Term
Summer 2024
Capstone
Capstone Project
Degree Name
MAT
Facilitator(s)
Jana Lo Bello Miller
Content Expert
Todd Wallace
Abstract
Elementary school is a major setting for children’s development and the beginning of their academic journey learning language arts, math, and more. One of the primary ways that children learn and develop is through play. This capstone addresses the research question: How can organized play opportunities in elementary schools be leveraged to help nurture students’ development and strengthen their academic learning outcomes? This capstone report delves into the author's personal and professional connections to the topic of children’s play. Through the process of literature review, evidence is compiled to show that play opportunities strengthen the development of children’s physical health, mental health, social and emotional learning, and cognitive ability. They are also shown to enhance academic performance. Tied to this report is a capstone curriculum project composed of a game guide with twenty-three games that elementary teachers can use to incorporate organized play experiences in their classrooms. While most of the existing articles of research about the developmental and academic benefits of play experiences for elementary students are focused on unstructured play opportunities, it is predictable that those benefits would also come from organized play experiences. The capstone project is designed to support future research that focuses explicitly on the impacts of organized play. Such future research can benefit the field of education by uncovering what kinds of play opportunities should be emphasized and what an optimal time balance between play and academic instruction looks like. These discoveries could maximize positive developmental outcomes as well as academic performance and growth for elementary school children. More directly, the capstone project’s game guide can be shared with and utilized by any elementary school educator looking to start incorporating organized play experiences into their classroom so their students can achieve the benefits of play.
Project Type
Curriculum
Keywords
Community Building, Grades/ Student Performance, Children's Development, Play
Recommended Citation
McHugh, Robert, "Putting Play in the Elementary School Classroom" (2024). School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects. 1058.
https://digitalcommons.hamline.edu/hse_cp/1058
dc_type
text
dc_publisher
DigitalCommons@Hamline
dc_format
application/pdf
dc_source
School of Education Student Capstone Projects