Event(s) Summary
Number of Events Organized During Brain Awareness Week:
1
Year:
2019
Type of Events Held:
- Symposium
Target Audiences:
- Middle school students(6-8)
- Other: Parents and other family members
- Other: Students from other grade levels
Approximate Number of People Reached:
404
Details of Major Brain Awareness Week Events/Activities:
Our symposium was a 7th Grade Event. We started our research by watching, The Thrill of Learning at the edge of your seat, an TedEd video. This talk inspired students to start their research in the book, Learning How to Learn: A Guide for Kids and Teens by Barbara Oakley. As the work progressed, students began to specialize, using internet research, until they found a topic to present at our Brain Symposium. This discovery phase lasted about 3 weeks. The students collaborated to create individual and partner stations for our symposium. Some of our stations were interactive, while others were more informative. For example, we had a Zombie Bowling Alley to learn about “Zombie Habits”, a tomato prize drawing tomato to learn “The Pomodoro Technique”, ideas from Barbara Oakley’s book, Learning How to Learn. We also used Dana Foundation resources, “It’s Mind Boggling”, and “More Mind Boggling” to create stations, such as, “How are Taste and Smell Related?”, “Build a Neuron”, and “Protect Your Brain: Wear a Helmet!” Egg Drop. We had Stroop Effect stations, a juggling station, a sleep station, a maintaining optimal stress station, a how to say no station, improve your posture headstand station; all stations were created and managed by students. Some of our researchers created stations such as Managing Writer’s Block, Phineas Gage, Autism, How Learning Music Affects Your Brain. Lastly, we used Lacrosse balls to teach people about NED Breaks, which help manage focus and diffuse thinking modes. For more information on NED Breaks, please go to https://neuraleducation.org. For more information on Learning How to Learn, please go to https://barbaraoakley.com/books/learning-how-to-learn.
Event Planning & Publicity
Publicity Methods Used:
- Emails
- Posters/Flyers
- Website
Which of These Publicity Methods Was The Most Successful?
Resources
Of the Dana Foundation publications/resources distributed at your event(s), if any, please indicate the three most popular. Please choose up to three. If "other," please indicate below:
- Q&A: Answering Your Questions About The Brain
- More Mindbogglers!
- Staying Sharp Bookmark
- BAW Stickers
- BAW Pencils
- Brain-shaped Erasers
- The Mindboggling Workbook
- Staying Sharp: Successful Aging and the Brain
What downloadable materials from the Foundation did you use for your events?
- Puzzles: Grades 6-8
- Kids Fact Sheets Grades 6-8
- Lesson Plans Grades 6-8
What other downloadable materials would you like the Foundation to provide?
- New Fact Sheets
- Activities/Experiments
- New Puzzles/Games
- New Coloring Sheets
Which BAW graphic materials did you use in publicizing your events?
- BAW Flyer
- BAW Logos
- BAW Poster
- BAW Web site banner
Feedback & Keys to Success
How do you feel BAW participation benefited your organization and the local community?
Students have a better understanding of their brain development and families have a new perspective on their children.
Please share any suggestions or lessons learned that may help others plan future events:
Plan early, be flexible, and create a collaborative team to manage the event.
Did/do you like our Facebook page?
No
