0
was successfully added to your cart.

Category

Games

Aug 09
0

Sensory Processing and Perception: Part 3

By | Blog, Enrichment, Enrichment for Adults, Games, Ignite! At Home, Ignite! At School, Ignite! In The Workplace, Math, Memory, Uncategorized, wod | No Comments

In Part 3 of this series we take a look at another important skill involving vision called Visual Spatial Processing.  The affect that this system has on learning is quite profound. Students who struggle with visual spatial processing may have:

  • difficulty making visual images to “see something in the mind’s eye” or “get the picture”
  • difficulty remembering and differentiating left and right
  • difficulty in combining disconnected, vague or partially hidden visual information patterns into a meaningful whole
  • difficulty manipulating simple visual patterns or maintaining their orientation to see things in space
  • difficulty mentally manipulating objects or visual patterns to see how they would appear if altered or rotated in space
  • difficulty finding a path through a spatial field or pattern
  • difficulty in estimating or comparing visual lengths and distances without measuring them
  • difficulty understanding mathematics concepts in geometry, calculus and other higher math
  • difficulty in remembering letter formations and letter patterns
  • difficulty in reading charts, maps and blueprints and extracting the needed information
  • difficulty arranging materials in space, such as in their desks or lockers or rooms at home
  • difficulty catching all visual details
  • difficulty copying information from far point, like the blackboard or from near point, like texts

Source

Enhancing these skills vs. reducing their use

When designing instructional strategies around visual spatial processing, a common approach is to reduce the use of visual spatial processing opting for more language based processing so that the student can keep up with the flow of the lesson.

Rather, create opportunities for students to strengthen their visual spatial skills because they much more capable of solving problems in the future having worked on this skill.

Physical challenges that focus on body awareness is a fun and easy place to start building this skill as well as sharpen executive functions like planning, organization and evaluating.

Here’s one example of a “comparing” workout:

10 meter Bear crawl forward

5 narrow stance squats

5 wide stance squats

5 toes out squats

5 natural stance squats

10 meter Bear crawl backward

3 rounds for time followed by reflection questions like “Which type of squat did you feel the most stable?  Which bear crawl was faster?”

Take this activity one step further and develop a challenge with a specific goal.  This will get the individual to Visualize, Plan, Verbalize, Execute then Reflect how they will complete the task.

Example of a “goal setting” workout:

Get over the box then, broad jump to the wall 5 Rounds.

Rule: You must get over the box a different way each round (record how) and estimate the number of jumps it will take you to get to the other side before you begin each round.  

It’s important for each individual to have a written copy of their plan for reflection and tracking.  Individuals who have difficulty writing should doodle or make some kind of shorthand visual representation of their box jump tactics followed by their broad jump estimations. For example, a student may use their left foot first so they would write the letter L and draw a foot.

Again, this is a way to DEVELOP the visual spatial skills not reduce the use.

Try out some other Visual Spatial Activities here.

 

 

Jul 29
0

Sensory Processing and Perception

By | Blog, Enrichment, Enrichment for Adults, Games, Ignite! At Home, Ignite! At School, Ignite! In The Workplace, Interventions, Spatial Awareness | No Comments

The five senses – vision, smell, hearing, touch and taste – are the messengers for everything that happens around us. Out of the five, the most valuable to the brain is the visual system.  The visual system occupies over 30% of the brains mass and is the only sense that has an entire lobe dedicated to its functional processing called the occipital lobe.

Enhancing Sensory Processing and Perception

The brain is an amazing machine, capable of overcoming sensory deficiencies like hearing and sight. To enhance each sense, the brain needs to experience new tastes, smells, textures, sights and sounds in a variety of environments.  One can improve sensory memory by purposely limiting one sense (ie limiting sight with a blindfold) and guessing what is making a certain sound, or what object might have that texture.

Sounds

Try this puzzle from The Playful Brain by Richard Restak and Scott Kim to challenge your ability to imagine sounds created by everyday objects.

