Abstract

This project explores the different impacts and benefits that recess contributes to the

accuracy, efficiency, and attentiveness during tests. The major question that was answered was:

how will the speed, accuracy, and completion percentage vary from tests taken before recess

versus after. The hypothesis claimed that the after recess tests would be more accurate and taken

faster than those before recess. One day before recess, a multiplication assessment including 100

problems were handed to 33 fourth grade students (male and female). The students had 5 minutes

to do the problems, and as soon as the stopwatch started, the children flipped over the papers and

started to work on it. When they finished, they wrote how long it took them, and then they raised

their hand to have the sheet picked up. After the five minutes, anyone who was not finished,

stopped, and the papers were collected. Two weeks later, after their recess, the same procedure

was repeated. Tests taken before recess were found to have on average 4.91% less questions

(85%) answered correctly than those taken after recess (89.91%). After recess had an average of

7.9 less problems left blank throughout the 5 minute span (less than before recess). Tests taken

before recess seemed to have taken an average of 15.93 seconds longer time to complete than

after recess times. ​These results indicate that children perform better academically when taking

tests after play time rather than before it. ​With this knowledge of play positively benefiting a

child’s success on assessments, parents and teachers can imply that into their child’s routine, so

that they are performing to the best of their ability. The different schedules at other schools in

Finland showed that by having extended recess, the in-school success level of a student will rise

(Hamilton, 2014). If other school systems adopt this procedure of supplying additional play time

then the school could see a notable increase in their average of grades.