Brain Development

IVAN T. BARROGA

Head Start State-based T/TA Office for Arizona

A member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network
Learning Outline:

Explain early brain development;

Enumerate typical patterns of development
during the early childhood to adolescence
period; and
Discuss the environmental influences on
development of the brain.

Head Start State-based T/TA Office for Arizona 2

A member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network
Learning Outcomes:
At the end of the lesson:
Students will understand the developing
brain and its functions;
Students will comprehend the
demonstration of different characteristics
from early childhood to adolescence period.
Students will become more aware of brain
research.

Head Start State-based T/TA Office for Arizona 3

A member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network
Imagine a brain

Head Start State-based T/TA Office for Arizona 4

A member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network
Prenatal Development

The nervous system begins to

develop just before the third
week of gestation.

Cell creation and movement

to the right spots occur
during the first five prenatal
months.

Head Start State-based T/TA Office for Arizona 5

A member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network
Major Brain Systems

Brain Stem

Limbic System

Cerebellum

Cortex

Head Start State-based T/TA Office for Arizona 6

A member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network
Brain Stem (survival)

Head Start State-based T/TA Office for Arizona

A member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network
Limbic System (emotion)

Head Start State-based T/TA Office for Arizona

A member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network
Cerebellum (movement)

Head Start State-based T/TA Office for Arizona

A member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network
Cortex

Head Start State-based T/TA Office for Arizona

A member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network
Occipital Lobe

Head Start State-based T/TA Office for Arizona

A member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network
Temporal Lobe

Hearing
Language
Memory
Emotion

Head Start State-based T/TA Office for Arizona

A member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network
Parietal Lobe

Head Start State-based T/TA Office for Arizona

A member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network
Frontal Lobe

Judgment
Emotional regulation
Problem solving
Decisions
Planning
Creativity

Head Start State-based T/TA Office for Arizona

A member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network
Head Start State-based T/TA Office for Arizona 15
A member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network
Plasticity

The brain's ability to change as a result of experience.

Head Start State-based T/TA Office for Arizona

A member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network
Lateralization

Head Start State-based T/TA Office for Arizona 17

A member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network
 Activity Time!

Head Start State-based T/TA Office for Arizona 18

A member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network
If you have more "A" responses than "B" responses, then you are
left-brained dominant.
This means you........
are very rational
analyze people and situations
usually favor the subjects of math/science
are methodical
are a sequential thinker
use logical reasoning
like to work with things that can be seen or touched

Head Start State-based T/TA Office for Arizona 19

A member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network
If you have more "B" responses than "A" responses, you
are right-brain dominant.
This means you.......
are very creative
are usually emotional
like to be different from others
handle situations easily
like to think abstractly
enjoy the arts (music,art,drama)
are a divergent thinker
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A member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network
 Brain Development

Head Start State-based T/TA Office for Arizona 21

A member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network
A.Early Childhood
Brain develops even after birth.
It doubles in weight after 6 months.
The development proceeds at uneven pace
occurring between 3 and 10 months and
between 15 to 24 months.
There are 100 billion neurons or brain cells
present at birth which conduct nerve impulses.

Head Start State-based T/TA Office for Arizona 22

A member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network
 The neurons are nourished by glial cells which
is responsible for the increase of brain size.
Another important function of the glial cells is
the production of myelin, a fatty substance that
forms the covering of axonthe long filament
extending out from the cell body by which the
neuron makes contact with the nerve cells,
thereby transmitting neural messages.

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A member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network
Myelination of nerve fibers grows at different
paces for different parts of the brain. The
myelination of the sensory perception, brain
muscles, spinal cord, and internal organs and
glands enables a newborn to process
information.

Head Start State-based T/TA Office for Arizona 24

A member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network
Head Start State-based T/TA Office for Arizona 25
A member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network
B. Middle Childhood
90-95% of brain growth is reached by the time a
child reaches the age of 9.
The brain growth is characterized by cell
proliferation and cell pruning.
Cell proliferation is the process of over production
of neurons and interconnections.
Cell pruning is the process of selective elimination
of excess cells and cutting back of connections.

Head Start State-based T/TA Office for Arizona 26

A member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network
 In the middle of childhood, the neurons of the
association areas such as sensory, motor and
intellectual functions are myelinized.
Another significant changes in the middle
childhood is the ability to identify and act a
relationship between objects in space. This is
because of lateralizationa localization of
function or activity on one side of the brain.

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A member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network
C. Adolescence
In the teenaged years, there are two major brain
growth spurts.
In the first spurt, there are more energies
produced and consumed by the brain with is mostly
on spatial perception and motor functions.
The second brain growth spurt has the frontal
lobes of the cerebral cortex as focus of
development.

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A member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network