SOUND EFFECT                                                                                              SOUND SOURCE

___1. Block of ice sliding on the floor                                                                  a. Balloon

___2. Bone Crushing                                                                                           b. Pen caps floating in glass

___3. Body stabbing                                                                                            c. Luggage cart

___4. Horse’s hooves                                                                                          d. Creaky floor

___5. Brain surgery                                                                                             e. Knife in a watermelon

___6. Dog collar                                                                                                  f. Bowling ball on floor

___7. Clothes rubbing against oneself                                                                g. Newspaper being crunched up

___8. Bicycle                                                                                                       h. Squeaky chair

___9. Rubber gloves                                                                                           i. Wet chamois cloth

___10. Car suspension                                                                                        j. Celery

___11. Boat                                                                                                         k. Set of keys

___12. Fire                                                                                                          l. Leather purse

___13. Ice cubes                                                                                                m. Pillowcase

___14. Car seat                                                                                                   n. Coconut shells

___15. Walking on leaves                                                                                    o. Walking on grass mat

___16. Walking on snow                                                                                      p. Walking on cornstarch

___17. Walking on grass                                                                                     q. Walking on quarter-inch recording tape

 

Answers to be posted in Sensory Processing and Perception: Part 2

 

 

Jul 19
0

Memory

By | Blog, Enrichment, Enrichment for Adults, Games, Ignite! At Home, Ignite! At School, Ignite! In The Workplace, Interventions, Memory, Weekly Challenges, wod | No Comments

This is one of the most complex processes in the brain because it involves many different parts of the brain.  We can break memory down into three responsibilities; 1. Absorption of information 2. Storage of information and 3. Retrieval of information.

Absorbing and then storing information is called “encoding” which calls upon the brain’s pattern recognition system to identify the stimulus then classify it.  The third responsibility, retrieval, operates on three different time lines; immediate recall (a few seconds), delayed recall, (minutes or hours) and finally remote memory (years).

Enhancing Memory

Play around with different memory techniques such as Story retell, Person Action Object and Memory Palace, using a variety of stimuli (words, numbers, pictures, names and faces or a deck of cards).  Practice memory retrieval without cues to strengthen memory.  For example a common studying strategy is to read a page of notes over and over until it feels familiar.  This gives the brain a false sense of owning the knowledge because the brain has learned to predict what comes next while reading.  So when called upon to produce the information on that page of notes without a visual cue, the brain is lost (for most individuals).  Retrieving information that hasn’t been stored through ‘free recall’ practice is like trying to find your keys when someone else has put them away.

Memorizing digits of Pi

3.14159265358979323846264338327950288419716939937510582

Numbers themselves carry little meaning however meaning can be given to numbers so that they are easier to understand.

Try chunking this long string of numbers into meaningful images.  For example the first 5 digits can be looked at as a pattern 31415, so give that pattern a name.  Try using dates (ie 92 was the year you got married) or an athlete’s numbers (ie. 35 is Justin Verlander). Think of hotel room numbers you have stayed in, the price of a significant purchase, an address, or a phone number. The more detailed the abstract, the more emotions attached to it, the easier it will be to retrieve.  Once you have broken down 54 digits of Pi into 10,15 or 20 meaningful images, the next step is to practice associating your meaningful images to their corresponding digits.  Caution, the more items you have the more demanding it will be to keep them all in order!

Your task is to be able to recall all 54 digits after a 2 minute delay.  Keep a log of your encoding sessions (record which numbers, on what day and how long you spent turning chunks into meaning) and your retrieval sessions (record the number of attempts and the number of digits you were able to successfully recall after a 2 minute delay).

Here’s an example of a training log for this activity:

Day 1 Sequence – 314159265

Encoding time: 8 minutes

Retrieval after 2 minute delay: 9 digits after 4 attempts

 

Day 2 Sequence – 314159265  358979323

Encoding time: 7 minutes

Retrieval after 2 minute delay: 18 digits after 6 attempts.

