1. Physical Activity & Academic Achievement
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2. Outcomes for Presentation
Recognize the connection between physical activity and academic performance.
Understand why schools are an ideal location to promote physical activity.
Learn how Let’s Go!’s 5210 Goes to School program can help you support a healthier environment.
By the end of this presentation you should:
1. Recognize the connection between physical activity and academic performance.
2. Understand why schools are an ideal location to promote physical activity.
3. Learn how Let’s Go!’s 5210 Goes to School program can help you support a healthier environment.

3. Benefits of a Physically Active Child1
Student test scores improve after engaging in physical activity
Students who are physically active are more likely to perform well in school than their sedentary peers
Studies show an increase in academic achievement when additional time is provided for physical activity, even when time is removed from academic instruction
1 This citation is provided at the end of the slideshow
Physical activity has been proven to benefit academic performance. Students have shown improved test scores shortly after exercising. Students who are more active perform better in school than their peers. And lastly, increased physical activity has shown improved academic performance, even when time is taken away from academic instruction.

4. An Under-utilized, Effective Tool
Although research has repeatedly shown that increased physical activity supports improved academic performance, schools all across the United States have been limiting physical activities during school.
Although research has shown that physical activity can improve academic performance, schools across the U.S. have been limiting time for physical activity during the school day. This can be due to challenges like budget cuts and increased pressure for kids to perform well academically. Some people feel that time spent being physically active takes away from time that could be spent learning. However, in this presentation, we’ll show you that increasing time for physical activity actually improves academic performance.

5. So Prove It! Is there data to support that theory? YES!
Does it work here in Maine?
O.K. so we’ve all heard that physical activity can improve academic performance! But is there evidence to support that claim? And does this work in Maine? The answer is YES! Let’s take a look at some local research.

6. Research Conducted in Maine
Two studies were conducted in 2009 within the public school system in Lewiston, Maine.
Both studies provide evidence that physical activity is positively correlated with academic achievement.
Two studies were recently conducted within the Lewiston School system. These studies were conducted by a student at Bates College in 2009 in conjunction with the District School Health Coordinator in Lewiston, ME. Both studies provide evidence that physical activity is positively associated with academic achievement in children.

7. Study 1: Data Analysis of Standardized Test Scores
Study 1 involved data analysis of 2007 FITNESSGRAM and NWEA scores
The sample: 149 fourth and seventh grade students from Lewiston, ME
FITNESSGRAM: a five-part physical fitness assessment
NWEA: a three-part standardized test given in ME
The first study involved data analysis of FITNESSGRAM and NWEA scores from 149 fourth and seventh grade students in Lewiston. The FITNESSGRAM is a fitness test that assesses aerobic capacity, body composition, muscular strength, endurance, and flexibility. The NWEA is a standardized test administered in Maine that assesses Math, Language, and Reading abilities.

8. Study 1 Results
Number of FITNESSGRAM tests passed vs. NWEA Math, Language, and Reading Performance
This study yielded a statistically significant, positive correlation between FITNESSGRAM and NWEA scores. You can see from this graph that students who passed more FITNESSGRAM tests were more likely to perform better on the Math, Language, and Reading sections of the NWEA.
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For instance, you can see here in the right-hand column that students who passed all five of the FITNESSGRAM tests performed significantly better on Math, Language and Reading than students who passed only one FITNESSGRAM test.
It is quite impressive that physical fitness influenced performance on all three sections of the standardized test.

9. Study 2: Pedometer Program
Students from 3 elementary schools in Lewiston were asked to wear pedometers for one week
Sample: 92 students
Procedure: Participants wore their device at all times and recorded step counts daily
The second study conducted was a Pedometer Pilot Program in which 92 fourth grade students wore pedometers for one week and recorded their step counts daily. The students recorded the steps they took in school, after school, and on the weekend. Results were reported from three different elementary schools.

10. Study 2 Preliminary Results
Weekday vs. Weekend Physical Activity Levels
Preliminary results of this study yielded several trends. First, you can see here that students were more active during the week than on the weekend. Second, boys were significantly more active than girls in every category. Lastly this graph shows that most students in Lewiston were not even achieving 50% of their recommended daily steps.
Research suggests that young boys should take 15,000 steps per day to receive health benefits while young girls should take 13,000 steps per day. You can see that most of the bars on this graph hover around 0.50 meaning that students achieved only 50% of their daily step count recommendations.
This is a great indicator that children need more physical activity and that schools are an ideal location to support physical activity for ALL children; regardless of gender or weight.

11. In-School vs. After-School Physical Activity Levels
This study also showed that students were more active in school than after school. This result was surprising to researchers who hypothesized that children would spend more time being active outside of the school day. So we can see how important it is for students to be active in school and for schools to engage parents in increasing physical activity outside of school. For most families in Maine, schools are the center of the community. So role modeling and education start here.

