Running head: PHYSICAL FITNESS IN ELEMENTARY STUDENTS

Sharlie Howe
PPE 310: Health Literacy for Schools
Arizona State University
Physical Fitness in Elementary Students
Vance Miller
4/18/16

PHYSICAL FITNESS IN ELEMENTARY STUDENTS

Introduction
Exercise has been shown to enhance the creation of new brain cells and increase the
synaptic connections made when learning (Conyers & Wilson, 2015). Teachers have the
opportunity to help students develop healthy minds by keeping their bodies active and fit while
they are at school. Schools can make the most of this opportunity by providing physical activity
and movement in the classroom as well as encouraging students to be active at home and in the
community. By implementing physical activity in the classroom educators can help their
students become reenergized and refocused which will help improve academic achievement. In
addition, when participating in physical activity, students have the opportunity to move their
entire bodies. Doing this while learning which can help them learn the information in a variety of
ways which will make the information more memorable. This is because those important
synaptic connections form while physical activity takes place (Conyers & Wilson, 2015).
Overall, it is very important that students be given the opportunity to learn in a physically active
environment. Not only will they have the opportunity to develop healthy exercise habits but their
minds will be more equipped to grow and learn. The development and implementation of a
comprehensive school health plan could be the key to helping students to make and achieve
important health related goals. Every child should be given the opportunity live a healthy life and
the plan that follows outlines ways in which schools can help students reap the benefits related to
an increased level of physical activity and healthy lifestyle choices.
Literature Review
Lack of physical activity in the United States is one cause of the obesity epidemic. This is
due to people, especially children, choosing more sedentary activities. Children are spending less
of their time being active both in and out of school. With the demands of schooling increasing, it

PHYSICAL FITNESS IN ELEMENTARY STUDENTS

is important that we find activities which will help students be active as well as successful during
school. The good news is that children perform better in school after they participate in some
form of physical activity. Research was done on this topic in a study to find whether the use of
energizers, 10 minute classroom-based physical activities, would increase physical activity in
students as well as increase on-task behavior in students (Mahar, Murphy, Rowe, Golden,
Sheilds, & Raedeke, 2006). Their research was tracked and recorded through the use of
pedometers and observations. They found that the students who took place in the daily energizers
took an average of 782 more steps daily than those students who did not participate. This
information became incredibly important because over the course of a year, if a student were to
participate in one energizer activity per year, it would lead to them taking around 140,760 more
steps (or about 70 miles more) than they would have taken had they not participated in the
activities. In addition, the energizer activities were effective in increasing on-task behaviors thus
increasing academic performance. Students who sit for long periods of time become restless and
lose some of their focus. Giving students the opportunity to move their bodies allows them to
focus better on the task at hand and become less lethargic. Thus it was found that classroombased activity breaks are a promising way to increase physical activity without sacrificing
academic performance (p. 2093).
It is widely known that students need physical activity during the school day in order to
stay focused. Physical activity causes oxygen to be released into the bloodstream, which helps
increase concentration and helps awaken the entire body system which helps the brain to be
active and alert. Brain breaks are short physical activities which teachers use to give their
students a break in their learning. They allow students to breathe, relax, recharge, and refocus
which allow students to be ready to learn. There are many different types of brain breaks that are

PHYSICAL FITNESS IN ELEMENTARY STUDENTS

used across education, but which ones are the most effective? Weslake and Christian (2015) set
out to discover which brain breaks were the most engaging and how quickly students were able
to return to their work after the activity. They focused on three main types of brain break: breaks
that focus on breathing, stretching, and relaxation, ones that include physical activity, and finally
breaks that include mental activity, such as a game, with a moderate amount of physical activity.
Since mathematics is such an important subject in todays schooling and it often proves to be
difficult for some students, the brain breaks took place during math instruction to determine
whether the breaks would be helpful in boosting concentration and academic achievement.
Classes took a five minute break during each day. Data was collected through the use of student
surveys, time records of refocus times, and the teachers notes. Relaxing brain breaks were not
very engaging for the students; however, the students quickly returned to their work after the
break. Physical activity breaks proved to be very engaging, but they caused the students to
become distracted from the topic of their learning and therefore the refocus time was very high
causing much of the instruction time to be lost. The mental breaks which related to math were
considered to be very engaging and also had a very short refocus time. This study helps teachers
to understand which types of brain breaks will be most effective to use during class time and
which ones will provide the most student engagement. Teachers should be aware of the amount
of time that it takes for students to refocus after these breaks. However, if these breaks become a
part of the routine during class, students will become familiar with them and will quickly learn
the expectations with each activity.
The majority of students in America attend school in a traditional manner which means
that school is a wonderful place to teach students about physical activity because it would have
the ability to reach almost every young person in the nation. However, school is often a place

