Houston Science Education Partnership: BrainLink — Phase I

Project Description

The BrainLink Project at Baylor College of Medicine teaches students how the brain learns and remembers, how the nervous system works and why the brain makes each individual so special. Developed and created by scientists and educators, each integrated interdisciplinary BrainLink unit consists of a comprehensive, hands-on activities guide for teachers, a colorful adventures storybook for students, a language arts supplement, and a fun and informative mini-magazine for students to take home. Each unit explores a different aspect of the nervous system in a friendly and completely original format. BrainLink units target upper elementary and middle school students; however, many BrainLink activities are effective and challenging for high school students as well. The following four units are available.

1. Brain Comparisons provides a novel approach to learning about the make-up of the brain and the basics of intelligence.
2. Motor Highways examines the motor system, including reflexes, movement and coordination.
3. Sensory Signals offers a unique approach to learning about how the senses work, including visual illusions, and how the brain processes sensory information.
4. Memory and Learning will help students become more effective by helping them understand how their brains store and retrieve information.

Abstract

The proposed project, “BrainLink: National Dissemination Plan,” aspires to “link” scientists and educators in several common missions to:

• Introduce science content that is not currently being addressed in elementary school curricula;
• Engage teachers, students and parents in discovering the fun of “doing” science;
• Provide scientific background for recommended health promotion/disease prevention practices;
• Expose students early on to the variety of careers available in health sciences; and
• Target minority and underserved communities with materials sensitive to their needs,

To achieve these objectives, Baylor College of Medicine proposes to:

• Revise for publication elements of BrainLink materials based upon recent feedback from teachers and students;
• Translate critical components of BrainLink materials into Spanish;
• Establish a national network of medical school/universities that will serve as nodes for BrainLink partnerships in other communities; and
• Expand the research and evaluation of BrainLink materials to other sites impacted by the dissemination network.

The proposed project is directly related to the goals of Healthy People 2000 AAAS Benchmarks for Science Literacy, the goals established for Decade of the Brain and science literacy efforts, and the objectives of the science/health career promotion efforts of the Association of American Medical Colleges.