12. Study 2 Academic Results
Weekday Physical Activity & Grade Average Correlation
Steps taken during the week
Correlation between weekday steps and grade average
Now we move to the results related to academic achievement. In order to interpret these graphs, please note that the Y axis shows how close students were to achieving their daily step recommendations. For example 0.2 means they achieved 20% of recommended steps and 1.0 means they achieved 100% of recommended steps. The X axis expresses grade averages on a scale.
This first graph indicates a statistically significant, positive correlation between weekday physical activity and grade average. In other words, students who took more steps during the week were more likely to have higher grade averages than their peers. The strength of this correlation is indicated by the red line and is equal to .28 which is a statistically significant value.

13. Weekday Physical Activity and NWEA Reading Correlation
Steps taken during the week
Correlation between weekday steps and NWEA Reading
This graph shows that students who were more active during the week not only had better grade averages, but also had higher NWEA reading scores than their peers. The strength of this positive correlation is .23 which is also a statistically significant value.

14. Weekend Physical Activity and Grade Average Correlation
Steps taken during the weekend
Correlation between weekend steps and grade average
The last major result yielded by this study indicated a significant, positive correlation between weekend physical activity and grade average. You can see here that students who were more active on the weekend were more likely to have higher grade averages then their peers. The strength of this positive correlation is also .23 which is a statistically significant value.
This finding was particularly interesting to researchers because the data indicated that physical activity both in school and outside of school have the potential to benefit academic achievement. This is again a great indicator of how schools and parents can work together to improve the health and academic achievement of students.

15. In Summary…
Study 1: Children who were more physically fit were more likely to perform better on NWEA Math, Language, and Reading
Study 2: Children who were more physically active had higher grade averages and better NWEA reading scores
In short, Study 1 showed that children who were more fit were more likely to perform better on the Math, Language, and Reading sections of the NWEA than their peers. Study 2 showed several trends, but most importantly, it indicated that children who were more physically active had higher grade averages and better NWEA reading scores than their peers.

16. Home Away from Home
So why is this so important? Because schools are children’s Home Away From Home: Spending roughly 7 hours or more a day at school, eating 1 or more meals at school.
Schools reach children during an important period of development that can influence physical activity and healthy eating behaviors.

17. Ideal Location
Schools are an ideal location to provide increased physical activity for children, through:
Recess
Active Learning
Activity Breaks
Physical Education
Before and After School Programs
Schools are an ideal location to increase children’s physical activity levels through gym class, movement-based learning, activity breaks, and before & after school programs.

18. How can you get started?
Join or support your 5210 Goes to School program. Think simple, focus on just a few strategies:
Provide opportunities for children to get physical activity every day.
Provide non-food rewards
Limit recreational screen time
Participate in initiatives that promote healthy eating & active living.
Engage community partners to help support & promote healthy eating and active living at your site
Partner with and educate families in adopting a lifestyle
that supports healthy eating and active living
Use this slide for discussion with your audience.
So how can you get started? Let’s discuss some quick, easy ideas. First, join or support your local Let’s Go Goes to School Program.
When you join Let’s Go! you are provided with effective tools, resources and support to help you more easily support increased physical activity and healthy eating. This includes: a toolkit, updates and support and technical assistance from Let’s Go! staff. We are here to help!
Think simple, and focus on a few key strategies within the 5210 model.
For instance:
Provide opportunities for children to get physical activity every day. For example: Use physical activity as a reward, incorporate physical activity into learning, provide open gym time, keep inside recess active, increase physical education time.
Provide non-food rewards. For example: Use physical activity as a reward, have non-food birthday celebrations such as a dance party or birthday recess.
Limit recreational screen time to two hours or less a day. For example: Find active alternatives to indoor recess and promote National Screen-Free Week. Schools can promote this at home too: Work with parents to reduce screen time at home, provide activity bags that can encourage screen-free evenings.
Engage community partners to help support and promote healthy eating and active living at your site. You are not alone in creating a healthier environment. For example, you can engage: Doctors, dentists, dieticians, local colleges, food banks, libraries, farmers, and local community coalitions like Healthy Maine Partnerships.
Partner with and educate families in adopting and maintaining a lifestyle that supports healthy eating and active living. For example: Ask parents to help volunteer for activities, distribute Let’s Go! parent handouts, sponsor family education events, introduce Let’s Go! at parent/teacher conferences and kindergarten orientation.

19. You’re Off to a Great Start!
What are you already doing to support increased physical activity?
Activity breaks during lessons
Incorporating movement into your curriculum
Using physical activity as a reward
Here’s the great news: You’re probably already doing several things that support physical activity at your school. Let’s talk about some of the ways you are supporting increased physical activity in your school. Physical activity breaks during lessons? Incorporating movement into your curriculum? Using physical activity as a reward?
You can use these initiatives as an easy starting block and build up from there. With 5210 Goes to School we can help you maintain those efforts, spread them further across the school or district and figure out how it supports other strategies to improve physical activity.

