Quote 5

The quote, “Many children today go home after school and sit in front of the television rather than play outside,” was given by Dirk Johnson, a writer for the New York Times. Johnsons quote was shared in an article for adoption.com’s artile titled, “No Recess Policies Being Implemented in U.S. School Districts.”

This quote is important, because it gives even more reasoning as to why schools need to keep recess and gym classes. Childhood obesity has been caused due to many environmental factors, but schools are one place that could help make positive changes in children’s lives. During the week, most children spend a majority of their time at school and at home. Parents are usually both at work, until the evening, and that schedule is becoming common in many families. If children are coming home after school with no parental supervision, they will likely be home alone or with a babysitter. Children know they can get away with more actions when their parents are not home. Even if parents set up “rules” for what their children can or cannot eat, kids will find a way to bend the rules and eat whatever junk they want.

Of course not every child is in that type of situation, but many are. In order to guarantee SOME physical activity in children each day, school is a great place to start. Plus, children will enjoy playing and getting some exercise at school, because they will be doing it with friends. Studies show that children are most attentive after recess, which is just one more reason why schools need to take some action in the fight of childhood obesity.

Quote 4

“Many schools responded to the No Child Left Behind by reducing the time for recess, the creative arts, and physical education in an effort to focus on reading and mathematics,” is a quote that was given by Dr. Romina M. Barros. Dr. Barros is a clinical professor of pediatrics at Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University, and has conducted several studies on the effects of recess on school children. Most recently, Dr. Barros came to a conclusion that school children who receive more recess behave better, and are likely to learn more. When children are giving a break in their day, they have time to refresh themselves, burn off some energy, and also have some time to be physically active. Some children do not like gym classes, because they feel like they are being forced to move. When on the playground, children have the freedom to run around, and feel like they are making decisions on their own. Unfortunately, recess is the first thing school officials took away when they redesigned their school year, because they felt it took up too much time from the classroom. However, doesn’t it make more sense that children learn more efficiently when they have some time to play and be active for 30 minutes? Of course it does, because children will begin to doze off in class, become restless and even start trouble to keep things entertaining if they do not have a break for fun. Learning is very important, but the information will only be absorbed by children who pay attention, and children are shown to be most attentive after recess. Giving children time to play will also get them excited to move and be physically active, so hopefully they will continue to enjoy physical activity outside of school.

Quote 3

The quote, “These schools are demonstrating that when the health of students is made a top priority, scheduling at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day can be done. In addition, they are confirming the research that tells us physically active kids perform better in school,” comes from the Secretary of Health, Everette James. He shared this quote after visiting two middle schools in Southeast Pennsylvania that committed to exercising for 30 minutes every school day for one year. When he visited the two schools, James congratulated them on their success, and for providing evidence on how important it is for students to be physically active in school.

After the research was completed, the two schools were presented with a plaque, and were recognized for improvements they made in annual fitness assessments. The biggest reward for these kids, however, was that they felt better physically and also made improvements in their school work. Bringing just 30 minutes of physical activity to school children will help address the childhood obesity epidemic as well. According to a recent survey conducted by the Pennsylvania middle schools around the state, only about 38% of the students get 30 minutes of daily activity. Not having the time to be physically active will eventually take a toll on these children’s lives. Overweight children have an increased risk of heath issues as adults, including diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, arthritis, and cancer. After these two Pennsylvania middle schools have proven the positive outcome of daily physical activity, hopefully other schools nationwide will catch on to this program.

Quote 2

The quote, “Schools have great opportunities to help pupils to learn how to promote health and minimize the risk of acquiring a chronic disease. Providing a healthy structure to their day should enable them to develop healthier lifestyles that may track in adulthood,” was given by Maureen Dobbins, who is lead researcher at the School of Nursing in Ontario, Canada. When I read the article, “School based physical activity: Has benefits even if it doesn’t help lose weight” in the NewsRX magazine, I strongly agreed with Dobbins. She is behind research that shows school based programs gave students time to exercise, and found school programs also gave them motivation from the teachers and available materials. I am someone who wants to see schools getting more involved with student’s health. School teaches a range of life lessons from home economics to computers, but does not spend much time focusing on classes that promote and teach healthy lifestyles. Sure health classes and gym classes are usually required, but why not teach students as part of their daily routine. For example, allowing elementary aged students to go out for recess will get them excited to play, and become more physically active outside school, because they have so much fun being active at school. Teachers could share healthy tips on nutritional information, and the importance of staying in a healthy weight range. Schools should not try to scare or force the students into learning more about their health, but should make it fun and do it regularly. This way, students can feel comfortable about taking better care of themselves, and hopefully would turn physical activity into a daily routine.

