Books

Books formerly a part of the Brain Trunk, available from the listed sources.

Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes
ISBN: 0881030201

The fictional story of a man who undergoes experimental brain surgery to increase his IQ, this book is an emotional portrayal of the character Charlie’s perceptions before, during, and after the surgery, and of the impact of the surgery on his life.

An Early Winter by Marion Dane Bauer
ISBN: 0395903726

Tells the story of a child’s experiences with his grandfather who has Alzheimer’s disease. This book may be a good introduction to the way diseases of the brain may affect behavior, and how people can choose to interact with affected loved ones.

Optical Illusions Lab by Ronnie Randall

This laboratory manual explains the science of optical illusions and provides directions for recreating some famous ways of tricking the eye. The boxed set of materials that accompanies the booklet provides everything young illusionists will need to perform the tests and projects outlined.

Big Head by Pete Rowan
ISBN: 0679890181

This book provides a simple overview of the brain's structure. Excellent life-size illustrations and see-through diagrams are simple and easy to understand. Each part of the brain shown is keyed to a small inset photograph that indicates the location inside the skull. There are a number of information boxes for each two-page spread that covers a specific area and function of the brain.

Aha!: The Most Interesting Book You'll Ever Read about Intelligence

The Mysterious You series explores the mysteries of the human body using a mix of factual information, anecdotes, and try-it activities.

In the sixth Mysterious You title, Aha!, kids delve into the secrets of smarts and discover what intelligence is, how it's measured, the different ways of thinking, intelligence in other species, computer intelligence, and lots more.  Available at www.amazon.com/Aha-Interesting-Youll-Intelligence-Mysterious/ dp/1553374851

Nibbling on Einstein's Brain: The Good, the Bad, & the Bogus in Science by Diane Swanson
ISBN: 1550376861

This book demystifies science by leading children through the steps necessary to arrive at a sound scientific conclusion. They learn about winning strategies and fun ways to determine whether the information they receive is reliable or not. There are sidebars with facts, experiments, and quotes from scientists and philosophers, plus a glossary of terms, an index, and a bibliography. Distinguished by kid-friendly text, amusing illustrations, and a strong undercurrent of humor, this book offers readers a fun approach to becoming enthusiastic science watchdogs.

Available at site.annickpress.com/catalog/catalog.aspx?title=nibbling%20on%20einstein%27s%20brain

Learning about Learning
ISBN: 0924886420

This GEMS (Great Explorations in Math and Science) unit contains 10 classroom activities for grades 6-8. The broad ranging activities, investigations, and experiments are designed to involve students in analysis of the different aspects of learning. 220 pages. Can be found at www.lhsgems.org/GEMSLearning.html

Brain Matters: Translating Research into Classroom Practice
ISBN: 0871205173

Divided into three parts, this book gives the reader background information on the anatomy and physiology of the brain, description of how the brain encodes and manipulates information, and classroom activities and teaching strategies.

For a review, visit www.newhorizons.org/neuro/neu_review_wolfe.htm

Brain Surgery for Beginners
ASIN: 1562948954

This is a humorous look at brain anatomy and the intricate relationships between different body systems and functions. Two repeating features, "Spare Part Surgery" and "Spies on your Insides" highlight artificial devices that can help or replace body parts and different methods of looking inside the human body.

Human Brain Coloring Book by Marian C. Diamond
ISBN: 0064603067

These pages can be copied for classroom use to illustrate the brain's structure.

The Nematode
ISBN: 0879694335

This book is a comprehensive guide to the species that has yielded so much information about nerve function and learning. It is included to complement classroom experiments conducted with C. elegans.

Building Left-Brain Power by Allen D. Bragdon and David Gamon
ISBN: 0916410633

This book contains more than 270 pages of progressively more challenging exercises in 14 different formats that are designed to improve math and language skills, memory, and pattern recognition. Each activity has a box referring to current research on the specific topic or part of brain function involved; this is keyed to the research references listed in the index to make follow-up study easier. Copies of the one-page activity sheets could be made for classroom use; the directions, background information, and reference boxes are always on the facing pages.

Mind Over Matter Teacher Activity Guide and Posters
This collection from the National Institutes of Health addresses the brain's response to the use of hallucinogens, stimulants, nicotine, marijuana, opiates, steroids, and inhalants. The 7 student posters are yours to keep. Available from teens.drugabuse.gov/mom/index.asp