Let's face it. Your slides may be perfect, your questions may be scaffolded with various strategic DOK levels, and your activity may be differentiated artfully. However, your students - and all learners - hit a wall in learning retention after a mere 10 minutes of attention.
Enter brain breaks! All it takes is just a 30-90 second break every 8-10 minutes (see recommendations by David Sousa and Judith Willis). Brain breaks, especially those that involve physical movement as students transition to a different form of instruction, students may refocus, re-engage and re-up on their dopamine levels.
Brain breaks can be simple: anything from a 4 Corners activity to stretching silently by their seats, or (taking a page from improv) a quick and energetic shakedown (thanks, Ms Rinzel!). For more ideas, check out our latest PD slides, in which teachers got to choose their own brain breaks, in between routines.
