Brian Function Increases After a Short Burst of Exercise

FITGO BINGO

Establish Norms:

Activity integration into the classroom can be uncertain for many teachers. Will the students respond positively? Will the students lose focus or self-control? Will the students benefit from activity integration? Will the students be able to focus after the brain break is complete? Some of these questions may initially creep into play before beginning the process. These questions are valid and can be addressed with establishing norms and expectations for your students during activity time. A good place to start is in a morning meeting. Develop a short list of norms/expectations for your class and post them and remind if necessary. It is also a good idea to explain to your class why brain breaks can be beneficial to learning. Here are some key points you can hit on during the brief discussion:

· After 20 minutes of sitting brain function decreases

· Brian function increases after a short burst of exercise

· Exercise increases blood flow to the brain and muscles in the body

· Blood flow to the brain and the release of specific chemicals improve focus and alertness

· The exercise must be moderate to heavy and last no longer than 5-10 minutes at a time, otherwise the benefits to learning can decrease because the student is too tired to focus

Teacher Notes:

Check this document first before any other file in the shortcut folder. The links to all videos/documents you need are accessible through the pictures next to each activity (ctrl+click). Activity descriptions are below along with any links. If your class gets a FITGO BINGO during the month (four across, down, or diagonal) then send a school-wide email and Mr. Bragg will send further instructions. Here are the four incentives your class can receive by getting a FITGO-BINGO:

1) One Day of Extra P.E. time (2:50-3:10)

2) One Week of Extra Recess Equipment

3) One Day of using the Gym with Classroom Teacher (2:50-3:30)

4) Create a “Shake Break” video to be included on the next FITGO-BINGO card!

CONTENTS:

JAM WORLD RECORD p. 3

AROUND THE CLOCK p. 3

EVE & ABBY’S SHAKE BREAK p. 4

CHARADES p. 4

CROSS CRAWLS CHALLENGE p. 4

ANTS IN YOUR PANTS p. 5

ULTIMATE #2 PENCIL CHALLENGE p. 5

BALANCING p. 5

BOOKS AREN’T JUST FOR READING p. 6

GEO FITNESS p. 6

SUPER HERO WORKOUT p. 6

FITNESS BUZZ GAME p. 7

SID SHUFFLE p. 7

YOGA p. 7

BEANBAG BEATBOX #1 p. 8

ROLL THE DIE GAME p. 8

FITGO BINGO

Written Descriptions

= video clip available for activity, click picture to view

= activity sheet available, click picture to view

JAM WORLD RECORD

Do the BSE JAM WORLD RECORD EVENT from September 26, 2013. Here is the list of exercises in the routine that can be posted or called out during the video…

· 10 “Raise the Roofs”

· 10 Touch Knees, squeeze abs with hands on hips, and reach for the sky

· 10 Mimic your favorite sport

· 10 Pretend to hula hoop

· Make heart shape with fingers overhead and sway side to side

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AROUND THE CLOCK

Collaborate with your class and compile a list of five exercises. These exercises should be something easily done in personal space in the classroom (squats, push-ups, jumping jacks, etc…). Every hour at the TOP of the hour your class stops everything and completes the five exercises TOGETHER. The number of reps depends on the time. If it is 9am then your class will do “9” of each exercise for a total of 45 reps. The class must do this at EVERY top of the hour in order to cover the space.

EVE & ABBY’S SHAKE BREAK

Eve Thomas and Abby Casey collaborated during one of our Healthy Kids’ Crew Meetings and below is the routine to do as a shake break during class…

· Balance on one foot doing favorite sport (20 seconds)

· Climb the ladder (20 seconds pretending to climb a ladder)

· Wash the windows (20 seconds using both hands or alternating as if washing windows)

· Windmills (20 seconds reaching toward opposite foot by bending over then switch)

· Elvis Jump (20 seconds)

REPEAT THIS 3X!!!

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CHARADES

Students will have their personal space facing the screen (use projector). The teacher will face the students and CANNOT view the screen. Students will be prompted in the video to perform a movement that the teacher must guess. The students cannot talk or make noises; they can only use their bodies to provide clues to the teacher. The teacher will be prompted to give an answer. Once the activity is complete, mark your space.

