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Google Forms - create and analyze surveys, for free.

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Pioneer Valley Books provides educators and parents with high quality books and other resources (including Guided Reading) to support beginning readers in the successful acquisition of reading.

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best-practice guided reading strategies to maximize the effectiveness of your reading instruction: strategies! strategies! strategies! (grades k-2)

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Best-Practice GUIDED READING Strategies to Maximize the Effectiveness of Your Reading Instruction: Strategies! Strategies! Strategies! (Grades K-2) | SEATTLE, WA | Course Details | Institute for Educational Development

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Best-Practice GUIDED READING Strategies to Maximize the Effectiveness of Your Reading Instruction: Strategies! Strategies! Strategies! (Grades K-2) | Institute for Educational Development (IED) is a sponsor of staff development training for professional educators in the United States and Canada.

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Possible Narrative Groupings                September 2019

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Possible Narrative Groupings                September 2019

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Possible Guided Reading Groupings  September 2019

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Possible Guided Reading Groupings  September 2019

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_INDEPENDENT READING LEVELS NEEDED FOR STUDENTS

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Posible Star 360 groupings for Reading, Early Literacy, and Math

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Posible Star 360 groupings for Reading, Early Literacy, and Math

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The Powerful Effects of Drawing on Learning

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The science is clear: Drawing beats out reading and writing to help students remember concepts.

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My name is Deanna Roberts and I'm a third grade ELA/SS teacher in Ohio. As a lifelong perfectionist and overachiever, the club has helped me achieve a healthier work-life balance and has changed my life for the better. I am much more intentional and productive during work hours thanks to the strategies I've learned in the club.
As I've been in Angela's 40 Hour Teacher Workweek Club for a full year now, (and then one year in the graduate program), I would like to post a short reflection of a few things I've gained from the club these past two years.

The strategies I've gained through the club have allowed me to leave work at work with few exceptions. My firm cut off time is 5:30 pm, which is 2 hours extra beyond contracted hours. (And remember, nothing comes home!)

There are several days each week that I leave work on time. I don't go in early. I work an average of 50 hours a week.

Here's how I do it.

Each Chromebook is numbered and has a corresponding cord in the Chromebook cart. It is their responsibility to plug their Chromebook in the correct slot. We have a Chromebook checker class job. This student makes sure each Chromebook is plugged in at the end of the day.

I won't have to change Chromebook labels every year! I have extra labels if I need to replace any throughout the year. It is a paper sticker label with Scotch tape on top. We use class numbers (alphabetical order) for all kinds of things!

Pencil pouches get turned in every Friday. I give everyone five pencils at the beginning of the year along with a notecard with their number on it. If they have five pencils in the pouch on Friday, they get a sticker or small treat. I switch out pencils that need to be sharpened for new pencils.

We have a pencil sharpener job that a student completes during bus dismissal time each day. No one sharpens pencils during the school day at all. The pencil sharpener person uses the pencils they sharpened during the week to fill up the pencil pouches on Friday afternoons.

If a student turns in their pouch with less than five pencils, I give them new pencils and they don't get the sticker. They try again the next week!

The morning class has blue pouches and the afternoon class has black pouches. I bought them 2/$1.00 at Walmart over the summer. I did have a few students who lost their pencil pouches. I gave them a gallon ziplock bag to use as a replacement or allowed them to bring in one from home. This works very well for me and by January it is self-sufficient.

This is one of my favorite things about my classroom! The procedure is that you can use the hall pass if the teacher isn't talking, and during work time, as long as we are not taking a test. One at a time, place it on your desk until you get back. If you ask the teacher if you can go to the bathroom, the answer is no! Always follow the procedure! Huge timesaver!

Indoor recess toys are stored under the counter (there is also a cabinet with board games etc.) There are two students whose job is to get the toys out and make sure they are properly put back. The big gray tub is filled with recyclables and building tools with which students are free to create with at one specific table in the room- we have a procedure. The two black trays have well-wisher forms and kindness recorder forms; these are class jobs.

