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Category

Writing

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!

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

 

 

Today’s BrainWOD: “Cliche Killer”

By | Language, Reading, wod, Writing | No Comments

IgniteInsideCoach

-WARMUP-

PreActivity: Explain ‘cliche’ and complete these cliches as fast as possible:

rear its ugly _____
I have a sneaking ______
the bottom ________
in one fell _____
last but not _____
life takes its _____
few and far _______
crystal _____, clear as a ____
for all intents and ________
take the bull by _____ ________
the thrill of ______, the agony of ________
swept it ______ _____ _______
packed in as tight as _________
that captain runs a tight ______
believe it or ____
breathe a sigh of ______
better late ____ _____
like a bolt from the ______
that was the ____ that broke the ______ ‘s ____
perish the _______
as alike as two ______ in a ______
beyond the shadow of a __________
leave no stone __________
Don’t have a _______, ______!

-WORKOUT-

Activity: Take the cliches below and create a new original phrase to express the same idea:

rear its ugly head, sadder but wiser,  I have a sneaking suspicion, the bottom line, in one fell swoop,

last but not least, life takes its toll, few and far between, crystal clear, clear as a bell, for all intents and purposes, take the bull by the horns, the thrill of victory, the agony of defeat, he swept the problem under the rug, packed in as tight as sardines, that captain runs a tight ship, you mad, bro?, believe it or not, breathe a sigh of relief, better late than never, like a bolt from the blue, that was the last straw, that was the straw that broke the camel’s back, I’m fed up with you!, perish the thought!, as alike as two peas in a pod, beyond the shadow of a doubt, leave no stone unturned, Don’t have a cow, man! actions speak louder than words

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. 

Today’s Workout: “Cursive Shuttles”

By | Creative Writing, wod, Writing | No Comments

Franfest2013-1191_zps49bb9cec

Warmup: Somersaults, squats, T-planks

Focus Drill: single-eye tracing, dominant and nondominant hands

Write the full alphabet, using cursive script, in CAPITAL LETTERS.

Then, as many rounds as possible in 10:00:

Write, in cursive script, a sequence of randomly-generated letters:

Ages 4-6: 5 letters

Ages 7-10: 10 letters

Ages 11 and up: 15 letters

Sprint Shuttle: 30m, 20m, 10m

A random-letter generator is here.

Example: a five-year-old is given five random letters (visually or audibly.) After they link them in cursive script, they race through the 30m, 20m and 10m shuttle run, and then get five more letters. They continue until the clock runs out, and receive one point for every full round complete.

Read: Daniel Rodriguez’ Big Win, from CrossFit Journal.

 

Today’s BrainWOD: “Swadesh”

By | Enrichment for Adults, Ignite! At School, Language, Reading, wod, Writing | No Comments

CatalystGames2013-7667_zpsbe6402e2The Swadesh List is a comparison of 270 words that are the most used in each language.

Many teachers are aware of the overlap of Latin-root words (commonly called ‘Romantic’ languages.) Comparing modern-day iterations of these words still shows a common root.

Choose words for today’s lesson from the Swadesh List. Compare the words; find the roots that they have in common.

Ages 3-5: 3 nouns

Ages 6-8: 10 nounds

Ages 9-12: 10 nouns and verbs (mixed)

Ages 13-18: 20 nouns and verbs (mixed)

Build the words into a challenge and create an anchoring activity as part of the Ignite 7 Steps.

Ignite BrainWODs are comprised of 7 phases (the Ignite 7 Steps.) The above can be used on its own as a lesson in language encoding, or incorporated into the 7 Steps for optimal benefit.

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

The ConcussionPro tracking log is now available for purchase in our online store!

Daily Challenge: Handwriting

By | wod, Writing | No Comments

Warm up:

3 rounds

10m bear crawl

10 squats

10m duck walk

10 hollow rocks

10m army crawl

10 mountain climbers

Then, on a lined piece of paper, complete 1 line each of the following:

– waves

– loops

– upside down loops

– forward slashes

– backward slashes

– overstroke

– understroke

Focus:

Trace a figure 8 pattern 10 times per hand

WOD:

8-6-4-2
KB swings
2-4-6-8
Handstand push-ups or stinkbugs
8-6-4-2
Pull-ups

Then, write the numbers one to ten in word form in the best cursive writing you can. Immediately after, write the numbers ten to one in word form, backwards.

