There is a lot of learning to accomplish in second grade and sometimes we just need a bit of a break before tackling the next assignment. This is where “Brain Breaks” come in to play.  I have a little jar with some popsicle sticks in it that have brief activities on them to get us up and out of our seats for a moment.  When we’ve been working hard for a while and need a quick break I pull out a stick and read our chosen activity. Some brain break options are 20 jumping jacks, rock/paper/scissors with a neighbor, head/shoulders/knees & toes, and Open Mic (a few students can share a story/tell a joke).  At the end of the day on Tues. we tried out a Brain Break known as “Ants in your Pants” that has already become a favorite. Check it out!