ACTION STEP #2 OF THE BRAINPOWER LITERACY PLAN

 BRAIN PARTS AND FUNCTIONS NAMES FORM
    You can take this opportunity to compare your choices for the names of the brain parts and functions on the form at Action Step #1 of the Brainpower Literacy Plan with the names on this page or printout:

    BRAIN FACTS -- ANSWERS

    Essential Note: Your Hypothalamous contains your small almond-shaped "Amygdala" --- which is not shown in the diagram because it is so tiny. Despite its small size, your amygdala has a vital role to play in managing your fear and anxiety responses to perceived threats. This crucial evolutionary survival function will be explained fully at other links on this website.

    To enable you to have complete "Self-Control," you must understand how your mind and body work together to create your SELF. Knowing the five major functions of your brain, and the way your actions are coordinated by those brain functions, will give you conscious "Self-Control" over your most important thoughts and feelings and memories.

    What do your five major functional areas of your brain do for you?

      [1] Your CEREBRAL CORTEX is involved in your higher mental functions of perceptual awareness, where your recognition and interpretation of sensory stimuli is based chiefly on memory, which results in new insights, intuition, or knowledge gained by the simple act of perceiving life;

      [2] Your PREFRONTAL CORTEX is involved in your conscious thinking processes, especially making choices by using your brainpower;

      [3] Your LIMBIC SYSTEM is involved in the expression of your instincts and feeling processes, including your many moods, since it includes your hypothalamus and amygdala parts;

      [4] Your CEREBELLUM is involved in your posture and many coordinated movements;

      [5] Your BRAINSTEM controls your body's most basic unconscious life-sustaining functions, including your breathing and heartbeat.

    Next, you can print this page and compare the names on this page with your answers on the form at Action Step #1 in order to make corrections, if necessary. Then you can underline or highlight the names of the main parts of your brain whose functions you would like to learn more about or remember longer.

    Now you can use the "spaced repetition" memory technique, in combination with the proven "LOOK, SNAP, and CONNECT" method of memory building, to learn the new "brain science facts" more quickly and efficiently:

      (1) LOOK --- You can actively observe what you want to learn. In this case, how many brain parts are involved and where are they located in relation to each other?

        You can slow down, take notice and focus on what you want to remember. Consciously absorb details and meaning related to the location and shape of the brain parts by looking deliberately at each part and imagine that the diagram is a drawing of your own brain.

      (2) SNAP --- You can also create "mental snapshots" of the images and words of related brain parts and functions. You can notice the size of each part and write down some questions that you may have about what brain parts the lines are actually pointing to and which surround the part in focus.

        You can consciously create mental "snapshots" by visualizing the text and spatial relationships of the individual brain parts to each other so you will firmly fix in your mind the information that you wish to remember. Add details to give the "snaps" personal meaning in order to make them easier to learn and also to recall later.

      (3) CONNECT --- Finally, you can link your "mental snapshots" of the brain diagram together in the most practical or fantastical way possible.

        Strategically combine or "associate" the images-to-be-remembered in a "chain" of memory pictures. You can start with the first image, which is associated with the second, and the second with the third, and so forth. Be sure the first image helps you recall the reason for remembering the order of the chain of images.

    You can make the learning process more efficient: (1) by repeatedly sub-vocalizing the particular words and phrases of their names and definitions; or (2) by repeatedly saying them out loud; or (3) by dramatically exaggerating their sounds --- until you can visualize their associations whenever you want, without looking at the printouts or computer monitor anymore.

    Next, you can choose Action Step #3 of the Brainpower Literacy Plan on the following Definitions of Brain Parts and Functions Form at the next link:

Go to action step #3: Brain Parts and Functions Definitions Form
Go to index: Interactive Index of Factual Ideas