Go Noodle!

One of the awesome things about teaching 2nd graders is the fact they are kids and like to have FUN!  I personally believe that children are not meant to sit still all day, and a firm believer of "brain breaks".  These are breaks we take to stand up, get our blood moving, and give ourselves a break from our learning so that we can learn more.  If you are interested in the research behind brain breaks, read this article "Moving With the Brain in Mind" by Eric Jensen, one of the leading researchers on teaching with the brain in mind.

In our class, I use an internet site called GoNoodle to help our class refresh, refocus, and reenergize before moving on to the next lesson.  It has a variety of activities including Yoga stretches, Zumba for Kids, Just Dance type of dancing, running training, and much more! The cool part is that we have a little mascot that we earn points for with our activities.  Every 10 points our mascot grows, changes, or adds a friend.  The kids LOVE earning things for their mascots and taking breaks!  I can't wait to join in with them after my maternity leave!

Here is a picture of our class enjoying a "GoNoodle" break: