Stand Up If...: A True-Statement Warm-Up

The teacher reads statements about likes and habits; anyone they apply to does the given movement next to their chair. It warms up the body step by step and helps the group get to know each other without singling anyone out.

How to play

1. Standing by your chair, mobilize neck, shoulders, wrists and ankles (2 min).
2. Easy statements: "if you ate breakfast today, 5 calf raises; if you have a pet, 3 hip circles each way" (2 min).
3. Harder statements: "if you like music, 10 high knees in place; if you walked to school, 6 squats" (2 min).
4. Four students take turns making up a statement and its movement for the class (2 min).
5. Quick final round: if it's true, jump; if not, hold a squat for 5 seconds (2 min).

Rules

• Stay in your own space, out of the aisle and away from the next desk.
• Statements can't be about bodies, weight, money or family.
• No one has to explain why they moved or didn't.
• Land softly with bent knees.

Variations

Adaptations

• Wheelchair users: do the arm and trunk version of each movement.
• Deaf or hard-of-hearing students: statements are projected or written on the board with a picture of the movement.
• Shy students: they can hand in their statement on paper and the teacher reads it.

Learning goals

• Warm up progressively in a small space.
• Listen and respond to quick cues.
• Get to know the group while respecting everyone's privacy.

Teacher tip

Have the statements ready on a list and check any student-made ones before they're read aloud. If space is tight, get backpacks off the floor first.

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