 

Complete an intense combination of exercises during the 2 minute delay for even more brain benefits!

Post results to comments

Jul 16
0

Language

By | Blog, Creative Writing, Enrichment, Enrichment for Adults, Games, Ignite! At Home, Ignite! At School, Ignite! In The Workplace, Language, Memory, Public Speaking, Reading, Weekly Challenges, Writing | No Comments

The brain uses two separate processes to piece together language; Encoding and Retrieval.  Encoding starts with letter recognition such as shape and sound which is then used to develop word recognition and ultimately ending in meaning and understanding.  This can also include encoding verbal, non-verbal and body language from others.  Retrieval on the other hand, also termed ‘Expressive language’, is the brain’s ability to express thoughts into words, name things, and execute word finding.

Enhancing Language

Increasing the time spent with words and exposure to a variety of words develops associations and connections within the brain. Individual attention with each process is needed in order to improve one’s language skills.

To improve encoding one should read, learn new words, learn a new language, use mind maps to attach details to a main idea, and play word search puzzles to mention a few.

To improve retrieval skills one should retell a story, name pictures, play crossword puzzles, play categories or any other activity that requires the individual to retrieve previously stored information using associations or free recall.  An example of retrieval using associations would be asking an individual to name or classify a picture seen on a flash card.  For free recall, remove any visual, auditory or kinesthetic clue to help them retrieve the right information.  An example being the verbal fluency activity which asks the individual to name as many items from a particular category.

Try these language puzzles during your workout today.

1.) Encoding Word List

2.) Retrieval: Every minute on the minute, name as many items from each category as possible. 1 point per word, discount repeats and plurals.

1st minute: Farm Animals

2nd minute: Zoo Animals

3rd minute: School Supplies

4th minute: Gym Equipment

5th minute: Food

*Mix in a round of your favorite movement during one or more of the minutes for maximum brain benefits!

Apr 16
0

Today’s BrainWOD: “Blitz The King”

By | Enrichment, Exercise Demos, Games, Ignite! At Home, Ignite! At School, Ignite! In The Workplace, wod | No Comments

photo

Set up a standard chess board.

Allow five ‘blitz chess‘ moves against an opponent (or an app.)

After five moves, the student completes an obstacle course including a lateral movement, a core-to-extremity movement, and another movement to elevate the heart rate. For example:

30 skips / 20 sideways hops over cone / 10 med ball overhead swings

…return to the board and continue. If playing a partner, the first to finish the physical portion makes the next move.

 

Mar 20
0

Today’s BrainWOD: “Brain Gone Bad”

By | Blog, Enrichment, Games, Ignite! At Home, Ignite! At School, Ignite! In The Workplace, Language, Math, Memory, wod | No Comments

photo

Warmup: 20 reps for time of:

Burpee/Push-up/Jumping-Jack/Sit-up/Handstand

Then, “Brain Gone Bad”:

Spend exactly one minute at each station before moving to the next.

Rest exactly one minute between rounds.

Perform 3 rounds for maximum points.

Station 1: Memory Cards (one minute to memorize)

Station 2: Addition Worksheet

Station 3: Subtraction Worksheet

Station 4: Word Search Worksheet

Station 5: Memory Cards – one minute to recall cards (any order.)

Worksheets can be drawn from anywhere. This is one good resource.

