Energizing Brain Break Crab

I got this idea from Tony Schlorff who got the idea from the good folks in El Paso Texas. Thanks for passing this one along.

I call it the Crab. This is an individual Brain Break

1. Stand Up
2. Put your arms out in front of you and match your fingers from each hand together and then match your thumbs together.
3. Now put lower your middle fingers so that the knuckles touch. Keep them flat against each other.
4. Now un-touch and retouch your thumbs.
5. Now un-touch and retouch your index fingers.
6. Now un-touch and retouch your ring fingers.
7. Lastly, un-touch and retouch your pinkies.
Good luck. This one was difficult.

Gotcha Energizing Brain Break

Gotcha

Purpose: Try to grab another person’s finger on one side of you, while at the same time avoid being grabbed by the person on the other side of you.

1. Stand up and get into groups of 3-10 people.

2. Form a circle with your group.

3. Each person should hold out their left hand with their palm flat and facing up. Now take your right hand index finger and point it directly into the palm of the person to your right.

4. When the instructor says “Gotcha”, you are to try to grab the person’s finger that is in your palm, and at the same time avoid being grabbed by the person you are pointing to.

5. Repeat with your arms crossed.

GET THE BOOK!

Get the Energizing Brain Break Book! Teachers all over the country are seeing the need to have their students move during class. This book provides an excellent opportunity for students to get refreshed in 1-2 minutes. The teacher has no prep and no extra materials for these activities. They simply have to open the book to a new Brain Break and have their class get energized.

ITSY BITSY SPIDER Energizing Brain Break for Students

ITSY BITSY SPIDER Energizing Brain Break for Students

You know the old rhyme that goes "The itsy bitsy spider went up the water spout..."

1. Stand up.

2. Put your hands out in front of you.

3. Take your right hand thumb and touch it to your left hand index finger.

4. Now take your right hand index finger and touch it to your left hand thumb.

5. Rotate both hands to move upward so that you can now reach your right hand thumb to your left hand index finger. Then keep rotating your fingers and thumbs so that you are "walking up the water spout"

6. Now do this behind your back. Try going "down the spout" as well.

7. Once you've mastered this, then do the same process with your index finger and your pinkie. This is tough.

I have not done this one yet with my students, so once I have, I will video-tape it and post it.

There is a Brain Break Book available. It has 50 activities that incorporate movement, crossing the mid-line, and brain challenges. Click here for more information. Also, 50% of the profits from this book go to great causes like building schools in Angola or also giving away books to underprivileged schools.

Energizing Brain Breaks Book Give Away

Sorry, all of the entries have been made. This offer is over. If you are interested in the book, you will need to order it through the on the side of this page.

Energizing Brain Breaks Book Give Away ends after the first 10 valid entries. All 10 entries have been made. These will go fast, get your entry in soon. (sorry, only entries delivered to US or Canada will be accepted)

Do you know of an administrator that is interested in brain breaks? Maybe it is your principal or your wellness advisor, or it might even be a superintendent. Then you could get two free complimentary copies of the book "Energizing Brain Breaks" sent directly to you. The first copy you would keep for yourself. (If you already have one of the books, then you could give it to a colleague) The second copy you would take personally to your administrator and share it with them. Be sure to tell them about the blog http://brainbreaks.blogspot.com/ with video examples of many of the 50 Activities.
Whole schools (and even a whole district) have been getting the "Energizing Brain Break" book for their teachers. Teachers love this book because there is No Prep Time and No Extra Set Up and yet it is so valuable. Students from K-12 are benefiting from taking a small 1-2 minute break in the middle of a class to get refocused and refreshed.

Once an administrator sees the book it will make a big impression. Please send an email to energizingbrainbreaksbook@gmail.com Here is what you need to include in your email to get the free books. Please be sure to fill out each question so it will be a valid entry. Only the first 10 valid entries will be sent the books.

