Brain Breaks: 17MAR25 - 21MAR25

Author

Noah McMillan
March 16, 2025

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Brain Breaks -  Monday

Stand up if ...

  • You can draw a circle that is really round

  • You like to keep your look fresh (e.g., you change your clothes often)

  • You love learning

Would you rather …

  • Sparkling water or still water

  • Increased gravity (1.2x Earth’s gravity) or decreased gravity (0.8x Earth’s gravity)

Game: Letters Game

We’re going to play a game called Letters Game. Here’s how it works: A random selection of nine letters will be given. Your goal is to form as many words as possible using only these letters. You can rearrange them in any order, but each letter can only be used as many times as it appears. Once time is up, compare words. The player with the longest valid word or the most words wins.

Brain Breaks - Tuesday

Stand up if ...

  • You would love to go on a grand adventure in your life (travelling)

  • You buy your lunch at least once a week

  • You have a watch that you wear often

Would you rather …

  • Start off really poor, but increase your wealth by 1 percent each year, or start off wealthy (top 1%) and decrease your wealth by 1 percent each year

  • Have 200 friends that would be happy to help you out (e.g., getting a job, helping you move, hanging out), or have two amazing friends that would do anything for you and that are totally on your wave length.

Game: How pencils are made

We’re going to watch a video about how pencils are made. Here’s how it works: Discuss with the person next to you how you think they are made (2 minus). 

Ok, let’s watch the video. Pay close attention to every step in the process. 

Brain Breaks - Wednesday

Stand up if ...

  • You would like to grow your own food in the future

  • You have ever had a watch tan or a sock tan

  • You are looking forward to being older (30+, 60+, 80+, 90+)

Would you rather …

  • Sleep really poorly during the night (max of 4 hours) or sleep really well but can only sleep during the day

  • Go to bed late and get up early, or go to bed early and get up early.

Game: Finger Challenge

We’re going to play a game called Finger Challenge. Here’s how it works: Put your hands together with your middle finger knuckles touching. Now, one by one, try to lift and separate each finger: first your thumbs, then your index fingers, then your pinkies, and finally your ring fingers. Some will be easier than others! Stay focused, control your movements, and see if you can do them all.

Brain Breaks - Thursday

Stand up if ...

  • You enjoy looking through photo albums

  • You have had a photo taken in a photo booth

  • You have seen a kangaroo or snake in the wild.

Would you rather …

  • Go skiing over snowboarding

  • Work by yourself or in a team

Thought Experiment: The Swampman Paradox

We’re going to do a thought experiment called The Swampman Paradox. Here’s how it works: Suppose a man is out for a walk when a bolt of lightning disintegrates him. At the same time, another bolt of lightning strikes a marsh, causing a bunch of molecules to spontaneously rearrange into the exact same pattern that made up the man just moments before. This “Swampman” has the same brain, memories, and behaviours. It goes about its day, works, interacts with the man’s friends, and is otherwise indistinguishable from him.

Stand up if you believe the Swampman is the same person as the disintegrated man. 

Brain Breaks - Friday

Stand up if ...

  • If you have been to a wedding

  • You care about something important

  • You know someone who has been to war

Would you rather …

  • Have direct access to the internet through your brain or be able to see five minutes into the future

  • Be able to rock climb really well or swim really well

Thought Experiment: The Drowning Child Dilemma

We’re going to do a thought experiment called The Drowning Child Dilemma. Here’s how it works: Imagine you are walking down the street and notice a child drowning in a lake. You can swim and are close enough to save her if you act immediately. However, doing so will ruin your expensive shoes. Stand up if you believe you have an obligation to save the child.

Now, consider this: If you believe saving a child in immediate danger is an obligation, is there a fundamental difference between saving a child in front of you and one on the other side of the world? Stand up if you don’t think there is a difference.