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CROSS CRAWLS CHALLENGE

Students will be engaged in a few different activities that require students to cross the mid-line of their body. When counting on these you can use the following variations or come up with your own: ABC’s, spelling words, counting (money or multiples of a certain number), reverse order of anything, repeating the notes on a music staff such as EGBDF or FACE, etc…. Don’t forget, you can also integrate Spanish. Here is a list of the cross crawl activities:

· Shoulder tap push-ups (AKA- ABC Push-Ups)

· Crabwalk Toe Touches

· Twisters

· Partner High Five Push-ups (same as the first one except now you are facing a partner touching opposite hands and switching)

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ANTS IN YOUR PANTS

Fun dance video for kids (Length-1:54)

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ULTIMATE #2 PENCIL CHALLENGE

Every student needs a pencil placed on the floor in personal space. Complete the following activities to mark the space:

· Side-to-Side Jumps (over the pencil)

· Front-to-Back Jumps (over the pencil)

· Push-Up Pencil Taps (push-up position, pencil at midline on floor, tap the pencil with one hand and switch, repeat)

· Crab Jumps (crabwalk position, both feet on one side of the pencil, jump with feet over to other side, repeat)

REPEAT 3X!!

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BALANCING

Students will perform five balances. Students can use three ways to help prevent the “wobbles”: arms out, stare at something, and/or touch belly button! Challenge them to hold each for 10 seconds and increase it with each round the students complete.

· Balance on one foot

· Balance on two hands and one foot

· Balance on one hand and two feet

· Balance on one hand and one foot

· Balance on bottom

REPEAT 3X!!!

BOOKS AREN’T JUST FOR READING

Each student needs a hardback book if possible (could share if not enough). Complete the following activities: Teacher decides a length of time for each or how many.

· Balance book on head, walk around chair to make it more challenging

· Front Raises (hold book with two hands, raise the book up with arms straight until book is level with chin and then lower back down)

· Overhead Squat (Hold book above head and squat keeping the book over head the whole time)

· Book Worms (place the book out in front on the floor about 4-5 feet away, reach down to floor with hands, walk your hands out toward the book so that you are in push-up position and touch the book, walk your hands back in and stand up)

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GEO FITNESS

Pull up a picture of the U.S. map. Give students a geographical question such as “name a state in the Great Plains” or “name a state on the east coast”. Younger students could find a state that begins with a particular letter or number of letters. When the state is named, go to the geo-fitness attachment (click on the picture above) and find the state and its activity. The activities are listed, but some do not have descriptions; students may know them or just do what you think it would be…no right or wrong answer.

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SUPER HERO WORKOUT

These exercises are for those with super hero abilities like the students of BSE. Complete the following super hero tasks below in order to achieve super hero status. Do each activity for 20-30 seconds and repeat 2-3X!!

· Superman (balance on one foot and lean forward as if flying in the air)

· Flash (run as fast as you can in place)

· The Hulk (Squat jumps---squat down and jump as high as you can)

· Spiderman (get into push-up position, pretend the floor is a wall and you are climbing the wall---stay off your bellies)

FITNESS BUZZ GAME

Line the students up in a side-by-side line around the room with some personal space. Give the following three-exercise pattern: jumping jack, squat, push-up, BUZZ!

Begin by choosing a starting point. First person will say jumping jack and will do one, the next person says “squat” and will do one, the third person says “push-up” and completes one, and the fourth person says “BUZZ” and steps back and begins to jog in place or march in place. The next person will then begin with jumping jacks and the pattern continues. So, when the pattern makes its way back around the pattern skips any person that has already been “BUZZED”. Who will be the last to begin jogging?? If you want to substitute any exercise with a different one feel free.

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SID SHUFFLE

Fun dance video for kids (Length-3:26)

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YOGA

Explain to the kids this is a quiet activity that requires focus and concentration. You might even have a brief discussion on what focus, concentration, and alertness will look like and sound like. Find a space for the class to be in a circle, sitting, in personal space. Yoga cards are attached from the fieldwork Mrs. Thompson’s class did in 2011. Do the following poses with your class and hold these positions for at least 10 seconds each. Have the poses on the screen and scroll to each one.

· Om (deep slow breathing)

· Child’s Pose

· Boat Pose

· Warrior Pose

· Cat/Cow Pose

· Ball Pose

BEAN BAG BEATBOX #1

Fun beanbag video (Length-2:40). If you want beanbags, let me know otherwise you can use just about anything (pencil, paper wad, etc…)

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ROLL THE DIE GAME

You may divide the class how you like depending on the number of die you have. If you just have one it can still work. The teacher or designated group leader will make six rolls. The game can be played many different ways. Here is the simplest way, but it is up to you if you want to look at the sheet and decide to use a variation. Pick a column to begin. Roll the die and perform the first activity in the column according to the die number. Work your way down the column for each activity. Like I said, there are many different variations. Change the way you play each day during the week.