Use the links below to download the lesson plans and materials for each lesson.
- Teacher Guide: Getting Started with BRAINSTEM
Learn how the BRAIN-STEM Afterschool Program enriches your teaching with challenge-based neuroscience lessons. Access strategies, tools, and resources to inspire students and connect them to STEM and healthcare careers. (No downloadable lesson materials for this guide.) - Lesson 1 – Roles in Addiction Recovery
Access the Teacher Guide and download materials to prepare for introducing students to healthcare roles in addiction recovery, using role-play and collaboration to explore teamwork and emotional aspects of treatment. - Lesson 2 – Forming Care Teams
View the Teacher Guide and download materials to support students as they learn foundational neuroscience concepts and form interdisciplinary care teams for future collaborative work. - Lesson 3 – Investigating Substances
Use the Teacher Guide and download materials to lead students in analyzing case notes, matching symptoms to substances, and forming evidence-based hypotheses about Mike’s condition. - Lesson 4 – Interviewing for Insight
Access the Teacher Guide and download materials to help students develop open-ended interview questions and practice gathering qualitative data through role-play scenarios. - Lesson 5 – Brain Regions and Behaviors
Use the Teacher Guide and download materials to guide students in linking brain regions to behaviors in addiction, using video analysis, models, and collaborative mapping. - Lesson 6 – Brain Mechanisms in Addiction
Access the Teacher Guide and download materials to facilitate activities exploring reward pathways, neurotransmitters, and how addiction changes brain processes. - BRAIN BREAK – Jeopardy Game
Access the interactive Jeopardy games to review lessons 1–6, reinforce key concepts, and re-engage students in a fun, competitive format.
– BRAINSTEM Jeopardy Review 1 Jeopardy game & more.
– BRAINSTEM Jeopardy Review 2 Jeopardy game & more. - Lesson 7 – Cravings and Triggers
View the Teacher Guide and download materials to help students connect environmental triggers and the brain’s reward system to addiction, and develop strategies for managing cravings. - Lesson 8 – Refining Treatment Knowledge
Use the Teacher Guide and download materials to lead students in reviewing past lessons, filling knowledge gaps, and applying their understanding to real-world patient care scenarios. - Lesson 9 – Communicating with Families
Access the Teacher Guide and download materials to prepare students for structuring responses to family concerns with empathy and clarity through role-play and feedback. - Lesson 10 – Final Simulation Preparation
View the Teacher Guide and download materials to review the structure and expectations for the in-class simulation, helping students approach it with curiosity and a growth mindset.