1. Your name and address (where you want the books to be sent)

2. Your position. (grade and school)

3. Where did you hear about "Energizing Brain Breaks" book?

4. Why do you believe in Brain Breaks in the classroom.

5. Your administrators name, position, address and email.

6. Describe how you know this administrator and why you think this administrator would like to get invested in "Energizing Brain Breaks"

Take advantage of this as soon as you can!


Questions? Email energizingbrainbreaksbook@gmail.com

Finding the Energizing Brain Breaks Book

There are a few places to get the Energizing Brain Book.

1. Of course you can just click on the BUY NOW button at the top left portion of the blog http://brainbreaks.blogspot.com/ . If you are ordering more than 20 books see item #5 below for better pricing.

2. Also, you can buy the book at Marbles: The Brain Store located in Naperville IL or Chicago IL. If you haven't been to the Marbles store yet, you are in for a treat. It is so fun. It is a great place to pick up gifts for loved ones.

3. They are also available at Jean Blaydes Madigan's Action Based Learning Site.

4. PE4Life.org is an excellent place for resources. Their mission is to keep kids moving and learning. Click here to go to their resource page. The book is now available at PE4life.

5. For multiple order copies or a Purchase Order information, please email energizingbrainbreaksbook@gmail.com Schools and School Districts are welcome! Remember the more you purchase, the better the price.

1-14 books $14.95 each

15-49 books $13.95 each

50-99 books $12.95 each

100+ books $11.95 each

Movement and Learning = Jean Blaydes Madigan

Movement and Learning are equivalent to Jean Blaydes Madigan. If you haven't been to her website, you are in for a treat. Just go to Action Based Learning for an outstanding resource. She does workshops and teacher training. Her website is full of excellent resources. I have her book "Thinking on Your Feet". She is the heart and soul of getting students to move in the classroom. When she came to Naperville Central High School a few years back, she changed our world. She introduced us to Brain Breaks. Since then, we have really taken off on the idea of taking Brain Breaks in the classroom. They serve a few excellent purposes. First, they get the students out of their seats. Second, they usually get the students to cross the mid-line of their body which helps both sides of their brain to engage. Thirdly, they are fun challenges which students usually are smiling and laughing with. This is a an excellent thing to happen in your classroom. Unbelievably, student settle down very fast after a Brain Break. I think it is because they had some built up tension that has been released. They are ready to get back to work.

So Jean Blaydes inspired me to write a book of Brain Breaks called Energizing Brain Breaks. She has given her blessing to me by letting me use a couple of her activities. There are 50 activities in all. The other activities have come from my own work with Brain Breaks and many others have come from colleagues. Here is what Jean Blaydes Madigan has to say about the book:

"Energizing Brain Breaks is an excellent resource for quick simple challenging activities that students can do to activate their brain for more optimal learning. Many of the activities were developed by students and for students and really engage the adolescent brain. This is the resource that teachers need to get their students moving in learning."
Jean Blaydes Madigan

Teachers from all around the country are very excited about this book. Whole school districts are buying the book for all their teachers (900 books to one district) Whole schools are buying the book for their teachers. Books are going out to schools in Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, Denmark, and all over the continental USA. If you know of an administrator or wellness director that would be interested in this book please their send their email address to energizingbrainbreaksbook@gmail.com for more information. If you are interested in purchasing the book please click below. If you are interested in knowing the prices for orders of 20 or more books just email energizingbrainbreaksbook@blogspot.com .

Blink Brain Break

Tom DeRosa has a blog that is titled "I Want to Teach Forever" He had his readers send in ideas for Brain Breaks. If you haven't checked out his blog please do. It is wonderful. One of the ideas that was sent in was called BLINK. It was submitted by Molly Tanner and I did in class and it is very fun. This brain break takes just 45 seconds to do, and the students love it. Watch the video and you will get a feel for how the students like this one.

Sent in by Molly Tanner
BLINK
1. Stand Up.
2. Blink your left eye and snap your right hand finger and thumb at the same time.
3. Now blink your right eye and snap your left hand finger and thumb at the same time.
4. Go back and forth as fast as you can

ABC WORLD REPORT: Excercise in School Leads to Learning

ABC news did a great report on Naperville Central this week. It is so exciting to see the news agencies seeing that movement and learning go hand in hand.
Here is the link: http://abcnews.go.com/WN/exercise-school-leads-learning/story?id=10371315 I'm most proud that people are recognizing the obvious. It is better to have students moving around during a class than sitting down all period (day) long.

