Teach the Way the Brain Learns discusses organizing learning experiences under themes. Once the brain has stored basic concepts in the curriculum, the storing-by-association system of the brain attaches new information to those basic concepts, building new ones as students have learning experiences that involve them in integrated subject matter. Thematic teaching has been around for quite a while, stemming from John Dewey and "learning by doing." Teachers need to return to it in view of the effects of narrowed curricula resulting from nationwide emphasis on testing and on rating schools based on student achievement. This book provides ways for teachers to link subjects and areas of learning for various teaching situations and takes readers from simple correlation through using published thematic units now available and on to developing their own interdisciplinary themes or in team efforts with other colleagues.

Teach the Way the Brain Learns discusses organizing learning experiences under themes. Once the brain has stored basic concepts in the curriculum, the storing-by-association system of the brain attaches new information to those basic concepts, building new ones as students have learning experiences that involve them in integrated subject matter. Thematic teaching has been around for quite a while, stemming from John Dewey and 'learning by doing.' Teachers need to return to it in view of the effects of narrowed curricula resulting from nationwide emphasis on testing and on rating schools based on student achievement. This book provides ways for teachers to link subjects and areas of learning for various teaching situations and takes readers from simple correlation through using published thematic units now available and on to developing their own interdisciplinary themes or in team efforts with other colleagues.

Brain-Based Teaching for All Subjects describes cognitive instruction that builds on brain reactions in everyday life and explains how teachers lead students to see commonalities in examples of a particular concept. The common traits lead to a visual pattern or model of the concept, with language labels attached. Teachers can refer to the pattern in future classroom work as the topic is studied. Two patterns are especially influential: an event frame-a sort of empty comic strip that allows analysis of a story, historic event, or even a novel by visually representing actions of a person or character as the plot unfolds; and the culture box, which shows six concentric boxes representing the self or individual in the center, surrounded by other aspects of life, from family to economy. The book contains chapters on basic concepts with examples of visual patterns.

Brain-Based Teaching for All Subjects describes cognitive instruction that builds on brain reactions in everyday life and explains how teachers lead students to see commonalities in examples of a particular concept. The common traits lead to a visual pattern or model of the concept, with language labels attached. Teachers can refer to the pattern in future classroom work as the topic is studied. Two patterns are especially influential: an event frame_a sort of empty comic strip that allows analysis of a story, historic event, or even a novel by visually representing actions of a person or character as the plot unfolds; and the culture box, which shows six concentric boxes representing the self or individual in the center, surrounded by other aspects of life, from family to economy. The book contains chapters on basic concepts with examples of visual patterns.