NAME: ______DATE: ____

GRADE/SECTION: ______WEEK: SEVEN & EIGHT

TEACHER: MS. EDILENE R. CRUZAT FIRST SEMESTER A.Y. 2021-2022

The human has 100 billion neurons, each neuron is connected to

10 thousand other neurons. Sitting on your shoulders is the most
complicated object in the known universe.
- Michio Kaku

LEARNING OUTCOMES:
1. Identify the parts of the brain.
2. Differentiate the left hemisphere from the right hemisphere of the brain.
3. Understand the function of the left brain from the right brain.
4. Explore mind-mapping techniques suited to right brain- or left brain-dominant thinking styles.
5. Make a plan to improve learning using both left and right brain development.

THE HUMAN BRAIN

The most powerful human organ is the brain. Among vertebrates, relative to body size, the
human brain is the largest. The brain makes up about two percent of a human's body weight. Some
scientists say that we actually use only a tiny fraction of the potential power of our large brain. A lot of
us believe that great minds are born and there those who are simply gifted. However, we must think that
all of us were born with equally powerful brains and everyone has the ability to use the brain's great
potentials.

In its resting state, the human brain takes up only one fifth of all the energy generated by your
body. Imagine a 100-watt light bulb that is continuously glowing--that is similar to how your brain
works.

The brain consists of approximately 100 billion cells with each one connected to 1000 other
brain cells, making approximately 100 trillion connections. Imagine all the stars in the sky. All the cell
connection points in the human brain is more than all the stars that compose the universe. As Norman
Cousins points out, "Not even the universe, with all its countless billions of galaxies, represents greater
wonder or complexity than the human brain".

A normal brain weighs just about 3.3 pounds or 1.5 kilograms. The gray matter contains about 86
billion neurons. The white matter contains billions of nerve fibers - the axons and dendrites. The neurons
are connected by trillions of connections known as synapses. Our brain can process 30 billion bits of
information a second. Unsurprisingly, no human being, dead or alive, has ever been able to use all the
potentials of the brain.

One of the reasons we fail to use the most of our brain and, therefore, our thinking skills, is that
we hang on to a range of inherited assumptions about our brain and our capacity to think. Many of us
believe that, contrary to the facts, we are either born bright or stupid. We think that we are only as
intelligent as our measured Intelligence Quotient (IQ) and that this is fixed throughout our lives. We

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think that when we run up against big problems, they just can't be solved. We fret over taking decisions
and bemoan ability to choose wisely. We think that we are stuck with the way we think and that we
cannot change it. And to top things off, we think that, as we age, our brain declines and with it goes our
ability to remember things. The only one of these assumptions that is true is that our thinking limits the
power of our brain.

The Hemispheres of the Human Brain

The largest part of the human brain is the cerebrum which is divided into two halves: the left
hemisphere and the right hemisphere. They are connected to each other by the corpus callosum. The
two hemispheres receive inputs and control the opposite sides of the body. In other words, the left
hemisphere receives sensory inputs and controls all the muscles on the right-hand side of the body, while
the right hemisphere receives inputs from and controls those on the left-hand side. In addition, the two
hemispheres are not entirely symmetrical.

It was once thought that one hemisphere can be slightly dominant than the other. The right brain-
left brain theory originated in the work of Roger W. Sperry in the 60's. While studying the effects of
epilepsy, he discovered that by cutting the corpus callosum seizures could be reduced or eliminated.
However, after a team of neuroscientists set out to test his theory, they found proof that the human brain
does not actually favor one side over the other. The two hemispheres are tied together by bundles of
nerve fibers which create an information highway. The hemispheres function differently but they work
together and complement each other. No one is using only one side of the brain at any one time. For
example, the left brain handles mathematical equations but the right brain helps out with comparisons
and rough estimates. But still, it is a fact that the two sides of your brain are different and certain areas of
your brain do have specialties. The exact areas of some functions can vary a bit from person to person.

The left hemisphere of our brain handles tasks such as reading, writing, speaking, arithmetic
reasoning and understanding. It also performs tasks that have to do with logic, such as in science and
mathematics. Studies show that when we speak or do arithmetic calculations, activity in our left
hemisphere increases. Another characteristic of our left hemisphere is that it tends to process
information sequentially, one at a time. The left brain contains regions involved in speech and language,
called Broca's area and Wernicke's area.

Our left brain is associated with mathematical calculations and retrieval of facts. The left brain
uses logic; is detail oriented; works with facts, words, language, math, and science. It can comprehend,
acknowledge, and knows objects, places, and people by name. It is also practical and reality-based.

