Teacher Toolbox 🛠📚 by Madison Brusak

DannyGO Brainbreaks

mbrusak — 2025-02-20 17:46:55 UTC

This is a YouTube channel that you can use to get your kids moving! Videos are available in English and Spanish!

Go Word

2025-04-15 14:06:00 UTC

My students often want to head back to their tables as soon as I begin to give directions. To prevent this we use a "go word". Each week I choose a new "go word" that is fun to say and that we can learn what it means and try to use. This week it is fiddle dee dee. The week before spring break it was bumfuzzle. These are actual words. The class loves it and they stay focused for all of my directions. I just google fun words for first graders to say and choose a word.

📚 Academic Language & Vocabulary

mbrusak — 2025-04-16 14:14:11 UTC

🧑🏽‍🏫 Corrective Feedback & Language Support

mbrusak — 2025-04-16 14:14:20 UTC

🎨 Culture & Celebrations

mbrusak — 2025-04-16 14:14:26 UTC

🧠 Strategies for Language Acquisition

mbrusak — 2025-04-16 14:14:34 UTC

🎮 Games & Engagement Tools

mbrusak — 2025-04-16 14:14:42 UTC

Etc.

mbrusak — 2025-04-16 14:14:46 UTC

Reading

mbrusak — 2025-04-16 16:26:32 UTC

Math

mbrusak — 2025-04-16 16:26:39 UTC

Science

mbrusak — 2025-04-16 16:26:45 UTC

Social Studies

mbrusak — 2025-04-16 16:26:52 UTC

Bible

mbrusak — 2025-04-16 16:26:57 UTC

Writing

mbrusak — 2025-04-16 16:28:18 UTC

PurposeFULL People

mbrusak — 2025-04-16 16:28:39 UTC

Cosmic Kids Yoga (Esp e Inglés)

2025-04-18 15:20:59 UTC

Cosmic Kids Yoga is a great resource for movement breaks! I watch the video ahead of time and break it into pieces, giving kids the heads up that we'll be following the story throughout the week. This provides me with a movement break that they really look forward to as they want to track the story, too! I linked a playlist with a bunch of Spanish videos. But if you go to the Creator page, you'll see that there are TONS move resources in English, too!

"Do you need me to help, do you need to be heard, or do you need a hug?"

mbrusak — 2025-04-27 15:55:56 UTC

This year, one phrase that has been really helpful for students in the 3-5 range on the 5-point scale is, "Do you need me to help, do you need to be heard, or do you need a hug?" It has helped kids de-escalate much quicker to a 1-2.

Steph

Wax Museum

2025-05-20 19:38:02 UTC

Take on the role as "Wax Museum Curator" with this simple brain break movement activity/game. Have a book (with a few pictures) you just finished reading? Do a Wax Museum where you pick out pictures from the story for students to recreate as "wax figures". This is the perfect opportunity to review a story or theme. Call out group number, show picture for students to reenact, explain why the picture is significant. The pic I included above is a great example that I use for Cultura learning about the UK. So much to talk about with one family picture!

Gamified Version -
1. Hand out playing cards to the quietest or most accurate groups (card values to make the game less competitive! For me, 3 of hearts is worth 30, so someone could win with just one card.)
2. Give out bonus cards to students who can explain the importance of the picture or names of characters or places.
Zero Prep Version - Use doc cam
1. Call out group number for students to form (CELEBRATING THE GROUPS THAT ARE INCLUSIVE, even if it's not the exact number)
2. Show picture under doc cam for students to recreate with group.
3. Explain (or call on students to explain) the importance of the picture as it relates to the story or theme.

Tech Tools and Takeaways from MACUL 2025

mbrusak — 2025-08-15 15:24:57 UTC

2025-08-16 02:07:56 UTC

Class dojo is a great way for class communication. You can post videos/pics, send reminder and so much more!

mbrusak — 2025-08-20 16:00:40 UTC

mbrusak — 2025-08-20 16:01:08 UTC