ENERGIZE YOUR STUDENTS’

LEARNING!

Young Child Expo & Conference 2015

SUZANNE BLAKELY, MSEd

Integrating Brain Breaks into the Early Childhood

Classroom

hello!

https://energizeyourstudentslearning.wikispaces.com

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Free Energizing Music

Check out my Energizers playlist on Spotify!

Benefits

Strategies

Experience

Share

Goals For You!

BRAIN BREAK

What’s the Big Deal Anyway?

• Support physical development• Improve memory• Capture children’s interest• Celebrate creativity and individuality• Build community• Relieve stress

In summary…because they are DEVELOPMENTALLY

APPROPRIATE!

…why are energizers so important?

The Biggest Deal: Brains Need Breaks

Physical activity…

• Increases oxygen flow to brain

• Stimulates neurological pathways

• Promotes bilateral hemisphere coordination in the brain

• Releases noradrenaline

brain breaks improve concentration

Adult Brains Need Breaks Too!

BRAIN BREAK

Types of Energizers: Guided

the lyrics tell you what to do Examples include:: • Animal Action I and II – Greg and Steve, Cha Cha Slide, Head and Shoulders, Baby,

Walking, Walking, Razzama Tazzama I and II, Rowing Song – Ron Brown, Shake My Sillies Out – Raffi, Going On a Bear Hunt, The Hokey Pokey – Ray Anthony, If You’re Happy and You Know It, Wheels On the Bus, Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes

Pros:- Don’t need much of an intro or time to learn- Structured

- kids have less room to diverge and be “off task”- Kids tend to feel comfortable participating – feels less “threatening” if everyone

is doing the same thing- If you have a recording, a guided energizer can theoretically “run itself” – don’t need

an adult to lead it, allowing you to prep for next activity while kids follow cd- Often repetitive and/or build on

Cons:- Less room for creativity

Types of Energizers: Choreographed

standard choreography exists, but leader needs to know the directions and needs

to teach itExamples include: Go Bananas, Hi, My Name is Joe (Button Factory), Tony Chestnut – The Learning Station, Going Over the Sea, Aroostasha, Shark Attack, Icky sticky bubble gum, Let Me See Your Boogaloo, Singing in the Rain, Cotton Eye Joe – Rednex, Macarena – Los Del Rio, Electric Boogie (Slide) – Marcia Griffiths, Chicken Dance – David & Gila’s Band, Cupid Shuffle – Cupid

Pros:• All of the same pros as guided energizers –

- Structured - kids have less room to diverge and be “off task”- Kids tend to feel comfortable participating – feels less “threatening” if everyone is

doing the same thing- Often repetitive and/or build on

Cons:• Leader needs to know/remember the directions!• Need to teach it to the kids• Need a leader to model it (at least until they know it) - Once kids know them, they can lead them!• Some choreography can be difficult for young children (ex: cotton eye joe)

• makes it less fun if a child doesn’t feel successful• If this happens, can always adapt/make up your own choreography• Alternate between choreography and sections of free dance

• Less room for creativity

Types of Energizers: Open-Endedup to the participants to choose how to move

Examples include: The Freeze – Greg and Steve, I Like To Move It – will.i.am or Crazy Frog (dance circle), Jump In the Line – Harry Belafonte, 1, 2, 3, 4, Celebration – Kool and the Gang, Y.M.C.A. – Village People, Who Let the Dogs Out – Baha Men

Pros:• Sparks creativity• Everyone can be successful

• no one “right way” to do it, so no way to “fail”• Celebrates individual skills and talents (i.e. kid who breakdances!)