When students are absent the Well-Wisher writes them a letter and puts it in their mailbox. The Kindness Recorder notices kind things and fills out a form to give them or put in their mailbox.

All extra copies go in the extra papers bin and students are free to use them as needed. This is especially helpful for field trip permission slips. The turn in trays are where everything gets turned in. The book bin contains our class set of trade books for the current module.

My classroom library books are organized by genre and author. Classroom Librarians (student jobs) keep it in order. Students are free to borrow one book at a time on the honor system. I do NOT even attempt to keep track. Pillows are for bottoms only. They are not allowed to put their heads on them.

These drawers contain extra resources for each reading unit (extra copies, extensions, etc.) and there is a drawer for each social studies strand. The messy drawer on the bottom has center work that needs to be put back in the correct place. The bins on top are for daily materials. The black organizer currently stores my teacher Chromebook and makeup work that needs to be completed.

I keep blank papers in the trays: copy, handwriting, and notebook paper. The top tray is papers to be graded. The blue binder on the bottom shelf lying sideways is my "Why" binder- I keep the mementos the kids give me in binder sleeves after I take them off the wall.

All language and speaking and listening standards have a bin on the bookshelf behind my desk. I put all of my spelling resources in a file drawer in my desk, labeled with the week.

On the right are my drawers labeled with each reading standard. On the left are drawers with supplies and other needed materials. The not-yet labeled drawers contain the current vocabulary unit work, cursive handwriting, my sub folders and emergency medicals, Book-it and PBIS materials, and test prep materials. The blue bin on top is for copies that I haven't put away yet and things that people bring me that need to be sorted.

I have a drawer for every reading standard. I put example projects, graphic organizers, and anything else that goes along with a specific standard in the corresponding drawer. This is right beside my desk.

Under the "In Progress" bin are some resources I use weekly and my meeting notes binder that I take with me to all meetings. I used to keep my sub folder and emergency medicals there, but I keep them in a drawer organizer beside my desk now.

The "In Progress" bin is where I put whatever project I am currently working on. I also put homework in here that just needs to be checked off. It is handy for when I have just a few minutes- I can choose from the more involved tasks that need to be finished or the homework that just needs to be checked off.

This hangs right behind my desk. This is one of my favorite outtakes from the club! It keeps the clutter off my desk and it is easy to go back to what I need!

My inbox, extra headphones, book return, and book hospital. The book return is managed by my classroom librarians (student job). The inbox is for tardy slips, notes from home, field trip money, and any other things students might need to turn in besides homework or classwork.

These are student maintained portfolios with monthly writing samples- other assessments go in a filing cabinet in a big pile, to be filed, eventually...

Next year, I might put the portfolios on the bulletin board in the back of my room instead. This is a high traffic area and I had a problem with papers getting torn off accidentally.

You might notice the small soccer ball on my whiteboard tray: it is an ice pack from Dollar Tree. I put it in a small ziplock bag when I hand it out and sanitize after each use. I keep several in my classroom freezer. It is essential! I also stay in supply of mints and bandaids. This saves many nurse trips!

This is how I display my goals each week. We are required to show our learning targets and for our students to be able to repeat them when asked.

This is right inside my doorway. The most frequently referenced items are the two that are currently missing; which are taken down on Fridays. These are the spelling list and vocabulary words and definitions. The rest of it is more for me than them, but I think they occasionally reference it.

The Pencil Sharpeners (class job) place all sharpened pencils here. There is another place for pencils that need sharpened. I use these pencils to refill pencil pouches and students are allowed to take them freely throughout the week. They will usually trade out a pencil that needs to be sharpened pencil for a sharp one if they need it. Our pencil problem is non-existent. Beside the pencils is the place where I put things that need to go to other places- the office, the speech teacher, library, etc. On the other side of the pencils is the pencil sharpener. Only the pencil sharpener person is allowed to use the sharpener.

I keep these handy right beside my desk. The cards are numbered so it is easy to find each student's information. I also print out the class lists of passwords and keep them in my "To Keep on Hand" folder.