 

Mar 13
0

Today’s BrainWOD: “Ninja Walk”

By | Enrichment, Games, Groups, Ignite! At Home, Ignite! At School, Ignite! In The Workplace, Language, Reading, wod, Writing | No Comments

ninjunior

Intention: Skip counting and addition

Warmup: Ladder pattern

5 right-side jumping jacks

5 left-side jumping jacks

alternating lateral jumping over hurdles

Pre-Activity: number placement with a cone and ladder

Focus Drill: Figure 8s, Ninja Walk (pictured)

Lesson: jump two numbers, walk back to front, count

Anchoring activity: Addition plus obstacle course

 

 

Dec 29
0

Today’s BrainWOD: “Tall Tales”

By | Enrichment, Enrichment for Adults, Games, Ignite! At Home, Ignite! At School, Public Speaking, wod | No Comments

Lesson: How To Tell Tall Tales

5 Things Every Presenter Needs To Know About People from Weinschenk on Vimeo.

Activity:

“Fisherman’s Friend”

In pairs, have one student sit on a mat; the other pushes her to one end of the room, then races back to the start and pulls her in with a tug-of-war rope.

When finished, the “fisherman” recounts a story of their largest catch to the rest of the group. It will be false, of course.

Ages 3-6: One push, one pull, <1 minute speech

Ages 7-10: 2-3 pushes/pulls, <2 minute speech

Ages 11-16: 3+ pushes/pulls, <3 minute speech

Adults: 1 push/pull, 1 minute speaking, 5 rounds.

IMG_5891

 

Dec 24
0

Today’s BrainWOD: “Make The Hundred”

By | Enrichment for Adults, Games, Ignite! At Home, Ignite! At School, Math, wod | No Comments

IMG_0826

Warmup: 4 X
10 Side to Side hop over small barrier =>10 Sprawls => 25 M Sprint => 25 M Back pedal

Recite 1-10 multiplication tables as far as possible without interruption

In any order, perform:

100 squats

100 situps

100 pushups

100 lunges

without rest, complete:

1 a. ____ + 83 = 100
1 b. 11 + ____ = 100
2 a. 1 + ____ = 100
2 b. ____ + 15 = 100
3 a. ____ + 40 = 100
3 b. ____ + 50 = 100
4 a. 71 + ____ = 100
4 b. ____ + 95 = 100
5 a. 54 + ____ = 100
5 b. ____ + 71 = 100
6 a. ____ + 52 = 100
6 b. 64 + ____ = 100
7 a. 75 + ____ = 100
7 b. 83 + ____ = 100
8 a. 32 + ____ = 100
8 b. ____ + 44 = 100
9 a. 62 + ____ = 100
9 b. ____ + 29 = 100
10 a. 12 + ____ = 100
10 b. ____ + 35 = 100
Scaling Options: Decrease the number of reps (“Make The Twenty” or “Make The Fifty”)
Change addition to multiplication

 

Dec 15
0

Today’s BrainWOD: “Rainbow Shuttle”

By | Competitions, Enrichment, Enrichment for Adults, Games, Ignite! At Home, Ignite! At School, Interventions, Memory, wod | No Comments

IMG_5899

Behind a visual barrier, arrange three cones of differing colors.

Set one cone of each color at 10m, 20m and 30m from the visual barrier.

Athlete races to the first set of cones, and guesses at the correct order to match the hidden pattern behind the visual barrier. Then they race back to the coach, who tells them how many they have correct.

The athlete races to the second set of cones and makes a more educated guess at the correct arrangement of cones. They sprint back to the coach and are told how many they have correct.

If necessary, they take their final chance on the third set of cones.

To make the challenge more difficult:

  • increase the distance between cones
  • increase the number of colors to four or five
  • remove previous attempts from eyesight (athlete has to recall previous attempts)

To make the challenge easier:

  • decrease the distance between cones
  • use only two colors with three cones (two red and one yellow, for example)

The purpose of this exercise is to plan for failure: few will make correct guesses on the first attempt. The key is for the athlete to learn that failure is expected and critical to eventual success as long as lessons are learned from each attempt.

Ignite BrainWODs are comprised of 7 phases (the Ignite 7 Steps.) Warmups, focus drills, pre-CrossFit Kids workouts and anchoring activities precede and follow this challenge for optimal benefit.

The Ignite 7 Steps are outlined in Enrichment Through Exercise, and taught in our NeuroMotive Coach Certifications.