The Connection Between Movement and Student Engagement in a Kindergarten Classroom

The research question addressed in this project was: How will regular movement opportunities impact student engagement in a kindergarten classroom? This capstone begins with the personal experiences and influences of the author that led her to this question. Research on the connection between the brain, movement, and development is explained. Programs and countries that integrate frequent movement opportunities into their school schedules are examined in chapter two. This action research project uses a mixed-methods approach to observe off-task behavior during an independent writing period in a kindergarten class. Two weeks of observation are followed by two weeks of movement intervention prior to independent writing time. The results from this action research show a dramatic decrease in off-task behavior when additional movement opportunities are provided for kindergarten students