Summary
This educator resource intends to help secondary math teachers to use physical movement activities as a tool to strengthen students’ conceptual understanding in math practices. The structure of this activity is broken into three parts: an introduction, physical movement activity, and a reflection. In the introduction, teachers introduce a mathematical concept which aligns to their learning goal. The physical movement activity invites students to engage in the math concept using kinesthetic movement, visuals, and collaboration to deepen their experience. The reflection coaches students to process their perceptions of the math concept and their experience during the physical movement activity; it also allows students to connect their learning to real-world experience.
Essential Question
How does intentional movement in math deepen understanding, engagement, and problem-solving skills?
Learning Objective
Students model math concepts kinesthetically to visualize patterns and articulate reasoning.
Snapshot
Introduction
Students learn about the purpose and benefits of movement in math.
Physical Movement Activity
Students participate in a math concept using a physical activity to deepen conceptual understanding.
Final Reflection
Students reflect on a math concept and physical movement activity to form connections to classroom content.
Materials List
Activity Slides (attached)
Strategy Harvest handout (attached; one per student)
Pencils/ Pens
Materials for Selected Strategy/ Lesson (see strategy/ lesson for more details)
Preparation
15 Minute(s)
Physical Activity Section
This activity asks students to use a physical movement strategy. You can incorporate this strategy into one of your existing lessons or use a model lesson from the Math Lessons with Movement collection. Before beginning this section of the activity, select either one of your own lessons to adapt or a model lesson from the provided collection. Update the placeholder slide 6 with a brief description of your chosen lesson (it’s ok to add more slides of content if needed). Prepare any materials you may need for either the lesson or strategies.
There are instructional slides that correspond with each physical movement strategy listed below. You may need to edit instructions on the strategy slide to incorporate elements of the math concepts relevant to your chosen lesson. You may also choose to hide slides depending on which activity you want students to use. It is recommended that you only go over 3-4 strategies at a time to avoid overwhelming students. If needed, you may consider printing 2-3 sets of the instruction slides for students to have access to later as a reference.
Introduction
10 Minute(s)
Use the attached Activity Slides to guide the activity. Use slide 2 to introduce the activity. Move through slides 3-4 to go over the essential question and the learning objective.
Display slide 5 and share the definition of kinesthetic learning. Explain to students the benefits and purposes for learning kinesthetically.
Physical Activity
25 Minute(s)
Display slide 6 and review the brief description of your chosen lesson. Then ask students to think about how adding movement to this lesson would help them learn the content better. Maybe highlight a specific part of the lesson you think would benefit from some physical movement.
Before reviewing the 2-3 strategies you want to highlight with students, explain that the goal is to think of a way to add physical movement to the lesson you have just reviewed. Our suggested movement strategies can be found in the Moved by Math collection. Slides 7-32 provide basic instructions for each strategy which we invite you to make your own. You may choose to hide slides depending on which strategy or strategies you want students to engage with. Review in as much detail as needed the basic instructions for each strategy, clearing up misconceptions as they arise.
Move to slide 33 and introduce students to the Strategy Harvest instructional strategy and pass out the Strategy Harvest handout to all students. Inform students that they will first select a physical movement strategy, then they will actually work through it within the context of the lesson. On their handout, they will describe how their strategy helped them and reflect on the pros/cons of it in the space provided. Next, they will find 1-2 partners and ask them about their strategies and again reflect on the pros/cons of each. Afterwards, they will fill out the bottom of the handout reflecting on their choice of strategy as a whole. Allow students time to work. As they work, remind them to listen, ask questions, and provide feedback all while taking notes about their partner’s strategy.
Final Reflection
10 Minute(s)
Transition to slide 34. Introduce the SCORE strategy to students. Invite students to turn over their Strategy Harvest handout and reflect on the following prompts:
Strategy: What did you try today and how long were you engaged?
Celebration: What good things came from trying the physical movement strategy?
Obstacles: Identify any challenges you faced?
Refinement: What would you do differently?
Extra Information: What other thoughts, feelings, or details do you think are important about the lesson today?
If there is time, have them share with a partner or as a whole group. Collect student responses.
Research Rationale
Physical movement incorporated into existing math lessons can increase student motivation, engagement, retention, and cooperation skills. Rather than focusing solely on knowledge retention, physically active learning (PAL) emphasizes the learning process, creating opportunities for students to explore, experience, and interact with mathematical concepts through movement (Mandelid et al., 2023). Research shows that the pedagogical approach of combining physical activity and academic learning creates a cognitive bonding process that enables enhanced comprehension and retention (González-Pérez et al, 2025).
Both González-Pérez et al (2025) and Norris et al (2018) also found that adolescents, particularly secondary students, tend to spend a majority of their school day on sedentary behaviors, but provide hope that schools can provide a structure to integrate physical movement into academics, increasing students' activity and attention. Mandelid et al. (2023) argue teachers play a central role in designing activities that connect movement with clear mathematical goals, structuring tasks, and guiding reflection so that students understand the purpose behind the activity.
By purposefully integrating kinesthetic learning into math, educators design opportunities for students to shift their perceptions of math ultimately creating classrooms that increase student’s concentration, motivation, and increase academic performance.
Resources
González-Pérez, M., Grao-Cruces, A., Bandera-Campos, F. J., Chalkley, A., Camiletti-Moirón, D., & Sánchez-Oliva, D. (2025). Less is more: Qualitative insights into physically active learning in secondary math education. PLOS ONE, 20(11), e0336641. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0336641
K20 Center. (n.d.). ABC graffiti. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/96
K20 Center. (n.d.). Appointment clocks. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/124
K20 Center. (n.d.). Commit and toss. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/119
K20 Center. (n.d.). Expert stay and stray. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/2650
K20 Center. (n.d.). Gallery walk/carousel. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/118
K20 Center. (n.d.). Human bingo. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/3888
K20 Center. (n.d.). Human scatter graph. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/172
K20 Center. (n.d.). Math lessons with movement. Collections. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/collection/5517 .
K20 Center. (n.d.). Mingle. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/53
K20 Center. (n.d.). Moved by math. Collections. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/collection/5501 .
K20 Center. (n.d.). SCORE. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/3694
K20 Center. (n.d.). Scoot. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/2298
K20 Center. (n.d.). Snap, clap, pop. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/190
K20 Center. (n.d.). Still pictures. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/4960
K20 Center. (n.d.). Strategy harvest. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/135
K20 Center. (n.d.). Three stray, one stays. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/85
Mandelid, M. B., Thurston, M., Reinboth, M., Resaland, G. K., & Tjomsland, H. E. (2023). “Just because it’s fun, it’s not without purpose”: Exploring the blurred lines of physically active learning. Teaching and Teacher Education, 133
Norris, E., Dunsmuir, S., Duke-Williams, O., Stamatakis, E., & Shelton, N. (2018).
Physically active lessons improve lesson activity and on-task behavior: A cluster-randomized controlled trial of the “Virtual Traveler” intervention. Health Education & Behavior, 45(6), 945–956. https://doi.org/10.1177/1090198118762106