Ali E Ginnetty

EDU 417: Cognitive Studies Capstone

Instructor: Joanna Savarese-Levine
June 8th, 2015

 Kids!
Educators!
Parents!
We are all here to learn how
to get a child to enjoy their education
Make education work for the child
not make the child work for their
education
The brain is built to learn, and in
order for a child to learn, educators
must work with the brain

 I am a wife of my best friend, a mother of three (and three furry

angels), and all the other roles that come with being a mom.
I am graduating with a Cognitive Science Degree which I hope to use
to help troubled children who need a listening ear and a hand to
guide them.
We are foster parents right now and have had the privilege of having
many children in our home who need a stable home and loving arms.
We have not yet adopted any children yet but have had them
adopted out to loving families.
Through my journey at Ashford I have learned many tools to be
proficient in talking and understanding what these children have
gone through and how to talk to them depending on their level of
comprehension and competency.
Since I homeschool most of my children and foster children, this type
of education is an absolute must when teaching many ages,
developments, and delays.

 Even though Traditional learning has been used in

schools for a very long time and has worked very well,
we have learned so much about the brain, how it is wired,
and how to use it to our advantage.
Knowing how the brain learns an educator can use that
to allow the student to learn with more confidence and
ease.
There are pros
and cons of both
methods.

 The expectation to learn because the information is being

taught
Assessing at the end of the lesson instead of throughout
Students learn more independently rather then with help
from the educator
Must rely on themselves in order to succeed
When a child fails, tutoring would be available to repeat
the course instead of helping them understand during the
lesson

 Surround children with a variety of stimuli in a low-threat,

high-challenge environment.
Incorporate arts into the classroom lesson plan.
Train educators in brain-based learning methods.
Combine traditional with brain-based.
Encourage imagination and creativity.
Give children input on their classroom activities.
Recognize each child as a unique individual(Editor,
2008).

 Pros: according to Vygotskys theory, level of proximity,

children cannot learn unless they are developmentally ready,
and brain compatible education is based on the fact that
everyone learns different and a brain cannot learn unless it is
ready and taught the way it is built. You cannot construct of
curriculum with only one exposure to the information, there
has to be multiple ways the information is presented.
Cons: Brain compatible learning is still only a theory just like
many others. Even though it may sound like a great theory
that our brains are all made differently therefore we must all be
presented information differently classrooms today are still
packing 20+ kids in a classroom and not all are being
presented the information the way they are meant to learn.
Dont even get me started on standardized testing.

 Nature or Nurture?
Our behavior is a result of both genetic and
environmental influences. This interplay has an
enormous impact on our ability to think, feel,
perform, attain, retain, and learn information. Wolfe
(2010) states as we look at the developing brain,
one of the most important concepts to understand
is that of neuroplasticity. Simply stated,
neuroplasticity means that the brain is shaped not
only by its inherited genetic code but also by the
environment (p. 72).

 The influence of the environment begins at the time of conception.

Fetus in the womb are influenced by a mother's mental, physical and
emotional conditions.
The external environment starts from the time of birth. The external
environment refers to the surroundings which prevail in home, school
and locality (Rushton, 2013).
At these places the child interacts with other members of the family,
teachers, classmates or peers, and neighbors. He establishes
relationship with them.

Hate and Violence

Love and Kindness

Materialistic and Spoiled

 Diet
Nutrition
Movement
Technology
Sleep
Socialization
Early Education
Family Environment
Culture Environment

 There are many theories that there may be a genetic link

through generations with both learning disabilities and
genius intelligence.
Cognitive theory the brain is like a computer with either defective
parts, ei learning disabilities, or extra parts, ei exceptional intellect.
Genetically these parts are passed down from their parents to their
children.
Vygotsky's theory a childs mid was developed through their
parents behavior through interaction
It is very common for a child who has high intellect or learning
disabilities to have a parent or both parents being the main factor
of how they learn

 During the curriculum in order to reach the whole class the

instructors need to give equal attention to the skills on
imagination, creativity, the arts, and synthesis.
During their instruction they must foster a more whole brained
approach scholastically and use techniques that exercise both
sides of the brain.
By including patterning, analogies, role playing, and
movement into their reading they reach the student with right
sided giftedness.
By including order, conceptual analysis, and language they
reach the students with left sided giftedness.
Paying attention to all these aspects of the brain can maximize
learning based on brain-based learning.