PHYSICAL FITNESS IN ELEMENTARY STUDENTS

where students are required to sit in their seats all day to receive instruction and many schools
have cut back dramatically on the amount of recess time students receive. In order to provide
students with the incredibly important physical activity their bodies need, a program called
Physical Activity Across the Curriculum (PAAC) was created. In order to determine the
programs effectiveness in its first year, a study was created to track its progress. The goal of the
program is to deliver 90 minutes of physical activity to students throughout the school day,
integrated as part of the academic instruction. Teachers would design and teach physically active
lessons in the classroom as part of the regular curriculum. Teachers were provided with
workshops to teach them how to integrate these lessons and then were observed during the
lessons and provided with feedback on how to make their lessons more effective. Following this
first year in trial, most teachers and students involved in PAAC accepted and even enjoyed the
active lessons more than traditional lessons. It was also determined that it is possible to integrate
physical activity into lessons without removing any instruction time necessary to be used in the
core subject areas (Gibson, et al., 2008).
Teachers act as important role models for students but parents also play an incredibly
important role in teaching their students healthy living habits. In order to create a healthy
environment for students, schools must partner with parents. Support from parents can mean that
parents help provide transportation to and from activities, participate in physical activity with
their child, or provide encouragement. Parents can be important role models for their student in
physical activity as well as healthy eating by providing their students with healthy food options
at home. Lindqvist, Kostenius, Gard and Ruthberg set out to describe the important role parents
play in encouraging their students in a school-based activity program (2015). The parents were
interviewed by a member of the research team in a location preferred by the parent. Parents were

PHYSICAL FITNESS IN ELEMENTARY STUDENTS

asked to describe how they supported their student in the schools activity program. The data was
recorded and then analyzed in order to draw conclusions. A main theme was seen across the
interviews and that was that parents play a large role in supporting their student during a physical
activity intervention in the school. Many parents also noted the obstacles their students face
when choosing to participate in physical activity despite the many benefits of such activity.
Many parents recognized that they were important in the lives of their student but the other
institutions such as school and sports teams also played a role and that they must do their part to
support the programs happening in such institutions. The parents were happy to hear that they
were in turn receiving support from the school as well. Finally, the parents felt that the
interventions taking place at school were beneficial for their student and for themselves. The
benefits parents reported seeing included: increased energy levels, higher self-esteem, increased
mood, and healthier eating habits. The physical activity program also led to discussions about
physical activity which led to an increase of activity for the parents as well, thus demonstrating
that the program reached more people than just the students participating in it at school. This
study showed the importance of including parents as partners of a school-based physical activity
intervention. This partnership allowed for a greater support of the students involved and the
effects reached far beyond the students involved.
Physical activity has many positive effects in education, such as increased student
engagement and achievement, cognitive abilities and classroom behavior. How can teachers use
this knowledge so that they may reap these benefits while still teaching all the necessary
material? Research shows that exercise plays a large role in creating new brain cells as well as
new synaptic connections. Not only does it make important connection in the brain but it also
helps create and maintain healthy blood vessels. Another interesting finding was that children

