By

Nicole Uttech,   Pleasant Prairie El

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Physical Activity Participation

The FUTP 60 team got together and decided that they would share a brain break activity with the whole school during our Character Education Assembly and come up with a list of breaks for the school to try out for the week. The team divided up the work and each person of the team had a role. During the assembly they got the whole school up to do the brain break "Make It Rain." The team members described what a brain break is and how it helps students learn and achieve. Our school completed over 130 brain breaks during our School Spirit and Character Ed. Week.

How did students and adults work together as a team?

The students and I had to work together to organize the Character Education Assembly. The students were instrumental in choosing a brain break to use and practicing it on their own. They had to come up with what they would say so that all students from kindergarten to fifth grade could understand what they were saying and get excited about participating. We also had to hold practices in the gym so they could gauge how loud they were for our 600+ student assembly.

How do you plan to make this Play last during the school year and beyond?

We have included brain break reminders in our all school announcements and in our school newspaper. Teachers who are doing regular brain breaks talk about how they help out during learning and testing. Keep the language and message consistent.

What improvements have you seen at your school?

For the classes that have kept up with regular brain breaks those students and teachers know that there is a break coming. One of our classrooms is doing a break every morning and afternoon. The classroom has students of all different abilities and needs. All of the students and the teacher have found the breaks help them manage stress. When things become heavy or stressful the teacher utilizes the brain break to help calm the students.