Monday, March 27, 2006

Daily Brain Tip - Snooze You Lose

Is your child getting enough sleep? Although there's no magical number of hours required by all kids in a certain age group, generally kids ages 5 to 12 need about 9-11 hours of sleep a night.

Sleep deprived individuals have a shorter attention span, impaired memory, and a longer reaction time. Adequate sleep is important to the memory storage process. (Information is encoded into longterm memory sites during sleep).

Please remind your students to get adequate sleep for their mental and physical health!

Thursday, March 16, 2006

Daily Brain Tip - Laugh!

Laughing provides the brain with more oxygen, fuel for learning. It also releases endorphins in the blood. These are the body's natural painkillers, helping students enjoy the moment. Emotions enhance memory, so positive feelings that result from laughter increase the chances that students will retain what they learned. Not only is laughter the best medicine, but it can also be a valuable part of your lesson. Check out http://www.teach-nology.com/newsletters/ for suitable jokes to tell in class. tip

Monday, March 13, 2006

Daily Brain Tip - Wear a helmet

Protect your brain. Wear a helmet when you are biking, skateboarding and skiing. Cyclists who wear helmets are 85 per cent less at risk of serious head injury. Using a helmet was associated with a 60 percent reduction in the risk for head injury in skiers. Take part in prevention!

Daily Brain Tip -Eat Well


Brains work best when you eat a well balanced meal. Without proper nutrients, you may experience lightheadedness, forgetfulness and become overly emotional. Start the day right with a good breakfast.

Tuesday, March 07, 2006

Cool School Tool - slant board

The muscles of the hand are divided into power muscles and precision muscles. The precision muscles (needed for writing) work better when the wrist is extended. Notice students who write with their wrist bent. They are probably experiencing muscle fatigue. Writing on a slanted surface is a good solution. Architects and artists often use an inclined surface. There are slanted clipboards that provide this function, but let's think along the lines of reinvention and reuse. Any 3-4 inch three ring binder makes a great slanted surface for a student's desk. Try it out!

Thursday, March 02, 2006

National Brain Awareness Week


National Brain Awareness Week is March 13 - 19. Celebrate by passing on daily tips to students to enhance and excercise their brains.