NO MORE RECESS JUST ABOUT KILLED ME.
I don't know about you, but when I transitioned from elementary school to junior high school and lost my recess time, I had a hard time. My body just about went crazy. Everyone just told me I would grow out of it. Well I haven't. I still need to move in my classes.

I NEED TO MOVE, SO I KNOW MY STUDENTS NEED TO MOVE
Mostly I NEED THE BREAK! That is why I have incorporated Brain Breaks every 30 minutes. So if you are brave, check out one of the videos in this blog like, Thumb and Pinkie, Different Arm Directions , Rocks paper scissors MATH, or Slap Count. Try the Brain Break in your classes. Let me know what you think? Do your students seem more refreshed after the Brain Break? I bet your students will ask for a Brain Break the very next day, because they see how energizing a simple one minute break can be.

2 Free "Energizing Brain Breaks" Books to be Given Away

Please spread the word.
Tom DeRosa (www.teachforever.com )is giving away 2 free copies of the Energizing Brain Breaks book to people who give a possible “Brain Break” If you have an idea for a Brain Break, then I would recommend you head over to his site and submit an idea. Hurry, you have until Sunday April 18th to submit it. He will judge the best entry and send out a free copy of "Energizing Brain Breaks" to you. Good Luck and Thanks Tom.
You also should check out his site and his blog. I have used it several times lately and it is excellent. See my blog entry at "Teaching High School Math".

http://www.teachforever.com/2010/04/energizing-brain-breaks-contest.html

The Waiter Brain Break

This brain break will see how agile your arm is. Brain Breaks are refreshing and help to get your productivity back up to par. This brain break is from a colleague Randy Smith. Back in the day Randy was a waiter. He imagines himself with a load of dishes in his hand. Thanks Randy for the idea.
You might want to go straight to the video because it is hard to describe with words.

1. Stand up
2. Lay a piece of paper or a spiral notebook on the top of your right hand without grabbing it.
3. While balancing the spiral on your hand, tuck it between your right arm and waist so that the spiral will now be behind you.
4. Flair your arm out away from you. Again, keep the spiral balanced on top of your hand.
5. Keep turning your arm so that the spiral will get back to the original spot.
6. If you have mastered this, try your other hand.

Many people ask me about getting the students settled after the brain break. This is a no brainer. Sorry about the pun. Just watch in the video how fast the students settle back to work.

This brain break is not in the book. The book actually has 50 activities in it that are similar to this. They challenge the brain and the body for a short period of time. They are excellent for those times in your class where you see your students getting a little glassy eyed. I actually plan for them in my lesson. Click here for more information on the book.

Guns and Roses Brain Break

Brain Breaks are helpful to students and teachers alike. This Brain Break is from my brother in law Gary Gotberg from Grandby CN. It is called Guns and Roses.
1. Stand Up.
2. Make a gun with your right index finger and thumb. Keep your other fingers tucked in.
3. With your left hand put all your fingers straight up. Then move just your index finger to touch your thumb to make a circle "rose".
4. Now switch and make a rose with your right hand and a gun with your left.
5. Keep switching back and forth as fast as you can.
Some of my students can really do this one fast.
For me, I really have to concentrate and I can do it.
This one is not in the book. The book has 50 other brain breaks in it. Click here for more information on the book.

