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Physical Activity May Strengthen Children’s Ability to Pay Attention

A new study from the University of Illinois may cause educators to put an increasingly high priority on physical education. The study was led by Charles Hillman, a professor of kinesiology and community health. Hillman’s research suggests that physical activity increases a child’s cognitive control or ability to pay attention, leading to increased academic performance.

The goal of the study was to see if a single instance of exercise would help students focus and increase their academic achievement. Nine-year-old study participants were tested on a series of stimulus discrimination tests on two separate occasions; after a 20-minute resting period, and after a 20-minute session walking on a treadmill. Children had a higher rate of accuracy on the test after walking on the treadmill. Researchers also found that changes in participant brain patterns revealed the ability to better allocate resources to attention.

Students were also assessed in reading comprehension, spelling, and math. After 20-minutes of exercise, students increased, on average, a full grade level in reading comprehension achievement. Although the increases in math and spelling were not as significant, researchers believe that too much time may have passed between the period of exercise and the spelling and math tests. Subsequent testing will focus on timing as well as other forms of physical-activity testing. In order to increase student achievement and concentration in the classroom, researchers recommend scheduling outdoor recess each day, offering P.E. for 150 minutes per week, and integrating physical activity into learning.

Thornridge Students Pumped About Biodiesel Project

Seven students and one physics teacher are working together to improve the health of the environment. The biodiesel club at Thornridge High School in Dolton has built a small refinery, turning used cooking oil into biodiesel fuel. The fuel is currently used to power the vehicle of a school employee. However, district officials are asking if the students can produce enough biodiesel to use in some mechanical equipment and district owned vehicles.

The biodiesel club began due to student interest in learning about the chemical processes in converting used oil to fuel. The students were fascinated by the process of building the refinery. However the student’s were also fueled by their desire to make adults more aware of their environmental choices. Their town is situated near Interstate Highway 94, where each day diesel-fueled trucks release pollutants into the air. Clean air is an issue that hits close to home for the students of the biodiesel club.

Although students did not begin the project with the intention of making money, the biodiesel club has done just that. They initially won a $10,000 cash prize when they entered and won the Lexus Eco Challenge. The biodiesel club is now working to replace the electricity that runs the refinery with solar power. If the students are successful, their project will be entirely green, and they will be eligible for the second round of the competition and a $50,000 scholarship. Whether they win or lose, the biodiesel club can rest assured that the refinery they built is one step forward in bettering the environment.

Study Finds 1 in 5 Obese Among Four-Year-Olds

According to a new study conducted by Sarah Anderson of Ohio State University and Dr. Robert Whitaker of Temple University, almost one in five American four-year-olds is obese. The study measured the height and weight of 8,550 four-year-old children. Children were considered obese if their height to weight ratio was in the 95th percentile, or if they had a BMI of 18. There were significant disparities in the study according to the ethnicity of the participant. Almost 13 percent of Asian children were obese, along with 16 percent of whites, 21 percent of blacks, 22 percent of Hispanics, and 31 percent of American Indians. Although the researchers did not examine the reasons for the disparities, they had several theories, including a higher rate of diabetes in American Indians, as well as the effects of poverty on minority groups. The study has significant health consequences for children. Without intervention, the next generation will be at serious risk for heart disease, high blood pressure, cancers, joint diseases, and other problems connected with obesity.

Health Curriculum could Include Internet, Cell-phone Safety

A new state mandate in Utah would require all health classes to teach lessons examining the dangers of inappropriate use of technology. Although many schools already teach Internet safety, the state change would make it a mandatory part of the health curriculum. The lessons would include information about the appropriate use of cell phones, online predators, the dangers of posting personal information on the Internet, and the legal consequences of certain actions. The mandate would serve to increase the information available to students in health class and open up a dialogue about the advantages and dangers of technology.