PHYSICAL FITNESS IN ELEMENTARY STUDENTS

who were active often had larger hippocampi. The hippocampus is an area of the brain
responsible for the creation of new memories and learning, than their less active peers. Physical
activity also has a positive impact on emotional well-being through the release of endorphins and
serotonin. Thus, physical activity can boost brain functioning and can provide students with an
optimistic outlook which can further support their learning. This research shows that we as
educators must get our students moving by incorporating physical activity into our lessons,
before tests, or during challenging activities. We also must teach our students why we are doing
physical activity during the day. If our students understand that the exercise helps their brains
and bodies to become stronger they will be more likely to be active in the future (Conyers &
Wilson, 2015).
Synthesis
All literature suggests that participating in active lessons in the classroom has many
benefits for students both academically and physically. Two of the biggest benefits outlined in
the research were that physical activity during the school day helps children become more
engaged in the lessons being taught, and it leads to the development of healthy brains and bodies.
Utilizing physical activity as part of the curriculum in an elementary classroom helps students to
become more engaged in their learning for a few reasons. The first seems fairly obvious; it is
much more interesting to be able to participate in your learning rather than having to sit in a chair
all day long. Getting the body moving also allows for blood flow to increase which helps
stimulate both the body and mind. The increased blood flow also causes the brain to make strong
connections which enables students to retain information in a meaningful way.

PHYSICAL FITNESS IN ELEMENTARY STUDENTS

Integrating physical activity into the elementary classroom does not take away time from
instruction of core standards. Teachers can integrate the physical activity into lessons. It does
not have to be unrelated to what the students are learning. In fact, it is much more beneficial if
the physical activity is directly related to their learning. This helps make the learning more
significant and they will be more likely to remember it.
Creating a school-wide plan to implement more physical activity into classroom activities
can bring many benefits to the lives of our students. Creating such a plan needs a lot of support
and effort from many individuals within the school. Parents also play a very important role in the
success of our students. Involving parents in a school-wide plan can help students to be more
successful in their activities. If parents will be supportive, active role models for our students
they will likely find success in becoming healthy, active children, which can lead students to
become more active adults.
Practical Implication
Finding time to teach physical activity in the classroom can be difficult at first.
However, as teachers begin to look for ways in which they can incorporate physical activity
into their lessons, it becomes easier to find ways to incorporate the physical activity without
sacrificing valuable instruction time. In fact, these physical aspects can really increase the
value of instruction time because they are highly engaging and the exercise engages the brain
in synthesizing new brain connections (Conyers & Wilson, 2015). It is proposed that Wilson
Elementary School begin implementing physical activity in the classroom in two stages.
First, teachers will utilize brain breaks at least three times a week in order to energize
students and activate their minds. Second, teachers will begin to incorporate physical activity

PHYSICAL FITNESS IN ELEMENTARY STUDENTS

into their lessons to ensure that students are actively participating in their learning in order to
build strong brain connections.
In order to ensure that teachers receive the proper training and tools to implement this
into the classroom, mini-workshops will be held during weekly staff meetings. During these
meetings teachers will learn how to use free websites which contain many ideas for brain
breaks. They will also have the opportunity to talk about successes they have had and receive
advice for any challenges they have faced. After teachers have had the opportunity to
consistently incorporate brain breaks into the classroom, teachers will receive professional
development training on how to incorporate physical activity into lessons. They will be
taught a variety of strategies to get students out of their chairs during the lesson to increase
student engagement while still maintaining a good level of classroom management. Teachers
will be encouraged to participate in this program and will receive a T-shirt for incentive in
working to make their classrooms more active and engaging. Students will also have the
opportunity to earn these t-shirts as they are active at home (see Appendix C).
It is incredibly important that school health programs not only include teachers and
administrators but parents as well. According to Anspaugh and Ezell (2012), when there is a
partnership between the community, the school and the parents, the students will be more
likely to believe that the message is important and credible (p.11). In order to ensure that
parents are informed of and involved with the programs taking place, parent involvement
meetings will be held, which will allow parents to have the opportunity to take place in any
decision making on how the programs will be implemented. Monthly newsletters will also be
sent home (see Appendix A) informing parents of what is happening at school and how they
can reinforce that learning at home. These newsletters will also contain suggestions for

