TURKEY WIGGLES

I don't know about you, but I've got the Turkey wiggles this week. (That means I'm ready to get the Thanksgiving party started!!!) Here are some ideas that might help your children move, learn, and release their Turkey wiggles!

Jump

Jump as you read the words on the word wall, count to 100, and repeat other information.

*Children can also march or do other movements as they repeat skills.


Phonercise
Put your hands in the air and say the letter "A." Put your hands on your shoulders and make the /a/ sound. Touch your toes and say a word that starts with that sound. Continue going through the alphabet.

*Ask older children to say words that are nouns, verbs, or other parts of speech.


Stand Up
Simply asking the children to stand up gets blood going to the brain. They can stand up when they read, count, or review other information.


Air Writing
Ask children to make numerals, shapes, letters, or write words in the air with their "magic" finger.

Foot Writing
Use feet to write words, letters, answers to math facts, etc.

Pantomime
Have children stand and dramatize spelling words or vocabulary words.


Balancing Review
Have children stand. Can they balance on their right foot and count? Count by 2’s, 5’s, 10’s, etc.

*Can they balance on their left foot and read word wall words?

*Can they balance on their right foot and extend their left leg as they say the days of the week, months of the year, seasons, and so forth?

*Can they balance on their left foot and extend their right leg and read big books and classroom print?

*Can they balance on their toes and read big books and other classroom print?

BALANCE

Did you know that balancing is good for your brain? It strengthens the core and helps you focus. You can practice balancing if you are a young child, school ager, teenager, parent, or older adult. It's something the whole family can do TOGETHER! Besides, you don't need any equipment or special space.

Note! Experts say that just like any sport the more you practice balancing the better you will become. Balance daily for a week and you might be surprised!

Balancing Brains
Have children stand. How long can they balance on their right foot? How long can they balance on their left foot?

Can they balance on their toes?

Can they balance on their right foot and extend their left leg in the air?

Can they balance on their left foot and extend their right leg in the air.

Can they balance on one foot with their eyes closed?

Can they balance on one foot and count? Count by 2’s, 5’s, 10’s, etc.

Can they balance on one foot and say a nursery rhyme or their ABC's?

Can they balance and say the days of the week, months of the year, seasons, and so forth?


Balancing Act
Feet together, close your eyes, (Close eyes breath in and out.)
And breath slowly in and out.
Open your eyes, (Balance on left foot.)
Lift your right foot and balance on the left.
Put your arms out straight. (Arms out wide as you balance.)
Now reach for the stars. (Arms up in the air as you balance.)
Place your right foot on the floor
And raise your left foot. (Balance on right foot.)
Put your arms out straight. (Arms out wide as you balance.)
Now reach for the stars. (Arms up in the air as you balance.)
Place your left foot on the floor
And raise your right knee. (Lift right knee and balance on left foot.)
Can you bend your arms like a tree in the wind? (Move arms around.)
Place your right foot down
And raise your left knee. (Lift left knee and balance on right foot.)
Can you bend your arms like a tree in the wind? (Move arms around.)
Place your left foot on the floor.
Raise your right knee (Straighten right leg in the air and balance.)
And then stretch your right leg out straight.
Bend your right knee and place it on the floor.
Raise your left knee (Straighten left leg in the air and balance.)
And then stretch your left leg out straight.
Bend your left knee and place it on the floor.
Raise your right leg to the side. (Straighten right leg by side.)
Place your right leg on the floor.
Raise your left leg to the side. (Straighten left leg by side.)
Place your left leg on the floor.
Stand on your left leg. (Balance on left leg.)
Stretch out your arms. (Stretch arms out wide.)
Bend forward like an airplane. (Slowly bend forwards as you balance.)
Stand on your right leg. (Balance on right leg.)
Stretch out your arms. (Stretch arms out wide.)
Bend forward like an airplane. (Slowly bend forwards as you balance.)
Stand up on tippy toes. (Stretch up on toes and balance.)
Stand still for as long as you can.
Raise your right hand and place (Raise right hand and pat on back.)
It on your back and give yourself a pat.
Raise your left hand and place (Raise left hand and pat on back.)
It on your back and give yourself a pat.
Now close your eyes and slowly breath in and out.
Let your mind take you to a happy place.

http://bit.ly/drjeanBalancing


Jumping Brains

Yes, jumping is another great tip to shake up the children's brains and release wiggles. Ask children to stand and challenge them to jump in their space as long as they can. When they get tired they can sit back in their seats.

