Brain Theory

Brain Theory

Learning Intention

• To understand how my

brain receives, stores and

retrieves information.

Success Criteria

• I can name the brain cell

and the name of the part

that stores memories.

• I can understand that I am

able to learn new and

different things, but I must

practise them to make the

learning permanent.

GKR

Hands Up “What do

you know about the

brain?”

What does the title tell

me?

What do I predict the text will be

about?

What can the pictures

tell me?

What do I already know about this

topic?

What words do I expect to see?

What images come

to mind?

What will I do as I read?

Hook

The average human brain the size of ‘The Age’ broadsheet

Key Vocab

dendrite

synapse

theory

neuron

endorphins

Brain Theory

Brain Fact: You are born with 100-200 billion brain cells.

You can’t grow brain cells.

A billion is 1,000,000,000 (9 zeroes) so your brain has between

100,000,000,000 and 200,000,000,000 cells making it up.

Brain TheoryBrain Fact: The brain has 100-200

billion brain cells.

Dendrites grow each time you listen

to/ write about /talk about, or

practise something.

Brain Theory

Brain Fact: The brain has 100-200 billion brain cells.

Each Cell has up to 20,000 of these.

So in total your brain can store at least

100,000,000,000 x 20,000 = 2,000,000,000,000,000 pieces of information.

That’s 2 Thousand Trillion, kids.

Brain Theory

Brain Fact: The brain has 100-200 billion brain cells.

Each Cell has up to 20,000 of these.

Brain Theory

Brain Fact: The brain has 100-200 billion brain cells.

Each Cell has up to 20,000 of these.

The brain makes dendrites each time learning is done.

The more we practise what we learn the thicker the dendrite becomes and the messages from the dendrites travel quicker.

Brain Theory

Brain Fact: The brain has 100-200 billion brain cells.

Each Cell has up to 20,000 of these.

Brain Cells are called Neurons

Each Neuron can handle 50,000 messages per minuteWOW!, that’s 833 every second!!!

Brain Theory

Brain Fact: The brain has 100-200 billion brain cells (Neurons).

Each Cell has up to 20,000 of these.

Brain Cells are called Neurons.

The spaces between Dendrites are called Synapses.

Dendrites use electrical signals to send messages to other Dendrites across the Synapses.

That’s why drinking water is important (especially on hot days).

Brain Theory

Brain Fact: The brain has 100-200 billion brain cells.

Dendrites use electrical signals to send messages to other

Dendrites across the Synapses.That’s why drinking water is important (especially on hot days).

Brain Theory

Fact: Doing and Learning new things grows dendrites.

Brain Theory

Fact: Doing and Learning new things grows dendrites.

New Dendrites take time to grow, it takes practise to learn to

grow

DENDRITES

And practise takes time and effort.

Brain Theory

Fact: Doing and Learning new things grows dendrites.

However, the dendrite connection is very fragile. In 20 minutes

you will only remember 60%.

In 24 hours only 30%.

If you practise within 24 hours and then practise again, you can

remember 80%.

Brain Theory

Fact: Doing and Learning new things grows dendrites.

The dendrites grow for what you are practising.

If you watch other people solve problems, you grow dendrites for watching others solve problems.

You are not growing dendrites for solving problems,

UNLESS, you are solving the problems yourself.No one can grow dendrites for you – you have to do it!!!

FLIGHT OR FIGHT

Fact: Our Emotions affect how we learn.

When you are anxious or not confident about learning, certain

chemicals shut the synapses down.

Run, Get away – this is the flight response.

When you are confident with your learning other chemicals

make the synapses work.

I can deal with this – this is the fight response.

Brain Theory

Fact: Our Emotions affect how we learn.

What are the good chemicals that help synapses?

Endorphins.

Your body makes endorphins when you relax, exercise, laugh,

or learn new things.You can practise producing Endorphins – it wil help when you are under stress.

Brain Theory

Intelligence: Fixed or Changeable?

As we have seen, the more things you learn, (and the more you

practise them), the more you will grow dendrites.

The more dendrites you have the smarter you are.

Brain Theory

Intelligence: Fixed or Changeable?

Your brain can grow dendrites in the same way you keep

breathing. It is an auto function of the body.

But you need to practise.

Brain Theory

Intelligence: Fixed or Changeable?

How Long can you hold your breath?

Brain Theory

Intelligence: Fixed or Changeable?

You must do something active (explain, draw, write, solve, etc)

in order to learn because…

Dendrites only grow when you are actively doing something.

Brain Theory

Intelligence: Fixed or Changeable?

Dendrites only grow from existing dendrites. New things must

connect to and grow off existing knowledge.

If existing prior knowledge is not there, new learning will seem

to “go right over your head”.

Brain Theory

Feedback

Learning from mistakes by getting feedback and having

mistakes corrected (and good efforts praised) means you check

the accuracy of your connections.

This is very important so you don’t practise the wrong thing and

build a strong, but wrong connection.

Brain Theory

Your brain is like any other part of your body, use it or lose it!

Brain Theory Review

What do I know now

about the Brain that I

didn’t know before?