Lesson 3: Building Connections in the Brain

Think-Pair-Share

Investigation 1 Essential Question:

• How does memory help us understand who we are, and what is lost when memory disappears?

Directions: In Spark Lesson 1, we learned that stories carry cultural memory over time. In Spark Lesson 2, we learned that traveling into space forces people to choose what they carry with them. Today, we prepare for reading The Last Cuentista by asking how stories help us remember who we are. Read the following questions and think about your responses.

• Why might stories survive longer than lists of facts?

• What kinds of elements make stories or memories last?

Directions: Discuss your ideas with your partner. Listen for one idea you want to build on, then switch.

Part A: Making Connections Between Story and the Brain

Close Read and Annotation Protocol

Directions: Reread the article “Your Brain Forms Memories Differently Based on How Stories Are Told” with your partner. As you reread, annotate for the following:

• explanations of brain activity

• comparisons of conceptual and perceptual stories

• suggestions of how memory can be strengthened

Directions: Use your annotations to discuss the following questions with your partner.

• What parts of the brain are activated by stories?

• What is the difference between conceptual and perceptual stories? How does the impact of these kinds of stories differ?

• How can knowing how memory works increase the ability to remember?

Part B: Synthesizing Ideas About Stories and the Brain

Directions: We will now make connections between our ideas in a class discussion. Use evidence from the article to support your thinking.

• Why might stories be easier to remember than factual information?

• What helps the brain retain memories?

• Why might this matter for a community trying to preserve cultural memory during long periods of isolation?

Quick Write

Directions: In three to four sentences, respond to the prompt below. Use at least two details from this lesson’s reading or discussion. Focus on your ideas rather than grammar or mechanics.

• Based on Spark Lesson 1 and this lesson’s learning, why does storytelling matter? What is lost if we stop telling stories?