 Setting realistic tasks for each maturity level(Radin,

2009)
Suggest if it is important to pay attention during an
emergency or when someone is giving directions to a
destination.
Be supportive and encouraging. Offer verbal praise
throughout the activity, this activity can be challenging to
some.
Working in groups allows the child to feel as if they are
contributing to a larger goal.
Attention to detail

 Emotional centers of the brain can completely take over any

activity. Before the lesson begins make sure each child is
ready to learn.
Positive Learning Environment
Leads to endorphins in the bloodstream
Euphoria
Increase pain threshold
Stimulates the frontal lobe where learning is remembered

Negative Learning Environment

Leads to cortisol in the bloodstream
Raises anxiety
Shuts down information processing
Stimulates frontal lobe to concentrate on stressor instead of
lesson

 Modified Lesson Plan Grade Level Suggestion-5

Objective - Students will understand how to conduct an
experiment in which they change the size, weight, and wing
structure of paper airplanes to see if each plane flies. They will
also understand the effect of wind and rain on the wings.
Materials Paper, cardboard, tape, fan, spray bottle
Suggested time 1.5 3 hours, depending on inside and
outside classroom instruction.
Resources
Airplanes, by Chris Woodford. Retrieved from:
http://www.explainthatstuff.com/howplaneswork.html
How does a wing work? Retrieved by:
http://www.aircraftrecognition.co.uk/wing.html

 Procedure/Lesson
1.
Students may enjoy participating in a paper airplane design contest. Elicit stories students may
want to tell about prior experiences with flying paper planes. Who has flown in a plane? Preassessment Who knows why a plane can fly?
2.
From books read at the beginning of the lesson (resources), or from your memory, demonstrate
the construction of a basic paper airplane, have them construct a wing on how a wing can lift
off.. Ask students to follow your example.
3.
Competition in a small classroom can create distractions from the lesson and disturbances
between classmates.
4.
Give the children charts and graphs to document how their wings flew, high, drag, design and
compare the design of the wing and information gathered. Help students understand that an
important variable is the way each student handled his or her wing. You will keep that variable
and change the wing design to one they think may get more Drag". After graphing and
documenting the next wing information compare the look and information of both the wings and
deduce what made the different.
5.
Have the groups discuss amongst themselves why carrying the wing structure made the
difference Discuss with the students in what ways they can vary their original wing design. They
should suggest at a minimum making the wing larger or smaller, making them lighter (by cutting
holes?), or bending or curving the wings in various ways. Taking the wings outside is a good
way to keep the active students more engaged and groups help diverse students feel part of a
team.
6.
With one student running slower with the wing, and another running faster talk about why it
made a difference.
7.
Proceed to discuss with students what they learned from this activityand what further work
they would have to do before being sure of what accounts for speed, altitude, and distance.

 Adaptation - by introducing many different types of planes with

different wing structures give the students time to fly them in the
classroom or in the hallway or outside. Makes notes on which one
flies higher, faster, shorter, further, and which ones do not fly at all.

Discussion Questions
Before the invention of airplanes, by what other means do you think people
traveled or tried to travel through the air? Provide pictures for visual learners
of all types of airplanes from the first to present.
Before and during World War I, why was the United States army so excited by
the invention of the airplane? Provide models or pictures of different types of
war planes and wing structures.
What's the basic difference between an airplane and a helicopter? Ask
children to bring in models they have built, pictures they have drawn or photos
they have found.
What do you think airplanes of the future will offer that today's airplanes do
not? Make predictions.
What effect have airplanes in the United States had on travel by railroad?

 Evaluation You may not want to assess students on the airworthiness of their
planes but rather focus on how well the student participates in the discussions
regarding he paper planes, and works with their team.

Extensions to lesson A good extension to the lesson plan would be what a

machine needs in order to fly in space.