PHYSICAL FITNESS IN ELEMENTARY STUDENTS

10

parents on how to get the whole family involved in physical activity. If this program is
supported at home as well as at school, students will really buy in to it.
The final way that this program will increase student involvement will be to hold a
contest for students who complete 30 minutes of physical activity before completing their
homework every night. The classes will compete within grade level to see which class can
put in the most physical activity. In order for the class to receive points for the physical
activity, students must complete the physical activity and the homework. This is to ensure
that students are energizing their brains before they sit down to practice the things they
learned that day, making the connections in their brains stronger. Each week, the class who
earns the most number of physical fitness points within each grade level, will have the
opportunity to access preferred gym equipment while at recess on Friday. The competition
will restart at the beginning of every week and each class will have the opportunity to earn
enough points to win the privilege of using the equipment from the gym. Students will be
reminded to help their class in this competition by posters which will hang in the halls of the
school (see Appendix B). When students reach 100 hours of physical activity at home they
will have the opportunity to receive a Wildcats t-shirt to reward them for their hard work. All
students will be encouraged to work toward this goal.
When creating a plan to increase student health, it is very important that everyone
who will be affected by the plan has the opportunity to take part in the development and the
implementation of the plan. The community, administration, teachers and parents all play a
huge roll in teaching students to properly care for their bodies through exercise. Students in
todays world need to be encouraged to keep their bodies and minds active. This plan seeks

PHYSICAL FITNESS IN ELEMENTARY STUDENTS

11

to do just that by helping kids to keep their minds sharp by moving their bodies before and
during learning.

Conclusions
In conclusion, utilizing physical activity in the classroom can cause students to be more
alert and engaged in their learning. This plan was created to give teachers the ability to learn to
correctly utilize physical activity correctly in their lessons and to get students excited about being
more active. Because integrating physical activity into lessons does not take away time from
instruction of core standards, this plan is a great way to help students develop active lifestyles
without taking away instruction time (Mahar, Murphy, Rowe, Golden, Sheilds, & Raedeke,
2006). It is important that administration, staff members, parents, and students all take place in
planning and organizing aspects of a school wide activity plan such as this and all will have a
role in this plan. Including all parties who are influential in the students lives will encourage
students to want to participate (Lindqvist, Kostenius, Gard, & Rutberg, 2015). these influential
individuals must realize that they must become agents of change in the lives of the youth they are
teaching and that they have a responsibility to make their future more bright. When students are
given the opportunity to develop healthy habits and increase their physical activity, they have a
greater chance of becoming active and healthy adults. This is the overall goal of this program, to
create opportunities for our students by teaching them healthy habits and lifestyle choices by
teaching these habits in the classroom alongside core curriculum. Students of today deserve the
opportunity to grow to be strong, healthy, and intelligent individuals and becoming more active
will help them reach those goals (Conyers & Wilson, 2015).

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12

References
Anspaugh, D. J., & Ezell, G. (2013). Teaching Today's Health. Glenvview: PearsonEducation,
Inc.
Conyers, M., & Wilson, D. (2015). Smart moves: Powering up the brain with physical activity.
Phi Delta Kappan, 38-42.
Gibson, C. A., Smith, B. K., DuBose, K. D., Greene, J. L., Bailey, B. W., Williams, S. L., et al.
(2008). Physical activity across the curriculum: year one process evaluation results.
International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity.
Lindqvist, A.-K., Kostenius, C., Gard, G., & Rutberg, S. (2015). Parent participation plays an
important part in promoting physical activity. International Journal of Qualitative
Studies on Health and Well-Being.
Mahar, M. T., Murphy, S. K., Rowe, D. A., Golden, J., Sheilds, A. T., & Raedeke, T. D. (2006).
Effects of a Classroom-Based Program on Physical Activity and On-Task Behavior.
American College of Sports Medicine, 2086-2094.
Weslake, A., & Christian, B. J. (2015). Brain Breaks: Help or Hindrance? TEACH
COLLECTION of Christian Education, I(1), 37-46.

