Give+Your+Brain+a+Boost

=Give Your Brain A Boost=
 * Your brain is a remarkable organ that requires a lot of energy in the form of glucose and oxygen. For that reason, it is very important to make sure that your students are adequately energized!
 * When we sit for more than twenty minutes our blood is not circulating to its maximum potential. This means that our brain is not receiving as much oxygen as it may need to perform the functions that we demand of it. We have no direct influence over how our students eat but we can be instrumental in keeping a steady supply of oxygen going to the brain. The solution is simple; move around and get the blood flowing again. You should look for ways to get the students moving during your lessons.
 * Brain Breaks are a great way to get the students up and moving and the oxygen-rich blood flowing to the brain. You do not have to make it last for more than a few minutes.
 * **Science is great because** there are so many abstract concepts that can be modeled in a physical way by doing a quick brain break. Not only does it provide a concrete experience but the increased oxygen to the brain helps with retention.

I use the following Brain Breaks each year in my science classroom:
 * For the Classroom**
 * Sun/Earth/Moon system - Teach the concepts of rotation and revolution by having the students spin as they orbit around each other.
 * Plate Tectonics - Students can show the different plate boundaries with their hands either moving away from each other (divergent) moving toward each other (convergent) or sliding past each other (sliding.) My students even turned this into a dance!
 * Wave Interactions - Have students do the human wave like they do at sporting events. One student can move across the front of the room and orchestrate it.
 * Check out the following site for an excellent list of Brain Breaks from the Michigan Department of Education. []


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