Rockin’ With The S.T.A.R.S.

ByTina Jackson, Jean Lawson,

and Judy Province

Great Falls Elementary School

Rationale

In an effort to effect change, the impetus of our inquiry

project was to show evidence of a connection between

music, movement and mathematics. We wanted to see if

an integration of math, movement and music, linked to the

standards that we teach, would make a difference in the

learning of mathematics.

Research indicates:

• Children need active learning experiences in meaningful context to develop complex thinking and problem solving skills.

• Music develops pattern making skills critical to mathematics.

• Information is easily recalled when put to music and song.

• Dance and/or movement develop spatial perception and directionality.

“Musical, visual, andkinetic arts enhancethe important anddistinct neurologicalsystems that driveattention, emotion,perception, motivation,motor coordination,learning and memory.”

-Eric Jenson

The idea for our inquiry project came while attending aworkshop conducted by Marie Moore at the regionalmathematics conference in Greenville, South Carolina. Mrs. Moore, a first grade teacher from Myrtle Beach, SouthCarolina, found a way to incorporate music andmathematics with her children. Her classes consistentlyscore higher than other classes in the school and district onthe Metropolitan Readiness Test and PalmettoAchievement Test.

Rock and Rhyme Mathby Marie Moore

• Classroom tested, teaching resource

• Integrates music, dance, and math

• Correlated with NCTM standards

• Easy to use, interactive compact disc for teachers and parents

Great Falls Elementary School-wide Demographics

• Located in rural, low socio-economic area of Chester County

• Title I school• Serves approximately 445 students in Pre-K

through 4th grade• 62% of student population qualify for

free/reduced meals• 61% Caucasian, 21% African American, and

10% other ethnicities

Kindergarten

Gains Revealed from Baseline to Winter

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

Numbers 1-10(Out of

Sequence)

Extends aTwo PartPattern

Days of Week(In Sequence)

Months ofYear (In

Sequence)

Standards

Fin

din

gs

in

Pe

rce

nta

ge

Baseline

Winter

First Grade

Test Score and Percentage

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Test Scores in Percentage

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

Students

Gains Revealed From Second Nine Weeks To Third Nine Weeks

Second NineWeeksThird NineWeeks

Second GradeMAP Scores

175

179

183

180179

178

182

188

185

181

185

193 193

195

187

165

170

175

180

185

190

195

200

Number & Operations Algebra Geometry Measurement Data Analysis &Probability

Strands

Fall Winter Spring

RIT

Score

s

Evidence of Growth

Effective teacher leaders constantly seekbest practices for their students. Theopportunity to find something innovative, tryit out, analyze the data, and consider theessential research, allowed us to reflect onthe ways in which our inquiry projectimpacted student learning in ourclassrooms.

Our Final Thoughts…

Now that we have proof of a positive relationship betweenmathematics, movement, and music within our individualclassrooms, we believe the impact of this project could bebeneficial to our entire school. Because educational reformcan be the catalyst for change, we will provide aprofessional development opportunity for our colleagues atGreat Falls Elementary School. We will explore thepossibility of making this powerful teaching tool a part ofeveryone’s daily routine, therefore, impacting studentlearning.

“The greatest thing in

this world is not somuch where we

are,but in what

directionwe are moving.”

-Oliver Wendell Holmes

Works CitedCheek, J., & Smith, L. (1999). Music training and mathematical achievement.

Adolescence, 34(136), 759-61.

Graziano, A., Peterson, M., & Shaw G. (1999). Enhanced learning of proportional math through music training and spatial-temporal training. Neurological Research,21(2), 139-52.

Jenson, E., & Dabney, M. (2000). Learning Smarter. 1st ed. San Diego, CA: The Brain Store, Inc..

Rabkin, N., & Redmond, R. (2006). The arts make a difference. Educational Leadership, 63(5), 60-64.

Rief, S. (2001). The importance of music, art, and movement/dance activities. Retrieved Mar. 24, 2006, from LD Online Web site: http://www.ldonline.org/ld_indepth/parenting/music.

Wallace, W. (2006). Memory for music: effect of melody on recall of text. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory and Cognition, 20(6), 1471-85.