PHYSICAL FITNESS IN ELEMENTARY STUDENTS

Technology Link
http://ppeportfolioshowe.weebly.com/

13

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14

Appendix A

Dates to Remember

October 5: PTO meeting

to discuss school health
program

October 12: Family Fun

Run at 7pm on the
baseball field

October 27: PAWS

Assembly

Classroom News
Our wildcat students have been
working hard this month both in and
out of the classroom. They have really
shown great academic achievement
and progress as they are learning to
keep both their minds and bodies
active. Teachers have been
encouraging students to participate in
energizer activities prior to learning

Get Active at Home

which help the kids stay alert and

focused. Students have reported that

Find an activity that you and

your student enjoy doing
together such as roller
skating, bike riding, or
walking. Take time in the
evening to spend time
together doing something
active. Your student will enjoy
spending the time with you
and the whole family will
reap the benefits of an
active lifestyle.

they enjoy these activities because it

gives them the opportunity to get out

of their seats and get their bodies

moving. Keep up the good work

PHYSICAL FITNESS IN ELEMENTARY STUDENTS

15

Appendix B

Help your class collect points by

remembering to get your 30 minutes
of daily exercise at home!
Get your parents involved and ask
them to sign your activity card every
night.

Each week the class in each grade

that collects the most points will have
the opportunity to climb the ropes
and the rock wall during Friday
morning recess.

PHYSICAL FITNESS IN ELEMENTARY STUDENTS

Appendix C

16

PHYSICAL FITNESS IN ELEMENTARY STUDENTS

17

Signature Assignment Rubric

Criteria
with
Profession
al
Standards
Reference
d
Outline
Outline
Turned
In(Already
submitted
for points)

(5) Exemplary
(97 100%)

(4) Highly
Proficient
(93 96%)

10 Points
Logical,
Brief outline
detailed
with at least 5
outline with at original peer
least 5 original reviewed
peer reviewed references
references
written in
written in
APA format is
APA format is submitted.
submitted with
a technology
choice
selected to
embed the
assignment.

5 x 2=10
points
Introduction
10 Points
Introducti Introduction is Introduction is
on to the
fully
fully
topic and
developed,
developed
overview
well
with all topics
(In your
organized,
introduced.
purpose
introduces all
statement topics, created
also
a plan for the
introduce paper and
all
invites the
subtopics) reader to read
further.
InTASC
1c,k; 5k;
9f; 10h
5 x 2=10
points
NAEYC

(3) Proficient
(83 92%)

(2)
Approaching
Proficient
(73 82%)

(1)
Unsatisfactory
(72%
and below)

Brief outline
with some
references but
not 5 original
peer reviewed
references
written in
APA format
are submitted.

Brief outline
with one or no
references
submitted.

No outline
was submitted.

Introduction is
addressed
well,
somewhat
organized and
created a plan
for the paper.

Introduction is
addressed
adequately.

Introduction is
omitted or was
disorganized
and did not
create a plan
for the paper.

PHYSICAL FITNESS IN ELEMENTARY STUDENTS

18

6b
NETS-T
3a,d; 4a,c
CEC
EC2S1;
CC7K1;
EC7K1;C
C9K4;CC
9S8
Literature Review
15 Points
Adequacy 1. Literature
1. Literature
1. Literature
of
review
review
review may
Knowledg highlights
addresses
address major
e
major issues in major issues in issues, but
(includes 5 the area.
the area.
issues may not
peer
2. Thorough
2. Thorough
be supported
reviewed
use of a range use of a range with expert
original
of references
of references
knowledge.
research
to support key to support key
articles
issues.
issues.
2. Good use of
references
references, but
)
3. Description 3. Includes
additional
of important
descriptions of references
studies
important
may have
InTASC
1c,k; 5k;
establishes
studies to
strengthened
9f; 10h
context for the provide
the paper.
reader.
context for the
NAEYC
6b
reader.
3. Includes 4
4. Includes
references.
NETS-T
3a,d; 4a,c more than 5
4. Includes 5
informative
or more
CEC
EC2S1;
references.
references.
CC7K1;
EC7K1;C 5 x 3=15
C9K4;CC points
9S8
Practical Implications and Technology infusion 30 Points
Practical
1. Practical
1. Practical
1. Pratical
Implicatio implications
implications
implications
ns
of your event
are discussed
are discussed
(Discuss
details
but not related but not at a
how the
including your to a particular particularly
findings
teaching level teaching
level or in a
can or will and in a
setting or topic particular

