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FROM “ANIMAL
ACTION”
TO “TONY CHESTNUT”-
NYCAEYC Annual Conference 2014
SUZANNE BLAKELY, MSEd
Energize your students’ learning!
hello!
https://energizeyourstudentslearning.wikispaces.c
om/
https://energizeyourstudentslearning.wikispaces.c
om/
https://energizeyourstudentslearning.wikispaces.c
om/
https://energizeyourstudentslearning.wikispaces.c
om/
Free Energizing Music
Check out my Energizers playlist on Spotify!
Benefits
Strategies
Experience
Share
Goals For You!
Rules of Engagement
• Risk-taking encouraged
• Respect other’s risk-taking!
• Take something away with you
• Share your own knowledge
B R A I N B R E A K
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!
B R A I N B R E A K
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
B R A I N B R E A K
Rowing Song – Ron Brown
found on teacherideafactory.blogspot.com
Types of Energizers:
Choreographedstandard 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
B R A I N B R E A K
Types of Energizers: Open-
Endedup to the participants to choose how to dance
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
B R A I N B R E A K
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
Yoga Products
B R A I N B R E A K
Types of Energizers: Me Moves
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
Me Moves
B R A I N B R E A K
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
B R A I N B R E A K
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!
B R A I N B R E A K
Types of Energizers: Exercise
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!
B R A I N B R E A K
Using Energizers Successfully
look for the cues
B R A I N B R E A K
Using Energizers Successfully
plan your management
model expectations
Using Energizers Successfully
Choose wisely!
Goal?
Using Energizers Successfully
gradually build complexity
B R A I N B R E A K
Using Energizers Successfully
wind up, then wind down
B R A I N B R E A K
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
B R A I N B R E A K
Using Energizers Successfully
celebrate diversity
Using Energizers Successfully
take advantage of transitions
B R A I N B R E A K
Using Energizers Successfully
insert activity into your daily
schedule
make your curriculum active
Using Energizers Successfully
Supplies to Promote Activity
Supplies to Promote Activity
B R A I N B R E A K
Resources
Action Plan!
Questions?
Before you go…
… a small favor!