Clean desk club! Also, underneath my desk, you can see class lists hanging by a magnet clip. I use the lists for everything! Field trip money, assignments turned in, reading goals met, etc. It is very easy to get a new list when I need one.

The small numbered bins on the top contain crayons, scissors, and glue sticks. The bottom bins contain our basal readers. The books are marked with duct tape (over contact paper) to correspond with the colored bins.

Glue sticks and scissors are also color coordinated. We have a table supply manager who distributes these supplies when we need them and puts them back when we are finished. (One day I will get around to labeling the book bins-maybe!)

Cubbies are numbered, with paper name tags (not laminated!) placed inside that students can choose to keep or not. The top cubby is for my afternoon class and the bottom is for my homeroom. Students keep their Fruit Binder (binder with all of their folders and their Plickers card; it is called this because I put a smelly fruit sticker on their Plickers card), their writing notebook, pencil pouch and vocabulary journal in their cubby.

It is a classroom job to check cubbies before anyone leaves the classroom. They may look a little messy, but we literally never have loose papers on the floor. Everything has a place! Desks are turned around backwards, they do not use their desks for storage. All loose/returned work goes directly in their take-home folder.

I store classroom sets of trade books for our reading program on top of the cubbies. These are dishwashing bins from Walmart. Each bin is labeled with the unit and module. This is the only thing that I keep above the cubbies. I take each bin down as I need it and place it on the back counter. We keep the bin on the counter for as long as we need the books for the module.

I have storage shelves behind the fabric where I keep extra paper towels, tissues, etc., seasonal decorations and supplies, games, and other materials.

Papers to be distributed are in the last file folder in the back. This is a classroom job. Students pass out papers every week. If someone is absent, their work goes in their mailbox.

Beside the mailboxes is the "I Need" box our art teacher made for me! This has saved me many headaches as students write me notes letting me know people are bothering them, they need supplies, etc. and I can be proactive. It is also a classroom job to check the "I Need" box every day and bring me the notes.

A place for everything and everything in its place!

Some of my favorite takeaways from the club that are not pictured are batching, stamps and grading stations. These are all huge timesavers and totally worth it!

I would also like to mention that a huge contribution to my success is that 90% of my assessments, including spelling tests and bi-weekly vocabulary tests are on Google forms, Edulastic, Readworks, or on our ReadyGen interface. They are all graded automatically except for extended responses. I love, love, love the 40 Hour Workweek Club!

This can be the year YOU get your systems in place, too.

Early bird access to the July cohort of the club begins June 15th!

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22 classroom systems that make my teaching easier

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My name is Deanna Roberts and I'm a third grade ELA/SS teacher in Ohio. As a lifelong perfectionist and overachiever, the club has helped me achieve a healthier work-life balance and has changed my life for the better. I am much more intentional and productive during work hours thanks to the strategies I've learned [...]

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Education, Math

One of the foundations for understanding mathematics for students is knowing and recognizing the differences between single-digit numbers, teen numbers, and multiples of ten. As an adult, this concept seems very simple, but it must be explicitly taught to our youngsters in order for them to be able to apply the concept later in their math careers.

This is a great opportunity to bring out your base-ten blocks. You will want to have a stockpile of them so that your students can work in small groups and even partnerships to promote discussion during this crucial learning time.

Day 1

On the first day of instruction, show the students the ones blocks. You can gather them in a group or use a document camera to show them the block. Tell them you are going to count together to 100 using the ones blocks (only). Have them choral count with you to twenty or so, bringing in one more block for each number.

