The Brain and Physical Activities

August 2014Amanda Morgan, MS, OTR/LDanielle Alden, MS, OTR/L

Good Morning!!Think about where your body is right now

Are you Low- tired, sleepy, sad, or bored?Are you Medium- focused and ready to learn?Are you High- too much coffee, leg shaking, overly

excited about the presentation today?

Write your name on a sticky notePut your sticky note on the alert meter.

Let us try out some strategies!!!

Theraband

Move n Sit

Mouth Tools

Why is Movement Important?

Blood pools in the seat and feet after about 20 minutes. Humans need to move at least 6 – 7 paces to re-circulate this blood and allow it to be pumped through the brain.

Current research is showing that today’s students are developing their fine motor skills and not developing their gross motor skills. Encourage teachers to incorporate gross motor movements into the learning.

Physical Activity

Take two minutes to start your class with some type of mild physical activity and build activities into your lesson, app. every 20 minutes

• Stretching• Brisk walk• Cross-lateral re-patterning movements

– Arm and leg movements that cross over from one side of the body to the other

Hook Ups

Stand or sitCross the right leg over the left at the anklesRight wrist cross it over the left wristLink up the fingers so the right wrist is on topBend elbows out and gently turn the fingers

toward the body Rest the hands on the sternum (breast bone) in

the center of the chestFew minutes

Hook Ups

Hook Ups

Purpose: to help with nervousness to calm the mind and improve concentration

Useful: before a test or special event (like speaking in front of class)

Cross Crawl

Instructions:Stand or sit

Right hand across the body to left knee as you raise it

Do the same with the left hand on the right knee (like you are marching)

About 2 minutes

Cross Crawl

Cross Crawl

Purpose: help coordinate right and left brain by exercising the information flow between the 2 hemispheres

Useful: spelling, writing, listening, reading, and comprehension

Stretching (aka: Yoga)

Create a chart with each student’s name and the different poses. Time how long they can maintain a position and let them see their progress.

Hands to Heart

Everyone position your hands for Hands to Heart

Take a deep breath in through your nose and exhale through your mouth

You can close your eyes to help relax your body.

Why Does It Work?

All of those activities are bilateral movements improving communication between hemispheres.

ResearchPhysical exercise and stimulation are just as critical as mental stimulation.

Given the trend of reduced recess time and physical education requirements, we should rethink how we spend class time and introduce research proven activities that expand brain function.

Reference:Fitzell, Susan, M.Ed. (2005). A Dozen Mind-Expanding Strategies to

Increase Brain Capacity!

Research

The number and intricacy of connections (synapses) in the human brain is greatly dependent upon the richness of the environment to which it adapts.

Physical movement has impact on creating and accessing memory.

Reference: Jones, Susan (1999). Grow A Brain.

Alert Program

Primary focus: help students learn to monitor, maintain, and change their level of alertness needed for specific situations or task.

"Self-regulation is the ability to attain, change, or maintain an appropriate level of alertness for a task or situation" (Williams & Shellenberger, 1996).

Alert Level

Stage 1: Identifying levels of Alertness

Stage 2: Finding Strategies, which change your level of alertness

Stage 3: Self Regulation

When would you use it?

Part of your natural dayTransitionsBefore needed concentrations.

Functional Heavy Work ActivitiesChairs up and downSanitizing tables

Do you feel the strategies change your alert level or help you to

focus?

$60 a box for $25 yards Look for Latex Free

$25 small (10 inches)-$30 large (13 ½ inches)

The EnvironmentDoes it feel like Crackle Barrel?

The Environmentor Does it feel like a Spa?

Classroom Light Filters

Fluorescent Light Covers

• Diffuse the harsh glare of fluorescent lights while reducing flickering and eyestrain.

https://www.therapyshoppe.com/category/P2284-classroom-light-filters-covers-light-sensitivity

(4-piece sets (Tranquil Blue or Whisper White)$33.99

-Use Low Lights (Lamp)

Plants

• Plants increase O2 levels by 10 %. – Typical classroom needs 4 – 8 plants. – Good plants are areca palms, lady palms, bamboo

palms, rubber plants, gerbera daisies, yellow chrysanthemums, ficus benjamina, philodendrons, dracena deremensis, and peace lilies.

Heavy lifting and class chores- water the plants and flowers.

Noise LevelRugs- defuse the noise and provides a visual cue.

Tennis Balls on the feet of the chairs

~contact high school tennis coaches for the old tennis balls

Any Questions??

ReferencesBrain Gym International retrieved on November 1, 2010 from

www.braingym.org

Fitzell, Susan, M.Ed. (2005). A Dozen Mind-Expanding Strategies to Increase Brain Capacity!

Hannaford, Carla (1995). Smart Moves: Why Learning Is Not All In Your Head

Jones, Susan (1999). Grow A Brain.

The Alert Program retrieved on November 1, 2010 from www.alertprogram.com