Quote 1

I found the quote, “We are intent on improving academic performance. You don’t do that by having kids hanging on the monkey bars,” to be somewhat understandable for anyone that first reads it. The quote was found from my first source, “play with a purpose,” and was given by Atlanta Georgia’s superintendent of 1998. When someone first thinks of improving academic performance, they would not likely picture children running around playing on the playground at recess time. However, if someone who has done their research on physically active school children, they would know this quote is untrue. Many studies have been shown that recess improves children’s ability to concentrate on school work. Also, recess reduces the chances that children will be restless and disturbing others in the classroom. This Georgia superintendent, along with other schools around America, believe that recess is taking away time to learn. True, recess takes time out of the day to be inside the classroom, but the benefits will return. For example, a school teacher in Atlanta Georgia took a few minutes of classroom time each morning to get his students moving. Even on test days, this teacher, Christopher Gomillion, would follow his routine of physical activity. The theory of having some fun dancing to music before the lessons started in the morning was that children would be more attentive. Burning some energy did in fact pay off to the students. When the annual standardized testing scores came back, Mr. Gomillion saw some outstanding results. All but one of his students passed, which was a huge improvement compared to the past year’s students. I feel that the quote given by Atlanta’s superintendent is one that has no research or thought behind it, and that he was just speaking his first opinion.

Source 8: school recess improves classroom behavior

“Daily School Recess Improves Classroom Behavior.” Barros et al. School recess and

 group classroom behavior. Pediatrics. 1 Feb. 2009. Web. Mar. 2011.

www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/01/090126173835.html.

“Daily School Recess Improves Classroom Behavior” is an article written by Dr. Romina Barros. He shares his study on elementary school children, and recess time. The study suggests that a 15 minute or more break in the day for children to play, improves their learning, social skills, and health. Unstructured play also gives children a chance to de-stress, and get to know their peers. Since the No Child Left behind Act of 2001, many schools have taken away recess time to focus on classroom learning. However, Dr. Barros shares why this gives a disadvantage to students, rather than an advantage. Overall, he feels that we need to restructure our educational systems in the U.S. so that children can develop and learn to their full potential.

I found this article, “Daily School Recess Improves Classroom Behavior,” online at sciencedaily.com. It is a website that shares the latest research news, and this article originally came from Pediatrics magazine.  This article is very reputable, because it is the results that came out of a study done by Romina M. Barros, M.D., assistant clinical professor of pediatrics at Einstein. Barros knows a lot of information regarding children because of his background in pediatrics, but also has proof of his reputability from the study he conducted. January 2009 was when the article got published, but it is not listed geographically where it was written. One cultural bias that the Barros feels is the idea of the 2001 No Child Left behind Act being the reason why so many schools have eliminated recess. The schools want to focus on classroom learning time, and some feel that recess is a waste of that time. Barros believes the NCLB act is a reason why our society has changed.  Sources used by the article include: the study conducted by Dr.Barros, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the National Center for Education Statistics, and researchers at the Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University. Primary research is used throughout the article, from experiments, statistics, and observations. The intended audience would be children, parents, and the educational systems. Main points include: Dr. Barros’s study that suggests a daily break of 15 minutes or more in the school day may improve learning, social development, and health of the school children; The decline in number of recess periods in the school day; and how we need to restructure our educational systems to include more recess time. Opinions given were just from Dr. Barros, that the No Child Left behind act of 2001 is a major cause for lack of recess time in schools today. Facts include: unstructured play is essential for keeping children healthy and for helping them reach important social milestones, and to relieve stress; 83-88% of children in public schools have recess of some sort in the year 2005, but since 1970 they have lost 12 hours of free time per week, including a 25% decrease in play and a 50% decrease in outdoor activities. Information left out of the article is how recess could help decrease the growing childhood obesity risks. There is only one point of view in the article, which is that recess is important for children. A question I have is how many schools in the U.S. have eliminated recess time?

Source 7: no recess policies

“No-Recess Policies Being Implemented in U.S. School Districts-.” Adoption Library.

