Using the Student Lessons

The heart of this module is a set of five classroom lessons that allow students to discover important concepts related to the brain and how it makes us who we are. To review these concepts in detail, refer to the chart Conceptual Flow of the Lessons.

Format of the Lessons

As you review the lessons, you will find that all contain common major features.

At a Glance offers a convenient summary of the lesson.

• Overview provides a short summary of student activities.
• Major Concepts presents the central ideas that the lesson is designed to convey.
• Objectives lists specific understandings or abilities students should derive from completing the lesson.
• Teacher Background specifies which sections of the background material, Information about the Brain, relate directly to the lesson. This reading material provides the science content that supports the key concepts covered in the lesson. The information is not intended to form the basis of lectures to students nor is it intended as a direct resource for students. Rather, it enhances your understanding of the content so that you can facilitate class discussions, answer student questions, and provide additional examples.

In Advance provides instructions for collecting and preparing materials required to complete the activities in the lesson.

• Web-Based Activities tells you which of the lesson’s activities use The Brain: Our Sense of Self Web site as the basis for instruction.
• Photocopies lists the paper copies and transparencies that need to be made from masters that are provided after Lesson 5, at the end of the module.
• Materials lists all items other than photocopies needed for the activities in the lesson.
• Preparation outlines what you need to do to be ready to teach the activities in the lesson.

Procedure provides a step-by-step approach for conducting each activity in the classroom. It includes implementation suggestions and answers to discussion questions.

Within the Procedure section, annotations provide additional commentary.

• Tip from the field test details suggestions from field-test teachers for teaching strategies, class management, and module implementation.
• Assessment provides strategies for gauging student progress throughout the module, and is identified by an assessment icon.
• Icons identify specific annotations:
  

  identifies teaching strategies that address specific science content standards as defined by the National Science Education Standards.

  
  

  identifies when to use the Web site as part of the teaching strategy. Instructions tell you how to access the Web site and relevant activity. Information about using the Web site can be found in Using the Web Site. A print-based alternative to each Web activity is provided for classrooms in which Internet access is not available.

  
  

  identifies a print-based alternative to a Web-based activity to be used when computers with access to the Internet are not available.

  
  

  identifies when assessment is embedded in the module’s structure. An annotation suggests strategies for assessment.

  
  

The Lesson Organizer provides a brief summary of the lesson. It outlines procedural steps for each activity and includes icons that denote where in each activity masters, transparencies, and the Web site are used. The lesson organizer is intended to be a memory aid for you to use only after you become familiar with the detailed procedures for the activities. It can be a handy resource during lesson preparation as well as during classroom instruction.

Masters to be photocopied are found after Lesson 5, at the end of the module.

Timeline for the Module

The timeline below outlines the optimal plan for completing the five lessons in this module. The plan assumes you will teach the activities on consecutive days. If your class requires more time for discussing issues raised in this module or for completing activities, adjust your timeline accordingly.

Suggested Timeline

Timeline	Activity
3 weeks ahead	Reserve computers Check performance of Web site
7 days ahead	Make photocopies and transparencies Gather materials
Day 1 Monday	Lesson 1 Activity 1: A Difference of Mind
Day 2 Tuesday	Lesson 2 Activity 1: Picturing the Brain Activity 2: Decisions, Decisions
Day 3 Wednesday	Lesson 3 Activity 1: Information Flow Activity 2: Inside Information, Part 1
Day 4 Thursday	Lesson 3 Activity 2: Inside Information, Part 2 Activity 3: Summing It Up
Day 5 Friday	Lesson 4 Activity 1: Effect of Social Interaction on Learning
Day 6 Monday	Lesson 4 Activity 2: Effects of Enrichment and Exercise on Learning Activity 3: A Human Perspective
Day 7 Tuesday	Lesson 5 Activity 1: Our Sense of Self

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