Learning

High school (ages 12+)
Thinking & Learning

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/learning

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the key brain regions?Hippocampus (declarative memory) and basal ganglia/cerebellum (procedural memory) are crucial
2. What is the neurotransmitters?Dopamine plays a significant role in motivation and reward-based learning
3. How does the brain grow when we learn?Learning changes the connections between brain cells. These connections can get stronger or weaker, a process called synaptic plasticity. It helps us remember and do new things.
4. What are the two main ways learning can happen?Learning can be intentional, like studying for a test, or incidental, which happens without us trying. Both ways change our brain.

Synaptic Plasticity: The brain's ability to modify the strength and structure of connections between neurons.
Empiricism: The philosophical view that knowledge is primarily derived from sensory experience.
Cognitive Revolution: A shift in psychology emphasizing internal mental processes over observable behavior.