Over the years NW Noggin has provided outreach to many, many different schools, clubs, institutions, etc. – and this was the first time we teamed up with the Boys and Girls Club of Southwest Washington! Our team was very excited to see how we could best incorporate our blend of participant-created neuroscience and art education to the wide variety of students signed up.
Participants at the Boys and Girls Club signed up after seeing our flyer made by Jeff Leake just for this site!
Planning and Preparation
Boys and Girls Club Summer 2015 OUTLINE
This summer’s NW Noggin participants came together from PSU, OHSU, WSUV and PNCA to put together 3 weeks of neuroscience and art curriculum. Our Boys and Girls Club team had some planning meetings at Coffee Time, with tasty neuro – themed cookies!
After some initial meetings at PSU and Coffee Time, we spent a morning making prints and journals at PNCA
Our art coordinators from PNCA, Matty and Carrie, led our group through some great art activities in preparation for our 3 weeks at the Boys & Girls Club in Vancouver!
Matty and Carrie in action, hanging a soon-to-be painted mid-sagittal brain!
Week 1
On Monday, July 13th our program began! Our big group was welcomed at The Clinton & Gloria John Clubhouse in Vancouver, WA.
Neuroscience can often be an intimidating topic, both in learning and in teaching. But our arts integrated approach to learning (STEAM) is a helpful way to get everyone involved and included.
No slowing down on day 2! These larger-than-life brain illustrations were an excellent resource for some interactive learning.
Angela and Alex led our group in exploring various brain regions
Later we had a brain treat! Yum!
Once we learned about the different brain lobes, we went to work coloring and labeling
Here’s our group of dedicated NW Noggin participants – look at all those smiling faces! 🙂
What better way to contribute to our Neuron lesson plan than to create neuron balloons!! Everyone had a blast!
The end result!
We also made our own individual pipe cleaner neurons on Day 3!
On Day 4 we illustrated brain facts and the ever pervasive myths!
Week 2
To start off the second week of our program we were led in a lesson on printmaking!
Day 6 we got outside and had quite a way to demonstrate what we learned about neurotransmitters! After the pictures, be sure to click the link below to watch a video of the action!
Before…
…and after!
Releasing neurotransmitters at Boys & Girls
Neurotransmitter release in slow motion
We dedicated all of Day 7 to Glutamate and GABA! Alex and Angela introduced the class to the concepts of excitation and inhibition
Some of our students were quick to demonstrate GABA’s influence on the nervous system… 
Matty later took the lead and told us all a bit more about inhibition and excitation before we started another engaging art activity
To end our second week at the Boys and Girls Club, we had a day full of art!
Needless to say, we had a lot of fun 🙂
Week 3
An amazing picture from Brianna Jacobs from PSU…
Our third and final week of summer!
Sheep brain dissections – and the chance to examine human brains too…
Screen printing Brain Shirts!
Being an Effective Change Agent: PSU student Alex Voigt on his experience at Boys & Girls!
The program is complete!
Our Boys & Girls Club team…
Alex Voigt (PSU), Vanessa Jimenez (OHSU), Carrie Miyamoto (PNCA), Matty McCasland (PNCA), Brianna Jacobs (PSU), Robin Sielaff (PSU), Jake Vietzke (PSU), Angela Gonzalez (WSUV), Chelsey Anderson (WSUV), Gaile Parker (PSU). Special thanks to Chris Sampson and Maxwell Neideigh from Boys & Girls for their support!