Brain and Physical Activity Breaks
Robert Woods Johnson Foundation Study
K-5 Energizers (you can adapt for older students)

Sept 6
Steve Cone
Animal Obstacle Walk - students move around the room as a designated animal (change the animal every 15 seconds) and go over fallen trees or obstacles
Sept 6
Steve Cone
Paper Triangle Table Football - students make up their own rules and use the table top for a football game
Sept 8
Class
Quotes - Curricular Team sharing
Sept 13 Erica Faraone
Rock, Paper, Scissor Math - Addition first, RPS and extend fingers - the first person to say to total gets credit, then do multiplication
Sept 13
Ali Herbert
Telephone Doodle - Form teams in columns, person at back of line draws a picture on the back of the person in front of them (picture is given to each group - they can do this twice) - then that person draws on the back of the person in front of them.........repeat until the person in the front of the line draws it on a piece of paper....how did you do?
Sept 15
Becca Fasano
The Line Up - Form one line - 3 challenges (1) without talking put yourselves in alphabetical order (2) tallest to shortest (3) month/day for birthday
Sept 15
Frank Ciurlino
Pictionary - one partner picks a word and draws it - partner attempts to guess - reverse roles and repeat
Sept 20 Shilah Snead
Thumb War - use non-dominant hand
Sept 20 Jacob Wainwright
Right, Left, Switch - one thumb up and one thumb down, switch; one finger up and two down, switch, etc.
Sept 22
Jackie Grimm
Speed High 5 - in 30 seconds, students, under control, high 5 ALL students in the classroom
Sept 22 Meghan McMahon
Mingle, Mingle, Group - The students walk around the classroom saying mingle, mingle, mingle in soft voices. When the teacher says, Groups of ???, the students group themselves with the correct number of people and sit down on the floor. Students who are left over must do three jumping jacks.
Sept 27 Ian Stickel
Invisible Art - draw object in air and partner guesses (identify categories for students to use, e.g., fruits, sports equipment, etc.)
Sept 27 Jordan Peoples
Twenty-one - Adding numbers so one player hits 21 and loses - each player can say either 1, 2, or 3 and the partner then adds either 1, 2, or 3 - e.g., 3 for one person, the next players says 6 (they have added 3), then next person says 8 (they have added 2),then next person says 11 (they have added 3), then next person says 14 (they have added 3), then next person says 16 (they have added 2), then next person says 18 (they have added 2), then next person says 20 (they have added 2), the next person can only say 21 and that is not a good thing.
Sept 29 Mike Lawler
Partner Memorization - partners face each other - one partner observes the other and then closes their eyes - then opens their eyes and identifies what change has been made..............reverse roles.
Sept 29 John Fecich
  Weekend build up - walk around and stop at each person's paper - write a positive adjective about them on their piece of paper - think positive!
Oct 4 Kevin Silverstein
Feet Rock, Paper, Scissors (Rock.... feet together, Paper.... feet out to side, Scissors.... feet in stagger) - play with a partner
Oct 4 Will Flake
Secret Handshake - create one with your partner and then you will demonstrate it to the class
Oct 6 Matt Ireland

Oct 6 Ryan Zeilman
Imagination - imagine you have just eaten one (1) M&M, then walk in place until you think you have burned the calories associated with it
(the length of a football field)
Oct 11 Christian Thomas
Hand Clap Game - leader indicates the number of claps and the students respond, if the leader say half clap there should be no clapping
Oct 13 Ali Herbert
A,B,C,1,2,3 Brain Teasers - in unison, spell your first name backwards - then in unison, spell your last name backwards - then, individually say the number as you air trace the corresponding letter
Oct 13 Jordan Peoples Circle Spy - form a circle, two people are designated movers...........one mover starts a movement and the circle copies (the spy must figure out who starts the movement) - then the second person starts a movement and the circle copies (the spy must figure out who starts the movement)
Oct 18 Frank Ciurlino
State Capitals - pair up, leaders names a state, guess the capital
Oct 18 Michal Helmstetter
Slide - partners - one partner extends their arms while the other partner slides their hands from the elbows to the hands, then high five right and then clap your own hands, high five left and then clap your own hands, add any form of clap and then clap your own hands, etc.
Oct 20 Becca Fasano
Yoga - Your Inner Self --- Mountain pose - Feet shoulder width apart, arms extended up, Extended Mountain pose - same as Mountain except reach to side with both arms, Chair pose - squat and arms extended out and up, Warrior - feet shoulder width apart - one foot perpendicular and stretch to that side then reverse feet and direction
Oct 20 Shilah Snead
Class Story - entire class takes turns adding a word to the sentence/story - continue until everyone laughs................haha
Oct 27 Jackie Grimm
Thursday Night Football TD Dance - groups of 2, 3, or 4 - create a Touchdown dance and share it with the class.
Nov 1
Erica Faraone
Sand, Water, Land, Dirt - one step forward (sand), one step forward (water), one step to the right (land), one step to the left (dirt) - leader calls out S, W, L, D and students respond.....for advanced, have them do the opposite
Nov 1 Jacob Wainwright Ghosting It - partners use drawings or gestures (no talking or writing words) to communicate what they were for Halloween, partners guess
Nov 10 Kevin Silverstein Odds and Evens - one partner will be odd and one will be even - 1,2,3 shoot - extend one or two fingers - add them together and determine if the result is odd or even
Nov 15 Meghan McMahon
Let's Recycle - True, go to one side or False, go to the other side - a recycling statement is read and students go to the "true" or "false" wall.
Nov 15 Will Flake Slap - (careful) - one partner palms up, one partner palms down - palms up tries to "slap" the palms down partner - reverse rolls - twice on top and twice on the bottom - both hands must be used
Nov 17 John Fecich Would You Rather - questions are asked and students go to the side of the class representing their choice - discuss your reasons
Nov 22 Ryan Zeilman Name Moves - think of your moves and then.........Ryan - Jazz Hands; John - clap..........go around having everyone say their name and move
Nov 29 Michal Helmstetter
Going on a Picnic - "I'm going on a picnic......A (apples)....."I'm going on a picnic......B (bananas)............."I'm going on a picnic......C (cheese), etc.....each person adds a word corresponding to the next letter........it becomes an add on as you repeat what everyone before you selected - and then add yours.
Dec 1 Mike Lawler
Counting Backwards - partners stand back to back, on 3 they turn and count the number of fingers on all four hands, first person counting all fingers successfully, smiles.
Dec 1 Matt Ireland The Game of Silence - all students are quiet - task is assigned - complete task in silence - e.g., alphabetically line up by job title, birthday month, first name, etc. or by number for date of birth, age, etc.
Dec 6 Christian Thomas Simon Says - leader calls out movements - you must hear Simon Says to use the movement
Dec 6 Ian Stickel Team Portrait - Groups of 3 with piece of paper - piece of paper on table in front of room, groups assemble in back of room - each team member comes to the front and draws for 10 seconds, returns to the group and another member comes forward to draw - the team creates a picture without consulting with each other.