Brain Breaks part 30: Giant, Fairy, Wizard!

This past weekend, I had the pleasure of presenting TWICE on Brain Breaks and their incredibly powerful ability to create community, boost engagement, and increase JOY! 

I was attending LFLTA in Natchitoches, Louisiana, and I presented a session with some of my favorite NEW Brain Breaks (most of which I haven’t had the chance to blog about yet), and I also presented to teachers in Spain who are part of  Hélène Colinet’s Mastermind . 

One of the Brain Breaks we used during the presentation (because let’s be real, sitting in an hour-long lecture is hard… we need Brain Breaks too!) was Giant, Fairy, Wizard! I adapted this to be a Brain Break from a theatre game I LOVED playing when I coached and directed at various schools. 

If you’re wondering if it is a novel twist on my beloved rock-paper-scissors, then you’re right!!! It is!! 

How to Play Giant, Fairy, Wizard!

  • Before you get students to stand, ask one student to come model at the front with you.
  • Model what giant looks like (hands over your head, make your body BIG, and your face menacing).

  • Next, Model what a fairy looks like (flap your arms or hands like they’re wings at your side).

  • Model what a wizard looks like (angle your body and cast a spell towards your opponent with an imaginary want).

  • Next, face the student you’re modeling it with and together, jump up and down saying “uno, dos, tres, ¡DALE!” (or whatever you usually say for rock paper scissors) then land in one of those three forms.
  • Follow this image for who beats who (Feel free to post this image in class when you introduce the Brain Break to students)

  • Fairy beats wizard (they’re so fast they dodge their spells)
  • Wizard beats giant (their strong curses are faster than the slow moving giants)
  • Giant beats fairy (they can stomp on them ???)

I whipped this one out last week as a refresher, and a few students looked a bit confused and lost, but within seconds they were caught up thanks to my Brain Break Ninja! 

What is a Brain Break Ninja?

If you want to learn about who my Brain Break ninja is and what they do in my class, listen to podcast #32 on Teaching La Vida Loca!

The Brain Break Ninja is just ONE of the 50 jobs John Sifert and I teach in our course we made on Classroom Jobs! In it, we teach you to harness the power of class jobs. We also teach you how to utilize them to create a positive and supportive learning environment while freeing up time for what matters most – building relationships and connecting with your students. 

Classroom Jobs Course

The course comes with step by step guides for implementing a system of class jobs. In addition, you also get resources for you and your students to support you along the way. To learn more just click here! We would LOVE to help you get your time back! 

Before I go, here’s a video of my Middle School students from last year playing giant, fairy, wizard! Enjoy!

Sending lots of love! Happy Teaching!

La Maestra Loca

(At home with my sicky boy today)