You may start acting fatigued because it is taking so long to count by ones. Have a group discussion about how long it would take to count to 100 using only those tiny little blocks and see if they have any ideas. You can ask some prompting questions, or just let their ideas flow. This is when the magic happens and you introduce our friend, the tens rod.
What does it look like?
Have a couple of students come up to examine the tens rod to make sure that it is indeed composed of ten little blocks. Line up ten ones blocks next to the rod so that they can see that they are an equal amount. You may even have them give you a "thumbs up" if they agree that they are equal and we could count using those instead.
What is a more fun name for this?
To end this exploratory lesson, have a class discussion about the names of these manipulatives. Make sure they know that the "mathematical terms" are ones and tens or ten rods, but we're talking with students in primary grades, and the mathematical terms don't always give them the concrete foundation that they need. To help with this, begin drafting names for the manipulatives with your class. Use prompts like:

What do they remind you of?

Most kids come up with French fries for tens and tater-tots for ones. Some even come up with cheese sticks and cheese cubes. It will depend on your class, but make a list that is visible for everyone and tell them that the next day, they will take a vote on the names that they'll use for the manipulatives in class. My students prefer to use cheese cubes and French fries, which does not make sense to me since they aren't even in the same food group, but they don't have any problems transforming cheese into potatoes, so let the imaginations run wild!

Day 2

On the second day, kick off your lesson with a really exciting class vote on what to call your ones cubes and ten rods. This will help with the vocabulary moving forward because it can be confusing for kids to hear and understand the statement "Let's trade in 10 ones blocks for a ten rod." It's much easier for them to understand and picture "Let's trade in 10 cheese cubes for a cheese stick." The image they create in their minds is much clearer, which helps them in the long run.

I was pretty hesitant at first to provide the students with an alternative name for these manipulatives because I wanted them to know what they represented rather than just a cute substitution, but it really works! Note that you will not always refer to these manipulatives by the voted-on name, but it provides them with the mental image that they need moving forward.
Which is worth more - a cheese cube or a cheese stick? How do you know? Where would we put the "cheese cubes" and where would we put the "cheese stick"? Why would we put them in that order? What could we do if we have too many cheese cubes in the house?
After voting on names for your manipulatives, introduce your students to a place value mat. Most mats use three place values, but for the purpose of this lesson, you should use mats with two place values (tens and ones). I refer to the two place value columns as "houses" and use the language that each manipulative "lives" in its own house; they cannot share. This prepares them for trading ones for tens and for adding and subtracting using manipulatives.

Have a discussion with the students about where they think each manipulative would go on the mat and why. Some prompting questions you can use are:

Eventually, you want your students to come to the conclusion that the tens go on the left and ones go on the right.

End this lesson by writing a couple of single-digit numbers on the board and having the students demonstrate with their manipulatives how much that is. For example, if you write the number 8 on the board, the students should count out 8 "cheese cubes" into their "cheese cube house".

Day 3

Begin this lesson with a review of the name the class chose for the manipulatives and another single-digit practice number on the board.

Today, you will introduce the students to using the manipulatives and place value mat for counting teen numbers.

Give each student a "cheese stick" and 19 "cheese cubes" to start the lesson along with their place value mat.

Write a teen number on the board and demonstrate how to build it, counting one block at a time until you get to the number. Ask the students what you could trade in 10 "cheese cubes" for now. They should exclaim "cheese stick" (or whatever name they gave to the ten rod). Go ahead and trade the 10 blocks for a rod, lining them up next to each other so they can see. Allow them to also count how many "cheese cubes" are left in the ones column along with how many "cheese sticks" are in the tens column.

Give students multiple opportunities to practice this activity with different teen numbers. After a few trials, see if they recognize the pattern of having one "cheese stick" every time there is a teen number. Prompt them to start with the "cheese stick" counting it as ten and then counting on to finish the teen number. You may need to model this a couple of times before they are ready to try it.

To end the lesson, model a few teen numbers using the manipulatives and have the students determine what number you created. For example, if you model one "cheese stick" and 5 "cheese cubes", the students should be able to say that you made the number 15. Try this a few times to see if they can recognize that the "cheese stick" is worth 10 and they can count on to make the teen number.

Day 4

Begin this lesson with another review of what they did in the previous lesson. Provide modeled examples of teen numbers as well as writing teen numbers to allow them to create the model with their manipulatives. Continue to use the terms they voted on and interchange those terms with the mathematical terms (ones and tens).