Energizing Brain Breaks Book

Energizing Brain Breaks is a book of 50 quick activities you can do at home, office, school, or anywhere to get refreshed from mental and physical fatigue. Teachers love this book. It is great to have in the classroom for when you want to rejuvenate your students. Why don't you try a couple of the activities in the book. Click here to see a a couple sample activities.

www.energizingbrainbreaks.com for ordering information

_______________________________________________________________

The book has a laminated cover with 60 sturdy card stock pages full of colors and pictures with easy to understand directions for each activity. The activities are 1-2 minute brain and body challenges that are fun and help you regain your efficiency. The collection includes individual, partner and group activities. This book is GREAT for teachers or presenters.
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The book costs $14.95 plus shipping. Shipping is $3 total for up to 3 books. Shipping is $6 total if you order 4 or 5 books. Shipping is free for 6 or more books ordered. 25% of the profits will go towards building schools in Angola Africa through the organization RISE INTERNATIONAL. Please check out their website. Another 25% of the profits will go towards distributing Energizing Brain Breaks Book to schools and teachers in the U.S. who can't afford to pay for them. If you or your school would like more information on getting books sent to you at no charge please email energizingbrainbreaksbook@gmail.com .
If you have more questions about this book email energizingbrainbreaksbook@gmail.com. If you would like to order multiple copies of this book please email energizingbrainbreaksbook@gmail.com and you will get a discounted price and free shipping.
© 2009 Energizing Brain Breaks All Rights Reserved
ISBN Number 978-0-578-05058-4
Number of pages 60 with laminated covers
Book pages are cardstock with color pictures
Spiral Bound

Preview a few Sample Pages
Preview the Index of Activities

Elbow to Knee Taps Brain Break

Elbow to Knee Tap Patterns

This is a stretching activity where you will be tapping your elbow to your knee in different patterns.
1. Stand up.
2. Hold your ears with your hands.
3.
Tap your right elbow to your left knee. Tap your left elbow to your right knee.
4. You will be tapping each knee alternately using this pattern: 1, 1, 2. For instance; 1 tap (right elbow to left knee), 1 tap (left elbow to right knee), 2 taps (right elbow to left knee), and then back to 1 tap (left elbow to right knee), 1 tap (right elbow to left knee), 2 taps (left elbow to right knee). Do this as fast as you can.
Idea from Sharon FischerBe creative with your patterns. Use a pattern like 3,1,2 taps



Elbow to Knee Stretch

This is a stretching activity where you will touch your elbow to your knee.
1.
Stand up.
2. Hold your ears with your hands.
3. Tap your right elbow to the top of your left knee. Now touch your left elbow to your right knee. That is one repetition. Do 5 repetitions.
4.
Idea from Sharon FisherBring your left knee up and have your right elbow tap the top of your knee and then tap the side of the same knee. Now do this same thing with the other knee and elbow. Do 5 repetitions.

Finger Tips Brain Break

This Brain Break is usually easier on one side or the other. Try it out and see.

1. Stand up.
2. Make an X with your arms out in front of you. Move your palms to face you with your fingers up in the air. Lock your thumbs together.
3. With your index finger on your right hand, try to touch each of the finger tips of your other hand, one by one.
4.
Now take your middle finger on your right hand and do the same thing and touch the finger tips of your other hand one by one.
5. Do this same process for your ring finger and pinkie on your right hand.
6. Now do the process for your left hand index, middle, ring and pinkie fingers.

Hand Shake #2 Energizing Brain Break

Hand Shake #2

You will be doing a lengthy handshake with your partner.
1. Stand up and find a partner. Decide who is A and who is B.
2. Tap your right elbows together. Tap your left elbows together.
3. Person A: Give a crossing over low side five to your partner with your right hand. (right hand to right hand) Now do a fist bump with your right hand. (A fist bump is making a fist, and lightly touching finger sections that are closest to the wrist) Person B: Give a crossing over low side five to your partner with your left hand and then do a fist bump with your left hand.
4. Bump your right shoulders together. Bump your left shoulders together.
5. Person A: Make an X in the air with your right arm over your left. Person B: Make an X in the air with your left arm over your right. Now while slapping each other’s hands move them together back to their correct side.
6. Now do a double fist bump. (Opposite hands will be touching)
7. Repeat this handshake over and over as fast as you can.

Pretzel Stretch with your Fists

You will be stretching and outlining a pretzel with your fists.
Preparation: Draw a pretzel on the board like the one shown.