Cons:• Some kids can be more shy with open-ended dances – may feel more risky to have to

“do your own thing”• Can make it easier for kids by suggesting categories of movement (ex: now

dance only with your arms! Now dance with only your head!)• Easier for these energizers to get out of hand and children to make poor choices• Most successful when teacher provides boundaries and clear management

Types of Energizers: Yoga

Pros:• Calming• Develops balance, coordination, physical strength

Cons:• Requires space• Some kids have difficulty mimicking poses• Some kids struggle to “take it seriously” and embrace the quiet

Types of Energizers: Me Moves

Pros:• Calming yet physically stimulating• Develops many skills:

• Lots of physical development (crossing the midline, coordination, muscles)

• Memory• Visual tracking• Spatial awareness• Rhythm

• 3 categories of activities (joy, calm, focus) with varying degrees of difficulty

• Wonderful music• Video celebrates diversity - features an

intergenerational cast of numerous races, both sexes

Cons:• DVD is very expensive• Need projection for whole group

Types of Energizers: Meditation

Pros:• Short and sweet• No supplies or additional space needed• Centering and calming• Helps increase oxygen flow to the brain• easy to transfer the skill into other times – ex:

conflict resolution, assessments, etc• Can be used as a wind down following a more active

energizer

Cons:• Some kids struggle to “take it seriously” and

embrace the quiet

Types of Energizers: Active Games

Examples include: Limbo Rock – Chubby Checker, This Is What I Can Do, Up/Down Ball Pass, Let’s Get the Rhythm (Engine, Engine Number Nine), Bean Bag Alphabet Rag – Hap Palmer, Bean Bag Boogie – Greg & Steve, Just Like Me!, Take Sides

Pros:• Kids love games!• Can introduce (or eliminate) competition, depending on your group and your goals• Fairly easy to integrate curricular content (alphabet, numeration, etc)

Cons:• May require more space• May require props (ex: limbo stick)• Can take more time

• Since fairness is so important to young children, best when same number of turns for all!

Types of Energizers: Exercise

Types of Energizers: Hand Games

Examples include: Double Double, Dum Dum Dah Dah

Pros:• Easy for kids to do in partners or as a whole group• Encourages cooperation• Strengthens hand-eye coordination• often incorporates crossing the midline• Develops rhythm• kids transfer naturally to other parts of the day (i.e. recess, finished snack

early, waiting in hallway, field trips, etc)• Lots of room to add variations and create additions to these types of games

Cons:• Hand/eye coordination often harder for our youngest learners• Some are more difficult if you have an odd number!

Types of Energizers: Celebrations

Pros:• Build community – helps build identity as a group• Celebrates accomplishments• Psyches the group up• Short and sweet• Triggers release of dopamine

Cons:• Can be loud!

BRAIN BREAK

Using Energizers Successfully

look for the cues

wigglesfloppy posture

weak core

bathroom breaks

chatty yawning

head in hands

Using Energizers Successfully

plan your management

model expectations

Using Energizers Successfully

Choose wisely!

Time?Space constraints?

Access to music?

Access to supplies?

Volume?

Goal?

Who?

Using Energizers Successfully

gradually build complexity

Using Energizers Successfully

wind up, then wind down

Using Energizers Successfully

keep it fresh

Using Energizers Successfully

make it easy

Using Energizers Successfully

Using Energizers Successfully

find a system(found on http://thehappyteachertpt.blogspot.com.au/2012/08/brain-breaks.html)

Using Energizers Successfully

keep it age appropriate

Using Energizers Successfully

celebrate diversity

Using Energizers Successfully

take advantage of transitions

Using Energizers Successfully

insert activity into your daily schedule

Example:• start the day with an active Morning Meeting - integrate active songs, greetings,

and activities into your daily meetings

make your curriculum active

Using Energizers Successfully

Don’t have to separate learning and energizers!

integrate movement, music, activity into academic curriculum throughout your day

Examples:

• Use ribbon wands to practice handwriting (photo)

• Culminate a reading or writing celebration with a dance party to “Celebration”

BRAIN BREAK

Supplies to Promote Activity

Supplies to Promote Activity

Resources

SUZANNE BLAKELY, MSED

SUZANNE@ALUMNI.DUKE.EDU

https://energizeyourstudentslearning.wikispaces.com/