Now for the fun part... Introduce a game called "Trade Up" to the students. This game can be played individually or in pairs. It is usually more fun to start out in pairs for this game, and it requires fewer materials, which is an extra bonus.

Give each student their own place value mat, 2 ten rods, and 15 ones blocks. (I give them 15 ones blocks so that if they have 9 ones and roll a 6, they can build the number before trading in 10). Give each pair one 6-sided die. The pair will take turns rolling their die and putting that many ones blocks on their place value mat. When they reach 10 (or more), they should trade up for a tens rod. Their goal is to make it to 20 before their partner. Of course, this is really a game of luck, but it does provide a little more fun to their practice of counting and trading ones for tens, which will help them in the long run.

This game can be played fairly quickly once your students get the hang of it. You can turn it into a tournament, where the pairs keep track of how many "Trade Up" games they have won with tally marks. For students who do not do well with competition, I have them compete against themselves to see how few rolls they can have to make 20 or have them time themselves when they really get fluent with the process.

Another thing I love about this game is that it is very easy to differentiate. For students who are having a difficult time counting up and trading, you can provide a ten-frame within the place value chart. This way, they know that when the ten-frame is full, they should trade for a rod. Remind them that rods live in the "cheese stick" house and not in the "cheese cube" house.

For students who master this fairly quickly, you can have them trade up to a higher number. Just make sure they have enough tens rods to continue to trade up to that number. I suggest having them trade up to 50 to start with.

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As your students progress, this type of activity can be used to help them count by tens, add and subtract double-digit numbers, and the list can go on.

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How to Teach Regrouping Ones as Tens Conceptually

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Education, Math One of the foundations for understanding mathematics for students is knowing and recognizing the differences between single-digit numbers, teen numbers, and multiples of ten. As an adult, this concept seems very simple, but it must be explicitly taught to our youngsters in order for them to be able to apply the concept later in their math careers.

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Engaging your students in regular breaks throughout the day has been shown to improve attention, focus, retention, self-regulation, and so much more. We're excited to share our favorite quick and easy energizing brain breaks for kids to help children of all ages shed excess energy to reduce feelings of stress and frustration while also boosting morale and motivation in the classroom. These movement activities are fun, engaging, and calming, and double as great team-building activities and indoor recess ideas!

What Are Brain Breaks?

Also known as 'mental breaks', brain breaks offer a short break during periods of intense focus to help reduce feelings of frustration, stress, or anxiety, while also improving focus, attention, and retention. In order to be successful, brain breaks must be implemented before a child begins to struggle. Younger kids may require breaks from their school work every 10-15 minutes, whereas older kids can often work for 30+ minutes at a time. Certain learning delays and challenges like ADD, ADHD, sensory processing disorder, and autism may require additional brain breaks throughout the day - it's all dependent on the individual student and the type of material he or she is working with.

Why Are Brain Breaks Important?

Working for long periods of time can lead to feelings of fatigue, stress, and frustration, particularly for younger children and those who struggle with attention, hyperactivity, and impulse control. Proactively scheduling regular 5-10 minute breaks allows a child's brain to rest before fatigue and frustration sets in, and has been shown to:

Improve attention and focus

Increase retention of material being taught

Improve emotional regulation

Reduce behavioral problems

Increase motivation

How Often Should Kids Take Brain Breaks?

There are many factors that determine how often kids should take brain breaks throughout the day, and younger kids probably need more breaks than is realistic in a classroom setting. A child's age is a huge factor, as is the type of material he or she is working on and how easy/difficult the material is based on his or her skill set.

Much of the online literature I've read suggests brain breaks for kids should occur every 15 minutes for younger kids, and every 30 minutes for older children. Keep in mind these breaks don't need to be lengthy - 5 minutes is often enough! - and that you can find creative ways to offer breaks to individual kids without disrupting the entire class. For example, you can setup movement stations in your classroom where kids can go if they are having trouble concentrating. This may require a little prompting from teachers at first, but over time kids can learn to recognize when their attention is fading so they can proactively take a break to boost their energy.

