Energy Zapper

• Safety: Allow enough space to move freely and minimize collisions.
• Ensure equipment and materials are properly cleaned. 
• 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.
• Determine locomotor movements for game play.
• Be prepared to demonstrate fitBoost activity and fitFlow yoga.

Begin with a fitBoost.

Say: Show me the choice you would make to recharge your energy throughout the day.

1. Would you rather go outside and move your body in your favorite way or stop and cloud watch?

• Move your body in one place if you prefer to run.
• Look up at the ceiling with your hands behind your head if you prefer to cloud watch.

2. Would you rather dance or read a book?

• Show your dance moves if you prefer to dance.
• Show your favorite way to sit and read if you prefer to read a book.

3. Would you rather do some stretching or draw a picture?

• Touch your toes if you prefer to stretch.
• Pretend to draw if you prefer drawing a picture.

You know that sleep recharges your energy, but sometimes you need an energy boost throughout the day. The would-you-rather choices we just made are all great daytime recharge choices! Did you notice that some of the options were moving and others were doing something to relax?

When do you need a boost of energy during the day? (Encourage responses such as after lunch, after school, etc.) When you make recharge choices throughout the day, you are giving your body energy to do a better job of thinking and learning.

The number one thing you need to know is you can recharge your energy throughout the day by doing a quiet activity...or by moving!

Today we are going to play a game called Energy Zappers so you can learn about things that zap your energy and choices you can make to recharge your energy throughout the day.

1. Choose 3 to 5 volunteers to be Energy Zappers (taggers). Energy Zappers move to the middle of the play area with a pool noodle (or soft object) for tagging. As you hand a noodle to the tagger, identify an “energy zapper.” Alternatively, kids can draw an Energy Zapper Card to identify taggers.
   
   Energy Zappers:

• Channel surfer
• Giant bowl of cheese puffs
• Video game
• Night owl that stays up late
• Couch potato
• Screen zombie

2. Energy Zappers are in middle of play area, holding a pool noodle. The other players begin at the start line and try to cross to other side without being tagged.
   
   
3. If tagged, the player's energy is zapped, and they must go to the recharge area and pick an alternate activity:

• Boost energy with physical activity. Choose to jump rope or dribble a basketball.
• Refresh energy with a relaxing activity. Choose to build a tower with blocks, stack cups, or pin clothespins around a bucket (or another fine-motor skill activity). 

4. To begin play, announce a teacher selected locomotor movement for players to do as they attempt to cross from one side of the activity area to the other without being tagged. Taggers also do the locomotor move.
   
   
5. When a player reaches the other side, they go down the sideline and return to start. They may go as fast or slow as they like down the "alley" as long as they keep moving forward. Players make a mental note of how many times they crossed the play area.
   
   
6. If tagged by an Energy Zapper, the player goes to Recharge Stations to make a fit choice, then returns to the starting point.
   
   
7. After 1 to 3 minutes of play, assign new taggers and locomotor movements. Challenge participants to beat their individual scores (successful number of times across the play area) each round.

1. Partner learners.
   
   
2. Select a fitFlow card and complete the poses.
   
   
3. While stretching, ask learners to give examples of choices they can make to recharge their energy throughout the day.
   
   
4. Assess understanding with the following questions:

Q: At night you sleep to recharge your energy, but what can you do to recharge throughout the day?
A: Acknowledge examples such as: relax by doing a puzzle (or quiet activity), relax while reading a book, exercise or play outside.

Q: Why do you need to recharge throughout the day?
A: To get enough energy for your body and brain.

Q: Explain why it is important to recharge throughout the day.
A: Recharging throughout the day gives you the best kind of energy to go, grow, and know!

Q: When and how will you recharge throughout the day?
A: Acknowledge examples of quiet activities or physical activities learners can do for a short time throughout the day.

5. Use the Assessment Rubric (see Teacher's Guide) as a checklist to assess understanding, skill development, and personal responsibility.

What will be your next recharge choice?