Brain-Based Challenge: Matching Fractions to Decimals, Percents, and Geometric Representations J. Reed Students will prepare for a challenge where they use interactive negotiating skills to trade fraction cards with each other to complete a set of 4 matching cards: fraction, decimal, percent, and picture.

Brain-Based Philosophy …goal for this activity Students will use interactive and kinesthetic skills to create knowledge and new constructs in place of teacher exposition. The goal is to develop understanding through patterning to the level of autonomous creation of any fractional representations in the real world.

The brain can perform several activities at once Learning engages the whole physiology. The search for meaning is innate. The search for meaning comes through patterning. Emotions are critical to patterning. The brain processes wholes and parts simultaneously. Learning involves both focused attention and peripheral perception. Learning involves both conscious and unconscious processes. We have two types of memory: spatial and rote. We understand best when facts are embedded in natural, spatial memory. Learning is enhanced by challenge and inhibited by threat. Each brain is unique.

People learn best when solving realistic problems. Tenets of brain-based learning include: Feedback is best when it comes from reality, rather than from an authority figure. People learn best when solving realistic problems. The big picture can’t be separated from the details. Because every brain is different, educators should allow learners to customize their own environments. The best problem solvers are those that laugh! Teachers must immerse learners in complex, interactive experiences that are both rich and real. Students must have a personally meaningful challenge. There must be intensive analysis of the different ways to approach a problem.

Caine and Caine The brain is a complex adaptive system. The brain is a social brain. The search for meaning is innate. The search for meaning occurs through patterning. Emotions are critical to patterning. Every brain simultaneously perceives and creates parts and wholes. Learning involves both focused attention and peripheral attention. Learning always involves conscious and unconscious processes. We have at least two ways of organizing memory. Learning is developmental. Complex learning is enhanced by challenge and inhibited by threat. Every brain is uniquely organized. (Caine and Caine 1997) Three Conditions of Learning An optimal state of mind that we call relaxed alertness, consisting of low threat and high challenge. The orchestrated immersion of the learner in multiple, complex, authentic experience. The regular, active processing of experience as the basis for making meaning.

Introduction: w/ brain-based strategy in red Teachers must immerse learners in complex, interactive experiences that are both rich and real. Students must have a personally meaningful challenge. There must be intensive analysis of the different ways to approach a problem. Introduction: w/ brain-based strategy in red Students will be given 12 random/mixed cards representing values. A complete matching set will be one of each color where all four color cards represent the same value. Every brain simultaneously perceives and creates parts and wholes. Learning involves both focused attention and peripheral attention. Students must move peer to peer to trade cards on a need basis and explain to each why the trade will be beneficial to both parties. The brain is a social brain. The search for meaning is innate. The search for meaning occurs through patterning. Students may leverage trades in any way that both parties agree. Emotions are critical to patterning.

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Application: peripheral learning Every brain simultaneously perceives and creates parts and wholes. Learning involves both focused attention and peripheral attention. Learning always involves conscious and unconscious processes. We have at least two ways of organizing memory. Learning is developmental. Application: peripheral learning After determining winning matches and game score, teacher will collect and randomly place cards face down onto classroom floor. Every brain simultaneously perceives and creates parts and wholes. Learning involves both focused attention and peripheral attention. Students will be placed into teams of four. They will run one at a time and select a card. If it is a card to “keep” they will send a second runner…until a set of four is collected. No team can have more than 8 nonmatching cards at a time. After this point (8 cards) , a card must be discarded or traded with another team. The brain is a social brain. The search for meaning is innate. The search for meaning occurs through patterning. Students may leverage trades in any way that both parties agree, but trades forfeit a trip to the floor where other cards rest. Emotions are critical to patterning.

Self-Evaluation: continuous process and developmental Every brain simultaneously perceives and creates parts and wholes. Learning involves both focused attention and peripheral attention. Learning always involves conscious and unconscious processes. We have at least two ways of organizing memory. Learning is developmental. Self-Evaluation: continuous process and developmental After all cards on the floor are selected, students must create matches and set nonmatching cards aside. Every brain simultaneously perceives and creates parts and wholes. Learning involves both focused attention and peripheral attention. Students must interact and explain their reasoning for matches. The brain is a social brain. The search for meaning is innate. The search for meaning occurs through patterning. Feedback is best when it comes from reality, rather than from an authority figure. Nonmatching cards may earn points if they are sequenced in order from least to greatest. The search for meaning occurs through patterning. Learners have multiple ways of organizing memory

Transfer and Extension: continuous process and developmental Every brain simultaneously perceives and creates parts and wholes. Learning involves both focused attention and peripheral attention. Learning always involves conscious and unconscious processes. We have at least two ways of organizing memory. Learning is developmental. Transfer and Extension: continuous process and developmental After all cards are collected, student teams will explain one matching sets to the class using the smartboard. Every brain simultaneously perceives and creates parts and wholes. Learning involves both focused attention and peripheral attention. Students must use the patterns they recognized to create a new matching set that has not been represented in the game cards.. The search for meaning occurs through patterning. Every brain simultaneously perceives and creates parts and wholes Learners have multiple ways of organizing memory

Cites http://www.funderstanding.com/v2/educators/brain-based-learning/ http://brainconnection.positscience.com/topics/?main=fa/brain-based3 http://ezinearticles.com/?Brain-Based-Learning---What-is-It?&id=1933375 http://www.tecweb.org/styles/gardner.html