Structure of the Brain

We are all born with a brain, but the mind is developed.

Brain Class Mantra• There is no without .

• Students make meaning by connecting to existing .

• Neurons that together, together.

Practice makes permanent!

learning memory

knowledge

fire wire

Schools shouldn’t be a place where young people come to

watch old people work!

The brain is a wonderful organ…it starts working the moment you get up and doesn’t stop until you get to the office. –

Robert Frost

Structure of the BrainExterior

• Frontal Lobes-planning and thinking; the executive control system; monitors higher order thinking, problem solving and regulates the excesses of the emotional system; ”area of sober second thought”

• Temporal Lobes-sound, speech, some parts of long-term memory

• Occipital Lobe-visual processing• Parietal Lobe-orientation, calculation, and

certain types of recognition

• Motor Cortex (between the parietal and frontal lobes) -- controls body movement and works with the cerebellum to coordinate the learning of motor skills

• Cerebellum (Gk-little brain)—coordinates movement and balance; is important in learning, performing, and timing of complex motor tasks. Stores procedural (driving) and automatic memories (alphabet/times tables/decoding words). Allows us to multi-task. Needs both physical and mental exercise to develop.(nurture)

• Broca’s area—located just behind the left temple; is associated with speech production, including vocabulary, syntax and grammar (expressive lang)

 

• Wernicke’s area—located in left hemisphere; responsible for

language comprehension

(receptive lang)

 

Stop and Connect!

• The brain is a muscle. The more one part is used, the more it develops.

• Which of the exterior parts of your brain are the most developed?

• Why?• Does this have any effect on the way

you teach?

The brain has enough electrical energy to light a 25-watt bulb.

The brain accounts for only 2 to 3 percent of body weight, but it uses 20 to 25 percent of the body’s energy!

Brain Facts

Interior Parts of the BrainDivided into three parts based on functions:

• Brain Stem—oldest and deepest areas (reptilian brain); vital body functions are monitored and controlled (heartbeat, respiration, body temperature, and digestion). All information passes through the brain stem before going to other areas. Deals with survival.

– Reticular Activation System (RAS)—located at the base of the brain, controls arousal. It connects the frontal lobes, limbic system, brainstem and sense organs—receives all stimuli (Receives all stimuli)

There are 4 main categories of things that trigger or focus the attention of the RAS in the brain:

• Perceived threat dominates• Physical need• Self-made choice• Novelty—something new/different

Neil Postman writes, “The attention span of humans was considerably longer years ago,” citing the 8-10 hour Lincoln-Douglas debates. Teachers are now competing with information overload and teaching to brains whose attention spans are trained to process in microseconds.

Our brain retains only about one percent of the information that bombards us daily.

Attention!

What Sustains Attention?

• Curiosity gets us in• Prediction sustains attention

Question:

Novel sensory input would be most likely to be admitted by the attention filter and become memory if it was:

1. Sound 2. Smell 3. Sight 4. All of them

• The Limbic System—(old mammalian brain) duplicated in each hemisphere. Placement between the cerebrum and brain stem permits interplay of emotions and reason. Houses structures that control eating, drinking, sleeping, hormones and emotions. It seeks balance or it can’t send information on to higher levels.– thalamus—information processing—receives all incoming

information (except smell). It determines where to send info (visual cortex, auditory…). Keeps the brain updated on what is going on in the outside world.

– hypothalamus —related closely to pituitary and pineal glands - relays information from within the body to the brain—homeostasis; sex; appetite control; sleep

Unless you want to know the answer….

• #4 Multisensory input is most likely to be remembered as memory is ultimately stored in the brain cortex of the lobe responsive to that sense.

Multisensory means multiple storage areas—that connect!