1. Stand up.
2. Put your hands clasped together in front of you to make a fist.
3. Imagine that your fist is at one of the end points of the pretzel. Now keeping your hands together, draw the outline of a pretzel. You will be stopping and reversing directions at each end point of the pretzel. Try to do this as fast as you can.
4. Now outline a huge pretzel that touches the ground and stretches to over your head in the same way as before.

Palm Tapping Energizing Brain Break

You will be tapping your opposite hand palm while keeping a pattern.
1. Stand up.
2. Put your hands in front of you so that your fingers are pointing straight forward and your palms are facing up.
3. You will be repeating a tapping pattern: two taps, three taps, one tap over and over while you alternate hands.
4. Take your ring finger on your left hand and tap twice on your right palm. Now take your pinkie finger on your right hand and tap three times on your left palm. Again take your left ring finger and tap once on your right palm. Now we start the pattern again and take the right pinkie and tap two times on the left palm. And so on…
5. Sometimes it is helpful to say the words out loud.
6. Try to do this as fast as possible keeping the same pattern.
7. If you master this then pick different fingers for each hand.
Be creative with your patterns. Use a pattern like 2,3,1,3,2 taps

Hand Shake # 1 that is a BRAIN BREAK

Brain Breaks are great to re-engergize your students


You will be doing a lengthy handshake with your partner.



1. Stand up and find a partner. Decide who is A and who is B.

2. Shake right hands. Shake left hands.

3. Now do a right hand fist bump, and then a left hand fist bump. (A fist bump is making a fist, and lightly touching finger sections that are closest to the wrist)

4. Now do a right hand hammer tap. Person A will put their right fist out. Person B will lightly tap A with the bottom of their fist. Now Person A will lightly touch the bottom of their fist to person B’s fist. Now do a left hand hammer tap.

5. Now while crossing your arms do a high ten.

6. Now do a double fist bump. (Opposite hands will be touching)

7. Lastly do a regular high ten.

8. Repeat this handshake over and over as fast as you can.



Be creative and make up your own handshake.

I Bet You Can't Do This!

Here are three activities that most people can’t do. All of these are done from a standing position. Students enjoy trying to do them. About 1 in 10 can do these.


Put your arm out in front of you with your index finger extended. Try to spin your wrist slowly in one direction and your index finger in the opposite direction.



Roll your neck in one direction while at the same time moving your tongue around the inside of your lips in the other direction.



While spinning your right toe in a clockwise direction take your right hand index finger and draw the outline of a 6 in the air.



Thanks to Rory Lynch for this idea!

Let it RAIN Brain Break

Let it Rain is a fun activity for the whole class. Everyone works together and the sound is amazing.

1. Stand up.

2. The conductor will model the class through the rain process.

3. Here is the progression that the conductor will take.
Stage 1: soft circular hand rubbing
Stage 2: vigorous back and forth hand rubbing
Stage 3: finger snapping
Stage 4: thigh tapping
Stage 5: foot stomping

4. The class will follow the lead of the conductor. The conductor will take about 5-7 seconds with each stage.

5. The rain will get louder and louder getting to the last stage in which the conductor will lead the 3 separate thunder jumps. Then reverse the stages and the rain will get softer and softer.

Here is a YouTube Video that performs the RAIN very well. ENJOY. Try to watch the first 1.5 minutes.

Arm Wrap Brain Break

If you can get your students up and active every 25 minutes it will help their focus and concentration. Brain Breaks are refreshing. This brain break is very spacial. Students will be amazed that they have trouble connecting their fingers together.

1. Stand Up.

2. Put your left arm straight down at your side.

3. Tuck that arm behind your back so that it is resting on your lower back. It should be bent at a 90 degree angle.

4. Follow these instructions while closing your eyes.

A. Take your ring finger and try to touch your pinkie.

B. Take your middle finger and touch your thumb.

C. Take your pinkie finger and touch your index finger.

5. Now put your right arm behind your back and follow A, B, C.

Slap Count + Say 21 and Win Brain Break

One of "BRAIN BREAKS" readers sent in a great suggestion as a comment. Greg Farmer - Traverse City Central High suggested that we combine "Say 21 and win" and "Slap Count". What a great idea! I tried it yesterday and it was terrific. The students loved the competition feature and it got them to cross the midline as well.

