BRAINY RECALL

Have you ever heard the saying: "Work smarter, not harder." That's what I like so much about the brain research. There are some very simple strategies that you can easily integrate into your day that can improve learning in powerful ways.

According to brain research children need to recall information throughout the day. (Think of it as that extra pat on the back or a second helping of dessert.) Here are a few tips for having children recall information after you’ve read a story, taught a lesson, or at the end of the day.


Thumbs Up Thinking
If you’ve learned something new you can stick up your thumb. If you’ve learned more than one new thing you can stick up a finger for each additional thing.

Visualize
Have children close their eyes and reflect on what they did well and what they learned. 

Partner Share

Have children turn to a friend and share something new they learned.

Toss and Tell

Take a bean bag or wadded up paper ball. Ask a review question and then toss the ball to a student. The student answers the question or says something they learned and then tosses the ball back to you. Continue as time permits.




Catch a Star
Ask children to think of something new they learned or something they did that made them feel proud. Tell them to reach up and grab a star and then put it in their hearts.

Close Your Eyes and Smile
Have children close their eyes. If they can see something new they learned they can open their eyes and smile at you.

Fist List
Children make a fist and then hold up a finger for each new thing they learned that day.




Kiss Your Brain
Write “Kiss Your Brain!” on a poster and tape it to your door. Before children leave for the day they must say something they learned and then kiss their brains.

Chant 

Start a beat for this chant by slapping thighs and clapping hands. Go around the room as you say the chant and children respond:
Hey, Hey, what do you say?  
What did you learn in school today?

BRAIN TOYS

Today you’ll find are some simple props your students can use for brain breaks. I’d make one each week and use it every day for a different movement.

Streamers - Staple strips of tissue paper (18” x 1”) to a straw and invite children to follow along as you make cross lateral movements to music.
*Make rainbows across your head with your right hand and then your left hand.
*Make big circles in front of your body with your right hand and then your left hand.
*Make “lazy” eights (8 on it’s side) with your right hand and then your left hand.
*Clasp hands and make rainbows, circles, and lazy eights.

Hint! Children can also use surveying tape of 3’ sections of toilet paper as streatmers.

Paper Ball Juggling - Begin by having children wad up a piece of scrap paper.
*Can they toss it and catch it?

*Can they play catch with a friend?
*Can they toss it, clap, and then catch it?
*How many times can they toss it without dropping it?
*Can they toss it from the right hand to the left and vice versa.
*Add a second paper ball and let the fun begin!
Hint! You can make inexpensive juggling scarves by cutting net fabric into 12” squares.


Paper Plates – Give each child two paper plates.
*Can they clap them to the beat, make rainbows, use them like cymbals, or make other movements?
*Place the plates on the floor and put a foot on each plate. Now you’re ready to skate by sliding your feet.


Drum Sticks - Who doesn’t want to be a drummer? Children can use cardboard rollers from paper towel rolls, popsicle sticks, or pencils like drumsticks to tap the beat of the music.

               

*Make pattern cards for children to follow along. Vertical lines mean tap the sticks on the table or floor. “X” means to cross sticks and tap. __ means to hold sticks up and pause.

ABRACADABRA

Use your finger like a magic wand as you wave it and say, "Abracadabra!." Explain that when you say a word, they must become the word. When you say, "Freeze!" they need to stand still until you wave your wand and say another word. For example, "Abracadabra! You're frogs!"


ANIMALS
Call out different animals for children to imitate.

Frog – Jump up and down.
Bird – Flap arms.
Mouse – Tip toe.
Horse – Gallop in place.
Monkey – Scratch under arms and bounce up and down.
Giraffe – Stretch arms high in the air and walk on toes.
Elephant – Arms together and swing like a trunk as you bend over.
Flamingo – Stand on one foot and balance.
Snake – Wiggle up and down.

Hint! Glue pictures to cards and hold them up for the younger children. Write words on flash cards for the older students.


SEASONAL WORDS
Use holiday or seasonal symbols to stimulate children’s brains and imaginations.

Scarecrow – Children flop arms around.
Bat – Flap arms.
Cat – Arch back and meow.
Pumpkin – Arms around head.
Spider, witch, Frankenstein, etc.