7 Brain Breaks for Kids in Preschool and Kindergarten

If you're looking for brain breaks for kids in preschool and kindergarten, you'll want a mix of ideas you can implement quickly when you notice your students becoming frustrated, as well as some stand-alone activities you can enjoy as a class to help break up the day. Try to remember that kids in this age group can't focus for long stretches of time, and it may be unrealistic to expect them to return to a task after a brain break. You'll have much more success using these activities to help kids get their wiggles out in between lessons and activities!

1) Dance party!
A great impromptu way to help your students burn off energy is to play some music and have a spontaneous dance party. This is a great way to help children get their wiggles out to help promote focus, and it also helps reset everyone's mood.

2) Jumping jacks / jogging in place
Set a timer and see who can do the most jumping jacks and/or jog in place the longest without stopping.

3) Simon Says
Kids love this game and it's one of my favorite brain breaks for younger kids. You can make it extra motivating by choosing different students to be 'Simon' each day as a reward for good behavior, helping around the classroom, etc.

4) Tightrope Walking
All you need is a bit of masking tape and a little imagination, and you can make all kinds of tightrope obstacle courses around your classroom. Leave the tape in place for spur-of-the-moment brain breaks for kids when you need a quick option to calm frustrated children.

If you need calming brain breaks for kids in preschool and kindergarten, yoga is a great option to consider. We love this YOGI FUN Kids Yoga Cards Kit as it has illustrated cards to teach kids how to perform each pose.

9 Brain Breaks for Kids in Elementary School

If you're looking for brain breaks for kids in elementary school, there are tons of fun ideas you can try! Children in this age group have the capacity to focus for longer periods of time, and a 3-5 minute break can make a huge difference not only in their ability to see a lesson through to completion without getting frustrated, but also to retain the material they are learning. When transitioning from one lesson to the next, it can be really helpful to engage your class in longer, more involving brain breaks for kids to help them switch gears.

1) Planks
While boring as a stand alone activity, get the whole class involved to see who can hold a plank the longest. You can do this periodically throughout the day and hold a running weekly tab to make this more interesting and motivating!

2) Wall squats
Have each student stand with their backs against the wall with their feet a foot or so in front of them, and have them slowly slide down the wall so they're 'sitting' without a chair beneath their bums. See who can hold the position the longest!

3) Leg lifts
Have each child stand sideways behind a chair and, using the chair for support, have them lift their legs up with their knees at a 90-degree angle. Try varying the length of time it takes your students to raise and lower their legs (5 counts up, 5 counts down), and then see if they can balance for a count of 10 without holding onto the chair.

4) Animal walks
Animal walks are another one of my favorite brain breaks for kids as you can make it as serious or silly as you want. Write a bunch of different animals on different pieces of paper, throw them into a hat, have each student choose one, and then have him or her walk across the classroom while pretending to walk like the chosen animal and see how long it takes the rest of the students to figure out what the animal is. If you're looking for quick brain break for kids, have one student pick an animal per break and organize it such that every student gets a turn over the course of a few days.

6) 5-4-3-2-1
Choose 5 actions (sit-ups, push-ups, jumping jacks, etc.), write them on the board in the order you'd like them completed (5 sit-ups, 4 push-ups, 3 jumping jacks, etc.), and have your class get out of their seats and get moving!

7) Four Corners
If you're looking for longer, more involved brain breaks for kids to help them transition from one lesson to the next, the next 3 ideas are great options. To play Four Corners, number each corner of the classroom with a 1, 2, 3, or 4 and choose a student to be 'IT'. This person must stand in the middle of the room, close their eyes, and count to 10 while everyone else in the room chooses one corner of the room to run to. The person who is 'IT' calls out a number (1, 2, 3, or 4) and everyone who is in that numbered corner is out. The game continues until only one person is left, and then that person becomes 'IT' for the next round (or the next brain break).

