Informative Research Product Organizer
Calvin Speight
Research Topic: Extracurricular Activities
Focusing Statement: Extracurricular activities help produce skills that can affect people in and out of the
classroom.
Essential Background Information for Introduction:
Throughout the years many have spent time in extracurricular activities. These activities can range from many
different things. Extracurricular activities are activities that are not part of t he normal curriculum. These
activities can consist of many different things. There are academic clubs for people interested in a subject and
want to their learning in a subject. There are athletic teams in which people can express their skill and talents
in a sport along with other people who share a similar interest as them. There are even service organizations
where students can get involved with their communities. These are only a few of the different clubs and
activities that are out there.
Potential Hook/Grabber (Story, anecdote, quote about your issue):
Topic 1:
Behaviors
Explanation:
Extracurricular activities are a good way to
keep students occupied and away from bad
behaviors. There is a large majority of
students that say that they would not
participate in physical fights. However they
still are at high risk of falling under the
influence of risky behaviors.
Evidence/Quotes:
“There is a strong need for after-school activities
because even though sample youth are choosing not to
engage in physical fighting, they are still engaging in other
risk behaviors.” (Huebner, Extracurricular Activities and Their
Relationship to Youth Violence)
Explanation:
Researchers are constantly looking to see if
extracurricular activities will stop fighting.
They feel that once they become part of the
Evidence/Quotes:
“Students who regularly participate in extracurricular activities
are integrated into the school's formal normative system such
that they are less likely than nonparticipants to engage in
regular program of school they will be less
likely to become engaged in fighting because
they will become part of the social aspect of
school.
Explanation:
Studies have shown that when people
participate in extracurricular activities there
is a significant decrease in alcohol and drug
consumption.
physical fights or other health-risk activities.”(Perez, The
fighting behavior of Asian-Pacific males in Guam)
Explanation:
Studies have shown that students who
participate in extracurricular activities are
able to see their teacher or coach as a
mentor. Because students are getting more
attention from these people they are less
likely to participate in fights. This is because
they look up to their mentor so they tend to
pick up on their good habits. Students also
feel that if they participate in fights or
violent behavior then they are letting their
mentor down.
Evidence/Quotes:
“Students who receive personal attention from teachers are
significantly less likely than others to participate in fights.”
(Perez, The fighting behavior of Asian-Pacific males in Guam)
Evidence /Quotes:
“Participation in the DARE Plus extracurricular activities was
positively associated with reduced alcohol use and intentions
to use alcohol among students in general and among boys
when examined by gender.” (Eischens, Association of
Extracurricular Activity Participation with Substance Use
Among Youth in the Dar Plus Project)
Topic 2:
academic performance
Explanation
On study says that extracurricular activities
improve academic achievement through
noncognitive skills. These skills can help
students succeed in all leaves of academics.
Evidence/Quotes:
“EAs improve students' noncognitive skills, which are positively
related to academic achievement”(Covay, after the Bell).
Explanation
Students who participate in extracurricular
activities get the chance to work with other
students. This allows them to learn from one
another. With their new found friend they
can meet up and study.
Evidence/Quotes:
“Extracurricular activitiesprovide a setting to become involved
and to interact with other students, thus leading to increased l
earningand enhanced development”(Tenhouse, College
Extracurricular Activities)
Explanation
Evidence /Quotes:
Topic 3:
extracurricular help to make better candidates for employment
Explanation
Businesses look to see what the person that
they are look to employing has done.
Normally future employees will present a
resume to a business to show their success.
Something that employers like to see is if
you already possess skills that will help to
benefit their company. One way that you
can show this is by participating in
extracurricular activates.
Evidence/Quotes:
“Participation in extracurricular activities will foster creative,
social and physical skills that are desirablequalities to colleges
and future employers”(Kelley, Extracurricular Activities Allow
Teens to Gain Social Skills).
Explanation
A very important skill that businesses like to
see is team work. They like to see that you
are able to work well with others no matter
what the circumstance is. By seeing that you
participated in an extracurricular activity
they understand that you worked with a
team and learned teamwork sills.
Evidence/Quotes:
“Understanding how to work well withothers can guarantee a l
ifetime of positive relationships”( Kelley, Extracurricular
Activities Allow Teens to Gain Social Skills).
Explanation
Extracurricular activities allow students to
further their interest in a career that they
would like to follow. If a student is
interested in becoming a lawyer then they
can participate on the debate team.
Evidence /Quotes:
“Students also develop skills specific to their career path and i
mperative for future job success”(Tenhouse, College
Extracurricular Activities)
Topic 4:
People who participate in athletics extracurricular activities benefit through their academics and skills
Explanation
Athletics help students to stay focused in
school. It drives them to actively participate
in school so that they work their hardest in
every aspect. It makes them want to become
a part of the school. They show off by
wearing school colors. They are forced to
uphold an academic standard in order to
participate in these activities.
Evidence/Quotes:
“athletics specifically is a component of high school that drives
the school year and in some instances sets the tone for the
remainder of the school year” (Kennedy, The Need for High
School Extracurricular Activities)
Explanation
In life students are forced to deal with
winning and losing. When they participate in
Evidence/Quotes:
“Athletes develop certain skills in order to win, or in some
cases lose.” (Kennedy, The Need for High School Extracurricular
athletics they are gaining the skills to be able
to deal with both wining and loosing.
However more importantly they learn skill
that help them win. Athletes have the
opportunities to learn what it takes to be
better than the other guy.
Explanation
Students who participate in athletic
extracurricular activities feel as though they
must work harder than others. Because they
have certain requirements to uphold in
order to participate they force themselves to
do the right thing. They work hard in school,
make sure they are on time, and they don’t
get into any trouble.
Activities)
Evidence /Quotes:
“Athletes' grades were consistently higher than those of nonathletes, their attendance rates were greater, and their
discipline referrals were fewer.”(Marsh, The Good, the Bad,
and the Nonlinear)
Topic 5:
Students who participate in extracurricular activates learn a variety of skills such as time management,
organizational, and leadership skills
Explanation
A particular skill that student should learn
early to succeed in life is time management.
Students who participate in extracurricular
activates learn how to manage their time
fast. They are more likely to spend time
studying instead of playing videogames
because they will understand that they
might not have time later to do it.
Evidence/Quotes:
“Students who have active lives learn very quickly how to
mange their time”( Kelley, Extracurricular Activities Allow
Teens to Gain Social Skills).
Explanation
Extracurricular activities teach students to
become well organized. Because students
have committed to these activities it is
important for them to know what their
schedule is like. One way for students to stay
organized is by using a calendar with all of
their information on it so they know what
events are coming up.
Explanation
Extracurricular activities allow student to
have the chance to work on their leadership
skills. Most activities give students the
opportunities to run for a leadership role in
their school. With this practice students
have the chance to learn what it takes to
become a good leader.
Evidence/Quotes:
“Students learn organizational skills” ( Kelley, Extracurricular
Activities Allow Teens to Gain Social Skills).
Evidence /Quotes:
“Studentshave opportunities to improve their leadership and i
nterpersonal skills”(Tenhouse, College Extracurricular
Activities)