WIGGLE WORMS?

HAVE YOU NOTICED THE CLOSER YOU GET TO OCTOBER 31ST THE MORE THE WIGGLE WORMS COME OUT IN YOUR CLASSROOM?HAVE YOU GOT WIGGLE WORMS IN YOUR CLASSROOM THESE DAYS? HERE ARE SOME TIPS TO GET THOSE WIGGLES OUT.

Take advantage of those extra minutes you have before lunch, while waiting to for an activity, or at the end of the day with one of these brain breaks. They are the perfect solution for when your students look bored or restless during the day.

Hint! Before doing these activities ask children to show you their “body space” by extending their arms slightly and twisting around. Remind them to stay in their body space as you do these activities.

Shake It Up
Hold up your right hand and shake five times as you count.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
Hold up your left hand and shake five times as you count.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
Hold up your right foot and shake five times as you count.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
Hold up your left foot and shake five times as you count.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
Count to four with each arm and leg…then three…two…one.
End by saying, “Oh yeah!” as you extend your arms and make the letter “Y.”

Adaptations: If children are wound-up do this with a whisper voice.

*Count to five in different languages.

*Do the vowel shake down where you say, “A, E, I, O, U,” and the “E, I, O, U,” and then “I, O, U,” and so forth.

Balancing Brains
Have children stand. How long can they balance on their right foot? How long can they balance on their left foot?
Can they balance on their toes?
Can they balance on their right foot and extend their left leg in the air?
Can they balance on their left foot and extend their right leg in the air.
Can they balance on one foot with their eyes closed?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Thq9MTAUfSY

Jumping Brains
Ask children to stand and challenge them to jump in their space as long as they can. When they get tired they can sit back in their seats.

Here’s a video where you can jump with Dr. Jean.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Y1UBTOFEzA&list=PL7bsHC8DZJxh3UuXWDyOXZ1c_dGBUdxOA&index=43

Brains Go Marching
Children can get an amazing amount of exercise simply by standing and marching in place. March with Dr. Jean on this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1jEZ9vSmdA&list=PL7bsHC8DZJxh3UuXWDyOXZ1c_dGBUdxOA&index=2

Push the Wall
While children are waiting in the hall have them put their hands up against the wall and push it as hard as they can. Ask them to do push ups against the wall?

Babble Break
How about a three-minute "babble break" where children can talk to their friends? You could give them a topic to discuss that relates to a unit of study, let them tell jokes, or just chit chat.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1SnEagA4jljcHJVUzRkOEVQZHc/view?usp=sharing

MORNING MINDFULNESS

How you start your morning can create positive feelings that will last all day long. Stretching, breathing, and balancing can help children "center" themselves so they can focus and learn.

Morning Stretch

Click to view video

Five Finger Breathing
Children stretch out one hand like a star. They take the pointer finger of the other hand and trace the outside of the thumb as they inhale. They exhale as they trace the inside of the thumb. Inhale as they go up the index finger. Exhale as they go down the index finger. Continue inhaling and exhaling until all the fingers have been touched.

*Reverse and do the same thing using the opposite hand and finger.

Balancing Act
Balancing is a simple, yet powerful way to help children calm their bodies and engage their brains. Balancing is quiet and requires no special equipment.

Click to view video

TURKEY WIGGLES

I don't know about you, but I've got the Turkey wiggles this week. (That means I'm ready to get the Thanksgiving party started!!!) Here are some ideas that might help your children move, learn, and release their Turkey wiggles!

Jump
Jump as you read the words on the word wall, count to 100, and repeat other information.

*Children can also march or do other movements as they repeat skills.

