26C. 6563.3, PE Central, Integrating Brain Breaks and Physical Activity in All Classrooms

Course Purpose

The purpose of this course is to introduce the importance of physical activity and demonstrate, through hands-on experiences and brain breaks (also known as brain boosts, brain blasts, brain energizers, etc.), how movement integration strategies can be implemented in a classroom setting. We focus on developing overall student success through implementing a myriad of brain break and movement strategies that will keep your students active and engaged, while learning their curricular outcomes.

Course Description

The push to integrate physical activity across all content areas and grade levels is a rapidly growing movement. Not only is it a brain-based teaching practice, but it has also proven to help students achieve success at higher academic levels, create higher levels of motivation, and encourage higher attendance rates. With a much more clear understanding of how the brain prefers to learn, rising levels of inactivity, and how physical activity enhances academic achievement, it is essential that all educators be able to implement movement strategies in any learning context. This course will help you understand the importance of physical activity in a general education setting and provide practical strategies that you can use to integrate physical activity, and specifically brain breaks, into any curriculum. Upon completion of this course you will develop your own brain breaks and use them effectively in your teaching. Our instructor will be available to help you throughout this course with any questions you may have.

Course Goals

By the end of this course, the student will be able to:

• identify the positive effects of physical activity, and specifically brain breaks,on students’ personal, social, and academic growth.
• analyze the process for implementing physical activity into the general classroom.
• create several brain breaks that can be used in your classroom setting.