The Defend Your Brain! secondary curriculum, developed by the SERRC Youth Brain Injury Program in partnership with the Dementia Education and Program Partnership, empowers students in grades 6–12 to build lifelong brain health knowledge and skills.

Designed as an easy-to-implement, low-preparation resource for educators, the curriculum features a slide deck and student note-catcher to support student learning. The curriculum is organized into three one-hour lessons that can be taught as a complete unit or as stand-alone lessons.

Students will explore:

• Part 1: Your AMAZING Brain! – Brain basics, anatomy and function, brain development, and neuroplasticity.
  Part 2: Defend Your Brain! – Traumatic brain injuries, strategies for protecting the brain, and healthy habits that support lifelong brain health.
  Part 3: All Brains Are Different! – Dementia and Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD), neurodiversity, and learning differences.
  
  

Optional extension activities provide opportunities for students and educators to explore each topic in greater depth. This flexible curriculum promotes brain healthy habits, social/emotional well being,  injury prevention, and an appreciation for the many ways brains develop, learn, and function.

This curriculum aligns with the Alaska Content Standards: Skills for a Healthy Life:

A.1: Brain health and wellness

A.2: Effects of behaviors on the brain

A.3: Causes, prevention, and treatment of injuries

B.1: Risk assessment and decision making