"Oxygen to the Brain" During State Assessments

Fifth graders at Charles O. Stones Intermediate Center enjoy classroom energizers nearly every day, even during state assessments. Their teacher, Ms. Brungardt, gets them outside and moving before they begin their testing at the computers. The small groups that are not taking tests play a game of "Oxygen to the Brain". Every student picks up a scarf and they form a circle. One person stands in the middle of the circle and makes up movements for all the others to copy as the teacher plays music. When the music stops, the person in the center picks the next leader and the music starts again. Ms. Brungardt reports that the students look forward to the activity breaks and are more focused and ready to learn following the increased minutes of motion in their day.

Kansas Kids C.A.N. School, Charles O. Stones Intermediate Center, Garden City, KS, Ashley Brungardt, 5th Grade Teacher