The right hemisphere of our brain plays a role in visual and auditory processing, spatial skills
and artistic ability. It excels in visual perception, understanding spatial relationships, recognizing
patterns, music, and emotional expressions. It is also good at making inferences. The right hemisphere
coordinates and performs tasks that have to do with creativity and the arts. It is more instinctive and
creative. People with lesions in the right brain sometimes have difficulty recognizing themselves in the
mirror. Unlike the left hemisphere, our right hemisphere tends to process information as a whole. It uses
feelings and is big picture oriented. In the right hemisphere imagination rules as well as symbols and
images, intuition, appreciation, and spatial perception. It knows object functions, is fantasy based,
presents possibilities, impetuous and risk taker.

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 In a normal brain, any information that enters the left hemisphere will travel across the corpus
callosum to the right hemisphere and vice versa. The two halves of the brain work independently but
information is not processed solely on right or left. However, one hemisphere is usually dominant in
certain functions. This is called brain-lateralization. The degree of lateralization varies from one person
to another. For example, for right-handed people, the control of language is probably concentrated more
in the left hemisphere while for left-handed people, the language centers are more likely located more in
the right hemisphere.

In the book written by Eric Garner entitled "Thinking Skills: Using Your Brain in the Information
Age", you will learn more about the power of your brain and how to successfully exercise thinking
skills. He also expounded on logical and creative thinking and improving memory.

THE ADOLESCENT'S BRAIN

The brain of an adolescent continuously develops until early adulthood. In making decisions and
solving problems, adolescents rely on the part of the brain known as amygdala, since the prefrontal
cortex is not yet fully developed and will not be until age 25 or so. The amygdala is part of the limbic
system which is associated with emotions, impulses, aggression, and instinctive behavior. In recent
researches, it has been found that teen and adult brains work differently. Findings show that adults think
with the prefrontal cortex which is known as the rational part of the brain.

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 Most adolescents spend plenty of time with their peers who are very influential to them.
Adolescents are driven towards impressing their peers, trying to seek approval of their peers, and
becoming more and more independent from their parents. The social brain seems to change during
adolescence in the process known as social cognition. Self-awareness-recognition and acceptance of
one's self and consciousness of one's self- also develops greatly during adolescence. Teenagers have that
feeling of heightened self-consciousness that seems to happen in early adolescence where you become
easily embarrassed by things like your parents or social situations where you're not seen as cool.

"The brain continues to change throughout life, but there are huge leaps in development during
adolescence", according to Sara Johnson, an assistant professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School
of Public Health who reviewed the neuroscience in "The Teen Years Explained: A Guide to Healthy
Adolescent Development" (Johns Hopkins University, 2009) by Clea McNeely and Jayne Blanchard.

Although it may seem impossible to get inside the head of an adolescent, scientists have probed
the tangle of teenage neurons. Here are five things they have learned about the mysterious teen brain.

1. New thinking skills

According to Johnson, due to the increase in brain matter, the teen brain becomes more
interconnected and gains processing power. Adolescents start to have the computational and
decision-making skills of an adult if given time and access to information. However, their
decision-making skills can be overly influenced by emotions at the spur of the moment. The
adolescent brain relies more on the limbic system which is the emotional seat of the brain and
less of the more rational prefrontal cortex as explained by Sheryl Feinstein, author of "Inside
the Teenage Brain: Parenting a Work in Progress" (Rowman and Littlefield, 2009).

2. Intense emotions
"Puberty is the beginning of major changes in the limbic system," Johnson said, referring
to the part of the brain that not only helps regulate heart rate and blood sugar levels, but also
is critical to the formation of memories and emotions. Part of the limbic system, the
amygdala is thought to connect sensory information to emotional responses. Its development,
along with hormonal changes, may give rise to newly intense experiences of rage, fear,
aggression (including toward oneself), excitement and sexual attraction.
Over the course of adolescence, the limbic system comes under greater control of the
prefrontal cortex, the area just behind the forehead, which is associated with planning,
impulse control and higher order thought. As additional areas of the brain start to help
process emotion, older teens gain some equilibrium and have an easier time interpreting
other. But until then, they often misread teachers and parents, according to Johnson. "You
can be as careful as possible and you still will have tears or anger at times because they will
have misunderstood what you have said," she said.

3. Peer pressure
“As teens become better at thinking abstractly, their social anxiety increases", according
to research in the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences published in 2004. Abstract
reasoning makes it possible to consider yourself from the eyes of another. Teens may use this
new skill to deliberate about what others are thinking of them. For example, it is highly
rewarding for the teen brain if he/she is accepted by one's peers. Johnson said, this may be
why teens are more likely to take risks when other teens are around. "Kids are really
concerned with looking cool-but you do not need brain research to tell you that," she said.
Friends also provide teens with opportunities to learn skills such as negotiating,
compromising, and group planning. "They are practicing adult social skills in a safe setting

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 and they are really not good at it at first", Feinstein said. So even if all they do is sit around
with their friends, teens are hard at work acquiring important life skills.

