Energizers & Activities

Articles

Energizers are quick, whole-group activities that get students moving, breathing deeply, laughing, thinking, and working together. Energizers give students mental and physical breaks from rigorous academics, provide a fun way to transition between activities, help students refocus their attention, and create opportunities for students to connect with their teacher and each other. In middle school, energizers are referred to as brain breaks.

For energizer and brain break ideas, check out Energizers! 88 Quick Movement Activities That Refresh and Refocus and Refocus and Recharge! 50 Brain Breaks for Middle Schoolers.

You can find our latest articles on energizers and brain breaks below.

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Classroom Management & Discipline Discipline

How Logical Consequences Are Different From Punishment

A student doodles during class instead of completing their assignment. Classmates shove each other as they get in line for recess. Between periods, a group of students runs down the ...

Classroom Management & Discipline Middle School

Setting SMART Goals

At the beginning of a school year, educators can get students excited about the learning ahead by helping them figure out what they want to achieve during the school year, ...

Classroom Management & Discipline Discipline Rule Creation

Revisiting Classroom Rules

How often do you revisit classroom rules? Most teachers establish rules at the beginning of the year, and many devote time to modeling and practicing rules with students in the first weeks of school. After that, however, the amount of time spent thinking about what rules mean and how to live by them often drops off dramatically.