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