for extensions to the activity.

Get Up and Get Moving!

about the cooking experience in writing. The possibilities are endless. The outcome does not only
meet learning objectives, but your students are more educated in how to live a more healthy
lifestyle, and have eaten a healthy snack to help them stay energized through the rest of your
class day. Ask for parents to help coming in and providing these healthy snacks, or sharing
information about a traditional meal from their culture. If parents are unavailable, invite
members of the community, maybe the owners or chefs of local restaurants to come in and share
this information.

Dig In
Classroom gardens are a wonderful way to get students moving and involved in their
nutrition. Gardening genuinely align with science standards involving the study of plants, their life
cycles, photosynthesis, and ecosystems. Math can be incorporated with measurement of seeds,

Childrens gardens provide an

ideal setting for nutrition
education by allowing children to
observe and care for plants and
develop a connection to the
natural world. Children exposed
to homegrown produce tend to
prefer those vegetables.
Kalich, K. A., Bauer, D., McPartlin, D. (2009, July). Early
sprouts: Establishing healthy food choices for young
children. Young Children, 64(4), 49-55. Retrieved
November 4, 2015 from
https://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/Early%20Sprouts.pdf

amount of water, frequency of watering, graphing

exercises keeping track of growth, and so much
more. Students can read literature about plants
and the specific ones growing in their gardens, or
stories with garden settings. Fruits and vegetables
of different origins and locations can be planted to
create a geographic garden (depending on
climates). Karrie Kalich developed a gardening

curriculum called the Early Sprouts program intended for early childhood educators, but can be
modified for older grades as well. Students gain exposure of a seed to table practice of preplanned fruits and vegetables to plant, raise, and taste. The curriculum allows for sensory
exploration, cooking, math, science, literacy, social skills development, and family involvement
(Kalich, 2009, p. 49).
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HOW PARENTS CAN TAKE ACTION

Jump into Action
Parents are the first step into making this ideal healthy school day into a reality. Parents
are the childrens literal home base. Moms and dads have (some) control over what your children
are doing and eating before and after school. Lets start with what children are doing. The more
Colleen Wegimont, PE teacher
at Oak Ridge Elementary School,
introduced the Wake Up Club
four years ago as an opportunity
for kids to play in the gym for
30 minutes before school.
Today, 200 students participate.
Sometimes we forget that kids
just need to play. Theyre having
fun and getting fit, Wegimont
says, adding she believes the
program has also improved
student attendance.
Wegimont also helped parents
start the Jump Rope Club to
address the recess limitations of
Oak Ridges small green space.
Once a week, parents turn jump
ropes for kids during lunch
recess. Parent Pollie Rodrique,
who now coordinates the
program, notes it gives working
parents who participate during
their own lunch hours an easy
opportunity to help kids be more
active during school. It is
incredible to see the kids
positive energy, and how they
encourage each other, she
says.
Satcher, D. & Bisceglie, R. (2013). The
learning connection: What you need to
know to ensure your kids are healthy and
ready to learn. Action for Healthy Kids.
Retrieved from:
http://www.actionforhealthykids.org/stor
age/documents/pdfs/afhk_thelearningco
nnection_digitaledition.pdf

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obvious solution is having students partake in programs

such as recreation league soccer or basketball, join a
swim team, weekly dance classes, and other scheduled
active programs. The problem that can arise is that
these programs can be costly. There is hope, these
opportunities still exist for free! Parents can work with
the school to organize a club before or after school to
get kids moving, like a jump rope club, running, yoga, or
another sport/exercise of interest that the school
already has the supplies for. Have a group of parents
rotate supervision duties, maybe even offer different
activities depending on the adults experience. There
could also be a parent organized walking school bus
with other parents, where you walk the students to
school in a large group before and after school.
Parents could encourage the school to incorporate
exercise into their next fundraising event, something like
a round robin volleyball tournament for the students to
participate in and make money off of selling tickets and

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snacks. If the school cannot offer the support or the space, use the community. Many members of
the community are also usually willing to help and offer space for these children. A local yoga
studio may be willing to offer a weekly class for children for free to help them build a healthy
lifestyle, or a gym willing to open up a basketball court for a game of children pick-up games.
Seek out the local resources and get talking with the other parents to make this happen!

