Interactive Learning Experiences, Grades 6-12; Increasing Student Engagement and Learning

by David Smokler

• ISBN13: 9781412963367
• ISBN10: 1412963362
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2008-09-02
• Publisher: Corwin Pr

Summary

'This book will excite teachers who want to motivate today's secondary students. Information about the brain, presented along with the authorÆs personal teaching experiences, tips, and creative game ideas, makes for a very worthwhile read!'ùCindy Bean, Seventh-Grade Math TeacherArcola Intermediate Middle School, Schwenksville, PAEnergize adolescents with memorable and engaging learning experiences!Research shows that the adolescent brain is wired to seek novelty and ignore familiar stimuli. This innovative resource demonstrates how teachers can transform everyday classroom lectures into memorable experiences and reinforce course content by introducing new, different, and surprising elements into daily lessons.Based on brain-compatible teaching principles, the updated edition of Making Learning Come Alive shows how to use stimulating interactive learning experiences to connect teenagers with content. Teachers will find activities and ideas for introducing each learning experience and will discover how to design and assess their own. Updated throughout, this new edition offers:Nine new sample learning experiences, including four in math and science A revised assessment chapter that covers standards-based education and NCLB Reflection questions in each chapterThe learning activities can be used as is or modified to connect with hundreds of themes and concepts across middle school and high school curricula.

Table of Contents

Preface

Acknowledgments

About the Author

Why Create an Experience?

What Is an Experience?

Brain-Compatible Learning

Seeing Into the Brain

How the Brain Learns

Brain Research and Education: What Teachers Need to Know

Why Is It So Hard to Impress a Teenager?

Emotion: At the Center of the Brain

Complex Learning Activities

The Power of Reflection

Reflection Questions for Teachers

How to Create an Experience

Preparing a Classroom Environment Conducive to Experiences

Here's the Problem

Spread the Love: Rapport-Building Exercises

The Physical Environment

Strategies for Creating Experiences

What Does Infinity Smell Like?

Move Your Body

Using Music to Build Anticipation, Excitement, and Readiness

Tying Music to Your Curriculum

Fantasy Contexts

Putting It All Together: Creating Your Own Experiences

Student Involvement

Other Ideas for Experiences

Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Motivation

Ideas for English and Social Studies Teachers

Ideas for Math and Science Teachers

Ideas for World Language Teachers

Ideas for Health, Wellness, and Physical Education Teachers

Reflection Questions for Teachers

How Do You Assess an Experience?

Traditional vs. Authentic Assessment

Reflection as Formative Assessment

Aligning Your Experiences to Standards

Why Standards-Based?

Reflection as Summative Assessment

Other Considerations

See What They Already Know Before You Begin

Reflection Questions for Teachers

Sample Experiences

Guess Who Had This for Dinner

The Eliminator

Morning Move-Around

The Wave

Two Truths and a Lie

The Name Game

Thumper

Old-Fashioned Sing Down

Musical Moment

The Reveal

Debate Shift-Around

Save the Princess

Counter-Terrorism

The Arrest

Shelter

The Scream

The Fire

Power

Island Survival

The Salesman

Witch Hunt

The Farm Game

Crime Scene

Rollercoaster Designer

Making Experiences Work for You

Reproducible Handouts

Song Reflection Report

Save the Princess

Counter-Terrorism

The Scream

Power

Island Survival

The Salesman

The Farm Game

Crime Scene

Lab Report

Additional Resources

Brain-Based Learning Fun Kit

Web Resources About Brain-Compatible Learning

Web Resources About Simulation Games

References

Index

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