Grant Writing: Math & Movement Curriculum
This guide was created for a 2014 course and has not been updated since.

Mathematics--Study and teaching
Mathematics--Study and teaching (Preschool)
Mathematics--Study and teaching (Early childhood)
Mathematics--Study and teaching (Elementary)
Mathematics--Study and teaching (Primary)
Mathematics--Study and teaching--United States
Mathematics teachers--Training of
Mathematical recreations
Games in mathematics education
Educational games
Cognition in children
Cognitive styles in children
Memory in children
Perceptual-motor learning
Learning, Psychology of
Educational psychology
Active learning
Active learning--United States
Movement, Psychology of
Motor learning
Movement education
Kinesiology
Human locomotion
Teach for America (Project)--History
First year teachers--In-service training--Handbooks, manuals, etc
Mathematics--Study and teaching (Preschool)
Mathematics--Study and teaching (Early childhood)
Mathematics--Study and teaching (Elementary)
Mathematics--Study and teaching (Primary)
Mathematics--Study and teaching--United States
Mathematics teachers--Training of
Mathematical recreations
Games in mathematics education
Educational games
Cognition in children
Cognitive styles in children
Memory in children
Perceptual-motor learning
Learning, Psychology of
Educational psychology
Active learning
Active learning--United States
Movement, Psychology of
Motor learning
Movement education
Kinesiology
Human locomotion
Teach for America (Project)--History
First year teachers--In-service training--Handbooks, manuals, etc
The Challenge: There doesn't yet seem to be an extensive research literature on movement as a learning tool for academic subjects. And be forewarned, any combinatiion of "mathematics" with "movement" will retrieve mainly articles about various theoretical movements in math education. So be prepared to broaden your search beyond just movement and math and look also for articles and research that supports the use of physical movement in teaching any academic subject: vocabulary, science, social studies, etc. The fundamental claims about physical activity improving cognitive functions will surely be transferable from one discipline to another.
ERIC (Ebsco interface) : A disciplinary database in Education—at all levels. The field of Education has its own set of Subject Headings so be sure to browse the “Thesaurus” (above the search slots) for the best "Descriptors." ERIC provides access not only to relevant journal literature (citations for these end in a number preceded by EJ—ERIC Journal), but also to research published directly to ERIC (citations for these end in a number preceded by ED—ERIC Document.
ERIC (Ebsco interface) : A disciplinary database in Education—at all levels. The field of Education has its own set of Subject Headings so be sure to browse the “Thesaurus” (above the search slots) for the best "Descriptors." ERIC provides access not only to relevant journal literature (citations for these end in a number preceded by EJ—ERIC Journal), but also to research published directly to ERIC (citations for these end in a number preceded by ED—ERIC Document.
And note: On the first Eric search screen, below the search slots, you can select an "Educational Level." For this project you probably want to confine your retrievals to "Early Childhood Education," Elementary Education," and "Preschool Education." (You can combine multiple levels simply by holding down the Control key as you click them.) This frees you up from having to enter search terms specifying the grade level.
Among the Descriptors that are available in this database are Mathematics Education, Mathematics Activities, and Kinesthetic Methods. But also try going broader: Learning combined with Kinesthetic Methods.
Academic Search Premier Comprehensive subject coverage with considerable full text. Note that there is a “Subject Terms” link just above the search boxes, allowing you to search the index of Subject Headings--often a good first stop for more efficient Subject searching whereby you are guaranteed that your topic is indeed a main subject of the articles retrieved.
Among the Descriptors that are available in this database are Mathematics Education, Mathematics Activities, and Kinesthetic Methods. But also try going broader: Learning combined with Kinesthetic Methods.
Academic Search Premier Comprehensive subject coverage with considerable full text. Note that there is a “Subject Terms” link just above the search boxes, allowing you to search the index of Subject Headings--often a good first stop for more efficient Subject searching whereby you are guaranteed that your topic is indeed a main subject of the articles retrieved.
A good initial strategy in this database is to search a likely topic in the Subject Terms and when you find it “explode” the term by double clicking it--this brings up a list of related Subject terms. You can check as many terms as you like before "adding" them to your search by AND-ing or OR-ing them together.
User Advisory: For any retrieved set of articles, there will be a box displayed on the left that will limit the articles to “Scholarly” journals—just check the box and click the “Update Results” button below.
