LEARNING OBJECTIVE

 To understand the science behind adolescent brain development and identify healthy ways to deal with emotional changes.

HEALTH ED STANDARD

Comprehend concepts related to health promotion and disease prevention to enhance health (NHES 1)

KEY VOCAB

restructuring, harness, dopamine, neurons, mindset, estrogen, testosterone, aggression

Lesson Plan: A User’s Guide to Your Raging Brain

Teens’ brains are rapidly changing, which can cause confusing mood swings. This piece helps them understand those seemingly random moods and how to survive them.

ESSENTIAL QUESTION

What coping strategies can help me deal with my most unpleasant moods?

 CLOSE-READING QUESTIONS

  1. What is the brain’s reward circuit and why does it push you to take risks? The reward circuit is a system in the brain that sends out dopamine, a feel-good chemical, whenever you do something your brain likes. It pushes you to take risks to make you brave enough to start pulling away from your parents.
  2. How can listening to your gut help you make healthy decisions? You have neurons in your intestine that are part of your nervous system and can send you a signal if you’re in danger.
  3. Why does fitting in feel so important during adolescence? Evolution has wired adolescents to be collaborative, because working together is what has helped humans survive. 

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 CRITICAL-THINKING QUESTIONS

  1. In what ways have you noticed yourself pulling away from your parents as you get older? Possible answers: Preferring to spend time alone, wanting to make your own decisions, or resisting requests from your parents. 
  2. When did you last feel left out, and how could reality testing have helped you? Answers will vary. 
  3. What can you do to prevent your heightened emotions from getting the best of you when you’re angry or sad? Possible answers: You could take a long bath, talk to a friend, watch a funny video, go for a run, or listen to music. 
  4. Do you know of any teens (either a public figure or a friend) who has made a difference by using their angst for good? Answers will vary. 

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES

WRITE AND REFLECT

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.W.10

Keeping a journal is scientifically proven to help people de-stress and increase their levels of happiness. Have your students use the MOOD TRACKER handout to jot down their emotions for a week. Afterward, split them into pairs and ask them to reflect on the patterns they notice, paying special attention to what seems to trigger different feelings

EXTENSION ACTIVITY

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.W.8

Adults often forget what it’s like to be a teen. In small groups, students are going to use the GUIDE TO THE TEEN BRAIN worksheet to design a visual for parents about the inner workings of the teenage brain. They can create a pamphlet, an infographic, or a poster to help remind the adults in their lives about what they’re going through.

Lesson Plan
Lesson Plan: A User’s Guide to Your Raging Brain

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