Begin class by asking students, “Who wants to be a parent one day?” After students respond, say, “Raise your hand if you’ve ever had to take care of a baby or a small child.” After a show of hands, ask, “How many of you think you know a lot about how babies communicate?” Then say, “Today, we’re going to watch a social experiment involving a baby and a parent called ‘Still Face Experiment.’ Pay close attention to the types of facial expressions that relate to specific emotions.” Then play www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTTSXc6sARg.

After watching the video, ask students how the experiment made them feel (answers could include sad, uncomfortable, angry). Once several students have responded, say, “The video we watched shows us the effect parents have on young children. So, how can we make sure those effects are positive ones?” After a brief pause, say, “Today we’re going to learn ways to engage, encourage, support, and enhance young children’s growth and development.”

Purpose: Students learn how a young child’s mind develops.

1. Students discover the rate at which our minds develop.

Ask students if they think there are many differences between a 16-year-old and a 17-year-old. Do they think a lot of development takes place during that year? Give volunteers a chance to respond, and then ask them to consider the differences between a newborn and a one-year-old. Ask students, “Who do you think develops more? Someone going from 16 to 17 years old or a baby in the first year of their life?” Then, say, “The first years of our life are when our minds develop the most, and this is due to something called ‘neuroplasticity.’”

2. Students learn about neuroplasticity.

Tell students that “neuroplasticity”—also known as “brain plasticity”—is the ability of our brains to change and adapt throughout our lives. Then, say, “Our brain is made up of neurons, which are cells that send messages to the rest of our bodies. During our earliest years, these neurons constantly form connections with each other, enhancing our ability to learn and impacting how we behave and communicate.”

Then, ask students, “How many neural connections do you think a child’s brain makes each second during their early years of development?” After several students respond, say, “A child’s brain makes over 1 million connections a second! That’s over 86 billion connections every day!” Then say, “Research has shown that exposure to the right kind of environment during the first years of life actually affects the physical structure of a child’s brain, vastly increasing the number of neural connections. This means that the more engaging and positive an environment is when a child is young, the more neural connections they will have.

3. Students learn that it is easier for a young mind to develop.

Display the “Brain Plasticity” activity sheet where students can see it (for example, on a SMART Board or projected onto a screen). Guide them to see that it takes significantly more effort to change as we grow older compared to when we are younger. Say, “These neural connections in our earliest years of life are part of the reason why it’s easier for young children to learn a language than for an adult. Young minds are incredible!”

Stress that since it is easier for young minds to develop, it is important to provide them with a stimulating environment. Say, “Children are learning all the time through their environment, their own actions, and through playing with the adults and other children in their lives. It’s important that we do everything we can to nurture that development.

Purpose: Students learn that “Serve and Return” is critical for brain building in young minds.

1. Students learn about “Serve and Return.”

Tell students that one of the key ways we can support children’s development is through something called “Serve and Return.” Say, “‘Serve and Return’ is a playful back-and-forth interaction in which we respond to a child’s verbal cues and actions.” Then, show students the “5 Steps for Brain-Building Serve and Return” video at the following link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNrnZag17Ek.

2. Students review the five steps of “Serve and Return.”

Display the five steps of “Serve and Return” where students can see them and read them aloud:

1. Notice the serve and share the child’s focus of attention.
2. Return the serve by supporting and encouraging.
3. Give it a name!
4. Take turns and wait. Keep the interaction going back and forth.
5. Practice endings and beginnings.

Ask students to identify ways they can practice “Serve and Return” with a child (for example, reading a book together, going for a walk, going to the store, playing with blocks). Remind students that “Serve and Return” interactions should be positive and fun and are vital to a child’s healthy brain development.

3. Students see the effect of neglect on a child’s brain development.

Show students the image of the PET scan at the following link: www.onesky.org/the-situation/a-babys-brain. Have students point out the differences they notice in the two brains. Ask, “Which brain has more areas of activity?” After students respond, say, “Not only is it essential to support the development of young minds, but neglecting to support a child’s development can cause a significant amount of physical and emotional damage. And while it’s possible to repair the damage of a brain that was neglected during development, we’re going to learn strategies for supporting developmental milestones that will help ensure the children in our lives grow in a way that is healthy and happy.”

Purpose: Students will learn how to support a young child’s development.

1. Students discover ways to support developmental milestones.

Distribute copies of the “Developmental Milestones” activity sheets to each student and have them take a few minutes to read the material. Say to students, “As young children grow emotionally, physically, and socially, it’s very important to help them develop in a happy, safe, and healthy way. These handouts list just some of the milestones in a young child’s development and ways we can support them.”

2. Students participate in a group activity.

Break students into groups of four or five. Direct each group to create a one-minute Public Service Announcement (PSA) that focuses on what we can do to support the development of a young child in everyday situations. Ask them to keep in mind what they learned about “Serve and Return.” Subjects for the PSA could include the following:

• Teaching a baby how to crawl
• Taking a young child to the grocery store
• Cooking dinner with a child
• Going for a walk with a child

Tell students they will have 10 minutes to create their PSA. Once they are finished, ask each group to present their PSA to the class. When each presentation concludes, ask a representative of the group to explain their PSA and how they think its message could help young children.

Read this quote to your students, “Every day, in 100 small ways, our children ask, ‘Do you hear me? Do you see me? Do I matter?’ Their behavior often reflects our response.” Ask volunteers to share what this quote means to them. Then, conclude the lesson by reminding students, “As we’re learning to manage our lives, it’s important to take care and nurture this group of people who are the most in need of our support—young children.”