1. Neuroscience and Mindfulness
Intro to Neurobiology

2. Putting it all together
ESSENCE of Adolescence: Emotional Spark, Social Engagement, Novelty and Creative Exploration
7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens: Be Proactive, Begin with the End in Mind, Put 1st Things 1st, Think Win-Win, Seek 1st to Understand, Then to be Understood, Synergize, Sharpen the Saw
Kohlberg’s Levels of Moral Development: Levels 1-6
Parts of the Brain: Neuroscience: (6 main parts and function)
Mindfulness: The Foundation: How to use this as a tool to maintain all of the above!

3. Mindfulness and the Brain
Prefrontal Cortex:
High Level Functions
Emotional Balance and Regulation
Body Regulation
Intuition

4. Mindfulness and the Brain
Amygdala:
Emotional Center
Fight, flight, freeze
Brain Scans:
Emotion=activation
Naming=Deactivation

5. Mindfulness and the Brain
Hippocampus:
Stress inhibits:
Storing information
Recalling information

6. Mindfulness and the Prefrontal Cortex
Each of the following aspects of well-being depends on the integration and regulating functions of the PFC, which are strengthened with a consistent mindfulness practice:
Bodily regulation
Insight
Attuned communication with others
Empathy
Emotional balance/regulation
Fear modulation
Response flexibility
Intuition
Morality

7. Mindfulness and the Prefrontal Cortex
The PFC creates integration among the different parts of the brain-is also referred to as “executive function” and the brain’s conductor.
The following cognitive functioning categories are part of executive function, and are strengthened through mindfulness:
Focus
Effort
Emotion
Memory
Action

8. Mindfulness and the Present moment
Beyond Implicit Memory:
Think back to the doorway you passed through as you entered this classroom (Ms. Ali’s doorway to the hall). Sketch or write about each of the following:
What did the doorway look like?
What did the door look like?
What did the door frame and walls around the door look like?
Now, we will go to the door and spend a few minutes observing it.
Refer to your notes/sketch and reflect on this new awareness.

9. Doorway Wrap-up
Last, was there a difference between your initial memory of the door, and what you perceived when you returned to it?
Why do you think practice with observation is helpful for strengthening the prefrontal cortex?

10. Final Project Choice product:
ESSENCE of Adolescence
7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens
Kohlberg’s Levels of Moral Development
Parts of the Brain and Mindfulness
Seminar Piece on your topic (with questions)
Mindfulness practice to share (audio recording shared with Ms. Mindy-shared on Drive)
Final culminating group presentation