1. Chapter 5: Brain Development
Plato’s Physical Education:
A guide to teaching physical education at all levels and in all environments.

2. Changes in research
Recently, technology has changed that has allowed doctors to look more specifically at the brain.
Brain scans show how nuerons fire

3. Movement and learning Movement has a significant impact on learning
However, it is not the sole factor
Theorists
Piaget
Gesell
Erikson

4. Strick
Peter Strick
While observing the pathways of the brain, he discovered that the part of the brain that processes learning is the same part that processes movement.
Aerobic conditioning is known to assist memory

5. Hannaford Carla Hannaford
Most basic functions of the brain develop first
Senses and movement
Then more advanced functions begin to develop

6. BDNF Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF)
Helps regulate the stability and growth of nuerons
Similar to “Miracle-Gro” for the brain.
Positive effects from Exercise
Remain for a period of time after.
Crucial link between thought, emotions and movement

7. Exercise
When we exercise, our brain functions and neurons fire, strengthening connections between cells.
Several other studies show a strong connection between exercise and cognitive ability
Including in the elderly.
Must be actively involved for learning to take place.

8. Neural Connections
The number of stars you can see at night (on a clear night) is roughly equal to the number of cells in our brains.
Each cell can “talk” to another, but only “talk” one way.

9. Neural connections How cells connect 1st time something is completed
Axon is laid between the cells
Axons are small tube-like structures messages pass through
Similar to your pipes with water passing through
2nd time something is completed
Myelin as added around the axon
Myelin is like insulation around the pipes
When task is completed more times, more myelin is added

10. Cell connections Think of water pipes in the winter
The more insulation, the better water flows through the pipes
The more myelin around the axon, the faster the message travels to the other cell.
A lack of insulation causes pipes to freeze, and water can not flow.
Same happens with the Axon. No Myelin will not allow the message to travel very fast.

11. Synapses Synapses work in a similar fashion as previously described
Connect axon to the cell
Strengthened by performing a skill over again.
The more overall connections, the faster and more effectively the brain can work.
Enriched nuerons connect to many other neurons.

12. Fundamental Physical Skills
The job of a child is…….PLAY!
Inskeep (1926) stated that “if you learn it through play, its there to stay.”
Play has a specific goal, meaning and purpose.
Only the child may know that meaning

13. Skills needed A child needs the ability to remain on task
to be able to track while reading
to know how to get from point A to point B
to know how to follow directions
to have logical thinking
to be able to copy work from an overhead/chalkboard to a sheet of paper
to understand order
to understand where to begin
to feel that he/she can succeed
to be aware of his/her space and that of others
to feel comfortable.

14. Fundamental Physical Skills
Balance
General Coordination
Body Image
Hand-Eye Coordination
Laterality
Tactile Touch
Language
Vision

15. Balance the ability to be able to move one’s body under control
Three types
Static (stationary)
Dynamic (moving)
External Object
Direct link with concentration
Better balance requires more concentration on the skill
Adding difficulty requires more concentration
Same as in the classroom.

16. General Coordination the ability to coordinate movement
Sequencing
Physical skills, just as with cognitive skills, often require a sequence to complete them
Math (parentheses, exponents, multiply, divide, add and subtract)
Skipping (step – hop – step - hop)

17. Body Image
the ability to understand one’s body and its relationship to other things
Knowing your own space – personal space
Positioning
Where is the paper, or the dinner plates
May be a comfort issue
Losing homework

18. Hand-Eye Coordination
the ability to use hands and eyes effectively at the same time
How the body reacts to what the eyes see
Catching a ball
Throwing a ball
Reading and writing
Cutting on or coloring inside the lines

19. Laterality
the ability to know left from right, top from bottom, and front from back
Could include using the two sides of the body together
Three midlines of the body
Longitudinal - Right and left
Transverse - Top and Bottom
Sagittal - Front and back
Directly linked to reading
Crossing the page (top left to bottom right)
Reversals of letters

20. Letters
What if you see these letters (which are written the same way – just rotated) as the same.
d b p q
X +
2 5
A H
E 3 M W

21. Tactile Touch the ability to feel objects as they are meant to be felt
Two types
Defensive – I don’t like the feeling
Pulling away or avoiding
Dysfunctional – I don’t feel it correctly
Not feeling it
Feeling it with wrong pressure
Feeling it in the wrong location
If I am not comfortable, how well can I pay attention to what I am doing?
Reading, studying or listening to the teacher.

22. Language
the ability to hear and distinguish the basic sounds in a given language and to be able to express those sounds in a distinguishable manner.
Audio-expressive - speaking
Audio-receptive - Listening
Sign Language – words or letters with symbols
Body Language – how your body shows off meaning

23. Vision The ability to see the world appropriately.
Each eye has 6 muscles
Must stimulate a muscle to make it grow or keep it strong
Screens do not stimulate eye movement