                Articles, Information, Laws, Help. Adopting, Foster, Unplanned Pregnancy

                Article. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Mar.  2011.

http://library.adoption.com/articles/no-recess-policies-being-implemented-in-u.s.-school-districts.html.

The main focus of the article, “No-Recess Policies Being Implemented in U.S. School Districts,” was the concern for the children who attend public schools that have taken away recess. School districts in Atlanta, New York, Chicago, New Jersey, and Connecticut have already built new schools in their districts, built without playgrounds. The belief behind taking away recess is that children will improve academically. Research given in this article, written by Adoption.com, shows that recess actually will increase student’s ability to concentrate in class. Children will also learn life social skills on the playground, and learn how to communicate with their peers.

I found this article, “No-Recess Policies Being Implemented in U.S. School Districts,” on Adoption.com when I searched via google.com. It is an internet article, written by the producers of Adoption.com. Given the fact that the article uses a variety of facts and research, I feel like it is a reputable source. If the article did not use outside proof to support their facts and ideas, it would not be as reputable. One author’s name was not specifically given, so I could not base the reputability of the article by the author alone. However, adoption.com focuses on children and gives important facts in their article, which in turn makes it reputable. A date was not given for the publication date, nor was a geographical location. The focus is on U.S. schools, so it is probably safe to assume it was written somewhere in the United States. After reading the article, I could feel a slight bias towards the culture of America. Blaming our U.S. schools for taking away recess, so that students can be compared to other countries in academics, is the first bias. Then the writers go on to share why children need recess, and point fingers at parents and educators for being the answer to fixing this growing trend of eliminating recess. In turn, recess could also reduce childhood obesity, which the article blames society for obesity. Sources that the article uses include: Johnson Dirk from the New York Times, the National Association for Sport and Physical Education, and Anthony Pellegrini who writes for the British Journal of Educational Psychology. Primary research is used in the article, including research data and surveys. The audience intended would probably be children, parents, educators, and school districts. Main points of the article are:  The trend for eliminating recess is growing in the U.S. schools; Some school districts believe recess is a waste of learning time; Studies show recess will improve learning for children in the classroom and in life skills; and Educators/parents need to reconsider the values from recess time. Opinions included: School districts that believe recess is a waste of time, and the opinion of the adoption.com writers that believe parents and educators are important for gaining back recess. Facts include: studies show children are more attentive after recess; prolonged amounts of inactivity in classrooms have lead to increased fidgeting and inability to concentrate; recess has been found to be important for children’s development; many children go home after school and watch television; nearly 5 million children are home alone after school; and children need at least 60 minutes of physical activity a day. Some information left out was the number of schools in the U.S. that do have recess compared to the number of schools that do not, and also the article does not mention the age range for the children they talk about in the article (i.e. elementary or middle school). There are various points of view in the article, the point of view from school districts that have eliminated recess, and the view from researchers and adoption.com. One question I have is, are these “no recess” guidelines voted on by parents and educators? Or are the just approved by a school board?

source 6: Seceratary of Health visits two PA schools

“Secretary of Health Visits Two ‘Active Schools’ in Southeast Pennsylvania to Recognize their Commitment to Daily Physical Activity.” Pediatrics Week 12 June 2010: 324. Health Reference Center Academic. Web. 6 Mar. 2011.

Two middle schools, located in southeast Pennsylvania, have improved their levels of fitness and health. These two schools were committed to schedule 30 minutes of physical activity a day for one full school year. In this article, “Secretary of Health Visits Two ‘Active Schools’ in Southeast Pennsylvania to Recognize their Commitment to Daily Physical Activity,” editors at Pediatrics Week share just what the secretary of health saw when she visited the two schools. Each school received grants that required students to implement the Active schools program. The secretary of health confirmed this program resulted in more physically active students, which in turn improved the student’s academic performance.