General OneFile : is the most user-friendly of our comprehensive databases, covering almost any topic from a wide range of disciplinary angles and offering lots of full text. Use the default Subject search to find the best subject heading for your topic (and when you find a good one be sure to look at the "Related Subjects" to see if there's something even better).
When you settle on a subject heading, open the "Subdivisions" link below it. Most General OneFile subject searches produce very large retrievals and the "subdivisions" help you narrow your search to a particular aspect: "Economic aspects," "Ethical aspects," "Forecasts and Trends," "History," "Media Coverage," "Political aspects," "Psychological aspects," "Social aspects," and "Statistics," to name only a few.
If the best available subdivision is still too broad, open it and add your own Keywords in the "Search within these results" slot at the upper left.
User Advisory: When first viewing your retrievals in General OneFile, note that you are seeing only the "Magazines" (popular articles) and must click on the tabs for "Academic Journals" (scholarly articles) or "News" (newspaper articles) to see those results.
ProQuest Research Library : is another comprehensive database with substantial full text. Use the "Thesaurus" (above the search slots) to preview what Subject Headings are available. Subect searching can be a more efficient way to search than with only Keywords, since it guarantees that the articles retrieved actually be about the Subject--not just use a particular word.
Note that to the right of your search results you can limit your retrieval by "Source Type" (including Magazines, Newspapers, Scholarly Journals), "Document Type," (including Cover Story, Editorial, or Interview), "Document Feature" (including Photographs, Illustrations), and "Location."
Above each set of articles you retrieve ProQuest will display related Subject searches to help either broaden or narrow your focus.
User Advisory: ProQuest is fussy about entering Subject searches in the designated search slot. If your subject is a person, enter the name--last name first--in the "Person" slot; if a named group of any kind--Microsoft, the Catholic Church, Radiohead, the New York Mets--enter it in "Co/Org"; if a place enter it in "Location."
Both ScienceDirect and PsycINFO seem like likely resources for math education and alternative learning strategies, but I wasn't able to unearth much in either. Perhaps you'll succeed where I didn't.
General OneFile : is the most user-friendly of our comprehensive databases, covering almost any topic from a wide range of disciplinary angles and offering lots of full text. Use the default Subject search to find the best subject heading for your topic (and when you find a good one be sure to look at the "Related Subjects" to see if there's something even better).
When you settle on a subject heading, open the "Subdivisions" link below it. Most General OneFile subject searches produce very large retrievals and the "subdivisions" help you narrow your search to a particular aspect: "Economic aspects," "Ethical aspects," "Forecasts and Trends," "History," "Media Coverage," "Political aspects," "Psychological aspects," "Social aspects," and "Statistics," to name only a few.
If the best available subdivision is still too broad, open it and add your own Keywords in the "Search within these results" slot at the upper left.
User Advisory: When first viewing your retrievals in General OneFile, note that you are seeing only the "Magazines" (popular articles) and must click on the tabs for "Academic Journals" (scholarly articles) or "News" (newspaper articles) to see those results.
ProQuest Research Library : is another comprehensive database with substantial full text. Use the "Thesaurus" (above the search slots) to preview what Subject Headings are available. Subect searching can be a more efficient way to search than with only Keywords, since it guarantees that the articles retrieved actually be about the Subject--not just use a particular word.
Note that to the right of your search results you can limit your retrieval by "Source Type" (including Magazines, Newspapers, Scholarly Journals), "Document Type," (including Cover Story, Editorial, or Interview), "Document Feature" (including Photographs, Illustrations), and "Location."
Above each set of articles you retrieve ProQuest will display related Subject searches to help either broaden or narrow your focus.
User Advisory: ProQuest is fussy about entering Subject searches in the designated search slot. If your subject is a person, enter the name--last name first--in the "Person" slot; if a named group of any kind--Microsoft, the Catholic Church, Radiohead, the New York Mets--enter it in "Co/Org"; if a place enter it in "Location."
Both ScienceDirect and PsycINFO seem like likely resources for math education and alternative learning strategies, but I wasn't able to unearth much in either. Perhaps you'll succeed where I didn't.
Few databases offer 100% full text. Most retrieve a mix of full text articles and article "citations"--article title, author(s), publication info, and usually an "abstract" or one-prargraph summary of the content. When a citation makes you want the full text, look below it for this icon:

Clicking "GETIT" checks (almost all) the IC Library's other databases to see if any offers the full text of the article--or if the Library has a print subscription to the journal in which the article appeared.
