1. Review the Brief Chapter Summary.
2. Answer and submit the Learning Objectives. Write the question and then the answer.
3. Complete and submit the Learning Activity. Write the question and then the answer.
BRIEF CHAPTER SUMMARY
As in the preschool years, gains in body growth are slow in middle childhood. Large individual differences in body
size, resulting from a combination of heredity and environment, remain apparent. Because of improved health and
nutrition, children in industrialized nations are growing larger and reaching physical maturity earlier than they did in
previous generations.
In middle childhood, the bones of the body lengthen and broaden. The primary teeth are all lost and replaced
with permanent ones. In the brain, white matter increases, especially in the frontal lobes of the cerebral cortex. Gray
matter declines as a result of synaptic pruning and neuron death. Much brain development in middle childhood may
take place at the level of neurotransmitters, which permit neurons to communicate across synapses. Hormones also
affect brain functioning.
Although children from economically advantaged homes are at their healthiest in middle childhood, health
problems do occur. Vision and hearing difficulties, malnutrition, obesity, bedwetting, asthma, and unintentional
injuries are the most frequent health concerns of the school years. Although school-age children are capable of
learning a wide range of health information, it has little impact on their everyday behavior. Interventions must also
reduce health hazards, coach children in good health practices, and model and reinforce these behaviors.
Growth in body size and muscle strength supports improved motor coordination in middle childhood. Gains in
flexibility, balance, agility, force, and reaction time underlie improvements in children's gross motor skills. Fine
motor coordination also increases. Children's writing becomes more legible, and their drawings show greater
organization, more detail, and the addition of the depth dimension. As in younger children, marked individual
differences in motor capacities are evident in middle childhood.
The physical activities of school-age children reflect advances in the quality of their play. Child-organized games
with rules become common and support emotional and social development. Increasingly, children participate in
adult-organized youth sports. Some researchers are concerned that this trend may have an adverse effect on
development. Rough-and-tumble play and the establishment of dominance hierarchies are aspects of children's
interaction that reflect our evolutionary past. Wide individual differences in athletic performance exist, influenced by
both genetic and environmental factors. Physical education classes help ensure that all children have access to the
benefits of regular exercise and play. Many experts believe that schools should offer more frequent physical education
classes and should shift their focus to enjoyable, informal games and individual exercise. In recent years, school
recess has diminished to allow more time for academics, but research findings indicate that recess provides practice in
vital social skills, as well as a valuable opportunity for regular physical activity.
After reading this chapter, you should be able to:
11.1 Describe changes in body size, body proportions, and skeletal maturity during middle childhood, noting
secular trends in physical growth. (pp. 412-414)
11.2 Describe brain development in middle childhood, including the influence of neurotransmitters and
hormones. (pp. 414-415)
11.3 Describe the overall status of children Ôs health during middle childhood. (p. 415)
11.4 Explain the causes and consequences of serious nutritional problems in middle childhood, giving special
attention to obesity. (pp. 416-422)
11.5 Discuss factors that contribute to nocturnal enuresis and to asthma, noting how these health problems can be
reduced. (pp. 422-423)
11.6 Describe changes in the occurrence of unintentional injuries during middle childhood, and cite effective
interventions. (pp. 423-424)
11.7 Summarize ways parents and teachers can encourage good health practices in school-age children.
(pp. 424-426)
11.8 Cite major changes in gross and fine motor development during middle childhood. (pp. 427-428)
11.9 Describe individual differences in motor performance during middle childhood. (pp. 428-430)
11.10 Discuss the quality of children Ôs play during middle childhood, and identify features of children Ôs physical
activity that reflect our evolutionary past. (pp. 430-432)
11.11 Cite steps that schools can take to promote physical fitness in middle childhood. (pp. 432-433)
LEARNING ACTIVITY 11.3: The Importance of Nutrition and Exercise in Middle Childhood (pp. 417-422)
Pretend you have been asked to speak to a group of parents and educators about the importance of
nutrition and exercise during middle childhood. List and briefly describe topics they would include in
their presentation. For example, what factors contribute to obesity in school-age children? How can parents and
schools reduce obesity rates? What are the benefits of physical activity and exercise? How can schools structure
physical education so that it appeals to children of varying skill levels?
Prepare a PowerPoint presentation.