Gale Cengage learning is where I found this source. It originally comes from the magazine, Pediatrics Week. I felt this was a reputable source, because the article was written by the editors at Pediatrics Week. This magazine is also published by Health Reference Center Academic, which would only write articles with true information.  “Secretary of Health Visits Two ‘Active Schools’ in Southeast Pennsylvania to recognize their Commitment to Daily Physical Activity” was published in June of 2010, and although it is not specifically mentioned, it was probably written in Pennsylvania.  There is no political or cultural bias found within the article. Sources used by the editors of the article include The Secretary of health in Pennsylvania, and the Department of Education. Primary research is mainly used, found from the surveys and research data. Students, parents, pediatricians, and school officials are the intended audience. The main points of the article are: recognizing the Conrad Weiser Middle schools for adding exercise to their school program for one year; The importance of physical activity for school children; Key role of community organizations; and the Cost of weight related medical bills. The facts found in the article include: The state board of Education voted to advance new physical activity standards that would require all schools to provide 30 minutes of physical activity to all students every day; Obese Americans cost the nation an estimated $147 billion in weight related medical bills in 2008; and Only about 38 percent of the state’s middle school students get 30-60 minutes of daily activity a day. The only opinion came from the Secretary of Health, saying physical activity is essential for all children to develop healthy hearts, strong bones, and sharp minds.  However, I agree with her opinion due to many supporting research results. The only information that was left out of the article was if there were any other schools outside of Pennsylvania that participated in programs similar to this one, and if so, what were their results? Only one point of view was represented, but that same view was among everyone mentioned in the article. A few questions I would ask are: Is this program offered in schools outside of Pennsylvania? Is this grant only for Middle school students, or does it include elementary and high school students?

source 5: school based physical activity

The author of this article, "School based physical activity: Has benefits even if it doesn't help lose weight", focuses on the benefits of physical activity in schools. To start off, the author shares research on school based programs. The results show that these programs increased the time children spent exercising, and reduced the amount of time spent sedentary. Cholesterol levels and blood pressure also were improved, as well as overall lung capacity. Despite all these improvements, children's weight did not seem to be impacted by the programs. Going on, the article suggests schools still continue their health promotion programs, because there are at least some beneficial effects. Some students may feel like they are forced to participate in these physical activities due to the school setting, so they should be promoted to "play" for better fitness, while still having fun.
I found this article from the Gale Cengage learning website. It comes from a magazine, the News Rx Health. This source is very reputable, because the author is a researcher who studies physical activity programs in schools. In 2009 this article was published, and there is no indication of where it was geographically written. There did not seem to be any political or cultural bias found in this source. World health Organization, Maureen Dobbins who works at the School of Nursing at McMaster University in Canada, and several studies all provide sources for this article. The intended audience is probably for students, school officials, and parents. Main points that are mentioned in the article include: School based health and exercise programs have a positive outcome despite having little effect on weight; Overweight children are more likely to become overweight as adults; Schools are an important place for promoting physical activity. Facts that are included in the article are: Research shows that school based programs increased the time children spent exercising; and Inactivity is a key factor behind 1.9 million deaths each year. An opinion that is given comes from Dobbins, who suggests the reason behind programs not improving children's weight is due to the fact they feel like it is associated with school work, and should rather be promoted as "play." The only piece of information that I didn't see in the article was, how long was the study being conducted on school based health and exercise programs? Maybe more improvements could have been seen if the study was conducted for several years.
There is only one point of view, and there are not any opposite views represented in this article. The only question that I have on this article is, why do most American schools not promote heath and wellness if it is so important for children? is it a lack of funding or time?

