Engagement, Happiness, and Bugs: Building Connections Between Physical Activity and Science Lessons

Spending time in nature settings and being physically active have positively impacted children's and adults' physical and mental health. The United States Department of Health and Human Services recommends 60 minutes of daily physical activity (PA) for children (2018). Today, only 24% of children meet that requirement. In addition to promoting physical and mental health, spending time in nature and PA has been shown to have brain health benefits for children improving cognition and academic performance! This session will share a recent study conducted using leisure intervention of physical activity and nature to boost students' academic performance, physical fitness, and mental health. The study investigated PA levels throughout the school day, the influence of classroom (indoor/outdoor) setting on PA levels, teachers' perceptions of stude nt behavior/engagement/content knowledge, and the influence of classroom setting on student enjoyment. During the two-week periods, there were control periods of inactive classroom lessons(the teachers planned all lessons) and intervention periods of active classrooms measured in outdoor settings, including a bug exploration lesson. Using the surveys and the data collected, we evaluated the impact of the activities through a cross-examination. Exploring innovative strategies and encouraging teachers to use movement/PA in outdoor environments has the potential to lay a foundation for promoting the well-being and quality of life of our children in elementary schools.