Brain Education

Sketching in Wire	Wild to Anchor Brain Education and Mindfulness go hand in hand.
Paper Brain Assemblage Pre-K Kindergarten Brain Sculpture Collaboration: Part of the Empower Child, Resilient Child Research Project that I did with KU Med's OT Masters Program.	One Piece at a Time Cutting and Pasting green paper to represent the Prefrontal Cortex, building connection to the "Green Zone" and being ready to learn.
The Green Zone "A place of calm goodness, where you can find treasure."	Talk to Spiderman Older students are given the task of naming the different parts of the brain, something that connects to its function.
Pipe cleaner brains Simple brain models are built to help kids have a tool for thinking and talking about their brains.	Sensory Rich Using a variety of tactile materials contributes to the "stickiness" of this lesson.
Name It to Tame It When we name our brain regions and learn about how they work, we empower ourselves to have better self-talk.	Multi-modal Learning This lesson used video, worksheet, wire sculpture, creative writing and story telling performance.

My fascination with the brain began, seemingly late in life, when I was in my late 20's and was discovering cognitive psychology. But, I didn't really get hooked on learning about the brain until I was delving into becoming "Trauma Informed" and read two key books. The Whole Brain Child, by Dan Siegal and Tina Payne Bryson changed my relationship with my self, my parents and my own son. The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel Van der Kolk awakened me to the nature of my own brain development throughout my experiences with childhood trauma, learning, healing and success.

The Whole Brain Child

By Dan J Siegal and Tina Payne Bryson

The Body Keeps the Score

By Bessel Van der Kolk

The first time I made a brain sculpture was with my son at the age of 6 and it was actually his idea. I remember one day after we had built this brain, we had a particularly interesting conversation that I will never forget.

M: You know buddy, when I was a kid, no one taught me about my brain.

B: What!? Why not!?

M: I don't think that they knew that you could or should.

B: Really!? Why not!?

M: Brain Science wasn't very developed back then, I guess.

B: Wow! Did you have cars when you were a kid?

M: Yes, we had cars.

Brain Sculpture By Beth and Bjorn Made of wire, pipe cleaners, beads and assorted junk.	Brain Education Empowers Understanding how the brain works advanced our ability to problem solve on multiple levels.
Mindful Choices Washer wrapped in copper wire with central red bead represents the amygdala. Spring at the center is the staircase up to the prefrontal cortex, the pearl of wisdom. The set of keys represent the hippocampus, the memory saver.

Brain Education

Sketching in Wire

Wild to Anchor

Brain Education and Mindfulness go hand in hand.

Paper Brain Assemblage

Pre-K Kindergarten Brain Sculpture Collaboration: Part of the Empower Child, Resilient Child Research Project that I did with KU Med's OT Masters Program.

One Piece at a Time

Cutting and Pasting green paper to represent the Prefrontal Cortex, building connection to the "Green Zone" and being ready to learn.

The Green Zone

"A place of calm goodness, where you can find treasure."

Talk to Spiderman

Older students are given the task of naming the different parts of the brain, something that connects to its function.

Pipe cleaner brains

Simple brain models are built to help kids have a tool for thinking and talking about their brains.

Sensory Rich

Using a variety of tactile materials contributes to the "stickiness" of this lesson.

Name It to Tame It

When we name our brain regions and learn about how they work, we empower ourselves to have better self-talk.

Multi-modal Learning

This lesson used video, worksheet, wire sculpture, creative writing and story telling performance.

Brain Sculpture

By Beth and Bjorn Made of wire, pipe cleaners, beads and assorted junk.

Brain Education Empowers

Understanding how the brain works advanced our ability to problem solve on multiple levels.

Mindful Choices

Washer wrapped in copper wire with central red bead represents the amygdala. Spring at the center is the staircase up to the prefrontal cortex, the pearl of wisdom. The set of keys represent the hippocampus, the memory saver.