Energizing Brain Breaks

David U. Sladkey - Naperville Central High School, IL
Energizing Brain Breaks
January 2013 | 64 pages | Corwin
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eBook
ISBN: 9781452290379
Available from January 0001
Spiral
ISBN: 9781452268125
Available from January 0001

Description

The fastest way to keep your students engaged

It's an all too familiar sight: that glazed look in your students' eyes. They've been sitting or listening for too long. What they need is an Energizing Brain Break—a quick physical and mental challenge that's like hitting the refresh button on your computer, but for your students.

This practical full-color flip book contains 50 highly effective, classroom-tested brain breaks that you can put to immediate use across the grades. No preparation or supplies are required; just one to two minutes of your time when you see a need. You'll find pictures, directions, and online videos for activities such as:

  • Slap Count Letters: students alternate slapping each other's hands while spelling a word 
  • Rock, Paper, Scissors, Math: partners reveal a certain number of fingers to each other, and the first person to add them together wins
  • Bizz-Buzz: groups of students count from 1 to 40 using a combination of numbers and words

There's no better way to help students remain sharp and alert, reenergized to take on the next task of learning!


Also available in these versions for free with your purchase: Videos, PowerPoint, SmartBoard.

Trim size: 4.25 x 5.5

Contents

Part I. Individual Brain Breaks

  • Arm Stretch
  • Arm Wrap
  • Choir Director
  • Different Direction Circles Index Fingers
  • Different Direction Circles Thumbs
  • Ear and Nose Switch
  • Elbow to Knee Stretch
  • Elbow to Knee Tap Patterns
  • Figure Eights
  • Finger Aerobics Patterns
  • Finger Aerobics Ripple
  • Finger Tips
  • I Bet You Can’t Do This
  • Inch Worm Stretch
  • Lap Tap
  • Palm Tapping
  • Paper Twirling
  • Pretzel Outline Index Fingers
  • Pretzel Stretch Fists
  • Right On Left Balance
  • T Stretch
  • Thumb and Pinkie
  • Touch Your Fingers Behind Your Back
  • Twisted
  • X Bob and Wiggle

Part II. Partner Brain Breaks

  • Bizz Buzz
  • Five
  • Hand Shake #1
  • Hand Shake #2
  • Hook Ups
  • Letter Spots
  • Number Spots Addition
  • Number Spots Multiplication
  • Rock, Paper, Scissors, Math Addition
  • Rock, Paper, Scissors, Math Multiplication
  • Rock, Paper, Scissors, Math Negative
  • Say 21 and Win
  • Slap Count and Say 21 and Win
  • Slap Count Letters
  • Slap Count Numbers Going Down
  • Slap Count Numbers Going Up
  • Ten
  • Thumb War or Peace

Part III. Group Brain Breaks

  • Gotcha
  • Let it Rain
  • Passing out Papers
  • Snowball
  • Wave Clapping Patterns
  • Wave Motion
  • X’s and O’s

Description

The fastest way to keep your students engaged

It's an all too familiar sight: that glazed look in your students' eyes. They've been sitting or listening for too long. What they need is an Energizing Brain Break—a quick physical and mental challenge that's like hitting the refresh button on your computer, but for your students.

This practical full-color flip book contains 50 highly effective, classroom-tested brain breaks that you can put to immediate use across the grades. No preparation or supplies are required; just one to two minutes of your time when you see a need. You'll find pictures, directions, and online videos for activities such as:

  • Slap Count Letters: students alternate slapping each other's hands while spelling a word 
  • Rock, Paper, Scissors, Math: partners reveal a certain number of fingers to each other, and the first person to add them together wins
  • Bizz-Buzz: groups of students count from 1 to 40 using a combination of numbers and words

There's no better way to help students remain sharp and alert, reenergized to take on the next task of learning!


Also available in these versions for free with your purchase: Videos, PowerPoint, SmartBoard.

Trim size: 4.25 x 5.5

Contents

Part I. Individual Brain Breaks

  • Arm Stretch
  • Arm Wrap
  • Choir Director
  • Different Direction Circles Index Fingers
  • Different Direction Circles Thumbs
  • Ear and Nose Switch
  • Elbow to Knee Stretch
  • Elbow to Knee Tap Patterns
  • Figure Eights
  • Finger Aerobics Patterns
  • Finger Aerobics Ripple
  • Finger Tips
  • I Bet You Can’t Do This
  • Inch Worm Stretch
  • Lap Tap
  • Palm Tapping
  • Paper Twirling
  • Pretzel Outline Index Fingers
  • Pretzel Stretch Fists
  • Right On Left Balance
  • T Stretch
  • Thumb and Pinkie
  • Touch Your Fingers Behind Your Back
  • Twisted
  • X Bob and Wiggle