The brain seeks clues to correct “bets”

• Attention is sustained when predictions can change

• Brains want to predict• Need to be correct only 20% of the time

(video games/gambling)• Needs to know if predictions are correct• Learns from incremental feedback• Questions, visual images, unusual objects,

songs, what is in the box? …

• The Limbic System—(old mammalian brain) duplicated in each hemisphere. Placement between the cerebrum and brain stem permits interplay of emotions and reason. Houses structures that control eating, drinking, sleeping, hormones and emotions. It seeks balance or it can’t send information on to higher levels.– thalamus—information processing—receives all incoming

information (except smell). It determines where to send info (visual cortex, auditory…). Keeps the brain updated on what is going on in the outside world.

– hypothalamus —related closely to pituitary and pineal glands - relays information from within the body to the brain—homeostasis; sex; appetite control; sleep

• hippocampus—(Gk-seahorse) catalogs and files factual information; sends other info for permanent placement in other long-term storage. The hippocampus does not function until age of 3.

• amygdala—(Gk-almond) emotional memory– determines whether info is emotional enough for

long term storage– relevant in all info transmissions—amygdala’s

response always matters!– Active emotional engagement is a key to

learning

When watching a movie, your hippocampus remembers what you see; your amygdala remembers how you feel

about it.

When meeting a new person, your hippocampus remembers who they are; your amygdala

remembers how you feel about them.

Cerebrum—largest of the brain areas. A large fissure runs from front to back and divides the cerebrum into two halves, called the Cerebral Hemispheres.

• These two hemispheres are connected by thick cable of over 250 million nerve fibers called the Corpus Callosum (nature)

• The cerebrum is covered by a thin layer of material called the cerebral cortex, or neocortex. This is referred to as “gray matter.”

• The rest of the cerebrum beneath the cortex is “white matter,” consisting of axons which have been myelinated.

The Information Trail

• Information enters through the brain stem and follows this path (except for smell, which is directly processed into the amygdala and hippocampus).

• The RAS decides how important it is and sends it to the thalamus for sorting: visual information is directed to the occipital lobe, auditory to the temporal lobe and so on. Each of these lobes has its own association cortex where the information is identified and associated with previous knowledge.

• Once this process is complete, the information returns to the middle of the brain where the hippocampus can filter it.

• If the information is factual, the hippocampus will hold it for long-term memory; it also catalogs the info to make it possible to access.

• After information is catalogued, it is redistributed to the sensory areas for long-term storage.

• If the information is emotional, the amygdala jumps in before the thalamus can send it anywhere

• If the amygdala sees an emergency, it contacts the hypothalamus and sends out fight or flight messages to pituitary and adrenal glands.

• The amygdala’s response always matters!

Where does the brain go to college?

To a hippocampus

What did the hippocampus say during its retirement speech?

Thanks for the memories!

Why is the left cerebral cortex always wrong?

Because it is never in the “right” hemisphere.

Stop! What are you thinking?

• Do you have any questions?

• Has your thinking changed?

• Are you confused?

Brain Fact: Visual –vs- auditory Brain Activation

• The brain processes information differently depending on how it’s communicated.

• When listening to a sentence, a different cortical activation pathway was forged than when subjects read the words silently.

• Total amount of activation was significantly greater in both left and right hemispheres during auditory as compared to silent reading.

• There is more semantic processing and working memory storage in listening comprehension than in silent reading.

Brain Cells

• The brain is composed of a trillion cells (all present at birth).

• Two types involved with memory and learning:– Nerve Cells-neurons–  Glial Cells (Gk-glue)-hold the neurons

together and act as filters and nurturers.

Glial cells can reproduce; neurons can not.

Learning

Is

Connecting

• Neurons have branches emerging from them called Dendrites (Gk-tree). Dendrites receive electrical impulses from other neurons and transmit them along a long fiber, called the Axon (Gk-axis).

• The Myelin Sheath surrounds each axon. The sheath insulates the axon from other cells and increases the speed of impulse transmission. Between each dendrite and axon is a small gap called a synapse (Gk-join together).

• The brain needs oxygen and glucose for fuel. Water is also essential; it is required to move neuron signals through the brain (8 oz of water for every 25 lbs of body weight every day). 

• 1st sign of brain

dehydration is

irritability.

