Twenty Strategies That Engage the Brain

I will remember the 20 brain-based strategies to promote student learning found in Marcia Tate’s, “Worksheets Don’t Grow Dendrites” using the technique to memorize twenty concepts as demonstrated by Rich Allan this year at Leander ISD’s Continuous Improvement Conference.

This is the format:

I will briefly describe the body movement as demonstrated by Rich Allan.  I will use that body movement to then memorize the 20 brain-based strategies.

-1 is the sun (make a circle with your arms in front of your body):  I will bounce my arms and imagine the circle being a brain (brainstorming and discussion).

-2 eyes (use two fingers to point to your eyes):  I will start out by pointing to my eyes but then I will begin drawing random things in the air in front of me with those two fingers (drawing and artwork).

-3 is a triangle (using both hands to outline the vertices of a triangle):  I will start with outlining the vertices of the triangle and then start “pointing at objects I am seeing at the museum” (field trips).

-4 burners on a stove (using one hand, press each burner on the stove):  I will move my pawn around the game board 4 times (games).

-5 fingers (wiggle fingers):  I will recall the graphic organizer that students can learn to memorize a summary on their fingers—somebody, wanted, but, so, then (graphic organizers, semantic maps, and word webs).

-6 pick-up sticks (using one hand, begin to “pick up sticks”):  I will think of the sticks and remember “slapstick” humor (humor).

-7-Up (pretend to drink a can of 7-Up):  I will begin to drink the can but then begin to “analyze the specimen” (manipulatives, experiments, labs, and models).

-8 tentacles (wiggle 8 fingers):  I will think, “The octopus’ tentacles are as long as fire hoses” (metaphors, analogies, similes).

-9 line (draw a line with your pinky):  I will pretend I am unzipping a really neat way to remember facts or information (mnemonic devices)

-10 chicken (flap arms like a chicken):  I will flap my arms like a chicken and move around the room (movement).

-11 pickets on a fence (drum your pointer fingers down a line of fencing):  I will drum with my fingers (music, rhythm, rhyme, and rap).

-12 dozen eggs (crack an egg):  I will crack the egg and see what “problem is inside” (project-based and problem-based instruction).

-13 unlucky cat (pet an unlucky cat):  I will pet the cat in hopes that it becomes cooperative (reciprocal teaching and cooperative learning).

-14 is a heart for Valentine’s (using both hands, make the shape of a heart in front of your body):  I will make the heart in front of my body, but do it dramatically (role plays, drama, pantomimes, and charades).

-15 minutes of fame (do the jazz hands and proclaim your 15 minutes of fame!):  I will pretend that I had 15 minutes of fame because of a really crazy story from my life (storytelling).

-16 legal age to drive (hold a steering wheel and pretend to drive):  Change the radio station as you are driving the car (technology).

-17 magazine (flip the pages of Seventeen):  Visualize the pictures in the magazine as you are flipping the pages (visualization and guided imagery).

-18 legal age to vote (make a checkmark with your hand):  Imagine you made a checkmark on a huge voting ballet (visuals).

-19 remote (turn on the TV with a remote):  Pretend that the remote needs repair and you are attempting to fix it (work study and apprenticeships).

-20-20 vision (hold binoculars and look around):  Start off holding binoculars and then use your right hand to start writing (writing and journals).