classroom physical activity

Brain Break, a Misnomer…

I distinctly remember my first solo conference. While the focus was on physical literacy, I was inspired by the number of experts and attendees whose passion highlighted the impact of  movement and activity in the academic classroom space. I was a “newbie” to the world of academia and secretly intimidated to be in a room of researchers and experienced conference-goers. I had a decade of teaching under my belt and was in the process of earning a doctoral degree, and I was determined to soak up as much as I could.

I don’t recall the conversation, but I spoke those words: Brain Brain. The vehement response from my collocutor was one of the most impactful moments of my career…

Movement and physical activity is not a break for the brain…it’s a BOOST to the brain.

By using the term brain break, we are giving students the impressive that movement is less important or unrelated to other classroom activity. The evidence is clear: movement benefits learning, activity complements academic instruction, active students are better learners.

On this site, I’ve used the term “Motion Moment” because it aligns with “Classrooms in Motion”. (See potential daily schedule.) But you are encouraged to create your own appropriate and engaging moniker! Can you tie in your school mascot or district name? Perhaps your school is the Mustangs and you can implement Mustang Movement. If you’re the first to generate ideas, have your students brainstorm and propose terms! This will increase their ownership and support engagement.

Say yes to classroom physical activity – by promoting the critical importance of movement opportunities with an effective term to support academic achievement and holistic health of students.

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Summer PD in Colorado: July 19-21, 2023

The First Annual Active Schools National Summit will be held this July at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, CO.

“This summit will motivate and inspire you to integrate more physical activity into your daily practice and ensure that all youth are educated in an active school designed to enhance learning, health, and well-being. … The theme of this conference is A Mountain Worth Climbing. This theme was chosen because we recognize that creating and sustaining an active school culture is not always easy. Much like climbing a mountain, there can be challenges or obstacles that you encounter and must overcome.”

For information, click here. To register, click here.

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February is Active Classrooms Month!

It doesn’t seem like a year has passed since the last Active Classrooms Month, but here we are again! Active Schools hosts Active Classrooms Month each February. Teachers and families are invited to participate.

“The event will introduce ways to integrate movement into the classroom and demonstrate the positive impact it has on young people. We will share resources and tools to make it easy for teachers and parents/caregivers to use movement activities with their students/children.” – Active Schools

For more information and to get involved: https://www.activeschoolsus.org/active-classrooms-month

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“Activity Breaks that Encourage Social-Emotional Learning” (from Moving Minds)

One of the things I’m loving about increased awareness of classroom physical activity is the quantity of resources that are available. I subscribe to the Moving Minds email blasts, and these messages contain information and tips for classroom movement (and things to buy, which I skip). This month, a linked blog post offers information about social-emotional learning (SEL) areas and how to integrate movement with SEL. Promoting healthy body and mind is important for our students’ holistic wellness, and the need has escalated during the past two years. Check out the “Activity Breaks that Encourage Social-Emotional Learning” blog here!

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Active Classrooms Month: February 2021

This February, Active Schools is hosting an Active Classrooms Month! If you haven’t had the opportunity to check out the Active Schools website, it’s a great resource for promoting and supporting physical activity among children and youth: https://www.activeschoolsus.org

Active Classrooms Month is designed to increase awareness of how movement can be integrated into learning and will include a variety of activities, including a series of weekly webinars. These 30-minute sessions will occur on Wednesdays at 3:00pm ET / 12:00pm PT and will offer information about and strategies for classroom physical activity implementation. Click here for calendar and links to register!

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e-Learning Opportunity: Classroom Physical Activity Video Series

In collaboration with the University of Nebraska Omaha’s School of Health and Kinesiology with funding from CHI Health, The Wellness Partners created an e-learning course for teachers and childcare providers for the purpose of increasing physical activity in the classroom. “While this information will always be applicable, special consideration was paid to current COVID-19 restrictions, including how to include physical activity in a virtual classroom setting.”

There are seven self-paced modules with supplemental videos:

  1. The Importance of Physical Activity
  2. Classroom Set-up and Design
  3. Behavior Management Planning
  4. Active Brain Breaks vs. Active Learning
  5. Additional Ways to be Physically Active
  6. Be the Physical Activity Advocate at Your School
  7. Virtual Classroom Physical Activity

Thanks to those involved in this project for disseminating these important, and timely, informational videos!

