The aim of the current study was to investigate the impact of classroom-based physically active brain-breaks on the in-school activity levels of Grade 1 (six- to eight-years-old) learners (N = 48) by comparing baseline results to the intervention PA patterns of the participants. Children wore Actigraphs accelerometers for five consecutive school…

This dissertation describes a project to develop an art-based curriculum to teach young elementary school-age children social and emotional skills in the classroom based on the experiences of experts in the field of elementary education. Social-emotional learning (SEL) focuses on several key concepts including skills in interpersonal…

Combining physical fitness (PF) and academic content can be a beneficial way to improve PF and mathematics performance of learners. The purpose of the current study was to establish whether a physically active academic intervention had an effect on the PF and mathematics performance of Grade 1 learners over 16 weeks. This intervention is based on…

In this research, it is aimed to examine the activities in the primary school Turkish textbooks in terms of creative thinking skills (fluency, originality, flexibility). The document analysis method was used in this research, which was designed with a case study, one of the qualitative research methods. Primary school Turkish textbooks approved by…

We describe how mathematical argumentation supports curiosity and exploration by sharing a first-grade lesson in which students explored decomposition with subtraction. We also reflect on the conditions that supported the inclusion of mathematical argumentation.

In this paper, motivated in part by evidence that Swedish teachers are sceptical of parents' abilities to offer appropriate support, we present an exploratory investigation of the activities Swedish parents initiate to facilitate their year-one (first grade) children's learning of mathematics. Data, derived from 25 semi-structured interviews…

The purpose is to contribute knowledge to the field regarding the role of aesthetic experience when young students participate in intertwined science-art activities in science class. More precisely, we scrutinise how science suggestions are shaped in students' processes of imagination when exploring animal's ecology. Data corpus comprises audio…

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how kindergarten through third--grade public school educators in diverse classrooms described the influence and challenges of multicultural teaching strategies, with a focus on content integration and knowledge construction, on learners' English language acquisition in Arizona. Two…

Providing spaces for children's culture becomes an issue when it conflicts with or threatens to reverse the notion of 'legitimate' culture. Here, legitimate culture refers to the dominant values of the official curriculum and teachers' cultural values. This article, which stems from an ethnographically oriented pilot study, explores the experience…

Repeating patterning proficiency predicts students' later mathematical proficiency. A comparative multi-case design enabled the present study to compare patterning success and strategy use for repeating patterns of 75 Norwegian 6-year-old grade 1 students. We provided the students with duplicate, extend, transfer, and unit isolation activities in…

Can You Build It? is an engaging Improve It! task that asks children to construct 3D shapes based on 2D depictions. Students' initial 3D creations often need revision, and as they build and re-build, they develop spatial relationships. This task was implemented in a first-grade class, connected to composing 3D geometric shapes to address the…

There is anecdotal evidence that many elementary teachers integrate mathematics lessons and art activities by having students first make colorful, rich material that is subsequently used in an instructional activity. However, it is unclear whether such activities effectively promote learning and transfer of mathematical concepts. The goal of the…

Background: After-school programs (ASP) provide opportunities to influence children's physical activity (PA). However, little is known about the PA levels of the youngest schoolchildren. The aim of the study was to describe the level of PA intensity and sedentary time among first graders attending ASP in Norway, and to investigate factors that are…

Physical activity plays an important role in childhood development and is associated with positive health, social, emotional, and academic benefits. Despite this, children are often sedentary for most of their school day and fail to meet daily activity recommendations. Incorporating physical activity breaks into the classroom can achieve many…

Measuring students' interest and involvement in classroom activities at all stages of education, from preschool to upper secondary school, provides a better understanding of learning processes that enable the acquisition of abilities specific to a certain field. The purpose of this cross-age study was to investigate primary school students'…