THEME: The brain’s mechanics, structure and function or
(What’s in there and what happens when our senses put some info in there?)

Procedures:
PREpare Phase: 5 minutes
Before you move:
a) find the assignment below for the seminar group you’re in
b) prepare your idea for how to fulfill your group’s task
c) jot notes, graphics, etc. to sketch out your plan

STEP I. 25 minutes/
EXPERTS’ PREPARATION PHASE Clock time: __________
• Each seminar group will become “experts”;
• First, balance numbers in seminar groups (about 13), then
• Break into subgroups of about 4 each to maximize creativity and involvement.
• Prepare your assignment below; ** Note also: when you present to the whole class, feel free to involve the audience in your presentation in some way.

Masao’s seminar group: 1 In subgroups, prepare to do the following:
Be able to explain (not just verbally) to someone new to brain research and teaching,
a) how the images in text figure 1.1 were obtained, what they show, and
b) how the techniques behind brain imaging might inform or challenge educational practice?

Jacque: seminar group 2 In subgroups, prepare to do the following:
Knowing that you’re in the MIT program, the principal asks you to help her/him convince the staff at a faculty meeting that knowing the names of the structures within the brain and their functions could prove useful to educators. Give us a demo of your 5-minute presentation.

Gery seminar group 3: In subgroups, prepare to do the following:
Plan a lesson to help your students (pick an age group) learn the parts of their brains. Address more than one learning style and include a creative comprehension check afterwards to see if the students actually learned the lesson.

STEP II. 20 minutes PRESENTATIONS IN SMALL GROUPS Clock time: __________
• Each person within a seminar group is to number off from 1 to approx. 13; now form jigsaw groups of 3 so that all number ones (one from each seminar) are a small group, all the number 2s, etc.
• Each expert is to then “present” his/her special assignment to the other small group members

STEP III. 15 minutes TEACHER “FACE TIME” Clock time: __________
• Several groups at random will be asked to share with the whole cohort one of their 3 topical presentations.
Break: 10 minutes

STEP IV. 20 minutes Debriefing, back in smaller sub-seminar groups (part I):
Clock time: __________

Use separate sheet of paper; put the names of those in your subgroup on top
A. What are the most salient points about the brain, research, technology that you would emphasize in the text?
B. Why do you think these points bear emphasis in the world of teaching/learning?
C. How might this knowledge show up in your personal classroom, depending on what you’ll teach?
D. What in the workshop process (small or big) would you possibly incorporate in your classroom teaching? What would you modify or delete?

STEP V. 10 minutes Crystallizing phase and formative self-assessment
• Form pairs
• One person in the pair names a part of the brain, the other responds by describing something he/she remembers about that part (its purpose, importance, impact on learning, implication for teacher, etc)
• The respondent above now names a brain area and the other person responds per above
• Continue, alternating, until all brain parts are named and commented on so that each plays both roles and gets feedback on how well s/he has learned the key text information.