4. Measuring risk
Johnson stated that "The brakes come online somewhat later than the accelerator of the
brain", referring to the development of the prefrontal cortex and the limbic system
respectively. She also mentioned that at the same time, "teens need higher doses of risk to
feel the same amount of rush adults do".
Taken together, these changes may make teens vulnerable to engaging in risky behaviors,
such as trying drugs, getting into fights, or jumping into unsafe water. By late adolescence,
say at 17 years of age and after, the part of the brain responsible for impulse control and
long-term perspective taking is thought to help them rein in some of the behavior they were
tempted by in middle adolescence (10 Easy Paths to Self-Destruction, McNeely &
Blanchard).
What is a parent to do in the meantime? "Continue to parent your child", Johnson
advised. Like all children, "teens have specific developmental vulnerabilities and they need
parents to limit their behavior".

5. I am the center of the universe!

The hormone changes at puberty have huge effects on the brain, one of which is to spur
the production of more receptors for oxytocin, according to research detailed in a 2008 issue
of the journal Developmental Review.
While oxytocin is often described as the "bonding hormone," increased sensitivity to its
effects in the limbic system has also been linked to feelings of self-consciousness, making an
adolescent truly feel like everyone is watching him/her. According to McNeely & Blanchard,
these feelings peak around 15 years of age. While this may make a teen seem self-centered,
the changes in the teen brain may also spur some of the more idealistic efforts dealt with by
young people throughout history.
"It is the first time they are seeing themselves in the world," Johnson said, meaning their
greater autonomy has opened their eyes to what lies beyond their families and schools. They
are asking themselves, "What kind of person do I want to be and what type of place do I want
the world to be?"
Until their brains develop enough to handle shades of gray, their answers to these
questions can be quite one-sided (Feinstein), but the parents' job is to help them explore the
questions, rather than give them answers.

Apart from the five things we have just discussed, the adolescent brain has other characteristics.

1. The adolescent brain has its own complexities.

A girl's brain reaches its largest physical size at around 11 years of age, while a boy's
brain reaches it at around age 14. Of course, this difference does not mean that one is smarter
than the other! Although your brain may be as large as it will ever be, it doesn't finish
developing and maturing until your mid- to late-20s. The front part of the brain, the
prefrontal cortex, is one of the last brain regions to mature. It is the area responsible for
planning, prioritizing, and controlling impulses.

2. The adolescent brain is adaptable.

In a digital world that is constantly changing, the adolescent brain is well prepared to
adapt to new technology - and is shaped in return by experience.

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 3. The adolescent brain is resilient.
Although adolescence is a vulnerable time for the brain and for teenagers in general, most
teens go on to become healthy adults. Some changes in the brain during this important phase
of development actually may help protect against long-term mental disorders. Sadly, all the
big changes the brain is experiencing may have negative effects on the adolescent brain, the
reason why this is the time when many mental disorders - such as schizophrenia, anxiety,
depression, bipolar disorder, and eating disorders -- may emerge.

4. The adolescent brain needs more rest.

Although it may seem like teens are lazy, science shows that melatonin (the "sleep
hormone") levels in the blood naturally rise later at night and fall later in the morning than in
most children and adults. This may explain why many teens stay up late and struggle with
getting up in the morning. Teens should get about 9-10 hours of sleep a night, but most teens
do not get enough sleep. A lack of sleep makes paying attention difficult, increases
impulsivity, and may also increase irritability and depression.

5. The changes in the adolescent brain mean that they act differently from adults.
Pictures of the brain in action show that adolescents' brains work differently than adults
when they make decisions or solve problems. Their actions are guided more by the emotional
and reactive amygdala and less by the thoughtful, logical frontal cortex. Research has also
shown that exposure to drugs and alcohol during the teen years can change or delay these
developments.
Based on the stage of their brain development, adolescents are more likely to:
➢ act on impulse;
➢ get involved in fights;
➢ get into accidents of all kinds;
➢ engage in dangerous or risky behavior; or
➢ misread and misinterpret social cues and emotions.
Adolescents are less likely to:
➢ think before they act;
➢ change their dangerous or inappropriate behaviors; or
➢ pause to consider the consequences of their actions.

In adults, various parts of the brain work together to evaluate choices, make decisions and act
accordingly in each situation. The teenage brain does not appear to work like this. These differences do
not mean that young people cannot make good decisions or tell the difference between right and wrong.
It also does not mean that they should not be held responsible for their actions. Knowing and
understanding these differences can help parents, teachers, advocates, and policy makers understand,
anticipate, and manage the behavior of adolescents.