Post total time to comments.

 

Daily Challenge: Handwriting

By | wod, Writing | No Comments

For today’s WOD, all handwriting demo’s can be found in the attached file!

Warm up:

200m jog

3 rounds:

10m bear crawl

10m backwards bear crawl

1 line of 2 different handwriting warm ups

Change handwriting warm ups each round. Warmups include: undercurve, downcurve, overcurve, slants, overstroke, checkstroke.

Focus:

10 basic dot drills

5 one foot dot drills

5 other foot dot drills

WOD:

6 pull-ups
7 thrusters
8 box jumps
9 snatches
10 tuck jumps

Ascend in the chipper, then copy the lowercase alphabet and uppercase alphabet as quickly as possible before descend back through the chipper beginning with tuck jumps. Post total WOD time to comments.

Use this page as an example for warmups and workout activities: cursive fundamentals

Daily Challenge: Morning Pages

By | Creative Writing, Enrichment for Adults, Ignite! At School, Ignite! In The Workplace, Reading, wod, Writing | No Comments

3 Rounds

Run 400 M
15 Pull ups (Mix of Beginner, Jumping and Assisted Pull ups okay)
15 Push ups
15 sit ups
15 squats

Then, without break:

Write 3 “Morning Pages.” Front side only, but fill three pages. Anything goes. Handwritten is best for eye tracking, but an online tool called 750words.com is also useful:

Clearing the Palate
When taste-testers are moving from item to item, they typically carry a glass of water to remove the residues from the last item they tasted. They also typically wait several minutes in between morsels, so as not to allow one sample to taint the next. The ‘rinse and spit’ method has great psychological benefit to your brain.
By the time you reach your workplace in the morning, your brain is likely already crammed with to-do-lists, virtual sticky notes, emotional reactions to the goings-on in your house that morning, wishes, anxiety, foreboding, joy…and they all try to organize themselves on top of one another. They fight for top-of-mind supremacy. “Don’t forget me!” “I’m most important….”
This jumble creates a memory logjam, right when we should be most creative. In some cultures, awakening means a slow rampup to work; in others, like ours, it means a scramble to try and recall all the stressors present from the night before.
To rid oneself of these, free up the mind (especially the right hemisphere,) and decrease emotional attachment, some like to start the day with a prayer. Some sing. Some busy themselves with an enjoyable task (they stop to fish.) Some, like me, write.
I use a tool called 750words.com to track how much I’m writing every day. I shoot for 3 pages – about 750 words – in the time-honoured tradition of ‘morning pages.’ I just write the stuff that’s on the top of my head, and on any given day, it can be checklists, forget-me-nots, emotions I’m feeling, or even reactions to others (the letters I’d never send.) It’s a powerful tool, and it primes me for activity, much the way stretching can get you ready to face the physical challenges of the day ahead.
Content doesn’t matter. Sentence structure, spelling, grammar…these are all secondary, and some would argue that they get in the way of true recount, and that they should be avoided; that there should be no ‘backspace’ on 750words.com. I don’t agree, because I want to keep my thoughts organized and clean, but I understand their point.
The system rewards compliance: complete 750 words for three days running, and you’ll get a little green flag that says, “Congratulations!”….after that, you’ll get a different one (you’ll have to see for yourself.) Your challenge: write 750 words, per day, every day, for one month.

Working Memory and Language Daily Challenge May 13

By | Ignite! At Home, Ignite! At School, Memory, Reading, wod, Writing | No Comments

Run 200 M

15 Wall Ball, 12-14#
15 Burpees

Then: unscramble each word to make a sentence. Rewrite the sentence below, and then finish the workout for total time.

lBil
ates
zzpai
eehrt
estmi
ervye
ady

Run 200 M
15 Wall Ball, 12-14#
15 Burpees

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