1. Literature
review does
not address the
major issues in
the area; the
level of
support for the
issues is not
adequate.

1. Literature
review does
not have the
depth of
knowledge
appropriate to
this upper
level course.

2. Includes 3
references.

2. Includes
less than 2
references.

1.
Practical
implications
are not
thoroughly
discussed and
only a few

1. Practical
implications
are not
discussed and
no details of
the event are
present.

PHYSICAL FITNESS IN ELEMENTARY STUDENTS

later be
applied to
your
teaching
setting)
InTASC
1c,k; 5k;
9f; 10h
NAEYC
6b
NETS-T
3a,d; 4a,c
CEC
EC2S1;
CC7K1;
EC7K1;C
C9K4;CC
9S8

particular
or certain
setting are
details are
discussed
missing.
thoroughly. A
minimum of 6
topics are
applied
including the
creation of at
least 3 visual
support of
topics are used
and listed as
appendices.
2. Contains
thorough
discussion on
how each of
the 6
program/comp
onents that are
in place are
organized,
conducted,
and overseen
or a detailed
plan about
how each
component
can be added.
3. All
programs/com
ponents
implemented
include
discussion on
modifications
for those with
disabilities.
4. Contained a
detailed
description of

setting and
many details
of your event
are missing.
2. Contained
at least 3-4
components of
a
comprehensiv
e school
program;
however,
some of the
needed detail
is missing. (At
least 1-2
visual
supports are
used).
3. Contains
thorough
discussion on
how most of
the
program/comp
onent that are
in place are
organized,
conducted,
and overseen
or a detailed
plan about
how the
components
can be added.
4. Most
programs/com
ponents
implemented
include
discussion on
modifications

19

details of the
event are
present.

2. Contained 3
or fewer
components of
a
comprehensiv
e school
program
(0-1 visual
supports are
created).
3. Contains
little
discussion on
which
programs/com
ponents are
currently in
place.
4. Contains
little
discussion on
how each
program/comp
onent is
organized,
conducted,
and overseen
and little detail
about how the
components
can be added.
5. Few
programs/com
ponents
implemented
include
discussion on
modifications
for those with
disabilities.

PHYSICAL FITNESS IN ELEMENTARY STUDENTS

a special event
that promotes
a healthy and
active school
environment.
5. Contained
discussion on
a specific
health
behavior
highlighted by
the special
event.
6. Specific
target grade
level was
identified and
was
appropriate for
students of
that age.
7. Contained
discussion on
how to involve
the entire
school in the
event.
8. An
approved
technology
platform (EPortfolio was
used to
enhance your
proposal. This
platform was
visually
appealing and
well organized
with the
appropriate

for those with

disabilities.
5. Contained a
somewhat
detailed
description of
a special event
that promotes
a healthy and
active school
environment
6. Contained
some
discussion on
a specific
health
behavior
highlighted by
the event.
7. Specific
target grade
level was
somewhat
identified and
was
appropriate for
students of
that age.
8. Contained
some
discussion on
how to involve
the entire
school in the
event.
9. Technology
infusion was
used but it did
not enhance
the proposal

20

6. Contained
little detail on
a special event
that promotes
a healthy and
active school
environment.
7. Contained
little
discussion on
a specific
health
behavior
highlighted by
the special
event
8. Specific
target grade
level was not
identified
and/or not
appropriate for
students of
that age.
9. Contained
little
discussion on
how to involve
the entire
school in the
event.
9. Technology
infusion and
your EPortfolio was
not used.

PHYSICAL FITNESS IN ELEMENTARY STUDENTS

categories as
listed in the
assignment
details on BB.

and was
somewhat
appealing and
organized.
Your EPortfolio was
used but not
all subject
areas were
complete.

