Captivate, Activate, and Invigorate the Student Brain in Science and Math, Grades 6-12, April/2013

Get your students excited about science and math!

Are your lessons falling on unengaged ears? Maybe it’s time to mix things up! John Almarode and Ann Miller provide numerous strategies and a model for developing engaging science and math lessons and units that captivate students, activate prior knowledge, and invigorate student interest by making lessons rigorous and relevant. Based on the latest brain research, this book includes:

1. Content-specific lessons plans and strategies for middle and secondary school teachers
2. Useful forms and supplements for each strategy
3. Examples across all areas of middle and high school math and science, including physics, algebra, and chemistry
4. Lesson plan templates to get you started

About The Authors:
Dr. John Almarode, an educator and staff developer for many years, has worked with all age groups in education from pre-kindergarteners to graduate students. John began his career in Augusta County, Virginia teaching a wide-range of students. He then taught PreCalculus, Physics, and Modern Physics at the Shenandoah Valley Governor’s School for three years. While at the Governor’s School, a significant proportion of his time was devoted to providing outreach and enrichment activities to Pre-K through eighth grade students. As a staff developer, John has presented locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally. He has worked with thousands of teachers, dozens of school districts and multiple organizations such as the Near East South Asia Council of Overseas Schools, International Schools Group, Council for Exceptional Children, The Division for Early Childhood, P. Buckley Moss Foundation, the Virginia Association of Science Teachers, and most recently the Leadership and Learning Center. John’s action-packed workshops offer participants ready-to-use strategies and the brain rules that make them work. He has authored several publications on brain-based learning and has recently published a children’s book to help educators inform students about their amazing brains. John continues to provide activating, captivating, and invigorating staff development workshops all over the world. John recently joined the College of Education faculty at James Madison University. JMU is the perfect setting for John to continue his work with pre-service teachers, in-service teachers, and pursue his research interests.

He lives in Waynesboro with is his wife Danielle, a fellow educator, their daughter Tessa, and their two dogs, Angel and Forest.

Ann Miller is currently the K-12 Coordinator of Professional Development and Elementary Instruction for Waynesboro Public Schools. Ann has a strong teaching and leadership background. She received her Undergraduate and Masters degree from the State University of Oswego in New York before completing her Certification of Administration from the State University of New York in Cortland. Ann dedicated most of her teaching career to special education students, where her efforts were mainly on students with emotional disturbance, before making a successful transition to the position of Instructional Specialist. Ann is a member of an elite team of staff development leaders, where her enthusiasm and approachable style help to develop strong productive learning communities within their nine component districts.

Over the years Ann’s firm belief in staying on the cutting edge of instructional strategies encouraged her to attend, study and train Differentiated Instruction, Cooperative Learning, Baldrige Quality Tools, Classroom Instruction that Works, Mentoring, Win-Win Discipline, and Essential Elements of Instruction. Although these are just a few areas of study, this wealth of knowledge has provided the strong instructional foundation needed to design and present relevant and meaningful learning opportunities. She understands the challenges of education and is committed to the implementation of quality staff development programs that promote student achievement as well as the recruitment and retention of quality teachers and school administrators.