Join the Corny Brain Break Crew | Nicole the Math Lady

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A little birdie told me that the Corny Brain Breaks are your favorite part of the site.  (Don’t worry, I’m not taking it personally.  I love them too!) I’m looking for EVEN MORE of them and so today I have everything you need to know about them including:

The Purpose of Corny Brain Breaks

I’ve told you before: I set out every day to bring joy to math. To take kids from a place of anxiety and dread about math to a place where they are relaxed and able to learn the skills they need to be successful at it.

I truly believe kids can consider math fun!

But with a rigorous curriculum like Saxon Math, where you want to make the most of all its benefits, it can be very easy to fall into the trap of feeling like it’s all work and no play. That’s where Corny Brain Breaks come in.

Also, did you know that taking breaks can vastly improve their learning? That’s why I never want to neglect them!

Why We Love Corny Brain Breaks

Humor just has a way of diffusing stress and making us able to handle difficult situations. When we can laugh about something, it becomes way less threatening to us. The Corny Brain Breaks are placed strategically AFTER I teach the day’s lesson when learning has taken place, and before they have to get back to the business of applying learning while doing practice problems. What better time to break up some stress?

Also, who doesn’t love to laugh? Corny Brain Breaks are simple humor that even the youngest kids can get while evoking reactions and smiles even from the oldest students. At its heart, they are just a simple way to get your mind off math and remind you that smiles are GOOD.

corny brain break

How to Make a GREAT Submission:

And that’s where I need your help. The more jokes, the more fun kids get to have between work sessions.

That’s why I want any and all of my Nicole the Math Lady students to be a part of the Corny Brain Break Crew! Read on for all my tips on how to make a great submission video and be part of this important part of the site.

Preparing to Record Your Video

  • Work with your student to print out a bunch of clean, age-appropriate jokes.
  • Find a sibling, friend, or group of friends to tell the jokes to. You can even host your own Corny Brain Break party. (Trust me, I did this myself and it was SOOOO much fun!)
  • Check your audio and video BEFORE you start recording! Make sure we can hear your student and the video is clear.

Recording Your Video

  • Have your students take turns reading the jokes on camera. 
  • Do not–I repeat–DO NOT tell your friend(s) the jokes ahead of time.  The best Corny Brain Breaks come from capturing a student’s natural reaction to a joke…whether the actual joke is funny or not!
  • No fake laughter!  Authenticity always works best. Even when (maybe especially when) they don’t think the joke is funny, the reaction can be priceless!

Submitting Your Video

  • Submit your video or meme (We will take those, too!) by 11:59 pm EST on May 17, 2024. Use the “Corny Brain Break Drive” Tab in your Parent Account to access the submission form.
  • The Corny Brain Break staff will review all submissions and pick the ones to be featured on the Nicole the Math Lady website.
  • You’ll be notified during the summer if your video or meme has been selected. New Corny Brain Breaks will be live on the site in August.

We can’t wait to see your submissions.  Happy Joking and as always, Happy Learning!

Nicole the Math Lady