Use it in class

The 20-minute plan

1. 3 min1. PredictAsk the class to guess what will happen and write it down.
2. 7 min2. PlayEveryone tries the module on a phone, tablet or laptop. Pairs can share.
3. 5 min3. Pool the dataStudents call out their two numbers. Type them into the class data board below.
4. 5 min4. DiscussCompare the class results with the predictions, then read the article’s science section together.

• Stress and equity · 20 min

  Does pressure change your speed?

  Fast and stressed

  Class compares: Calm round (ms) vs Pressure round (ms)

  Discussion questions

  1. When you played under pressure, did your speed actually help your accuracy, or did rushing lead to more mistakes?
  2. Why do you think our brains tend to speed up when we feel watched or timed?
  3. How can recognizing your own physical stress response help you slow down and reset during a difficult task?
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• Stress and equity · 20 min

  Noise, focus and where you live

  Focus in a noisy world + Where you live and how you feel

  Class compares: Quiet round (correct) vs Noisy round (correct)

  Discussion questions

  1. How did background noise change how hard it was to stay focused on the task?
  2. Why might constant noise in an environment, like a busy street or a crowded room, make it harder for the brain to learn?
  3. What are some ways schools or communities can design quieter spaces to help protect students' focus?
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• Stress and equity · 20 min

  How stress adds up in the body

  Stress and the body over time + Breathing and the stress switch

  Class compares: Tension before (0–10) vs Tension after (0–10)

  Discussion questions

  1. Did your tension score go down after taking a moment to breathe or reset, and why do you think that happens?
  2. What is the difference between feeling stressed out right before a test versus feeling stressed for weeks at a time?
  3. Why is having reliable support from friends or family just as important for health as getting enough sleep?
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• Stress and equity · 20 min

  The sleep we owe

  The sleep you owe

  Class compares: School-night sleep (h) vs Weekend sleep (h)

  Discussion questions

  1. How big was the gap between the sleep you get on school nights versus weekend mornings?
  2. Why does the brain desperately need deep sleep, and what happens when we try to run on empty all week?
  3. What are some realistic changes you can make to your evening routine to catch up on the rest you owe your body?
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• Brain and perception · 20 min

  What grabs your attention

  The Stroop effect + Finding things in a crowd

  Class compares: Matching words (ms) vs Clashing words (ms)

  Discussion questions

  1. Why did your brain get tricked so easily when the color of the ink did not match the word itself?
  2. How does your brain decide what to pay attention to when multiple things are screaming for your focus at once?
  3. Why does multitasking usually take more mental energy than just focusing on one thing at a time?
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• Brain and perception · 20 min

  Your brain is guessing

  When your eyes disagree with a ruler + The blind spot

  Class compares: Illusion error, round 1 (%) vs Illusion error, last round (%)

  Discussion questions

  1. How did your brain's error rate change by the last round once it figured out the trick?
  2. Why does the brain rely on shortcuts and guesses instead of processing every single detail around you from scratch?
  3. Can you think of a time when your brain made an assumption about a situation that turned out to be completely wrong?
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• Brain and perception · 20 min

  How neurons talk

  How a neuron fires + How neurons talk

  Class compares: Molecules to fire, reuptake at 50% vs Molecules to fire, reuptake at 0%

  Discussion questions

  1. How did turning reuptake up or down change the number of molecules needed to get a neuron to fire?
  2. Why do you think microscopic gaps between brain cells are necessary instead of having neurons physically touch each other?
  3. How do neurotransmitters act like chemical messengers that shape our moods, focus, and energy levels?
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• Brain and perception · 20 min

  How much can you hold in mind?

  Working memory + Turning shapes in your head

  Class compares: Span, same order (digits) vs Span, reverse order (digits)

  Discussion questions

  1. Why was repeating numbers backward so much harder than repeating them in the exact same order?
  2. What are some tricks you use in everyday life to keep track of information in your head when your working memory gets full?
  3. If working memory has a strict limit, why is it so important to write things down or break big tasks into smaller steps?
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