St. Margaret’s grade 5 students dived into applying the scientific method by testing out an intriguing question: does exercise improve memory?

 

In their science block, taught by Lower School science teacher David Beshk, the students learned how to conduct a tightly controlled experiment where they had 60 seconds to observe a series of images, followed by a quiz where they described the images they observed. 

 

After that, the students went outside and picked one of several exercise options, such as jogging around Chalmers Field or doing jumping jacks. Afterwards, they came back inside and did a fresh 60-second test observing images, followed by a quiz describing what they remembered. 

 

The experiment helped students develop a better understanding of how the scientific method works to help solve some of life’s most intriguing questions. Through testing the benefits of exercise, students also understood the importance of activity and movement and how it can help more than just physical fitness. 

 

“Memory improvement was observed in all three grade 5 classes, but more importantly, this activity was designed to apply the scientific method by performing a controlled experiment in a fun way,” Mr. Beshk said. “The last step is students putting together a formal lab report examining the data and drawing conclusions.”