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?