This can be the time of year when students begin to feel antsy, especially after a 3-day weekend. Encourage your students to get back on track and maintain focus, while channeling their energy into learning, with ClassOrbit’s Mental Energizer video. This video provides opportunities for exercise, which increases glucose to the brain, and, in turn, makes it easier for kids to learn. Energize your students' brains with these fun, easy-to-follow physical activities, and stimulate learning in your class. Just follow along to participate in three 4-minute routines.

Be sure to give your students multiple opportunities throughout the day to take physical and mental breaks. Powerful movements throughout the day can include having students cross their midlines (the center line between the body).

Implement activities such as:

• "windmills" (using one hand across the body to touch the opposite foot)
• lunges in place
• side twists
• knee high lifts
• marching in place
• jumping jacks
• side-to-side jumps

Relaxing mental break activities include:

• meditation (taking 5 minutes to sit, eyes closed, while taking slow, deep breaths)
• listening to calming music
• coloring/doodling/tracing
• visual vacation (eyes closed, visualizing being in another place - what does this place look like, sound like, smell like, how does it make one feel)
• yoga poses
• positive words of affirmation
• facial gymnastics

We would love if you and your students shared your favorite physical and mental breaks with us on Facebook and Instagram, @ClassOrbit.

Happy Educating,
Raeanne Garcia