ADVANCE NOTICEListen carefully to today’s information and notice the modeling done by the instructorAt the end of the session, you will be

given tokens to play bingo on your Brain Research Board. Participants must take

turns explaining the boxes during the game. “Must Have” door prizes will be

available for good participation

BRAIN RESEARCHBingo Card

Change the State Novelty Water

Peppermint Sleep Humor

Emotion Respect Left Brain/Right

To Be Left-Brained or Right-Brained?

That is the question

• Right Brain• Creative, visual,

verbal• Needing dance, art,

music, and creative projects to send info into long term memory

• Left Brain• Linear, Concrete, task-

oriented• Needs focused

instruction with governing rules and formulas

Which are you?

You’re both! We all are right and left brained at times. We cycle into one and out of another every 90 minutes.

This enforces the notion that you must you use both modes of

instruction at all times since you don’t know which kids are on which

side at any given moment

The Social Brain

• Physical movement of talking about what you just learned helps to internalize and solidify new learning in nerve networks

• After presenting new information, allow students to share verbally, with a partner, how the info relates to them personally

Did you know?

Lighting effects concentration – consider purchasing lamps with a

“nice light”

Plants and Ionization helpful also – consider purchases as good

investments

RESPECT – A “no-brainer”Stress has a negative effect on

learningStudents will be more receptive to your lessons when they know you

care about them as people

Kids are very perceptive to how you feel about them

EMOTION HELPS YOU

1. Name the 10 richest people in the world according to Forbes

2. Name 3 teachers who had a profound or positive effect on your life

3. #2 much easier – emotion is involved

4. Use of cartoon overheads such as Calvin and Hobbs turns the brain into more active gear

Humor

• Directly linked with Emotional Component

• When emotions are triggered such as a good laugh, the brain is more likely to remember the information taught

Sleep

• Your body cycles in and out of REM sleep every 90 minutes

• Take your wake-up time and go back by 90 minute increments to find the optimum bed time

• Plenty of sleep helps with memory retention of material learned that day

Peppermint

• Sense of smell has the closest link to the brain

• Scented oil in a diffuser, use of peppermint candy, essential peppermint oil by Aveda can be applied directly above upper lip

• Good practice to do all the time – during learning – as well as during testing

Brain is over 80% water; body is 70%

By the time you get thirsty, you’re already dehydrated. Adults need ½

gallon per day

Students bringing water bottles to class has been a successful practice at some

schools

You Change A Situation When You Change A State Of Mind

There are no unmotivated students, just students in

unmotivated states

M ovem en t, exerc ise , s tre tch in gU se o f m u s ic , food , a rom as

S u rp rise , N ove lty, S h ockR e-g rou p in g

W aterD eh yd ra tion = b ad n ew s fo r you r b ra in

W ate r m akes th in k in g c leare rC h an g e o f loca tion s

B ra in G ym E xerc ises"B ra in B u tton s "

C ross C raw lH ook -u p s

C h an g e o f S ta teA m eth od to m otiva te k id s an d d e-esca la te p rob lem s

Ton e o f vo ice , vo lu m e, an d p au sesN ew R o les an d R esp on s ib ilit ies

PROVERB

The longer the time spent in a chair, the greater the depth of student

despair

NOVELTY

• The brain tunes out the ordinary – driving to work/home is secondary over time

• Novel Approaches wake up the mind – Lessons done outside or in new places

– Teach in different areas of the room

– Use of music to evoke emotion – fast music for small group brainstorming/slow for individual work

– Use of color in overheads and worksheets

– Games, drama, or stories to music to increase retention

MetaphorsNew information tries to connect with prior knowledge. No link with prior knowledge = no information stored in long term memory

Offer a concrete reminder: a token or artifact for students to use to trigger a

memory of your lesson