Enriched Learning Environments Strengthen Brain Synapses

Enriching, complex environments—replete with feedback, peer interaction, and meaningful learning, not only produce better learning, but help the brain grow new synapses and strengthen existing ones.

Gray and White Matter

• Gray matter is the branching dendrites of the neurons and the synaptic connections they form. After birth, our brain’s gray matter has another growth spurt (the first is in gestation), with increased gray matter and connections reaching a maximum density at about age 11.

• White matter is the mylenation of the axons.

Growth of Connections

The Dendrite Song

Use your dendritesUse your dendritesTo connect throughout your brain.Take in info, analyze it,Grow some new onesUnrestrained.

Axons send outNeurotransmittersTo the dendrites all aroundAcross the synapseJumps the impulseNew ideas can now abound.

StimulationIs what the brain needsTo make dendrites stretch and grow.New connectionsMake us smarterIn what we think and what we know.

Sing first stanza again!

What works even after it is fired?

A neuron

Why was the neuron sent to the principal’s office?

It had trouble controlling its impulses

When is synapse like a tree?

When it is pruned.

Brain Fact: Syn-naps• Brains need periodic rest for neurotransmitters to

replenish, so they can process new material.

• Neurotransmitters (ie. serotonin & dopamine) transport information across the synapses. When depleted by too much information traveling through a nerve circuit without a break, the speed of transmission along the nerve slows down and information processing takes longer,

leading to student frustration, but also

to less successful memory storage.

• Depleted neurotransmitters rebuild within minutes if the break is taken before complete meltdown, but their rebuilding takes longer if they are severely depleted.

 

Question: How does this relate to your classroom? What can you do to keep neurotransmitters fresh?

concept

An exterior lobe

Located in back of brain

Means “little brain” in

Greek

Coordinates movement &

balance

Cerebellum

concept

Temporal Lobes

Located on both sides

of brain

Important for speech & sound

In the left side resides

Wernicke’s area

Is one of the 4 lobes

concept

Greek for seahorse

Files semantic memories

Does not develop

until age 3

Used in long term

memory

Hippocampus

We have a liver; we have our limbs. We are our brains.

What Makes Us Who We Are?

The 4 stations represent the following brain functions:– Attention– Memory– Language– Emotion

Working with a partner, start at any of the 4 stations. Be sure to read carefully the instructions on the Station Cards.

fMRI scan during visual memory tasks

What parts of the brain are you using?

• Find the Brain Outline in your notebook• Choose a different color for each of the

functions:– Language– Emotion– Critical thinking– Visual processing– Memory

• Indicate on your brain what happens where.

How this all works• Neurotransmitters are chemicals that carry

information from one neuron to another.• They affect how we feel and act. • Divided into 3 groups:

– amino acids– monoacids– peptides

 

• Adrenaline—gets the body moving in times of danger and stress

• Serotonin—often called the “feel good” neurotransmitter. A lack of serotonin can cause depression and low self-esteem.

• Dopamine—pleasure, sustained attention, and motivation and perseverance

• Melatonin—chemical related to sleep

• Acetylcholine—related to long-term memory and is contained in fat. It is the chemical responsible for dreams.

• Endorphin—body’s natural pain killer. An abundance creates feelings of euphoria. They are the brain’s reward system. Found in a study that when endorphins were blocked, subjects no longer found listening to music enjoyable.

• Cortisol—released when we are under stress. High levels can be toxic. Stress responses cannot differentiate between emotional and physical danger.

Serotonin, dopamine, and endorphin can be increased in YOUR

classroom by doing the following:• Play calming music• Let students know it’s okay to make

mistakes• Allow teamwork and social learning• Celebrate learning--optimism• Use movement• Provide an outlet for expression, like journal

writing• Read to students

• Give students choice• Affirming touch—shaking hands`• Smiling• Positive feedback• Healthy competition• Peer interaction• Singing• Structure• Correct predictions• Achieved challenges

Light Bulb Take a minute to jot down an idea, a

thought or a connection …..