Snazzy Snacking
I think everyone can agree that the hardest part of having children eat healthy is that its
not exciting, and children do not want to eat grapes when they could be eating fast food frenchfries accompanied with a small toy. I am calling on all parents and educators to get creative with
their snacking! I will give the disclaimer that it will take a little extra prep time, but it is so worth it
when the outcome is your children building an appetite for healthy eating. Keep the USDA
recommendations of a balanced diet in mind when planning the meals and snacks for the day,
which you can easily calculate what your children should be eating on their websites
SuperTracker.usda.gov or ChooseMyPlate.gov, and Choose My Plate is very kid friendly. If you
click on the audience tab you can select an interface for your kids to use and become involved
in tracking their own health. There is a plethora of wonderful websites to inspire snack creations,
and I have put together a few ideas and references for you all to jump start the creative juices!
The Coral Snake Snack
Strawberries
Bananas
Cheese Wraps:
Whole wheat wrap
Neufchatel cheese to spread
Strawberry jam
Bananas

This snack would be

fantastic to pair with
a lesson on the
Coral Snake.

Find more at: www.superhealthykids.com/

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Fruit Racers
Apples
Grapes or String Cheese
Toothpicks

What a terrific snack to

accompany a
transportation lesson

Find more at: www.learningliftoff.com/

Apple Smiles
Apples
Marshmallows or string cheese
Peanut butter (or any spread)

The kids will be all smiles

to get these toothy snacks
after a dental lesson

Find more at: www.lilluna.com/10-kid-approved-finger-foods/

You can be sure your children will be exposed to a variety of exciting snacks without
having to take a large amount of time each day to prepare them, talk with other parents in the
class and the teacher. Start a rotation of providing the class with healthy and fun snacks, that can
also align with what the students are learning in class.

CONCLUSION
We can all acknowledge that there are countless obstacles to overcome in the education
system. A number of these hurdles to overcome are directly linked with the health of the students.
There is an abundance of research supporting the need for a change in the unhealthy lifestyle
supported by our schools, and it will take effort and time to make these policy changes happen.
In the meantime, dedicated teachers and parents can start to get the ball rolling. Teachers can
implement movement and nutrition into their classroom and curriculum with little to no disturbance
of their pacing plans. In fact, when teachers create opportunity for their students to move and
involved in their nutrition, research supports that the classroom environment will be more
productive and efficient. Parents can be sure their children are reaching their full academic
potential by ensuring their kids are given the opportunity to exercise and inspire healthy eating
by making fruits and vegetables exciting. The change begins with you!
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REFERENCES
Barnes, M. (2010). Solving the problem of childhood obesity within a generation: White House task
force on childhood obesity report to the president. Retrieved from:
http://www.letsmove.gov/sites/letsmove.gov/files/TaskForce_on_Childhood_Obesity_Ma
y2010_FullReport.pdf
Castelli, D. M., Hillman, C. H., Buck, S. M., & Erwin, H. E. (2007). Physical fitness and academic
achievement in third-and fifth-grade students. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology,
29(2), 239-252. Retrieved from
http://www.humankinetics.com/acucustom/sitename/Documents/DocumentItem/7336.pdf
Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2015). How much physical activity do children need?
Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/everyone/guidelines/children.html
Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2014). Health and academic achievement. Retrieved
from http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/health_and_academics/pdf/health-academicachievement.pdf
Davis, C. L., Tomporowski, P. D., McDowell, J. E., Austin, B. P., Miller, P. H., Yanasak, N. E., ... &
Naglieri, J. A. (2011). Exercise improves executive function and achievement and alters
brain activation in overweight children: A randomized, controlled trial. Health Psychology,
30(1), 91-98. Retrieved from http://psycnet.apa.org/journals/hea/30/1/91.pdf
Kalich, K. A., Bauer, D., McPartlin, D. (2009). Early sprouts: Establishing healthy food choices
for young children. Young Children, 64(4), 49-55. Retrieved from
https://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/Early%20Sprouts.pdf
McMurrer, J. (2008). Instructional time in elementary schools: A closer look at changes for specific
subjects. Retrieved from http://www.cep-dc.org/displayDocument.cfm?DocumentID=309

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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. Retrieved from:
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00228958.2012.680365
Richardson, V. (2009). A fit body means a fit mind. Retrieved from
http://www.edutopia.org/exercise-fitness-brain-benefits-learning
Satcher, D. & Bisceglie, R. (2013). The learning connection: What you need to know to ensure
your kids are healthy and ready to learn. Action for Healthy Kids. Retrieved from:
http://www.actionforhealthykids.org/storage/documents/pdfs/afhk_thelearningconnectio
n_digitaledition.pdf
United States Department of Agriculture. (2015). Child nutrition tables. Retrieved from:
http://www.fns.usda.gov/pd/child-nutrition-tables
United States Department of Agriculture. (2011). Choose MyPlate: 10 tips to a great
plate. Retrieved from http://www.choosemyplate.gov/foodgroups/downloads/TenTips/DGTipsheet1ChooseMyPlate.pdf

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