Movement Break Timer Slides and Print Cards: 19 Classroom Resets, Middle School and High School

Short, quiet movement breaks your middle and high school students will actually do. Project a move, the countdown runs on its own, and the class is back to work in about a minute.

Why I made this: Most brain breaks are written for little kids or need a gym. Older students need to move too, but they will not do a dance video. These 19 resets fit beside a desk, most are silent, and every standing move has a seated option, so every student can take part.

What's included:

• A 26 slide PowerPoint deck (16:9, fully editable): title, how it works, reset rules, 19 move slides, a Pick 3 menu, a Back to work slide, and 2 blank slides for your own moves

• A countdown timer built into every move slide (15 seconds to 2 minutes). It starts when the slide appears and holds on DONE

• Speaker notes on every move with a quick teacher tip or safety check

• A seated option printed on every standing move, plus Seated or Standing and Silent or Low voice tags

• A Timers folder with the six countdowns on their own, so you can add them to your own slides

• A 9 page printable PDF: teacher guide, moves at a glance table, reset rules, 24 print cards (19 moves, Pick 3, Back to work, 3 blank), and a Pick a Reset choice board

How I use it: After about 20 minutes of seated work, before a test, or when the room feels flat, I put up one move and then the Back to work slide. When the projector is off, I hand a student a card from the ring on my desk.

Who it is for: Middle and high school teachers in special education, general education, and transition classrooms. Works for co taught rooms and resource rooms.

Using Google Slides: this is a PowerPoint file. Upload it to Google Drive and open it with Google Slides. The teacher guide explains how the countdowns work there.

This is a classroom set for the desk, not a gym circuit. If you want PE station cards, see Adapted PE Fitness Stations below.

Also from The Transition Cliff:

• Teen Calm Down Strategies + Coping Skills Cards | Calm Plan | SPED 6 to 12

• Visual Schedules for Middle & High School | Text Based Planner Style Templates

• Adapted PE Fitness Stations | Inclusive PE Station Cards, Levels A/B/C

• FREE Adapted PE Modifications Cheat Sheet + Station Cards

What you download: one zip with the PowerPoint deck (26 slides), the printable PDF (9 pages, US Letter), and a Timers folder (6 countdown GIFs).

Made by Jeremy D. Gooch, special education teacher and transition coordinator. Drafting and layout had AI assistance; every page was checked by me.