Lesson plan: plasticity
Topic: Plasticity
Paper 2: Psychology in context: Biopsychology 4.2.2
The following is a sample lesson plan to help teachers to structure a one hour lesson on plasticity and functional recovery after trauma in the biopsychology topic on Paper 2 for A-level (Scheme of work Year 2, Week 6). It is suggested as a guide only and can be amended to suit teachers and their students’ needs.
Learning objectives
Develop knowledge and understanding of plasticity and functional recovery.
Learning outcomes
- All students should be able to define what is meant by the term brain plasticity (also known as neuroplasticity) and functional recovery after brain trauma (injury or disease).
- Some students will be able to distinguish between developmental plasticity: synaptic pruning, plasticity of learning and memory, injury-induced plasticity and brain repair, and ‘positive’ and ‘negative or maladaptive’ plasticity using real life examples.
- Some students will be able to distinguish between plasticity and functional recovery after trauma in novel examples.
- All students should be able to describe and evaluate research into plasticity and functional recovery after brain trauma (injury or disease).
- All students should be able to consider some implications of plasticity and functional recovery in the real world. Some students should be able to extend this to consider the implications of ‘positive’ and ‘negative’ plasticity.
- All students should be able to apply their knowledge of plasticity and functional recovery to simple real life examples of brain trauma or disease.
- Some students should be able to apply their knowledge of plasticity and functional recovery to complex real life examples of brain trauma or disease.
Prior knowledge needed
Flipped classroom activity – students will be given materials, websites, articles etc to carry out independent research in preparation for this lesson. They should arrive with detailed notes on definitions of plasticity and functional recovery after brain trauma, detailed description and evaluation of at least one study that has investigated plasticity and one study that has investigated functional recovery.
Lesson preparation
- Flipped classroom activity – students will be given materials, websites, articles etc to carry out independent research in preparation for this lesson. They will bring their research and notes to the lesson which will be used to carry out learning activities in the lesson.
- List of websites and resources to use to research plasticity and functional recovery after brain injury. Relevant textbook pages to use to research the topic. For example:
Sharp Brains (search for brain plasticity: How learning changes your brain)
YouTube: Dr. Mercola and Dr. Merzenich Discuss Brain Plasticity (interview with a professor into plasticity)
- Clear instruction handout of research activity for the flipped classroom lesson. Students to make detailed notes on definitions of plasticity and functional recovery after brain trauma, detailed description and evaluation of at least one study that has investigated plasticity (for example – Doidge examples (cases) of plasticity and functional shift, Draganski et al (2006), German medical students and revision), and one study that has investigated functional recovery (for example – treatment of brain damage Nudo group research on stroke recovery, Phillips (2006) case study of recovery from a coma after 19 years).
- Extension work (differentiation task) some students would also research and be able to distinguish between ‘positive’ and ‘negative’ plasticity using real life examples.
- Activity Handout 1 on examples of plasticity and functional recovery for students to match up – include distracters to make the task more challenging and include an extension activity to try and distinguish between positive and negative plasticity examples.
- Application of knowledge activity: Handout 2 with descriptions of:
- real life cases and applications of plasticity in the real world eg plasticity in the senses linked to cognitive decline (with age) in memory function, implications for patients with Alzheimer’s disease, treatment of learning difficulties like dyslexia (Merzenich), Meditation and the brain (Davidson),
- real life cases and applications of functional recovery after brain injury in the real world eg functional recovery in stroke victims and its implications. Motivational rehabilitation programs for stroke patients (Franz)
- Handout 3 which should include multiple choice, short answer questions focusing on terms and definitions, then application questions with a scenario of brain injury and recovery where students must use their knowledge of plasticity and functional recovery to explain the case they have been given with reference to research.
Activity
Duration | Activity | Group size | Learning outcomes |
---|---|---|---|
5 –10 minutes | Students are asked to work in groups of four to feedback to each other and produce a group definition of plasticity and functional recovery after brain injury. These are presented to the whole class to check quality of research. | Four in each group | All students should be able to define what is meant by the term brain plasticity (also known as neuroplasticity) and functional recovery after brain trauma (injury or disease). |
5 minutes | Video clips: | Whole class | |
5 minutes | Students work in pairs. Each pair is given a series of simple real life examples of functional recovery and of plasticity (Handout 1). Students sort matching the characteristics in the examples to definitions of plasticity and functional recovery. Extension task to work with more complex examples of positive and negative plasticity for some students to also identify. | Pairs students to match up definitions and examples. | All students will be able to distinguish between plasticity and functional recovery after trauma in simple novel examples. Some students will be able to distinguish between 'positive' and 'negative or 'maladaptive' plasticity using complex real life examples. Some students will be able to distinguish between 'positive' and 'negative or 'maladaptive' plasticity using real life examples. |
15 minutes 10 minutes | Video clip – then discussion of 'positive' and 'negative' plasticity as applied to the following 2 examples:
| Whole class | All students should be able to consider some implications of plasticity in the real world. Some students should be able to extend this to consider the implications of 'positive' and 'negative' plasticity. All students should be able to describe and evaluate research into plasticity and functional recovery. |
10 minutes | Students to share and discuss findings from research studied in the flipped classroom activity undertaken as preparation for the class by adding any further evaluation points after the discussion. | Pair work | All students should be able to describe and evaluate research into plasticity and functional recovery. |
5 minutes | Details of real cases of plasticity and its applications (Handout 2) are given to students who need to consider the implications of what they have found and what research suggests about plasticity and functional recovery in the real world. Homework questions Handout 3 explained and set – started in the lesson. | Students work on their own | Some students should be able to apply their knowledge of plasticity and functional recovery to real life examples. |
Further work and reading
Plenary
Real cases of plasticity and its applications are given to students who need to consider the implications of what they have found and what research suggests about plasticity and functional recovery in the real world.
Extension
- Extension work (differentiation task) some students would also research and be able to distinguish between ‘positive’ and ‘negative’ plasticity using real life examples. Extension task to match up complex real life examples of plasticity and functional recovery to correct definitions. This list will also include examples of positive and negative plasticity for some students to also identify.
- Students could investigate the claims of ‘brain training’ applications applying their knowledge of plasticity and research to support the usefulness of such training to maintain certain cognitive functions. Some students will be able to make links to distinguishing developmental, learned and trauma plasticity.
Preparation for next lesson
To complete homework and revision notes on the content of the lesson.
Homework
Homework questions: Handout 3 which should include multiple choice, short answer questions focusing on terms and definitions, then application questions with a scenario of brain injury and recovery where students must use their knowledge of plasticity and functional recovery to explain the case they have been given with reference to research.