Source 4: taking charge of school wellness

"Taking Charge of School Wellness" is an article written by David Satcher. He was the U.S. general surgeon in 2001, and has created the Surgeon Generals call to Action to Prevent and Decrease Overweight and Obesity. This article is his way to explain the importance behind this action he has taken. First, Satcher provides evidence that the United States has created an unhealthy start to the 21st century. He then goes on to share why everyone is increasingly overeating, and eating the wrong foods, while becoming less physically active. Promoting physical health in schools has great evidence that shows children will participate more in class and will perform their best. Satcher goes on to explain the research supporting the benefits of physical activity in schools, and then wraps up the article by showing some real life examples of success stories here in our country. Overall we need to work together and promote student health, and that is what David Satcher is telling us throughout this article.
I found this article on Wilson Web, and it comes from a magazine titled: Educational Leadership. David Satcher is the author of the article, and is a very reputable source. He was the Surgeon General for the United States in 2001, and has created an action plan to reduce the obesity in our country. Satcher also uses very reliable resources when giving facts and sharing information that does not come from himself. In 2010 this article was reproduced with permission, however, the geographical location that it was written is not given. There is somewhat of a bias towards the political and cultural aspects. Satcher blames our culture of unhealthy habits for teaching children how to live the way they are today. He also mentions that congress had developed an Act in 2006, that funded school meal programs to develop local wellness policies. Unfortunately, there are still many gaps to address in the effort, and things are moving slowly. Some of the sources that the author uses to back up his information include: the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Action for Healthy Kids, the Center on Hunger, Poverty, and Nutrition Policy, the National Governors Association, the National Institute for Heath Care Management Foundation, and his own knowledge that comes from serving as Surgeon General in the U.S. Primary research is mainly used, due to the facts, data and observations shared in the article. The intended audience is probably adults and children in America, as well as the public schools. Main points include: An unhealthy start to the 21st century, why we should promote physical health in schools, the gains and gaps that are occurring, and some of the innovative ways schools are promoting health to the students. Some of the facts shared are: 1. between 1980 and 2000 the sharp rate of obesity became the leading cause of preventable death in the U.S., 2. more than 30% of children ages 2-19 in the U.S. are overweight or obese, 3. 62% of children ages 9-13 do not participate in any organized physical activity during non school hours. 4. only 4% of elementary schools offer daily physical education throughout the academic year, 5. data from a 2-year study shows heath related physical educations significantly improved academic achievement. Information in the article touched on all the areas and aspects necessary to explain the reasons why physical activity is important for children. I don't think any information was left out. Various points of view are not shown in the article, only the views of the author, and those who support him. Overall, the only questions that I have would be: why don't we have stricter school policies regarding exercise/diet? and What are parents doing to enforce these school policies?

source 3: bring back the outdoor fun

Jay Heinrichs is the editorial director of Rodale's sports and fitness magazines. He wrote the article titled, "The number of overweight American Children has more than triples in the last 40 years. Our soulution: Bring back the outdoor fun", goes over the reasons why we should be concerned. Starting off, Jay explains his return to his former elementary school in Philidelphia. The difference in the amout of children outside playing compared to the 1960's was amazing to him. The schoolyard was the same, yet there were no kids out playing. Jay believes this is because of all the technology that children spend time with now. Continuing on, the article shares numbers on the amout of children today that are obese, and then explains the health risks associated with being obese. Portion sizes are growing, while exercise is declining- those are the reasons why Jay believes children are becoming obese. Finally, he points out that parents and adults need to provide safe play areas for their children, so they can get some exercise while they play.
This article was found on the Wilson Web. It comes from a magazine, and has been reproduced with permission from the origional source. I feel the author, Jay Heinrichs, is a pretty reputable source because he is the editor director for a sports and fitness magazine. He has experience in the topic of fitness and health, but also gives facts from other sources that have a more professional view on the topic. This article was published in 2003, so it is fairly up to date. The publication information is not geographically listed, however, the article focuses on Cooperstown Elementary located in Philidelphia, for examples. There is no obvious political bias, but Jay may have a bias on the culture of Americans. He shows how our portion sizes have increased and our activities have decreased, due to the electronic games. Some sources that are mentioned in the article include: Cooperstown Elementary, the Journal of the American Medical Association, and a researcher at the University of North Carolina. Primary research is used, mostly coming from facts, research studies, and Jay's own personal observations. The intended audience is parents and children. Main points of this article include: The amout of kids that play outside; The problems caused by obesity; The American diet and sedentary lifestyles; and The importance of providing a safe place for kids to play. Some of the facts I read include: The amount of obese children has more than tripled in the last 2 decades; Life expentancy will drop by 20years in children that are obese; Portion sizes have risen 52% since 1977; Teens are 13% less active today than in 1980; and The number of kids in a physical education class has dropped from 42% to only 29% of students in the past decade alone. A few opinions were that kids are at home having virtual fun inside, and that building playgrounds will improve the obesity rate umong children. Some information left out of the article are the topics of recess at school, and how much a school should get involved in the prevention of obesity. There is only one point of view in this article, but the author also gives evidence that supports his view. Questions that I still have on the topic are: Why are children not required to take a gym class? and What are schools doing to help prevent obesity in their students?

