Students will be introduced to the brain’s function concerning memory.

Students will compare short term memory and long term memory.

Students will try strategies to train the brain to hold more short term memory.

Social Emotional

	1A3a. Analyze factors that create stress or motivate successful performance
	1C.3b. Analyze why one achieved or did not achieve a goal

Website Neuroscience for Kids- Explore the Nervous System http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/introb.html

Discovery.com; http://school.discovery.com/lessonplans/programs/brainpower

Website for NIDA for Teens (The Brain and Addiction) www.teens.drugabuse.gov

Begin by discussing the question, “What is learning?”

Obviously there will a link between how we learn and how the brain stores our information.  Discuss how you would teach your brain something. Most responses will center on training the brain through repetition.  Mention that in coming lessons, how drugs “teach” the brain will be introduced.

Using the website http://school.discovery.com/lessonplans/programs/brainpower, create a short term memory quiz to administer to the class. Discuss the strategies used by the students, if they were effective and if they would work for everyone. By this lesson, the students have tried different modalities of learning in Math. The website has various discussion questions to use to get the students thinking as they discuss. Extensions are provided, also.

If time permits, it would be beneficial to go back over the surveys that the students completed to begin the unit. At this point in the unit, they have explored a variety of modalities in all areas and now can relate it to the functions of the brain.

Have each student write two paragraphs (1-2-3-2-3-2-3-4 style) agreeing with or disagreeing with their initial survey. By this point they will have been introduced to the modalities and some students will realize that they did not approach the survey seriously.
The first paragraph should state which modalities they are positive they use. The second paragraph should address which ones they know understand that are not relevant to them or if this does not apply to them, write about the modality that is their weakest.

Begin the day reviewing the discussion about memory from yesterday.

If possible, set up each student with a computer in the lab so they can utilize this fun and informational website with memory experiments: http://www.exploratorium.edu/memory/index.html

Students will learn how drugs affect the processes of the body

22.A.3a Identify and describe ways to reduce health risks common to adolescents.

23.A.3 Explain how body systems interact with each other.

23.B.3 Explain the effects of health-related actions upon body systems

Website Neuroscience for Kids- Explore the Nervous System http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/introb.html

Website for NIDA for Teens (The Brain and Addiction) www.teens.drugabuse.gov

Discussion starter questions can be found on the NIDA website listed above. Additional teacher information can be found on this website: http://www.teens.drugabuse.gov/facts/facts_brain1.asp.  This website is operated by the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Many facts about how drugs affect the brain are explained. Drugs are divided into two categories based on whether they slow down or speed up the brain’s processes. The section entitled “What Do Drugs Do to the Brain?” has a wonderful explanation that could be used verbatim to cover the topic.