VOCABULARY WORDS
Reinforce vocabulary words by having children dramatize their meaning.

Seed – Bend down.
Roots – Stick out legs.
Stem – Stand up straight.
Leaves – Stretch out arms.
Flower – Arms around head as you smile.


PARTS OF SPEECH
Call out adjectives, adverbs, nouns, and verbs for children to dramatize.

Anxious, Brave, Curious
Slowly, Quickly, Angrily
Fire Fighter, Nurse, Chef
Chatter, Build, Sleep, Exercise

*Creativity can really blossom with this activity because there's no right or wrong way to do it.

MAGIC WAND!

How about making a magic wand out of a chop stick.  Dip the end in glue, roll in glitter, and ABRACADABRA!

BUDDY TIME BRAIN BREAKS

First, everyone will need a buddy. “Elbow partners” where children stick out their elbow and the person’s elbow they touch is a quick way to do this. You could also quickly number your students 1-12 and then 1-12 (depending on the number in your class). Ones get together, twos, threes, and so forth.

Patty Cake - Have children play hand clap games, such as “Miss Mary Mack” or “Say, Say My Playmate.” (You can find lots of these online.) Children face a partner and clap their hands together. Next, clap right hand to partner’s right hand. Clap hands together and then clap left hand to partner’s left hand. Continue the pattern.
He learned to tie his shoe.
*Patty cake and count to 10, 20, 50, 100 or more!
*Skip count by 2’s, 5’s, 10’s etc. as you patty cake.
*Patty cake spelling words or word wall words
*Say nursery rhymes or other poems as you patty cake with a partner.
*Say ABC’s saying letter and making then making the sound.

Ride that Pony 

Ride, ride, ride that pony, (Face partner and begin clapping
Get up and ride that big, black pony. to the beat. Bounce up and down
Ride, ride, ride that pony. as if riding on a pony.)
This is what they told me.
Front, front, front, my baby. (Clap hands up in the air with partner.)
Side, to side, to side, my baby. (Gently bump hips on the side.)
Back, back, back, my baby, (Turn around and bump back sides.)
This is what they told me. (Find a new partner.)

Spider Challenge – Children sing the “Itsy Bitsy Spider” as they make the motions on a partner’s back. Next, have children stand next to their partner and extend their inside arms around their partner’s waist. Each child will use her outside arm to sing the song and cooperate with their partner.

Back to Back – Children touch backs with a partner. The children continue to touch various body parts as the teacher calls them out. End with, “Bottoms to chairs.”

Head, Shoulders – Slowly sing the song as children face their partner and gently touch their partner’s body parts. (You might need to demonstrate the meaning of “gently”!)
*Just for fun have partners put their backs to each other and touch body parts.

Criss Cross Applesauce – Do this on each other’s backs:
Cross cross, (Make an “x” on back.)
Applesauce, (Wiggle fingers down back.)
Spiders crawling up your back. (Crawl fingers up back.)
Warm breeze. (Gently blow on neck.)
Gentle squeeze. (Hug from behind.)
Now you’ve got the shiveries! (Tickle fingers down back.)
Hint! Have children stand in a circle and face right. That way they will each have a back to write on.

Plant a Garden – Do on each other’s backs:
Dig up the dirt. (Knead back with fingers.)
Rake the ground. (Stroke down with fingertips.)
Dig holes for the seeds. (Pretend to dig holes with index finger.)
Cover up the seeds. (Finger covers up seeds.)
Pat the dirt down. (Pat back with both hands.)
Here comes the rain. (Lightly touch the back with fingertips.)
Up come the plants. (Make upward movement with hands.)
Then you pick, pick, pick. (Pretend to pick plants.)
Note! If children are sensitive and don’t want to participate do not force them.

A DAY AT THE SPA

I knew that title would get your attention! Actually, today’s ideas are ways to help children calm down and relax when they are over excited.

Balancing Act – Ask children to stand. How long can they balance on their right foot? How long can they balance on their left foot? Can they balance on their right toes? Left toes? Can they balance on their right foot and extend their left leg in the air? Can they balance on one foot with their eyes closed?
Hint! Classical music is lovely for balancing activities.