Part II. Partner Brain Breaks

  • Bizz Buzz
  • Five
  • Hand Shake #1
  • Hand Shake #2
  • Hook Ups
  • Letter Spots
  • Number Spots Addition
  • Number Spots Multiplication
  • Rock, Paper, Scissors, Math Addition
  • Rock, Paper, Scissors, Math Multiplication
  • Rock, Paper, Scissors, Math Negative
  • Say 21 and Win
  • Slap Count and Say 21 and Win
  • Slap Count Letters
  • Slap Count Numbers Going Down
  • Slap Count Numbers Going Up
  • Ten
  • Thumb War or Peace

Part III. Group Brain Breaks

  • Gotcha
  • Let it Rain
  • Passing out Papers
  • Snowball
  • Wave Clapping Patterns
  • Wave Motion
  • X’s and O’s
SAGE Publishing Logo

Energizing Brain Breaks


January 2013 | 64 pages | Corwin

Format Published Date ISBN Price
Spiral 17/03/2026 9781452268125 $27.95
Lifetime 01/02/2026 9781452290379 $25.00

The fastest way to keep your students engaged

It's an all too familiar sight: that glazed look in your students' eyes. They've been sitting or listening for too long. What they need is an Energizing Brain Break—a quick physical and mental challenge that's like hitting the refresh button on your computer, but for your students.

This practical full-color flip book contains 50 highly effective, classroom-tested brain breaks that you can put to immediate use across the grades. No preparation or supplies are required; just one to two minutes of your time when you see a need. You'll find pictures, directions, and online videos for activities such as:

  • Slap Count Letters: students alternate slapping each other's hands while spelling a word 
  • Rock, Paper, Scissors, Math: partners reveal a certain number of fingers to each other, and the first person to add them together wins
  • Bizz-Buzz: groups of students count from 1 to 40 using a combination of numbers and words

There's no better way to help students remain sharp and alert, reenergized to take on the next task of learning!


Also available in these versions for free with your purchase: Videos, PowerPoint, SmartBoard.

Trim size: 4.25 x 5.5


Table Of Contents:

  • Part I. Individual Brain Breaks
  • Arm Stretch
  • Arm Wrap
  • Choir Director
  • Different Direction Circles Index Fingers
  • Different Direction Circles Thumbs
  • Ear and Nose Switch
  • Elbow to Knee Stretch
  • Elbow to Knee Tap Patterns
  • Figure Eights
  • Finger Aerobics Patterns
  • Finger Aerobics Ripple
  • Finger Tips
  • I Bet You Can’t Do This
  • Inch Worm Stretch
  • Lap Tap
  • Palm Tapping
  • Paper Twirling
  • Pretzel Outline Index Fingers
  • Pretzel Stretch Fists
  • Right On Left Balance
  • T Stretch
  • Thumb and Pinkie
  • Touch Your Fingers Behind Your Back
  • Twisted
  • X Bob and Wiggle
  • Part II. Partner Brain Breaks
  • Bizz Buzz
  • Five
  • Hand Shake #1
  • Hand Shake #2
  • Hook Ups
  • Letter Spots
  • Number Spots Addition
  • Number Spots Multiplication
  • Rock, Paper, Scissors, Math Addition
  • Rock, Paper, Scissors, Math Multiplication
  • Rock, Paper, Scissors, Math Negative
  • Say 21 and Win
  • Slap Count and Say 21 and Win
  • Slap Count Letters
  • Slap Count Numbers Going Down
  • Slap Count Numbers Going Up
  • Ten
  • Thumb War or Peace
  • Part III. Group Brain Breaks
  • Gotcha
  • Let it Rain
  • Passing out Papers
  • Snowball
  • Wave Clapping Patterns
  • Wave Motion
  • X’s and O’s

Recent Product Reviews:

"We use Energizing Brain Breaks in our teacher workshops so they will use them with their students. They enjoy the break and activity as much as their students do!"
Sue and Randy Pippen, Educational Consultants, Pippen Consulting, Plainfield, IL
"This book is AWESOME!!! I feel that every teacher should have one in their classroom. Not only does it give the students a quick break, but they get excited about them. It also has so many choices: whole group, individual, partner, and small group. No matter the age, any student can perform most breaks."
Kathleen Richards, 5th Grade Teacher, Elmwood Elementary School, Naperville, IL
"Energizing Brain Breaks is an excellent resource for quick, simple, and challenging activities that students can do to activate their brain for more optimal learning. Many of the activities were developed by students, for students and really engage the adolescent brain. This is the resource that teachers need to get their students moving in learning."
Jean Blaydes, Educational Consultant/Speaker, Action Based Learning, Murphy, TX
“Energizing Brain Breaks is a great teaching tool. I use it daily with my kids. They LOVE the short activities and get so excited. One of their favorites is 'Gotcha.'"
Judy Sterling, 2nd Grade Teacher, Scott Elementary School, Naperville, IL
“Physical movement and academic learning should not be separated. Research shows that physical movement and exercise are beneficial for the brain and learning. Dave Sladkey regularly incorporates movement in his high school math lessons, which helps to make his classroom a vibrant learning atmosphere. I strongly encourage every classroom teacher to use this book as a resource to transform your classroom into a place where students are alert and ready to learn at their full potential!”
Bill Wiesbrook, Principal, Naperville Central High School, IL

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