Now, share your thoughts with a partner….

Brain Class Mantra• There is no without .

• Students make meaning by connecting to existing .

• Neurons that together, together.

Practice makes permanent!

learning memory

knowledge

fire wire

Puzzles Prime the Brain for Problem-Solving

• When encountering a mental block, research suggests that taking a brain-break and focusing on a puzzle or word game may help solve the problem.

• Puzzles, word games, and brain-teasers stimulate activity in the brain’s frontal lobe and right hemisphere, making neural connections more flexible for future problem-solving

Bright Light Increases Awareness:

• Darkness triggers the release of melatonin, a sleep-producing hormone excreted by the pineal gland.

• Bright light (2500 lux or higher; outdoor lighting averages about 10,000 lux) slows or prevents the production of melatonin, keeping us alert and more in sync with our wake cycle.

• Fluorescent lighting, however, raises cortisol levels in the blood, which impacts our central nervous system and causes restlessness, while natural lighting has a calming effect.

Brain Fact: Pet Your Pet

Stroking your dog or cat stimulates the release of dopamine and serotonin. Spend a little quality time with your furry friend and you will both feel special.

Brain Fact: Smell the Roses

Studies show that the scent of roses stimulates the production of dopamine and serotonin—our body’s feel good chemicals. So, whether it’s a bouquet or a candle, let the scent of roses fill your home and your heart with joy!

Is the woman turning clockwise or counter clockwise? Can you make her change directions?

Reflect on your hemispheric results

• Did the results of your test surprise you?

• Describe what the results may tell you about your teaching.

• What implications do

your answers have

for your students?

LEFT HEMISPHERE FUNCTIONS RIGHT HEMIPSHERE FUNCTIONS

Connected to right side of the body Connected to the left side of the body

Processes input sequentially and analytically

Processes input holistically and abstractly

Time-sensitive Space-sensitivePrefers spoken, written language Prefers gestures, facial expressions,

emotions and body language

Problem solves logically, sequentially, looking at parts

Problem solves with hunches, looking for patterns

Does invariable and arithmetic operations Does relational and mathematical operations

Specializes in recognizing words and numbers (as words)

Specializes in recognizing faces, places, objects and music

Active in constructing false memories More truthful in recall

Seeks explanations for why events occur Puts events in spatial patterns

Controls feelings Free with feelingsPrefers ranked authority Prefers collegial authorityBetter at dealing with outside stimuli Better at internal processing

Division of Labor in the Hemisphere

AA AAAA AAAA AAAAAAAAAAA AAAA AAAA AA

Original Picture

A A A AA A AAA A AA AA AA A A A A A

Damage to Right Hemisphere

HDamage to Left Hemisphere

Improve Right/Left Communication

• Cross lateral activities from Brain Gym• Cross Crawl: Sitting-elbow to knee as you

lift your knee; standing--hand to foot/front or back

• The Elephant: Stand up, bend knees, glue head to shoulder, point your right finger and draw a lazy eight.

• Hook-ups: Right ankle over left; right hand over left; lock fingers; bring to chest and breath deeply

Willpower and the Slacker Brain• 88% of all resolutions end in failure-2007 study

of more than 3,000 people• The prefrontal cortex is responsible for willpower• When it is over taxed, it doesn’t have the energy

to resist—cognitive overload• Study: 2 groups-1 group given a 2-digit #; the

others, a 7-digit #• Then they were presented with a snack choice:

slice of chocolate cake or fruit• Students with 7-digit # were twice as likely to

choose the cake

Stop! What are you thinking?

• Do you have any questions?

• Has your thinking changed?

• Are you confused?

Brain Class Mantra• There is no without .

• Students make meaning by connecting to existing .

• Neurons that together, together.

Practice makes permanent!

learning memory

knowledge

fire wire

Reflect on what we have discussed today and…

Write about HOW you will use what you’ve learned.

Ticket Out the Door

Ideas that “struck” you

Questions you still have

Thoughts, connections or suggestions