Let’s Get Moving: The Benefits of Increased Physical Activity in First Grade Classrooms

The focus of this Capstone Project is the need for an increase in physical activity for first grade students. The issue addressed is how to increase opportunities for movement for students. This is important because the amount of time required to sit still throughout the school day is not developmentally appropriate, which can hinder their ability to learn, and can lead to physical and mental health issues. An argument is made that first graders should be given more opportunities for movement throughout their day, both during and outside of school hours. It is argued that this would benefit students academically, physically, and mentally. An evidence based argument is offered that students who engage their vestibular and proprioceptive sensory processing systems are more likely to have increased focus and academic success. The primary stakeholder perspectives chosen were parents and teachers, because they hold the power to make a difference for students. Three action options emerged from an analysis of the data and explored as ways to address the issue presented. Implementing Brain Breaks and a Moveable Classroom Management Style are argued to be the most effective ways to achieve the goal of increasing physical movement throughout the day