8) Heads Up, 7-Up.
Choose 7 students to come to the front of the room, and have the rest of the students sit at their desks with their heads down and one thumb raised in the air. Next, ask each of the 7 students to tap one student on the back (or thumb) before returning to the front of the room and then say, 'HEADS UP, 7-UP!'. Each student who was tapped must stand up and has one chance to guess who tapped them. If they guess correctly, they swap places. If they don't, they sit down.

9) Spontaneous recess!
Sometimes one of the best brain breaks for kids is to get outside. If your classroom is extra rowdy, surprise them with an extra recess, walk around the neighborhood, or other outdoor activity to get them away from their desks.

9 Brain Breaks for Kids in Middle School

Finding brain breaks for kids in middle school can be a bit challenging. Middle schoolers can focus for much longer periods of time, but they can still benefit from breaks to help avoid frustration and improve motivation and retention. Of course, kids in this age group are unlikely to be interested in engaging in egg races, animal walks, and a game of Simon Says (lol), but there are still tons of options to consider. Here are some of our favorites!

2) Plank and/or push-up challenge
Divide your class into groups of 4-5 students and see who can hold a plank the longest and/or who can do the most push-ups in a row.

3) Choreographed dances
Create a special class dance, or spend the time learning a fad dance like The Floss, and make it a rule that each time you play a certain song from your smartphone, your students are to get up from their desks and complete the dance until you turn the music off.

5) Fingertip hula hoop
Before you put your hula hoops away, here's another brain break to try. Split your class into teams of about 6-8 students, have them stand together in a circle with their arms raised above their heads, and then place a hula hoop on their finger tips. Using nothing but their fingertips, each team must work together to lower the hula hoop to the ground without dropping it.

6) Human knot
If you're looking for brain breaks for kids in middle school that don't require any setup time or props, this is a great one to consider. Divide your class into groups of about 5-6 students, have each team stand in a circle, and ask everyone to raise their right arm before reaching forward to grab hands with someone opposite from them. Next, ask everyone to raise their left arms and do the same thing. Be sure no one is holding hands with someone standing directly next to him or her. The object of this activity is for the group to find a way to detangle themselves without letting go of anyone's hands.

8) Would you rather?
Present your class with a series of 'would you rather' questions, and indicate which side of the room they are to run to as an indication of their response. You can make this serious (would you rather it be summer or winter?) or as silly (would you rather eat a cockroach or drink sour milk?) as you want!

9) Birthday line up
My final idea for those who are specifically looking for brain breaks for kids in middle school is a class activity called 'birthday line up'. The idea behind this activity is to get your students to line up in order of their birthdate from January to December. To make this extra difficult, and to promote additional teamwork, tell them they cannot, under any circumstances, talk during the activity! Consider setting a timer, and then working together as a class to make corrections before challenging your students to do this a second (and third) time!

I hope this collection of brain breaks for kids inspires you to find new and engaging ways to improve attention, focus, retention, and self-regulation in your classroom!
This post contains affiliate links. If you liked this collection of brain breaks for kids, please share this post on Pinterest! And if you're looking for more ways to have fun with kids in the classroom and at home, please follow our Kids board where we share all kinds of great ideas we find each day!

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Focus and Control: 25 Energizing Brain Breaks for Kids

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Engaging your students in regular breaks throughout the day has been shown to improve attention, focus, retention, self-regulation, and so much more. We're excited to share our favorite quick and easy energizing brain breaks for kids to help children of all ages shed excess energy to reduce feelings of stress and frustration while also boosting morale and motivation in the classroom.

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KIDZ BOP Kids - Best Day Of My Life (Dance Along)

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Happy Classical Music - Uplifting, Inspiring & Motivational Classical Music

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Music and Podcasts, Free and On-Demand | Pandora

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Play the songs, albums, playlists and podcasts you love on the all-new Pandora. Sign up for a subscription plan to stream ad-free and on-demand. Listen on your mobile phone, desktop, TV, smart speakers or in the car.