Brain Break- "What is it?"

Sometimes kids just need a brain break.  After working on curriculum all morning, their brains are full and their bodies are restless.  That's when it's time for a brain break.  I can usually tell when my students need one and I use brain breaks to get them energized for learning again.  Brain breaks take only 5 minutes and can help your students refocus for the next lesson.

Here's one of my favorites (and a favorite of my students too):

Brain Break:  "What is it?"

1. Choose an object in your classroom.  It can be anything small that students will be able to easily pass around.  I've used an eraser, a marker, a scarf, an umbrella- anything!
2. Gather students in a standing circle.
3. Tell them you are going to pass the object around and tell them they need to use their imagination.  You will begin by modeling this sentence structure:  "This is _____, but it's not really a ______. It's a _______!  Remind them that ideas need to be school appropriate.
4. Tell students they must listen carefully because ideas cannot be duplicated.
5. Pass the object around the circle and let your students' imaginations soar.  Believe me, they will come up with some interesting ideas!

Here's an example of when we used an eraser for "What is it?":

One student said, "This is an eraser, but it's not really an eraser.  It's a skateboard."  The student put the eraser on the ground and pretended to skateboard.  Another student said, "This is an eraser, but it's not really an eraser.  It's my cell phone."  This student then pretended to talk on the phone.  Another creative student said, "This is an eraser, but it's not really an eraser.  It's a colony of hairy stick people."

It's a great brain break and a great way for students to use their imagination.  

I plan to feature different brain breaks each week.  If you have a great one, please share in the comments section below.

-Karen