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Captivate, Activate, and Invigorate the Student Brain in Science and Math, Grades 6-12
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Captivate, Activate, and Invigorate the Student Brain in Science and Math, Grades 6-12



May 2013 | 224 pages | Corwin
Get your students excited about science and math!

Are your lessons falling on unengaged ears? Maybe it's time to mix things up! John Almarode and Ann Miller provide numerous strategies and a model for developing engaging science and math lessons and units that captivate students, activate prior knowledge, and invigorate student interest by making lessons rigorous and relevant. Based on the latest brain research, this book includes:

-Content-specific lessons plans and strategies for middle and secondary school teachers

-Useful forms and supplements for each strategy

-Examples across all areas of middle and high school math and science, including physics, algebra, and chemistry

-Lesson plan templates to get you started

 
Foreword
 
Preface
 
Acknowledgments
 
About the Authors
 
1. The Recipe for an Engaged Brain
The Recipe for Student Engagement

 
Recipes as Frameworks

 
Using Your Engagement Monitor

 
Engagement: An Overt and Covert Operation

 
You Can Lead Students to Class, but Can You Make Them Think?

 
Chapter 1: 3-2-1 Exit Ticket

 
Engaging Professional Development Tasks

 
References

 
Engaging Professional Development Tasks

 
 
2. Building Background Knowledge
Using Models to Build Background Knowledge

 
A Road Map of the Brain

 
The Nuts and Bolts

 
Engaging the Students With Vocabulary

 
Pandora's Box

 
Chapter 2: Concept Development Exit Ticket

 
Engaging Professional Development Tasks

 
References

 
 
3. Prime the Brain: Activate Prior Knowledge
The Deafening Sound of Silence

 
Making Student Brains More Efficient

 
Getting Better Encoding, Retention, and Recall

 
Link to the Recipe for Engagement

 
Chapter 3: "Fist List" Exit Ticket

 
Engaging Professional Development Tasks

 
References

 
 
4. Captivate With Novelty
In the Classroom, Novelty Is the Spice of Life

 
Emotionally Charged Events

 
Goldilocks and the Three Bears: Novelty in Moderation

 
Chapter 4: Exit Ticket

 
Engaging Professional Development Tasks

 
References

 
 
5. Why Do We Need to Know This? Establishing Relevance
How Is Relevance Good for the Brain? A Mouse Tale

 
How Can I Make Learning Behaviorally Relevant?

 
Link to the Recipe for Engagement

 
Chapter 5: Exit Ticket

 
Engaging Professional Development Tasks

 
References

 
 
6. Too Much, Too Fast: Maintaining an Engaging Pace
Input and Quantity Limitations

 
Press and Release

 
What to Do Between Chunks?

 
Too Much, Too Fast

 
Chapter 6: Exit Ticket

 
Engaging Professional Development Tasks

 
References

 
 
7. Make Learning a Long-Lasting, Invigorating Experience
It's as if They Were Never Even in Class

 
Checking for Understanding

 
Reading

 
Closure Activities

 
A Watched Pot Never Boils . . . and This Is a Good Thing

 
Chapter 7: Exit Ticket

 
Engaging Professional Development Tasks

 
References

 
 
8. Building an Engaging Science or Mathematics Lesson and Unit
Using the Recipe to Build an Engaging Lesson

 
Using the Recipe to Build an Engaging Unit

 
A Recipe for Diversity

 
Taste Testing the Recipe

 
Chapter 8: Exit Ticket

 
Engaging Professional Development Tasks

 
References

 
 
Appendix A Unit Instructional Plan
 
Appendix B Daily Lesson Plan
 
Index

"This book links a wealth of best practices in lesson design to the latest research on how the brain learns new information. It is a must for all educators involved in building effective lessons."

Edward C. Nolan, PreK-12 Content Specialist, Mathematics
Montgomery County Public Schools, Rockville, MD

"This book provides a different perspective on how learning takes place. The authors provide unique insights into some of the obstacles to student learning in science and mathematics. The authors' strategies should provide classroom teachers with new tools and a fresh perspective on designing enhanced learning experiences for their students."

Patricia Waller, Educational Consultant and Retired Science Educator
Emmaus High School, Emmaus, PA

"The success of this book lies in the fact that this is a practitioner's voice, simple, concrete and easy to follow. The engaging lesson framework provides easy access to other practitioners on 'how.'"

Rosalind LaRocque, Professional Development Coordinator
American Federation of Teachers, Washington, DC

"This book is a must-read for teachers of math or science who want to increase student achievement and create meaningful learning experiences!"

Melissa Miller, Middle School Science Instructor
Lynch Middle School, Farmington, AR

"This book offers real strategies to activate and invigorate learning in real students in real science and math classrooms."

Loukea N. Kovanis-Wilson, Chemistry Instructor
Clarkston High School, Clarkston, MI

Great companion text for Methods.

Professor Elizabeth Baker
Scholl of Education, Mills College
October 4, 2014

For instructors

Please contact your Academic Consultant to check inspection copy availability for your course.

Select a Purchasing Option

ISBN: 9781452218021
£25.99

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