Here are the rules.

1. Stand up and find a partner. Decide who is A and who is B.
2. The goal is to be the person to say the number 21 while slap counting. Slap counting is when you have your hands out and palms up and the one who says a number crosses over and slaps the other persons hand.
3. You will alternately say and slap count consecutive numbers starting at one until someone says 21. However, at your turn you have your choice of saying only one number or two numbers at a time.
4. For example, if person A just finished their turn and said “7”, then person B could either say just “8” or “8” then “9”.
5. Person A will start counting at “1”.

See the video.

Thanks Greg Farmer for a great suggestion. I love it.

Inch Worm Brain Break

We should try to get a brain break in every 25 minutes in our classes. Brain Breaks give students a chance to take a break from the regular routine. This is a brain break that I learned while doing physical therapy on my knee.

1. Stand up.
2. Bend down and touch the ground with your hands. Bend your knees if you need to.
3. Start inching your hands out in front of you. Your feet remain in place. You will be moving your hands farther and farther out in front of you. More and more weight will be on your hands.
4. Once you have extended yourself as far as you can go, keep your hands still and start inching your legs forward until they meet your hands again. Try to keep your knees straight.
5. Repeat.

See the inchworm video.

"Twisted" Brain Break

This Brain Break will get you twisted up, but will re-engergize you.

1. Stand up.
2. Put your hand out in front of you and clap and miss.
3. Put your thumbs down and then put your hands together.
1. Pull your hands inward rolling them towards you until your hands are on top and your elbows are near your side.
4. Roll your shoulders to stretch your back and neck.
5. Put your right leg over your left.
6. Roll your neck clockwise. (be careful not to fall)
7. Now switch your legs and put your left leg over your right.
8. Roll your neck counter-clockwise.
9. Spell your first name backwards.
10. Say your last name backwards.

See video for the demonstration.

Thanks to Rob Porter for this idea.

"FIVE" Brain Break

Kinesthetic Brain Breaks are something you should try to do every 25 minutes in your classes. In this Brain Break you will work with a partner. In this activity, partners will display the correct number of fingers so that both add to FIVE.

1. Stand up and find a partner. Decide who is A and who is B.
2. Face your partner.
3. Person A will put their arm out in one of the 12 clock positions. For instance, they could put their arm up directly in the air like 12 o’clock. Once their arm is out, they display a number zero to five with their fingers and thumb.
4. Now person B will put their arm out in the opposite direction as person A’s. For instance, since A was up at 12 o’clock, then person B puts their arm out straight down in the 6 o’clock position. Once their arm is out, they display the number of fingers to add to FIVE.
5. Once Person A has led for a while, switch and have person B lead.

Try to have students put their arms out in all different directions like the hands of a clock. They should also use different numbers zero to five and use either arm. Students should do this activity as quickly as possible.

Extension: Have student A hold out both hands in various dirctions. Now student B will have to put both hands out at opposite directions with fingers finishing "FIVE" on both hands.

See Video for a demonstration.

T Stretch Brain Breaks

It is great if you can give your students a brain break every 25 minutes. This brain break is a strech. First of all, reach your arms straight out on the sides. It is like you make a "T". Now take your right hand and reach out to touch your left toe. Hold it for 10 seconds. Come back up and take your left arm and touch your right foot and hold it for another 10 seconds. Remember to keep your arms straight. Make sure that your students don't hit their partner when they stretch their arms out.

Enjoy!

Arm Stretch Energizing Brain Break

Try to take a brain break every 25 minutes in your class. This brain break is simple. You just stand up, and put your arms stretched out in front of you and your wrists touching. Move both arms together all the way to the left. Your left arm will be completely straight and parallel with the ground. Now move your arms back over to in front of you and then swing them all the way to the right. In this case, your right arm is stretched completely straight. Hold and stretch each swing for 15 seconds. See Video.

