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Brain Builder Activity
Shape Moves
Skills for Learning are an important feature of the new Second Step program. Skills for Learning
include focusing attention, listening, using self-talk, and being assertive, and are first introduced
and later practiced using Brain Builder games. Students play these short games as a warm-up at the
beginning of every lesson in Kindergarten through Grade 3 of the program. Brain Builders challenge
students’ executive-function skills, including attention, working memory, and inhibitory control.
These skills contribute to students’ ability to self-regulate, an overall goal of the program.
Brain Builders help develop students’:
• Attention by requiring students to focus on the game leader, the game rules, and their own
performance during the game
• Working memory by requiring students to remember and apply increasingly complex game rules
• Inhibitory control by requiring students to stop or start actions to comply with game rules
The following Brain Builder is from Second Step Grade 1, Lesson 19: Fair Ways to Play. You can
simplify the game or increase the challenge to use at other grade levels.
© 2011 Committee for Children
www.cfchildren.org
Shape Moves, Version 1
Preparation
Create nine shape cards using white construction paper and three different-colored markers. Make
three cards with a large colored-in circle, one in each color; make three cards with a large colored-in
square, one in each color; and make three cards with a large colored-in triangle, one in each color.
Have the cards ready in a folder. Have students stand, leaving enough room to move. Show students
each shape and demonstrate the movement that goes with it.
Rules
• Rule 1 is, if you see a circle, form your arms into a circle in
front of you with your fingers touching.
• Rule 2 is, if you see a triangle, form your arms into a triangle
over your head with your fingers touching.
• Rule 3 is, if you see a square, stand up tall with your arms
straight at your sides.
Steps
1. Show students a shape card without speaking. Students stand still and watch.
2. Students make the shape assigned to the card.
Tip
Mix the cards so the shapes don’t follow the same order, but leave the cards in color families. Play
for a couple of minutes, then mix up the colors and shapes.
Increasing the Challenge
Attention (A), Working Memory (WM), Inhibitory Control (IC)
• Show cards more quickly. (A, WM, IC)
• Add another color. (A, IC)
• Add another symbol and movement. (A, WM, IC)
You can simplify the game or increase the challenge to use at other grade levels.
© 2011 Committee for Children