Clicking "GETIT" checks (almost all) the IC Library's other databases to see if any offers the full text of the article--or if the Library has a print subscription to the journal in which the article appeared.
- "GETIT" will usually find the full text in another database and open it in a new window.
- If none of our databases can access the full text but we have a print subsciption to the journal, "GETIT" will retrieve the Library catalog record for the journal so that you can see if the date of the article falls within the date range we have on hand.

- Ebrary
- Citation
- Interlibrary Loan
- Plagiarism Tutorial
- Writing
- Education Research
- Education (John Henderson)
- Mathematics (Fyiane Nsilo-Swai)
Note: On the Web you'll encounter many commercial sites that are promoting movement & learning curricula. Be sure always to consider the source of the data and the support for claims made at such sites.
Note: To develop a Teach-for-America-type cadre of young math instructors, look to the model: Teach for America--and see especially the links at the bottom of the home page under "Our Mission" and "Why Teach for America." And be sure to visit the "Donors" page.
It might also be helpful to take a look at these mentoring resources:
- Math & Movement : Suzy Koontz's program site, with some supporting research available under "What is M&M;?" Also see Suzy's personal Web site. And finally take a look at the National Math Foundation which she co-founded--especially the Resources (including Grants) and Curriculum/Research sections.
- Math Through Movement: Local news story on Koontz and her program.
- Math Dance: From the Dr. Shaffer and Mr. Stern Dance Ensemble, this site provides many links to related information. Also see their Ted Talk presentation on teaching math through movement.
- Math in Your Feet: Web site promoting mathemaical thinking through percussive dance. And take a look at this article by Malke Rosenfeld titled Making Math and Making Dance :A Closer Look at Integration Aslo take a look at Rosenfeld's Ted Talk.
- Mathematics Through Movement: 2008 article by an Australian primary school teacher.
- "Children's gestures and the embodied knowledge of geometry": Scholarly 2011 article about movement and math learning. (log-in required)
- Where mathematics comes from : how the embodied mind brings mathematics into being: This is a scholarly book in the IC collection and a good source for a cognitive/philosophical justification of math/movement theory. For an overview of what's called "embodied cognition" theory, see also this 2011 article from Scientific American: A Brief Guide to Embodied Cognition: Why You Are Not Your Brain.
- Every body can learn : engaging the bodily-kinesthetic intelligence in the everyday classroom: Another likely book in the IC collection.
- Movement and Learning: This is a chapter from a 2005 book titled Teaching with the Brain, available from ASCD (Asociation for Supervision and Curriculum Development).
- The Kinesthetic Classroom:Teaching and Learning through Movement: An overview of a book of the same name by co-author Mike Kuczala.
- "Thinking with your hands: A link between gesturing and intelligence": account of a German researcher's work.
- The Association Between School-Based Physical Activity, Including Physical Education, and Academic Performance: Lengthy study published by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) in 2010.
- LET THEM MOVE: KINESTHETIC LEARNING AND COGNITION: A 2007 Masters thesis, this is valuable for its "critical review" of research studies in this area and its focus on the same K-3rd students as Math and Movement.
- Fit for School: Brief article at the Mayo Clinic site discussing the research of one of their researchers, James Levine, whose findings indicate that movement not only improves learning but treats childhood obesity. Levine's work is often cited on this topic.
- Resources: from the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. Note especially the section on "Grants."
- Kids: Math: from the Internet Public Library (IPL2), an extensive list of math support sites, many featuring games and activities.
- Everyday Mathematics Resource and Information Center: Games by Grade: from the University of Chicago, this list categorizes math games by grade level, linking to outside Web sites.
Note: To develop a Teach-for-America-type cadre of young math instructors, look to the model: Teach for America--and see especially the links at the bottom of the home page under "Our Mission" and "Why Teach for America." And be sure to visit the "Donors" page.
It might also be helpful to take a look at these mentoring resources:
- Mentor: Leading non-profit organization in this area, with a good deal of helpful content--especially under "Find Program Resources" and "News & Research: Research & Studies."
- National Mentoring Center Resource Collections--from Education Northwest--with lots of full text documents.
- MLA citation for books: in print, from databases, on the Web
- MLA citation for articles: in print, from databases, on the Web.
- MLA citation for Web and Multimedia resources, including Web sites, movies, DVDs, CDs, and videos.
- MLA in-text (parenthetical) citation (far less satanic than the first three).