Happy Brain Breaks,


Dave

Snowball

Have your students take a Brain Break every 25 minutes in class. It helps to refocus students on their work.
Have the students take out a sheet of paper and write their name on the front of the paper. Then they should write out a problem that they have been working on. (You could also have them write 3 things they have learned during this past class period) Then on the back of the paper, they should solve the problem. Then they should crumple the paper up like a snowball. Everyone should stand up and have a good old fashion snowball fight with the papers. Aiming at the head is not allowed. After they have thrown at least 3 times, they should pick up a snowball and start doing the problem on the paper. Once they have tried the problem, they can look to see if they have the same answer as the author. Everyone should connect with the author and tell them if they got the problem or not. See video.
I have found that when talking about a particular topic, I can say to my students, remember this was the paper snowball problem. I think it is another type of memory device.
Happy Brain Breaks,
Dave

Figure Eight Brain Break

Brain Breaks are excellent for students to get re-focused. We should get our students up and moving every 25 minutes. Here is a brain break that your student can do with a simple spiral notebook. Take the spiral notebook and move it in a figure eight motion weaving through the legs. Of course, you want to do it as fast as possible. Also, when you get fast, you can try the opposite direction.
See the 50 second video.

Thumb and Pinkie Brain Break

Brain Breaks are great to take every 25 minutes in class.

This one is great for getting students to "think" about their movement.
Take your left hand and have your fingers in, and your thumb up.
Then take your right hand and put your thumb in and all your fingers in except your pinkie.
So in other words, your thumb up and pinkie out.
Now switch the roles of your hands.

See the 50 second video for how this actually looks.

Happy Brain Breaks,
Dave

Infinity Sign (Choir Director) Brain Break

We should all try to get our brain and bodies moving every 25 minutes. Make an infinity symbol with your right hand out in front of you. Stop your finger on the far right side of the infinity sign. Lift your left hand to be at the far left side of the infinity sign. Now move your hands at the same time and the same pace in the same direction to continue your infinity sign. Your hands should cross the middle at the same time. This one seems easy at first. Then you try to do it when your hands are doing the infinity signs in different directions. WOW that is hard. This crosses the mid-line and really makes you think.

Brain Breaks goes National

CBS's Debbie Turner Bell came out to our school in December and she made a very nice 3 minute story called "Pumping up the Brain" It aired nationally in January. Debbie and her team made us feel very comfortable during the interview process. Thanks Debbie.
Hope you enjoy it,
Dave




CBS Early Show Link Video

CBS Early Show Written Story

Different Arm Directions Brain Break

Here is a Brain Break for your class. Have your students spin their right arm in a forward circle with their arm parallel to the ground. Now have them take their left hand and make a backward circle overlapping their right hand. Their hands should overlap each other but never touch. When they have done this, tell them to start their left hand spinning and their right hand overlap the left. It is really difficult to do. Most will be able to do one or the other.

Finger Aerobics Brain Break

This is a great Brain Break for your students.
It gets their brain working fast. It is a break they can do on their own. It is also very challenging.
It's called Finger Aerobics
Here it is:
Stand up
Lift both hands with four fingers up on each hand.
Move the pointer on one hand and the pinkie on the other.
Now move the tall finger on one hand and the ring finger on the other.
Next move the ring finger on one hand and the tall finger on the other.
Now move the pinkie on hand and the pointer on the other.
Keep doing this over and over to make a rippling effect.
This forces both sides of your brain to work together.
Try this for 30-40 seconds.

Say 21 and Win Brain Break

This idea was sent in by Sue McKay.
I have used it in my class and it worked great. My students were leaving the class saying "I have to play this at lunch"

“Say 21 and WIN”
Here are the rules…
The object is to say 21 and win.
You have the option when it is your turn to say the next consecutive number or two.
For example…. I go first
I say 1
You can say 2 or 2…3. You say 2.
Then I can say 3 or 3…4. I say 3 ... 4 and so on until someone says 21 and wins.
If I start with 1…2.
You can say 3 or 3…4
And so on. The person who says 21 wins. For a change, make the person who says 21 the loser.
There is a strategy and some kids get it right away.

