What do you remember? 2

Sept. 11, 2001 Jan. 28, 1986 Nov. 4,

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In the following slides, you will be given five questions with time to think and reflect about each question. 5

An optimal level of emotion is necessary for LEARNING to occur. TOO MUCH or TOO LITTLE reduces the efficiency of the brain. Summarized from: Brain Matters by Patricia Wolfe 6

1. Gifted learners have enhanced sensory activation. 2. This allows for strong initial impressions and also for later recollections that are intense and vivid. 3. Strong initial impressions correlate with better recollection, therefore, the gifted brain is characterized by increased memory capacity and efficiency. 4. The gifted brain reaches capacity by the age of thirty. 7

Providing relevant and authentic areas of study Making sense of learning Encountering something new and unusual Causing learners to move out of their comfort zone by introducing conflicting thoughts or ideas Setting rigorous and appropriate above level benchmarks 8

Take 60 seconds to think about the implications for gifted learners related to EACH of the factors. 9

Shout a number between 3 and 10. Give me # classroom implications resulting from factors that influence the brain’s attention. Shout Out! 10

 Gifted learners need relevant content and opportunities for real world applications.  What is new and unusual for gifted learners may differ from their age mates.  Gifted learners need to be exposed to a variety of viewpoints different from their own.  Preassesment will help teachers set rigorous expectations and challenges for gifted learners. 11

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 Sharing information with students about how the brain communicates increases their ability to understand how they learn.  The brain wants to learn more about itself.  Studying the brain naturally enhances the curiosity of gifted learners and lends itself to more thorough investigations. 13

As you watch this video about the brain and how children are wired to learn, focus on: 1.how the brain learns 2.the difference between hard and soft wiring 3.the role teachers play in students’ brain growth Use the Brain Doodle worksheet to take notes. 14

Brain Power Video

Share facts and ideas recorded on your Brain Doodles. Brain Power Let’s Share! 16

 Experiences we provide for students affect the actual physical structure of their brains.  All children’s brains, including adolescents’, are a work in progress capable of blossoming and pruning.  All students need activities that are challenging and provide for dendrite growth.  If gifted students are working below their ability level with no growth, they will have diminished dendrites. 17

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 Red patches in an fMRI represent glucose being metabolized to provide fuel for the working of the brain.  The red patches occur in more areas in the gifted brain which means these learners organize diverse and multi- modal information more efficiently than less gifted thinkers. 20

 Need support in ways to communicate diverse and multi-modal information.  Need fewer repetitions and less extensive explanations in class.  Need as few distractions as possible due to enhanced sensitivity.  Need to understand their thinking and the quality and uses of the information. 21

Select one implication and write 2 or 3 sentences describing what happens in the classroom when the implication is ignored. You will have 2 minutes. Implication Activity 22

Now share your sentences with someone in the room you have not spoken to in the last 2 hours! You will have 3 minutes! 23

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Water...  is the number 1 trigger for daytime fatigue when it is lacking.  provides improved concentration and mental and physical coordination.  is a nutrient for the brain.  is important for brain development and functioning.  helps the cells in our electrical system talk to one another.  keeps the brain working. 25

Exercise...  makes you less likely to contract diseases.  increases blood flow to the brain.  reduces depression.  is strongly correlated with increased brain mass, mood regulation, new cell growth, and cognition. 26

 “Thirty minutes per day at least 3 or 4 days per week is usually recommended. The more organized, challenging and well executed this movement is, the more beneficial it will be for the brain.”  “Recesses should be at least 30 minutes long. Short recesses may excite kids and leave them over-aroused.” Becoming a “Wiz” at Brain-Based Teaching by Marilee B. Sprenger 27

Drama and role playing Play charades to review main idea Pantomime to dramatize a key point One minute commercial to advertise content Energizers and Stretching Use the body to measure Play Simon Says with content Quick games Ball toss for review, storytelling, vocabulary Create lyrics about content, and perform 28

Brain Gym Educational Kinesiology: Enhancing learning through the science of movement for more information Next slide for video…. 29

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A measurable relationship exists between foods eaten and how one feels and performs.  Proteins (lean meats) increase “brain power”.  Carbohydrates (breads) eaten alone increases focus and relaxation.  People learn best with less carbohydrates and a nibbling diet.  The effects of caffeine linger longer in children under 12.  The more sugar and the less protein, the higher the observed aggressions in children. 31

Consequences of Shortened Sleep  Decreased socialization skills & sense of humor  Reduced ability to concentrate & remember  Reduced communication & decision skills  Reduced quality, creativity, & productivity  Reduced ability to handle complex task  Decreased cognitive & motor performance 32

Sleep is important to the learning process.  Sleeping after learning grows twice as many dendrites as learning the material itself.  During sleep, the nerve cells branch in our brains and hardwire the day’s learning. It’s About Sleep… 33

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Have a 5 minute table discussion about the possible implications these factors can have in your school. 35

1.Work in your Table Groups 2.Use what you have learned in this section, to make a T-chart of what an enriched classroom environment for gifted learners looks like and sounds like. 3.Make your T-chart on chart paper. 4.Be ready to share. An Enriched Classroom Environment Sounds like Looks like 36

Pick a Website Neuroscience for Kids News from the neurosciences Heart and brain connection video video  Find 2 things that connect the brain to the needs of gifted learners. It can be information that you would like to take back to your classroom, parents, etc.  Record the information in your journal. 37

 Given, Barbara. Teaching to the Brains Natural Learning Systems. ASCD,  Jensen, Eric. Introduction to Brain-Compatible Learning. Brain Store: San Diego, CA, ISBN  Jensen, Eric. Teaching with the Brain in Mind. ASCD, Pg ISBN:  Wolfe, Patricia. Brain Matters. ASCD, ISBN: )  ance.htm http 38