Boost Your Brain Power

• Safety: Allow enough space to move freely and minimize collisions. Determine boundaries that are a safe distance from obstacles and walls.
• Determine how you will group learners, using best practice guidelines from the Teacher's Guide.
• Be prepared to demonstrate fitBoost brain break activity and fitFlow yoga.

Begin with a fitBoost.

Say: Let’s do some animal movements!

1. Move like a cat. Crawl slowly on your hands and knees; pause to arch your back. Be sure you do not cross into another’s personal space. (Allow learners to move for 30–45 seconds.) Now stop and put your hand on your heart. What do you feel? (Normal heartbeat indicating low exercise level.)
   
   
2. Now, move like a rabbit. Hop to the opposite side of our area. (Allow 30–45 seconds for movement.) Feel your heart again. Does it feel different? (Heart is beating stronger, indicating a moderate exercise level.)

Animals and people move in many different ways and at many different speeds. When you move slowly, like a cat, your heart rate may not be as fast as after running, but you are improving your flexibility and balance.

When you move at a medium (moderate) level, like a rabbit hopping, you strengthen your muscles, including your heart muscle! When you move fast (at a vigorous level), like a gazelle running, you heart beats faster making your body stronger and healthier!

The number one thing you need to know is that your body benefits from all kinds of movement. Move many times and many ways each day!

Today we are going to pretend to visit different animal habitats and explore slow, medium, and fast (low, moderate, and vigorous) animal movements.

1. Say: The first habitat is the ocean. Do each movement for 30–45 seconds, then place a hand on your heart to feel the different heart rates:

• Swim like a fish exploring an underwater cave. (Low movement; flutter arms and walk around slowly.) Now, feel your heartbeat.
• Walk like a crab on the sand. (Moderate movement; crab-walk around the gym.) Now, feel your heartbeat.
• Move like a dolphin swimming next to a boat. (Vigorous movement; walk faster, move arms as if swimming and occasionally jump up.) Now, feel your heartbeat.
• Swim like a fish again. (Flutter arms and walk around slowly.) Now, feel your heartbeat.

2. Move to the next habitat. Learners walk around the perimeter of your area as a transition and to indicate that they are traveling to a different habitat.
   
   
3. Say: The next habitat is the African savanna! We will do each movement for 30–45 seconds, then you will place a hand on your heart to feel the different heart rates:

• Walk like a hedgehog. (Crawl slowly, moving hips right to left.) Now, feel your heartbeat.
• Gallop like a zebra. (Gallop around perimeter of activity area.) Now, feel your heartbeat.
• Run like a cheetah. (Run around perimeter of activity area.) Now, feel your heartbeat.
• Walk like a hedgehog again. (Crawl slowly, moving hips right to left.) Now, feel your heartbeat.

4. Move to the next habitat. Learners walk around the perimeter of your area as a transition and to indicate that they are traveling to a different habitat.
   
   
5. Say: The last habitat we will visit is (name your community)! Yes, we are animals, and our community is our habitat. But, unlike most other animals, we can make choices on how we move during the day. Do each movement for 30–45 seconds, then place a hand on your heart to feel the different heart rates:

• Low-intensity choices: (1) Stretch, (2) pretend you are making your bed and cleaning your room, or (3) pretend you are walking to a friend’s house. (Demonstrate movements. Stress that they are low-intensity physical activities.)
• Moderate-intensity choices: (1) Dance, (2) pretend that you are dribbling a ball, or (3) pretend you are shoveling snow. (Demonstrate movements. Stress that they are moderate-intensity physical activities.)
• Vigorous-intensity choices: (1) Jog around the perimeter of the gym, (2) pretend to jump rope, or (3) dance like crazy! (Demonstrate movements. Stress that they are vigorous-intensity physical activities.)

1. Partner learners. 
   
   
2. Select a fitFlow card and complete poses.
   
   
3. Discuss play during the game. Highlight the variety of locomotor movements and the low, moderate, and vigorous activity levels performed during game play. Are learners aware of how many ways they moved?
   
   
4. Assess understanding with the following questions:
   
   Q: What was our lesson about today?
   A: Animals in different habitats move differently. Reinforce comments relating to slow, medium, and fast (low, moderate, and vigorous) movements.
     
   Q: Name some movement choices you can make. 
   A: Acknowledge responses that include game play and fun activities as well as exercise. Encourage kids to talk about slow, medium, and fast (low, moderate, and vigorous) physical activities.
   
   Q: How would you explain slow, medium, and fast (low, moderate, and vigorous) move choices to a family member?
   A: When you move at a low rate, it can be hard to feel your heart beat, medium movements get your heart beating faster, and when you are moving fast, your heart is beating fast.
   
   Q: What fit move choices will you make today?
   A:  Acknowledge responses that include a variety of slow, medium, and fast (low, moderate, and vigorous) movements.
   
   
5. Use the Assessment Rubric (see Teacher's Guide) as a checklist to assess understanding, skill development, and personal responsibility.

Challenge yourself to boost your brain power with medium to fast (moderate to vigorous) movements throughout the day.