The Wave Brain Break

This activity is just what you think it is. It is creating a wave of some sort through your class.
Designate a person to be the leader.
Have a student stand up and take both hands from one side of their body, over their head to the other side of their body to create the "Wave".
This is one part of the wave. Each student will continue to do this until all have "Waved"
The leader must make sure everyone knows the order.
The leader should start the "Wave" as well as direct it.
Tell the class that they will need to work together to pass your (the teacher's) satisfaction.

It works on all the elements that we like in a Brain Break:
Crossing the mid-line, standing up, teamwork, and of course movement.


Happy Brain Breaks!

Get Rid of Extra Energy IN CLASS!

Do your students every get restless in class? Mine certainly do. Our PE department had a suggestion to put a Bouncy Ball in the classroom to act as a chair for a student. It an excellent suggestion. I tried it and it worked great. The first day, I had students sign up for the use of the Bouncy Ball. I had maybe 25% of my class sign up. After they all had a chance to try it, I had maybe 10% of the class that wanted to continue to use it in class. So then I had about three students that rotated using it. What is best is that the students who are always up and active in the class are the ones who like it. The drawbacks are that they lose air and sometimes pop, which is what happened to me. I'm still trying to get my new bouncy ball for this year.

They do make bouncy ball chairs. This would be a smaller bouncy ball embedded into actual chair. Click here to go to the site.
Also, I received a suggestion this week from a blog reader Sue McGraw to put a small trampoline in the class. This would be an excellent release of energy for a student. Make sure you have high ceilings. Click here for the website.
Happy Brain Breaks

Paper Twirling Brain Break

You should be taking a brain break every 25 minutes.
This will help you focus and concentrate.
Take the paper with your palm up in one hand.
Twirl it around your back and catch (don't grab) it with the other.
Twirl (go around and around) as fast as you can.
Switch directions.

Slap Count Brain Break

Slap Count

Face each other with your palms up.

Person A should take their right hand and cross over and hit person B’s right hand and say 1

Then person A should take their left hand and cross over and hit person B’s left hand and say 2

Person B does the same except says 3 and 4.

This repeats until you reach 30.

Variations

Go up by 3’s 5’s, or any number.

Start at a number and go down by another number (like start at 34 and go down by 3’s)

Start at one and double each number

Each person spells their own name or any other vocabulary from class

Make a pattern like the left hand always adds 2 and the right hand always adds 3

Each person spells a word. Both try to figure out the other person’s word.

Thanks to Jean Blaydes Madigan for this idea

Hook Ups Brain Break

One person should
Clap and miss
Thumbs down
Hands together
Scoop the ice cream (like pictured)

The other person should
Point out a finger or thumb for the other person to move (don't touch the finger)
Try pointing to a few fingers before switching roles

This Brain Break crosses the mid-line of your body and helps both sides of your brain work together.

Thanks to Jean Blaydes Madigan for this idea.

Rocks, Paper, Scissors, MATH

Brain Break: Rocks, Paper, Scissors, Math
•You can only use the numbers 1,2,3 or 4
•You can’t use your thumb as a number
•You must hold your hand flat
•The first person to add the numbers together wins that round.
•Have students play the best of 5 rounds.

•Variations are that one person is negative, both are negative, or multiply the numbers.

Passing out Papers will Never be the Same

Teachers STOP passing out papers. Instead, lets have our students pass out papers. Actually, have our students throw out the papers into the air to the rest of the class. Pick a student at random, and have him/her throw the papers into the air (not at other students) and all of the papers go everywhere. Most students will quickly get up and go over and get their paper. If it is a worksheet, they just have to go over and pick up one. Some students will want to ask other students to get their paper. Try and encourage all to get out of their seats. It promotes a good movement brain break.
**For tests and quizzes, I still encourage teachers to pass out these.
Dave Sladkey

Thanks to Pat Quinn for this idea