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 BUILDING A HEALTHY ADOLESCENT BRAIN

the way your child acts, thinks, and feels. For example, your child's preferred The combination of your
child's unique brain and environment influences activities and skills might become 'hard-wired in the
brain. So, it's worth thinking about the range of activities and experiences your child is into - music,
sports, study, languages, video games. How are these shaping the sort of brain your child

takes into adulthood? Here are some tips for parents to encourage good behavior and strengthen positive
brain connections:

• Be a positive role model.

• Stay connected with your child.
• Allow your child to take some healthy risks.
• Talk through decisions step by step with your child.
• Talk with your child about his/her developing brain.
• Use family routines to give your child's life some structure.
• Offer frequent praise and positive rewards for desired behavior.
• Provide boundaries and opportunities for negotiating those boundaries.
• Help your child find new creative and expressive outlets for his/her feelings.
• Ask about possible courses of action your child might choose, and talk through potential consequences.

MIND MAPPING

Mind mapping is a powerful thinking tool. It is a graphical technique that mirrors the way the
brain works, and was invented by Tony Buzan. Mind mapping helps to make thinking visible. Most
people make notes using lined paper and blue or black ink. Making notes more attractive to the brain by
adding color and rhythm can aid the learning process, and can help to make learning fun. The subject
being studied is crystallized in a central image and the main theme radiates out from the central image
on branches. Each branch holds a key image or a key word. Details are then added to the main branches
and radiate further out. Mind maps have a wide variety of uses, for example, note taking, revision
planning, planning for writing and problem solving can all be successfully carried out using the
technique. The colors and the graphics used will help children to organize their ideas and thoughts. They
can be very simple or, quite detailed depending upon the age of the children and the complexity of the
subject. Because creating the mind map involves the use of the left and right brain, remembering the
information becomes easier! Below is an example of a simple mind map linked to the information
above.
How to draw a mind map:
1. Turn the page on its side (landscape). Use
plain paper.
2. Draw the central image using different colors.
The central image should encapsulate the subject
of the map.
3. Add the branches representing the subject’s
main topics or themes using key words or
images.
4. Add detail with more key words and images.
Use color.
5. Print the words clearly.
6. Use arrows to connect linked ideas.

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NAME: ______DATE: ____
GRADE/SECTION: ______WEEK: SEVEN & EIGHT
TEACHER: MS. EDILENE R. CRUZAT FIRST SEMESTER A.Y. 2021-2022

LEARNING OUTCOMES:
1. Identify the parts of the brain.
2. Differentiate the left hemisphere from the right hemisphere of the brain.
3. Understand the function of the left brain from the right brain.
4. Explore mind-mapping techniques suited to right brain- or left brain-dominant thinking styles.
5. Make a plan to improve learning using both left and right brain development.

ACTIVITY 8

MAKE A MIND MAP – (on a clean bond paper)

1. Choose a subject or activity that you do well (for example, math, basketball, playing the guitar,
painting, cooking, or computer games).
2. Make a mind map of the chosen topic, following the procedure described earlier.
3. Explain your mind map and how you worked on it.

ASSESSMENT:
When do you use your left brain? Your right brain? Write LB if you think the left brain is used in
the given situation, RB if you think it is the right brain.

___ 1. Recognizing faces

___ 2. Learning another dialect or language
___ 3. Reading emotions
___ 4. Choosing between two logical situations
___ 5. Imagining things
___ 6. Analyzing the problematic situations
___ 7. Giving the most reasonable answer in a math problem.
___ 8. Using your intuition
___ 9. Appreciating the colors
___ 10. Weighting the truth between two opposing situations

Answer the following statement using YOUR OWN WORDS. (at least 3 sentences)

1. Do you believe in the Left Brain-Right Theory? If you do, explain why and tell what brain are
you? If not, why?
________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

9.A
 ______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

2. How does an adolescent brain affect his/her relationship with his/her family?
________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

3. How would you improve your learning using the brain theory?

________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

Source: Personal Development Philippine copyright 2019 by GOLDEN CRONICA PUBLISHING,

INC. and Ana Nelia Lopez-Jumamil, PhD. (Author) and Estrella B. Arvesu (Editor).
Personal Development Teacher’s Guide Published by the Department of Education Secretary: Br. Armin
A. Luistro FSC Undersecretary: Dina S. Ocampo, PhD

Compiled/Prepared by:

EDILENE R. CRUZAT
Teacher

Checked by: Approved by:

LAUREANO R. FERANIL, MA. Ed LEA S. LONTOC, Ed, D.

Principal School President/Director

10.A
 PRELIMINARY – Week 7 & 8
FIRST SEMESTER A.Y. 2021-2022

NAME: ________________________________________________

GRADE/SECTION: ______________________________________

TEACHER: MS. EDILENE R. CRUZAT______________________ __

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