20. Recommendations for Leadership School Boards, Superintendants, Principals…
Spread the Word About Let’s Go! 5210
Integrate Physical Activity Into Your Schools
Seek and Provide Support
So… now that you know how physical activity can benefit academic performance, how can you increase physical activity at the leadership level?
Spread the Word About Let’s Go! 5210: Most schools are already supporting physical activity and healthy eating in some ways, but don’t receive support from leadership, parents or community because no one knows they are doing it. So go ahead and brag! 5210 is a perfect message to tie your physical activity efforts to: its simple, it’s easy to remember, and it’s everywhere. So people are more likely to recognize it and support it. Tell your staff, parents and community that you are a Let’s Go! 5210 school, what that means and why it’s important… That it’s part of your efforts to support better learners and a healthier future for our children!
Integrate Physical Activity Into Your Schools: You can make access to physical activity easy by integrating it into the school day. Incorporate physical activity before or after school, or into 5 or 10 minute classroom breaks, activity before instruction time has shown to improve attentiveness and behavior. You can incorporate physical activity into learning, for example: jumping jacks to the alphabet or spelling, steps into math, and more. Active learning has shown to boosts retention.
Support staff in incorporating physical activity by creating policies and procedures that allows them to do it. For example, policies can say: “the school district highly supports and encourages staff to incorporate physical activity into the school day including: curriculum, activity breaks, physical activity as a reward, etc”. And your district or individual school can determine exactly what that looks like in each school.
Seek and Provide Support: Let’s Go! and it’s programs like 5210 Goes to School are community programs. Meaning, you are not in this alone. Ask for community support: if you need equipment ask local businesses for financial support or donations of goods and services, ask parents or community members to volunteer, ask local physicians and health professionals to present. There are a number of people in your community who can help.
School boards, superintendants and principals: remind staff on a regular basis that you support them in incorporating physical activity into the school day, recognize those who are, thank them and let them know they are doing a good job, and help incorporate 5210 into policies and procedures. And remember… Let’s Go! is here to help!

21. Policy resources for increasing physical activity:
(scroll down to “Physical Education/Physical Activity”)
If you are interested in improving policies here are some extra resources that provide information on increasing physical activity through policy.
These can be made available after the presentation.
1 Active Living Research. Active Bodies, Active Minds: Physical Activity and Academic Achievement. San Diego, CA: Active Living Research, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, February 2010.

22. Remember to visit the Let’s Go
Remember to visit the Let’s Go! website to find out more on how you can support increased physical activity and healthy eating in your school.

23. Let’s Go! Is Generously Funded by Our: Founding Partners
Platinum Supporters
Let’s Go! is a childhood obesity prevention initiative that began in the 12 communities of Greater Portland, Maine (Cape Elizabeth, Cumberland, Gorham, Falmouth, Freeport, North Yarmouth, Portland, Scarborough, South Portland, Westbrook, Windham and Yarmouth).
It was developed in 2006 as a unique for-profit/non-profit partnership of local businesses and organizations that set out to address the childhood obesity epidemic through a five-year demonstration project.
These businesses and organizations included Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Maine, Hannaford Bros. Co., MaineHealth, Maine Medical Center, TD Bank, Unum and The United Way of Greater Portland.
In 2007, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation became a Platinum Supporter as a part of their Growing Up Healthy Initiative and in 2010 the New Balance Foundation also became a Platinum Supporter.
Let’s Go! was convened by the United Way of Greater Portland and implemented in partnership with The Kids CO-OP at the Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital at Maine Medical Center.
Additional Funders
American Academy of Pediatrics/Healthy Active Living, The Bingham Program, Frances Hollis Brain Foundation,
Jane's Trust, Leonard C. & Mildred F. Ferguson Foundation, Maine Department of Health & Human Services/ARRA,
The Mattina R. Proctor Foundation, The Rite Aid Foundation, Sam L. Cohen Foundation, The Walmart Foundation

24. Presented by:
Name Title Organization Contact Information
You can customize this presentation here, with your contact information.

25. Presentation created by:
Molly Radis, Bates College ‘10
Molly wrote her undergraduate, honors thesis on the relationship between physical activity and academic achievement in children.
Molly presented her research to the Lewiston School Committee and at the annual Association for Applied Sports Psychology conference in Providence, RI in 2010.
This presentation was created by Molly Radis. A 2010 graduated from Bates College. Molly wrote her undergraduate, honors thesis on the relationship between physical activity and academic achievement in children. She presented her research and findings to the Lewiston School Committee and at the annual Association for Applied Sports Psychology conference in Rhode Island in 2010.