Check it out here: Classroom Physical Activity Video Series

Active Schools also provides some great video resources about classroom physical activity. Although they’re recorded prior to our current pandemic and don’t address the virtual classroom, they still offer beneficial ideas and insights. Check them out here: Active Classrooms Webinar Series Recordings and Presentation Slides

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Active Learning in a Web-Based Class

There have been many casualties, minor to monumental, surrounding COVID-19. Education, and the format in which we teach, has obviously been directly impacted. It is critical to support health and safety for protection and prevention, but the lack of face-to-face interaction and engagement during the learning process is distressing, both academically and psychologically. That said, with the restrictions put on face-to-face classes, there are benefits to facilitating real time web-based class sessions. While vastly different strategies are necessary depending upon the age of the learner, there are ways to enhance the effectiveness of web-based instruction. To capture some of the advantages of in-person education, teachers can implement online versions of active learning. Those with a social and/or movement component may be particularly beneficial to students during these challenging times.

Derek Bruff, the director of the Center for Teaching at Vanderbilt University, posted an informative article entitled Active Learning in Hybrid and Physically Distanced Classrooms that shares a multitude of techniques for engaging students in “meaningful learning” within current constraints. (Of particular interest is the sub-section on “Physical Movement” which includes an online version of an activity I refer to as Stand Up for Yes.)

Link to article: https://via.hypothes.is/https:/cft.vanderbilt.edu/2020/06/active-learning-in-hybrid-and-socially-distanced-classrooms/

You can also check out my interview on Integrating Physical Activity into Distance Education, available here.

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New Year’s Teaching Resolutions?

Welcome to a new year, and a new decade! I just came across this blog, from Nicole Beard, and it got me thinking. While written for health courses, her strategies for student engagement can be applied across content areas. Further, the new year can serve as a marker for self-reflection, and a reminder that our teaching practices and classroom environment can always be enhanced and improved and that each new group of students offers a unique opportunity for personal and professional growth. The quick tips from Ms. Beard put the “active” in active learning – both for cognitive and physical engagement with content. Let’s all use this time as a chance to make changes – small or large – to recommit ourselves to effectively educating the next generation! (insert cheer here)

7 Best Practices to Keep Students Engaged in Health Class

  • Movement
  • Flexible seating
  • Student choice
  • Student focus
  • Teacher flexibility
  • [Effective timing and] transitions
  • [Class discussion]

SHAPE America Blog, Jan. 7, 2020

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Active Classrooms Week: Dec. 9-13

From Active Schools…

Active Kids Learn Better!
Active Schools and our collective impact partners work year-round to encourage and support schools across the country in creating active classroom environments. Why? Because studies show that classroom physical activity helps students feel better, work together as a team, reduce anxiety and maintain focus.

To raise awareness of the importance of active classrooms, Active Classrooms Week aims to shine a spotlight on teachers and schools who incorporate physical activity into learning. From December 9-13, educators are encouraged to participate in Active Classrooms Week by showcasing ways they integrate physical activity into their classrooms and highlight the positive impact movement has on students. Teachers who don’t generally incorporate movement into classroom learning are encouraged to give it a try.

  • Educators – Share photos, videos, testimonials, ideas or best practices that show the impact movement has on students in a classroom setting.
  • Parents – If your child’s teacher integrates physical activity into the classroom, talk to them about it and share photos, videos or their feedback.

Use the hashtag #ThisIsYourBrainOnMovement and tag @ActiveSchoolsUS to share the fun!

Check out www.activeschoolsus.org/active-classrooms-week to learn more and access our toolkits full of materials to help get the word out and make the most of your week!

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Grant Available! Linking Math and Movement

Math & Movement is offering a grant to support a professional development day, at your school location, to facilitate their program. The six hour workshop, entitled “Math & Movement: Kinesthetic Strategies to Improve Math Outcomes”, is targeted for elementary education. For more information about the program, and to apply for their grant, see links below.

Grant: https://mathandmovement.com/math-movement-workshop-grant/

Home: https://mathandmovement.com 

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