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Captivate, Activate, and Invigorate the Student Brain in Science and Math, Grades 6-12
Discover engaging, brain-based science and math strategies that captivate students’ attention, activate prior knowledge, and invigorate interest. Features a ready-to-use framework, content-specific attention grabbers, and more.
- Grade Level: PreK-12
- ISBN: 9781452218021
- Published By: Corwin
- Year: 2013
- Page Count: 224
- Publication date: April 02, 2013
Price: $33.95
Description
Banish boredom once and for all!
If your STEM lessons are falling on disinterested ears, it's time to mix things up. What you need are more engaging, brain-based science and math strategies to captivate your students' attention, activate their prior knowledge, and invigorate their interest.
Blending current research on the student brain with practical methods for teaching science and math, John Almarode and Ann M. Miller identify six essential "ingredients" in a recipe for student success. In their book you'll discover
- A customizable framework you can use right away
- Classroom-ready, content-specific attention grabbers
- Overt and covert strategies to boost behavioral, emotional, and cognitive engagement
- Techniques for making relevant connections that maximize retention
With this new approach to captivating STEM lessons, you'll energize classroom time and keep your students on task and engaged—every day.
"This book links a wealth of best practices in lesson design to the latest research on how the brain learns new information."
—Edward C. Nolan, PreK-12 Content Specialist, Mathematics
Montgomery County Public Schools, Rockville, MD
"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, Science Instructor
Lynch Middle School, Farmington, AR
Key features
- Each chapter ends with "engaging strategies" that exemplify the topic discussed in the chapter
- Strategies address specific math and science content areas (earth science, algebra, physics, etc.)
- Useful forms and supplements for each strategy are included
- Space is provided after each strategy for the teacher to brainstorm how they will adapt and implement the strategy. This makes the book useful for independent or group book study.
- Each chapter has "stop-n-thinks" that ask the reader to pause, take a break from reading, process, and reflect upon the content. This models the importance of reflective practice needed to personalize the strategies discussed in book and provides a chance for readers to make conscious decisions about their own classrooms.
- A sample lesson plan template is included.
- A glossary of terms assists readers with brain terminology.
Author(s)

John Taylor Almarode
Continuing his collaborative work with colleagues on what works best in teaching and learning, How Tutoring Works, Visible Learning in Early Childhood, and How Learning Works, all with Corwin Press, were released in 2021.

Ann M. Miller
Ann M. Miller has had the privilege of working as an educator and staff developer for many years. She is currently the Coordinator of Elementary Instruction and Professional development K-12 for Waynesboro Public Schools. Ann began her career teaching Special Education for Cayuga-Onondaga BOCES in Cayuga County, New York. She focused her efforts on emotionally disturbed students before making a successful transition to the position of Instructional Specialist. Ann became a member of an elite team of staff development leaders where her enthusiasm, knowledge and approachable style helped to develop strong productive learning communities within nine different school divisions. Her extensive knowledge about teaching, student engagement and how children learn has provided a strong instructional foundation needed to design, facilitate and implement relevant and meaningful learning opportunities for a wide range of audiences. Ann truly loves her career but she would be the first to tell you how truly blessed she is to have a loving and supportive husband, three caring children, and four terrific grandchildren. Everyone should be so lucky
Table of Contents
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
Reviews
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"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
For Instructors
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