source 2:childhood obesity

"Childhood obesity" is an from a magazine, and was written by Dr. Reginald Eadie. He is a board-certified medical physician and expert in childhood obesity. In the article, Dr. Eadie shares his knowledge of childhood obesity and the reasons to be concerned for children's health. He starts by addressing the African-Americans, and sharing data that proves obesity is on the increase, especially in this race. Dr. Eadie then explains the reasons behind childhood obesity, and what factors put African-American children at greater risk. Factors including a sedentary lifestyle, poor eating habits, genetic factors and also socioeconomic status, all contribute to the accumulation of fat. In conclusion, Dr. Eadie shares advice for parents that are worried about their child's weight and how to prevent an unhealthy lifestyle.
I found this article from Wilson Web, and it origionally came from a magazine but the name is not listed. "Childhood Obesity" is a very reputable source, because the author is a certified doctor that specifies in childhood obesity. Dr. Eadie also is a professor at Wayne State school of medecine in Detroit, which indicates this source is very reputable. The article was written and published in 2007 in Chicago, Illinois. Overall, there is no obvious political or cultrual bias in the article, but Dr. Eadie does specifically focus on the African American children being most at risk for obesity. This is not a bias, but just the focus of concern. Sources used in the article include the journal of American medical association, and the board-certified knowledge from the author himself. Primary research is not used, however, this article focuses on facts. The audience intended for "Childhood Obesity" is probably parents and African Americans. The main points include: facts on the number of obese children today compared to the 1970's, African American children are most at risk for obesity, the environmental influences causing childhood obesity, and how to get help if you are concerned for a child you know. Some facts that are mentioned include: 1 in 4 obese African Americans have type 2 diabetes; there were 6% of obese African American children in 1970 and today there are 13%; hopsital costs have risen from $35million dollars to $127million dollars in obesity linked cases; and that the number of African American children that are obese has increased by 120% compared to only a 50% increase in white children. The only opinion that I found was how to seek help if you are a parent. Dr. Eadie suggests seeing a nutritionist and talking to your child's doctor. Although a lot of information was included in this article, there was only one point of view. That was the view of Dr. Eadie. Some information that I felt was left out are the factors that put African Americans at a higher risk for obesity compared to the factors of whites. The author mentions the common causes of obesity, but does not specify what makes the African American children most at risk. A few other questions that I have about the topic include: what about the other ethnic groups? are they at the same risk for obesity? Why are the African Americans most at risk? Why are there more obese children today, than in the 1970's?

Source: Play with a Purpose redo

The artilce, Play with a Purpose, addresses the concern that children are not getting enough physical activity in their school day. Author Cynthia Gentry starts off the article by sharing an example of a fifth grade math teacher in Atlanta. He took a few minutes out of his class time each day to get his class physically moving, and noticed a significant improvement in math test scores, compared to the previous year. Gentry goes on to emphasize how many adults took recess for granted, and how she became an advocate for play. Next, the author takes a look at the Atlanta school district, and how they have taken away recess/breaks. Daily breaks are important to prevent a sedentary lifestyle, that can result in many health risks. Gentry uses the Mayo Clinic for proof that sedentary life styles are harmful to children. Overall, this article is focusing on the importance of physical activity for growing children.

This article was found using WilsonWeb on the library's resource site. It comes from the Atlanta magazine. I feel like it is a reputable source, because it is a published and copyright magazine. The author, Cynthia Gentry is also the founder of KaBOOM! organization, that focuses on providing playground equipment for children. Gentry is an advocate for play and physical activity, therefore seems like a reputable source. The information was published in 2011, so it is very recent and up to date. It was probably written in Atlanta, GA because the magazine and article both mention Atlanta, but that information is not visually typed out. After reading the article, I don't feel like there is any type of political bias. Although Gentry does mention that the "No Child Left Behind" act in 2001 is what got schools focusing on education, and therefore started to reduce or eliminate recess time. As far as a cultural bias, I don't think there is any obvious bias, but Gentry does refer to how the past children had more play time outisde and today they are inside with video games. Sources that are used in the article first come from the fifth grade teacher, Christoper Gomillion, and his experiment with the class. Next, Gentry uses personal experience, the Atlanta School district, the Atlanta development authority, and the Mayo Clinic for additional sources. Primary research is used heavily in the article, using experiments/facts/and personal observations. The intended audience is geared towards parents, school officals, and any American in general that has a child in their life in some way. Overall, the main points are that 1.physical activity will improve the school work of students, 2. the dangers of a sedentary lifestyle, and 3. the importance of play. Some facts that were presented come from the experiment results of the fifth grade class improving their grades with physical activity, and the Mayo Clinic providing the facts on heath risks involved from a sedentary lifestyle. Some opinions were: play is necessary for children to succeed in school and parents must become advocates for their children. What I felt was missing from the article is information on gym classes in schools (the focus is recess only), and also information on other schools in America (they only focused on Atlanta schools). There are various points of view represented, when Gentry mentions the former Atlanta superintendent's opinion that recess should be taken away so they can spend as much time possible teaching children in the class room. My questions about the topic after reading this are: Has gym class been cut too? or just recess time? What about the lack of activity for middle/high school youth? how are they effected? and What about other US cities? are other schools taking away recess?

