In March 2025, writers for EducationWeek Laura Baker and Gina Tomko declared Students Who Move More, Learn More. Here are the 2019 CDC’s Youth Risk Behavior survey’s key findings about the relationship of physical activity and student grades:
Compared to students with lower grades, students with higher grades are more likely to:
- Engage in physical activity for at least 60 minutes per day on all 7 days.
- Play on at least one sports team.
Compared to students with lower grades, students with higher grades are less likely to:
- Watch television for 3 or more hours per day.
- Play video games or use a computer 3 or more hours per day.
Check out their downloadable guide which visually represents the data listed above.
Additionally, a 2023 systematic review synthesized data from 19 studies and 6,788 student participants, found that physical activity positively impacts academic performance. This adds to a growing body of research that confirms what we already know: exercise and movement is good for us. But how are teachers supposed to incorporate it into the school day?
Let me first advocate for daily recess and physical education classes. In my opinion, these are the most straightforward and important ways to incorporate exercise into the school day. With that said, here are additional ideas:
Physically Active Brain BreaksI am delighted that there is now a evidenced-based trend for daily brain breaks in a lesson plan. Brain breaks simply acknowledge that students are not machines; they need time to reset. Intentionally offering a break from learning and giving students a chance to move is a great way to bring physical activity into the classroom. It also helps students refocus and relax.
Physically Active LearningThere are countless ways to make learning a physical activity. From tossing a soft ball around the room as a way to select a student to answer a question to creating a scavenger hunt that requires students to move around the classroom, the message is simple: students can move and learn at the same time. Learning does not only happen in a seated position. I love hearing about the creative ways teachers get students up and moving while learning.
Walk and TalkCountless writers have a walking practice as part of their writing routine. Others have a strong editor or writing partner where they discuss their ideas. A walk and talk combines both practices. If you have the luxury of being able to take your students outside and/or a space in the school where they can walk without disrupting other classrooms, I highly recommend a walk and talk activity. This activity can function the same as a “think - pair - share” with the addition of walking. Give students a prompt and have them silently walk a lap as they think about it, walk a second lap as they discuss it with a friend, and a third lap as they share their ideas with the class. There are endless possibilities and iterations for this activity.
I am looking forward to hearing all the ways teachers are incorporating movement into their classrooms. Now get moving!
The views and opinions expressed on SDPB’s Teacher Talk are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of South Dakota.
