Graduate Action Research Project

Emory & Henry College

Spring 2014
Brock Christian Hanna
Research Topic
Does the effects of rigorous physical activity by reaching target heart rate
increase cognitive ability and content knowledge attainment in core curriculum
classes such as math?

Introduction / Rationale
Play is an important part of early childhood physical activity. It is essential to
development because it contributes to the cognitive, physical, social, and
emotional well-being of children and youth (Stork & Sanders, 2008).
Physical activity allows for children to produce a sense of independence,
positive body image, self-control, confidence, and sense of well-being. (Barr,
Sallis, & Needle 1985)
Encouraging children to continue physical activity could have implications for
increasing cognitive ability later in life due to the fact that children are used to
this style of learning since birth. (Sandstone, 2014)
Recent experimental work provides strong evidence that both acute bursts of
exercise and long-term exercise training increases the size of the brain, brain
function, and awareness in the classroom, thus possibly improving the
attainment of knowledge in core curriculum areas such as math. (Barr, Sallis,
& Needle, 1985; Ragey & Hagerman, 2008; Raichlen & Polk, 2013)

Literature Review
Physical activity was significantly related to improve cognition in children
(Tomporowski, Davis, Miller, & Naglieri, 2008).
The brains operating system can be molded and formed, meaning change
can happen through physical activity, ect. (Jensen, 2008)
Several studies show that if a significant physical conditioning program is
implemented into the daily lives of those with mental disabilities, it can
actually produce significant gains in IQ scores of these students (Barr, Sallis,
& Needle 1985; Tomporowski, Davis, Miller, & Naglieri, 2008)
Research has found that both acute bursts of exercise and long-term
exercise training increases the size of brain components and improves
cognitive performance in humans. (Raichlen & Polk, 2013)
Physical activity is shown to increase not only brain size but also a higher
knowledge function (Ratey, 2008; Raichlen & Polk, 2013)

Research Design
This research study will involve at minimum 20 eighth grade students from
two different physical education classes.
One of the classes (Class A) will have their core curriculum math class
before their physical education class, while the other class (Class B) will
have their core curriculum math class after their physical education class.
Class A will be the control group because they will not reach their Target
Heart Rate (THR) through physical activity before they have their math class,
whereas Class B will go through physical exercises that are designed for the
students to reach their THR before they leave to go to their next class, math.
THR will be analyzed by each students assigned heart rate monitor, in order
to ensure that each subjects THR is being reached.
Both classes will be examined over a nine-week time span. All grades will be
recorded during the nine-week period for data analysis, as well as a pretest
and posttest.
Grades from the previous nine-week period will also be collected for a
baseline to see where each student stands in the class.

References
Tomporowski, P., Davis, C., Miller , P., & Naglieri, J. (2008). Exercise and
Children's Intelligence, Cognition, and Academic Achievement. Educational
Psychology Review, 20(2), 111-131. doi: http://www.jstor.org/stable/23364116
Barr, T., Sallis, J., & Needle, R. (1985). The relation of physical activity and
exercise to mental health.Public Health Reports, 100(2), 195-202.
doi:http://www.jstor.org/stable/20056436
Rachlen, D., & Polk, J. (2013). Linking brains and brawn: exercise and the
evolution of human neurobiology.Proceedings: Biological
Sciences, 280(1750), 1-9. doi: http://www.jstor.org/stable/41727576
Erc , J. (2009). Teaching with poverty in mind: What being poor does to kids'
brains and what schools can do about it. Alexandria, Va.: ACSD
Stork, S., & Sanders, S. (2008). Physical education in early childhood. The
Elementary School Journal, 108(3), 197-206. doi:
http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/529102
Ssntrock, J. (2014). Child development. (14th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill
Education.