What Type of Movement Culture Does Your Technology Classroom Have?

You've Got To Move It, Move It

Inspired by Marcia Tate many years ago, movement has become an important part of my classroom environment. Not only do I provide opportunities for students to move regularly but I try to instill in the students the importance of moving so they can self regulate. 

I think this is will become more and more important the more sedentary activities might become with the increased use of technology in classrooms. 

Small Movement Breaks

In my class, students are encourage to recognize when their body needs a break. Throughout the year I do direct teaching of small movement breaks during writing, typing or art activities. However, by the end of the year the goal is students are aware of the need for them. Small breaks might include:

• "spider" - students put their fingers together but leave their palms apart. Then they pump their palms in and out giving their fingers a stretch
• wrist circles
• neck stretches
• shoulder rolls
• body twists

Big Movement Breaks

If students are sitting for more than 15 - 10 minutes for an activity, I try to remember to incorporate a movement break into the activity. When using technology this might include:

• encouraging students to get up and get a drink of water
• stand up and stretch behind where you are working
• a "shake, shake, shake" break where students stand up and shake their bodies
• a whole class movement break*

* I put a list of whole class movement breaks at the bottom of this post.

Frustrated? Change the Mood

Often working with technology can lead to frustration (for you and/or the students). Stopping and doing a fun movement break can change the energy and mood of a classroom. Want to get students smiling? Try:

• Handshake #2 Brain Break
• Button Factory (to get kids laughing, I usually make the last "button" they have to push use their tongue, then they have to say the whole thing "hello my name is Joe..." with their tongue sticking out).

Some Whole Class Movement Break Ideas

• Double This Double That
• Captain’s Coming using cardinal directions instead of “bow” and “stern”. Some ideas for other calls can be found at Pirate Ship.
• Snowball
• My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean (lyrics at end of post) – for fun here’s the Beatles version.
  My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean
  My bonnie lies over the ocean
  My bonnie lies over the sea
  My bonnie lies over the ocean
  Oh, bring back my bonnie to me
  Bring back, bring back,
  Bring back my bonnie to me, to me
  Bring back, bring back,
  Bring back my bonnie to me
  Actions: Start the song sitting down. On the first “B” in the song, stand up. At the next “B”, sit down again. Repeat throughout the song. Repeat the song a number of times, getting faster and faster!
• 10 Great Classroom Icebreakers
• Energizer: Classroom-based Physical Activities K-12
• A Physical Activity Idea Book for Elementary Classroom Teachers