Suggested Reading Flight, By Donald S. Lopez, Time Like Books, 1995

Vocabulary During the lesson use these words constantly and the children will
learn through repetition, not memorization.
Aerodynamic Definition - Designed to move through the air easily and quickly
Context - Designers create airplane wings to be as aerodynamic as possible
Thrust Definition a driving force
Context a jet achieves thrust by ejecting exhaust gases from its rear
Turbulence - Definition - A state of roughness in terms of weather conditions
Context - The pilot told passengers to stay in their seats until the plane passed
through the area of turbulence
Wingspan Defninition - The distance between the outer tips of the wings of an aircraft

Grade Level k-5

Area of deficit
Attention and Focus
Objectives:
Students develop more ideas and strategies to improve their focusing skills.
Investigate one strategy to improve each individual student and not only improve
attention and focusing skills but incorporating interests in their activities
Materials
Paper and Pencil
Flash cards
Sight words
Pictures of stories
Short stories that need to be put in order

 Suggested Time: first period of the day, also

include in multiple activities throughout the day
Resources:
www.proteacher.org
http://www.yale.edu/peace/focus.html
http://www.studydog.com/parents/blog/index.ph
p/how-to-increase-your-childs-attention-span/
(purify your child workspace)

Procedure
To start the activity Ask the class why it is so important to be a good listener and have
complete focus on a lesson give examples
For beginning learners reading a story can be a fun activity. Read out loud a story. Choose
length of the story appropriate to level readers. Make sure there are no other distractions in the
room other then what the child needs to be focused on
Offer sentences or pictures out of order and have the children talk about the story and place the
events in order Details .
Discussing the story can help with focusing on certain details of the story
Have the student complete the following questions with small groups :

1. Who was the main character?

2. What was the story about
3. Where does the story take place?
4. What time of day does the story take place?
5. Why did the character choose to__________________?

After the students have answered the questions have the students act out their favorite part of
the story in from of the class as a group.
Offer pictures of the characters and scene picture to help then narrate the part of the story they are
reenacting.

Use the pictures of the characters in a later game to have the children try to remember what
each one of them looks like.
Have the children put the picture on their forehead and have the class describe to the child what they are
wearing, glass or no glasses, hat, happy or sad .
Have the children continue this activity in smaller groups until the child wearing the card is able to tell who
they are wearing

 Check for understanding

There are many tests and quizzes that can be given at the end of a
lesson to guarantee understanding of the material but not all tests are
given equally since not every child learns and expresses their
knowledge in the same way. So to ensure absorption of the material an
instructor must observe the knowledge of the material throughout the
lesson. If a child seems to struggle with the first lesson after reading the
story then they did not grasp the story they must read it again or go over
important parts of the story. When they seem to complete each step of
the lesson with minimal struggle, but with enough of a challenge, then
they are grasping the concept of the lesson. If during a lesson the
instructor notices a child or two struggling into the next steps have them
repeat the last step as a group so they can work together at their speed.
Peer instruction is as influential as adult instruction.

 English Nouns 3rd Grade

Website:
http://www.brainrush.com/lesson/englishnouns-3rd-grade

 A Curriculum with the brain in mind can enhance a students

(Jenson,2008):
Information Literacy
Scientific Inquiry
Artistic Expression
Social Fluency
Personal Development
All These activities give the student sufficient time for learning allowing
the brain plenty of time to understand each stage, instead of cramming
and not allowing the brain time for the information to incubate.
These lessons and activities are also presented in a low to no threat
environment giving the brain to prioritize the information as necessary
and not distracted by pressure or high stress.
These aspects of the lesson allow for authentic learning experiences.

 A summary or conclusion of why and how the

implementation of brain-compatible techniques is
beneficial for students and teachers and for the future of
education.
Along with many theories and proven lessons this theory
can turn into actual classroom instruction.
Using this type of learning in the classroom can make
learning easier for each child.
While making learning fun it can also create core
challenges which help children stay engaged.

 Editor, 2008. Brain Based Learning Vs Traditional Learning.

Retrieved from:http://superblinky.com/brain-based-learning-vstraditional-learning/
Jensen, E. (2008). Brain-based learning: The new paradigm of
teaching (2nd Ed). California: Corwin Press.
Fischer , K. W., Immordino-Yang, M. H., & , (2008). The JosseyBass reader on the brain and learning. (1st ed.). San Francisco,
CA: Jossey-Bass.
Radin, J. L. (2009). Brain-Compatible Teaching and Learning:
Implications for Teacher Education. Educational Horizons, 88(1),
40-50.
Rushton, S. (2011, June). Neuroscience, Early Childhood
Education and Play: We are Doing it Right!. Early Childhood
Education Journal. pp. 89-94. doi:10.1007/s10643-011-0447-z.
Wolfe, P. (2010). Brain matters: Translating research into classroom
practice. (2nd ed.). Alexandria,VA: Association for Supervision &
Curriculum Development.