Source: Play with a Purpose

The source I chose is titled Play with a Purpose, and describes specific examples of why play/physical activity is important for students in school. Atlanta is the focus of the article, and author Cynthia Gentry explains how the ban on recess in 2001 had a negative effect on student's learning. The article continues to explain how many children are becoming more sedentary, and how recess could be the only physical activity they get each day.
The claim the author of this article is trying to show is: movement and fun might help kids pay more attention during class. The reasons behind this claim are evidence that students in Atlanta became more sedentary due to the lack of physical activity in school. They  now have the second highest rate of childhood obesity in the nation, and are also developing diabetes, vitamin D deficiency, high blood pressure, and depression. An example that shows how a teacher used 15 minutes of class to play with the students, resulted in their highest math scores yet.
This article will definitely help me to show how physical activity is important for children to be healthier and to learn more efficiently.

final choice of cause

The cause I decided to write on comes from the KaBoom! organization. They focus on building new playgrounds for children, that are within walking distance of their homes. Today, many kids grow up spending a majority of their childhood indoors, watching TV or playing video games. Just about 10 years ago, kids were running outside playing with their friends. Even recess time at elementary schools is becoming less common, and the focus is their education. Unfortunatally, most school administrators do not realize that there have been many recent studies showing that children actually will learn more efficentially when they have time for exercise. Gym classes are now seen as un necessary and have been either shortened in time or cut back to only one day a week.
I really like this cause- the importance of play- and feel if we surround the youth with the equipment and time for playing, our obesity rates would decline and test scores would improve. Adults are encouraged to get at least 30 minutes of physical activity a day for good health, so why are schools taking away the opportunity for students to get exercise?
The other aspect of this cause is getting kids to play outside when they are at home, and to feel safe when they do. If there is a nice playground a few blocks away from their home, no child would be able to resist going out to play. This cause is perfect for me, because I strongly believe in heath and exercise but I also believe kids should be kids. There are many kids who grow up before they should, due to today's technology and environment.

cause 3

Cancer research

This organization has researchers that work every day to find new immune-boosting treatments and diagnostic screens for cancer. They want to be able to treat, control, and prevent cancer. Cancer Research uses discovery-driven scientific research to find more effective, innovative approaches to cancer.

This is important to me; finding a cure for cancer. Many people in my family, and in my life, have been impacted with cancer in some way. To find a cure would be the world's greatest day. So many people are effected by cancer, and finding an answer to a common problem would be beneficial to everyone.

Cause 2

KaBoom!

This organization gives kids a great place to play within walking distance. KaBoom builds playgrounds for children to play and have fun on. This also keeps kids active, and allows them to just be a kid! They also build basketball courts and try to promote healthy play time.

I really love this idea, because so many kids today spend a majority of their time inside. More kids are becoming overweight, not just due to the poor food choices, but because we are encouraging a sedentary lifestyle in America. Children used to run outside and play, but now that is becoming less common. Building playgrounds for kids will benefit their health and social skills. Also, by building these playgrounds within walking distance gives no excuse to parents for not allowing them to play due to safety reasons.

cause 1

Farm Aid

This organization focuses on keeping family farms on the land. They are growing the good food movement, and giving people access to family farm foods. Also, they aid farmers after natural disasters, give farmers access to new markets and transition them to more sustainable and profitable farming practices. Farm Aid promotes fair farm policies and bring awareness to the eaters about issues like genetically modified food, and growth hormones.

I really am for the idea of eating "real" foods, not some kind of processed, altered, or growth enhanced food. Since I want to be a health fitness coach, and am a vegetarian, I believe the best food comes right from the earth. Today's processed food system is very much connected to cancers, obesity, and diseases in America. I love that this organization is promoting and helping farmers to grow fresh, local foods.