5 x 6=30
points

Conclusion
Conclusio
n
ITASC
1c,k; 5k;
9f; 10h
NAEYC
6b
NETS-T
3a,d; 4a,c
CEC
EC2S1;
CC7K1;
EC7K1;C
C9K4;CC
9S8

21

10 Points
Major issues
support and
establish
conclusions
and your
conclusion
contained a
detailed
summary of
what your
Healthy and
Active School
Plan will look
like in 1, 3 and
5 years.

The major
issues are
summarized
under
conclusions.

5 x 2=10
points
Writing and Referencing Style
10 Points
Detailed draft
First
of all sections
Draft of
of the paper
Detailed draft
all
with
of ALL
sections
sections with
submitted appropriate
content,
some errors in
with
headers,
content
changes
writing style, a covered,
made
headings,
integratin choice of
technology to writing style
g
and/or
instructor embed the
references in
comments assignment
and references APA 6.0 style.
from the
in APA 6.0
outline
style.

The
conclusions
are not
complete and
your
conclusion
contained a
brief
description of
what your
Healthy and
Active School
Plan will look
like in 1, 3 and
5 years.

Provides
opinions, but
not a summary
of findings for
both the
conclusion
and what your
Healthy and
School Plan
will look like
in 1, 3 and 5
years.

Detailed draft
of MOST
sections with
some errors in
content
covered,
headings,
writing style
and/or
references in
APA 6.0 style.

Missing
sections or
paper has
regular errors
across content
covered,
headings,
writing style
and/or
references in
APA 6.0 style.

No
conclusions
are included
nor did this
section
contain a
description of
what your
Healthy and
Active School
Plan will look
like in 1, 3 and
5 years.

Incomplete
(missing half
of the
requirements)
or completely
missing paper.

PHYSICAL FITNESS IN ELEMENTARY STUDENTS

Integratio
n of
instructor
comments
from first
draft

All comments
from
instructor
integrated into
final version.
All were
highlighted in
yellow.

Writing
and
referencin
g style

1. Cover page
included,
proper
spelling and
grammar, all
references in
APA 6.0 style.
Paper was
appropriate
length (at least
5 pages).
2. The file
document
name
contains
Lastname.first
name.assignm
ent#.course#
3. This rubric
was added to
the last page
of the
document
submitted
except on the
final copy you
will submit to
TK20.
4. All
sentences are
clear and well
developed

Most
comments
from
instructor
integrated into
final version.
All were
highlighted in
yellow.

1. Cover page
included, few
grammatical
errors and
misspellings,
all references
in APA 6.0
style.
2. Paper was
appropriate
length (at least
5 pages).

Some
comments
from
instructor
integrated into
final version.
Most were
highlighted in
yellow.
1. Cover page
included,
some
grammatical
errors and
misspellings,
some errors in
referencing
style APA 6.0.
2. Paper was
too short for
the topic (3-4
pages).
3. The file
name
somewhat
contains the
Lastname.first
name.assignm
ent#.course#
4. This rubric
was added but
not at the end
of the
document
submitted.
5. Most
sentences are
clear and well
developed.

22

Very few
comments
from
instructor
integrated into
final version.
Most were
highlighted in
yellow.

No comments
from
instructor
integrated into
final version.
The changes
were not
highlighted.
1. Cover page
not included,
major
grammatical
errors and
misspellings,
many errors in
referencing
style APA 6.0.

1. Cover page
not included,
many
grammatical
errors and
misspellings,
some errors in
referencing
style APA 6.0.
2. Paper was
too short for
the topic (1-2
pages).

2. Paper was
too short for
the topic (1-2
pages) .
3. The file
document
name does not
contain the
Lastname.first
name.assignm
ent#.course#
4. This rubric
was not added
to the
document
submitted.
5. Many
sentences are
not clear and
underdevelope
d.

PHYSICAL FITNESS IN ELEMENTARY STUDENTS

5. Proposals
and events are
appropriate
length with
standard
margins, font,
and size of
text.
Total
Score
Grade

6. Proposals
and events are
mostly
appropriate
length with
standard
margins, font,
and size of
text.

23

6. Proposals
and events are
not of
appropriate
length with
larger than
standard
margins, font
and size of
text.