Deep Breathing – Inhale slowly as you count to 8. Exhale slowly as you count backwards from 8 to 1. Breath in hot chocolate. Breath out and blow the candles out on a birthday cake.

Vacation – Tell your class to give their mouth and their eyes a “vacation” by closing their eyes and mouths. Next, ask them to practice breathing through their noses. You’ll be amazed at how this brings down their energy level and helps them focus.

Lip Sinc – Make motions as you mouth the words to finger plays and songs. Invite children to join you when they recognize what you are doing.

“Eye” Exercise - Demonstrate how to hold your two index fingers a few inches from your eyes on either side of your head. Look at the right index finger with both eyes and then look at the left index finger.

Tighten~Relax – Tighten up your body as tight as you can and squeeze, squeeze, squeeze. Then relax and let it all go. Repeat several times.
*Starting with the toes, call out one body part at a time for children to squeeze and then relax. For example, toes, feet, knees, legs, hips, back, fingers, arms, shoulders, necks, faces, and then a whole body SQUEEZE!

Rag Dolls and Soldiers – When the teacher calls out “rag dolls” everyone flops over like a rag doll. When the teacher says, “soldiers,” everyone stands up tall and stiff. Continue calling out “rag dolls” and “soldiers” faster and faster.

Make Rain - Ask the children to do what you do and they’ll get a surprise!
Tap right index finger to your left palm 10 times.
Tap right index finger and middle finger to your left palm 10 times.
Tap right index, middle, and ring finger to your left palm 10 times.
Tap right index, middle, ring, and pinky finger to your left palm 10 times.
Clap hands 10 times.
Clap hands and stomp feet 10 times.
(Reverse movements)
Place hands quietly in your lap and smile.

SPORTING AROUND

By acting out various sports your students can oxygenate their brains and cross the midline.  I’m sure your class can add to this list.  (Send me an email with their suggestions and I’ll post it on my blog.)

*Model how to do each sport and then “practice” for a minute or two.  Once students know the movements you can play a game where you name different sports and they have to switch motions.

Baseball – Pick up the ball and throw it.  Bat the ball.

Football – Feet apart and run quickly in place with arms out in front of you.

Soccer – Kick across your body with your right foot and then kick across with your left foot.

Tennis – Shuffle in place and pretend to hit the ball with your right hand.  Shuffle and pretend to hit the ball with your left hand.

Golf – Golfer’s stance.  Swing and hit.  Turn in the opposite direction and swing and hit.

Basketball – Dribble, dribble, shoot!  (Jump up on toes.)

Karate – Feet spread apart with knees bent.  Pretend to chop with your right hand and then chop with your left hand.

Skiing – Knees together and bend to the left as you swing your arms.  Knees to the right as you swing your arms.

Ice Skating – Alternate arms in front as you pretend to glide on different legs.

 

                                    

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GYOzLTBNwM

 

DANCE PARTY

“Dance with the stars” in your room and activate the brain at the same time. All you need is some good music and a little enthusiasm.

Hint! Model these moves and then invite children to join in.
*Children can do these standing up or sitting in their chairs.

Disco Dance – Put right index finger in the air and point to the left. Bring right index finger down by your side. Place left index finger in the air and point to the right. Then bring down by your side.

Swim - Pretend to swim by stroking arms. Can you backstroke? Sidestroke?

Funky Monkey - Fists out in front and move them up and down to the beat.

Hitchhike - Right thumb up and move across your body. Left thumb and move across the body.

Twist - Elbows by waist and rotate upper body.

Chicken - Hands in armpits and flap like wings.

Pony – Pretend to hold reins as you bounce up and down.

Batman – Make “v” with index and middle fingers and swoop them across your eyes.

Salsa - Left arm bent with index finger up in the air. Right arm bent with finger in air.

Bollywood – Right palm up in the air like you’re screwing in a light bulb. Left palm down like you’re turning on a water spicket.


Dance with Me!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nowpqdzZMYk

Chair Can Can

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIOSRvmYp94

My Bonnie Bounce

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ONWTT-JFu8