Phonercise
Put your hands in the air and say the letter "A." Put your hands on your shoulders and make the /a/ sound. Touch your toes and say a word that starts with that sound. Continue going through the alphabet.

*Ask older children to say words that are nouns, verbs, or other parts of speech.

Stand Up
Simply asking the children to stand up gets blood going to the brain. They can stand up when they read, count, or review other information.

Air Writing
Ask children to make numerals, shapes, letters, or write words in the air with their "magic" finger.

Foot Writing
Use feet to write words, letters, answers to math facts, etc.
 

Pantomime
Have children stand and dramatize spelling words or vocabulary words.


Balancing Review
Have children stand. Can they balance on their right foot and count? Count by 2’s, 5’s, 10’s, etc.

*Can they balance on their left foot and read word wall words?

*Can they balance on their right foot and extend their left leg as they say the days of the week, months of the year, seasons, and so forth?

*Can they balance on their left foot and extend their right leg and read big books and classroom print?

*Can they balance on their toes and read big books and other classroom print?

BRAIN BREAK CARDS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtLKKrJ4KSs

According to research, brain breaks actually increase INSTRUCTIONAL TIME by reinforcing skills and helping children stay alert and interested. Glue your favorite brain breaks to index cards and place them in a bag. Pull one out and you’ll be ready to release all day long.



https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QzLsIfxcCf8r9sGZ-VWeBP4TKwgKQhdv/view?usp=sharing

Shake It Up
Hold up your right hand and shake five times as you count. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
Hold up your left hand and shake five times as you count. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
Hold up your right foot and shake five times as you count. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
Hold up your left foot and shake five times as you count. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
Count to four with each arm and leg…then three…two…one.
End by saying, “Oh yeah!” as you extend your arms and make the letter “Y.”

Balancing Brains
Have children stand. How long can they balance on their right foot? How long can they balance on their left foot?
Can they balance on their toes?
Can they balance on their right foot and extend their left leg in the air?
Can they balance on their left foot and extend their right leg in the air.
Can they balance on one foot with their eyes closed?




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Thq9MTAUfSY

Jumping Brains
Ask children to stand and challenge them to jump in their space as long as they can. When they get tired they can sit back in their seats.

Hanky Panky
Tell the students when you throw the handkerchief (or tissue) up in the air they can start doing a silly dance and make funny noises. When the hanky hits the ground they must freeze. Do this several times to get rid of wiggles.



Chop Wood
Hands together as if holding an ax. Place hands on your right shoulder and then cross over your body to your left foot as you pretend to chop wood. Place hands on the left shoulder and chop to the right foot.

PD #20 BRAIN TOYS

 

 

Click to View Video for Brain Toys - PD #20

Today I’ve got some simple “brain toys” that could be used in a variety of ways in your classroom to release energy and promote active learning.

Noodle
You can get these swim noodles on sale now or at a dollar store. Cut them into 8” - 9” sections and store them in a plastic tub. Pass these out to your students give them a few minutes to “mess around” and pretend they are Luke Skywalker. Explain that whenever you say “Statue of Liberty” they have to freeze and hold their noodle up like a torch.

*Follow the Leader – Play some music and have the students follow along with you as you cross the midline and make other movements with the noodle.

*Air Writing – Use noodles to practice pre-writing strokes, letters, shapes, numerals, and so forth in the air with big movements.

*Massage – Brush noodles down arms or legs. Place the noodle on the floor and roll on it to give yourself a massage.


Therapy Bands
Purchase a large roll of exercise resistance bands and cut it into 18” sections. Cut these in half horizontally and give one to each child.

*Children can stretch the bands as they extend sounds in a word.

*Exercise with the bands as you count, say the ABC’s, read word wall words, spell, and so forth. Stretch above your head, behind you, vertically, etc.

Hint! You can purchase rolls of the exercise bands online at Target and many other stores.


Juggling Scarves
You can purchase scarves or buy netting and cut it into 9” squares. Begin by giving each child one square to catch and toss. Let them play catch with a friend. Can they toss it, clap one time, and then catch it? Let them think of other tricks to do with their scarves.