Train Your Brain
How your brain influences your learning, and vice versa
Food Matters!
SO WHAT CAN YOU DO?!?!
Choose healthy, nutritious snacks such as popcorn, carrots, raisins, yogurt, and/or fresh fruit! (Jensen) Making a change in the foods you eat can go a long way in keeping your brain functioning at a quality level.
What Are You Looking At???
Did you know that the brain needs 3-Dimensional objects to help develop visual depth. Your television cannot provide that with it's 2-Dimensional screen. (Jensen)
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
Play more! Build things, actively explore your world, play a sport, ride a bike. All of these things help to build your brain.
National Geographic for kids shares:
"It is well known that any exercise that makes your heart beat faster, like running or playing basketball, is great for your body and can even help improve your mood. But scientists have recently learned that for a period of time after you've exercised, your body produces a chemical that makes your brain more receptive to learning. So if you're stuck on a homework problem, go out and play a game of soccer, then try the problem again. You just might discover that you're able to solve it."
You Can Do It!
ELIMINATE "I CAN'T" FROM YOUR THOUGHTS.
No matter your age, the brain is constantly changing. The understanding of your brain always growing means "I can't" is usually not true. More accurately you might think "I can't...yet."
Need an example of how the brain works?
"Think back to the first time you rode a bike. Your brain had to think about pedaling, staying balanced, steering with the handlebars, watching the road, and maybe even hitting the brakes — all at once. Hard work, right? But eventually, as you got more practice, the neurons sent messages back and forth until a pathway was created in your brain. Now you can ride your bike without thinking about it because the neurons have successfully created a "bike riding" pathway."
Read the whole article here or type in the URL, http://kidshealth.org/kid/htbw/brain.html#
Musical Influence
Music has the ability to help grow your brain significantly. One musicians brain was studied and a scientist found "that the area of the brain responsible for hearing reception was twice as thick as normal" (Jensen)
"Science has shown that when children learn to play music, their brains begin to hear and process sounds that they couldn't otherwise hear." (Locker)
Explore More
References
Brain (2015). KidsHealth. Retrieved March 22, 2015 from
http://kidshealth.org/kid/closet/movies/NSmovie.ht ml?tracking=59983_F
Hoiland, E. (n.d.) Brain plasticity: What is it? Learning memory. Retrieved March 22, 2015
From http://faculty.washington.edu/ chudler/plast.html
Jensen, E. (2005). Teaching with the brain in mind (2nd ed.)Alexandria, Virginia:
Association for Supervision and Curriculum
Development.
Your brain & nervous system (2015). KidsHealth.
Retrieved March 22, 2015 from
http://kidshealth.org/kid/htbw/brain.html#
Locker, M. (2014). This is how music can change your
brain. Time: Living Science. Retrieved
March 22, 2015 from
http://time.com/3634995/study-kids-
engaged-music-class-for-benefits-northwestern/
Your amazing brain (n.d.). National Geographic Kids. Retrieved March 22, 2015 from
http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/explore/science/your-amazing-brain/