Play-Doh Brain Models: Upstairs & Downstairs Brains

Objective

To create a visual and tactile model of the brain to understand the basic roles of the "upstairs" (thinking) brain and "downstairs" (feeling) brain.

Materials

• Two different colors of Play-Doh per student (or small group)
• A flat surface to work on

Instructions

1. Get Ready: Take out your two colors of Play-Doh. Pick one color for your "downstairs brain" and one color for your "upstairs brain."
2. Build Your Downstairs Brain: Take the Play-Doh for your "downstairs brain." Roll it into a small ball. This little ball represents your amygdala, the part of your brain that feels strong emotions like fear and anger, and keeps you safe. It reacts super fast!
3. Place Your Downstairs Brain: Gently press your small ball of Play-Doh onto your flat surface.
4. Build Your Upstairs Brain: Now, take the Play-Doh for your "upstairs brain." Roll it into a longer, flatter shape, almost like a cap. This represents your prefrontal cortex, the part of your brain that helps you think, solve problems, make good choices, and understand consequences. It helps you calm down your downstairs brain.
5. Cover Your Downstairs Brain: Carefully place your "upstairs brain" Play-Doh over your "downstairs brain" Play-Doh. It should look like your upstairs brain is protecting and covering your downstairs brain.
6. Reflect and Share: Hold up your brain model. Point to your "downstairs brain" and say something it does (e.g., "My downstairs brain feels angry!"). Point to your "upstairs brain" and say something it does (e.g., "My upstairs brain helps me think about what to do when I'm angry!").

Discussion Questions

• What does your "downstairs brain" (the small ball) do for you?
• What does your "upstairs brain" (the cap) do for you?
• How can your "upstairs brain" help your "downstairs brain" when you feel strong emotions?
• Can you think of a time when your "downstairs brain" might have taken over? What happened?

The Two Brains Diagram: Your Brain's Superpowers!

Name: ____________________________ Date: ______________

Part 1: Label Your Brain!

Draw a simple picture of your hand-brain model below, showing your "upstairs brain" and "downstairs brain." Label each part and write one job for each.

Part 2: Brain Power Questions

1. What is the main job of your Upstairs Brain (the thinking brain)?
   
   
   
   

2. What is the main job of your Downstairs Brain (the feeling brain)?
   
   
   
   

3. What does it mean to "flip your lid"?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

4. Name two things you can do to help your Upstairs Brain take charge when you feel like you are about to "flip your lid."
   a. __________________________________________________
   b. __________________________________________________

Part 3: My Brain in Action

Think about a time when your "downstairs brain" felt very strong (like when you were angry, scared, or very frustrated). What happened? How could you have used your "upstairs brain" to help?

Your Brain's Superpowers Script

Warm-Up: Emotion Review (5 minutes)

"Good morning, everyone! Let's start our day by checking in with our feelings. Can you silently think of one emotion you are feeling right now? Maybe you're excited, calm, a little sleepy, or even a bit worried. Take a moment to think about why you might be feeling that way."

"Now, I'd like a few volunteers to share one emotion they're feeling and maybe a quick reason why. For example, 'I'm feeling excited because it's almost the weekend!' or 'I'm feeling focused because I'm ready to learn.' Who would like to share first?"

(Call on 2-3 students, acknowledging their emotions. Remind students that all emotions are okay and normal.)

"That's great! We all feel lots of different emotions every single day, and that's perfectly normal. Our brains are super busy helping us understand and manage all those feelings, and today, we're going to learn about some of your brain's amazing superpowers!"

Introducing the 'Upstairs' and 'Downstairs' Brain (10 minutes)

"Let's talk about our incredible brains! Our brain is like a control center for everything we do and feel. But did you know it has different parts that do different jobs?"

(Switch to Slide Deck: Your Brain's Superpowers - Slide 1)

"Imagine your brain has two main areas: an 'upstairs' part and a 'downstairs' part. And they both have really important jobs!"

(Switch to Slide Deck: Your Brain's Superpowers - Slide 2: Meet Your Upstairs Brain!)

"First, let's meet your Upstairs Brain. This part is right here, behind your forehead. (Point to your forehead) It's like the wise captain of your brain! Your Upstairs Brain helps you think, solve problems, make good choices, plan things, and understand how others feel. It's the part that helps you focus in class and be kind to your friends."

"It's super important for learning and being in control. Can anyone give an example of when their Upstairs Brain is working hard?"
(Allow 1-2 responses, e.g., 'when I do math,' 'when I decide what game to play.')

(Switch to Slide Deck: Your Brain's Superpowers - Slide 3: Meet Your Downstairs Brain!)

"Now, deep inside your brain, we have the Downstairs Brain. (Point to the base of your thumb on your hand model, or lower back of head) This part is like your brain's speedy security guard! It's in charge of all your big feelings like fear, anger, and even super strong joy. Its main job is to keep you safe! It reacts super, super fast to anything it thinks might be a danger."

"Sometimes, it reacts even before your Upstairs Brain has a chance to think. Has anyone ever felt their heart race or gotten super angry really, really quickly? That's your Downstairs Brain in action!"

(Switch to Slide Deck: Your Brain's Superpowers - Slide 4: Uh Oh! Flipping Your Lid!)

"Here's something interesting: when your Downstairs Brain gets really scared or angry, and your Upstairs Brain isn't quite ready to think things through, it can feel like your Downstairs Brain takes over. We call this 'flipping your lid'!"

(Demonstrate 'flipping your lid' with your hand model: make a fist with your thumb tucked in (this is your brain, thumb is downstairs brain, fingers are upstairs brain). Then, lift your fingers up, exposing your thumb. Explain that the Upstairs Brain (fingers) has 'flipped up,' leaving the Downstairs Brain (thumb) exposed and in charge.)

"When you 'flip your lid,' it's harder to think clearly, make good choices, and remember all the things your Upstairs Brain normally does. Your Downstairs Brain is just trying to protect you, but sometimes it overreacts!"

Brain Model Activity (8 minutes)

"Now, it's your turn to build your own brain model! I'm going to give each of you two different colors of Play-Doh. One color will be your speedy Downstairs Brain, and the other will be your wise Upstairs Brain. We're going to follow the instructions on the Play-Doh Brain Models Activity sheet."

(Distribute Play-Doh and guide students through the activity, reinforcing the roles of each brain part as they build.)

"Great job building your brains! Look at how your Upstairs Brain covers and protects your Downstairs Brain. That's how it should work!"

Discussion: Flipping Your Lid (5 minutes)

"Now that we have our brain models, let's talk a little more about 'flipping your lid.' It happens to everyone, even adults!"

"Can anyone share a time they felt their 'downstairs brain' take over, or a time they felt like they 'flipped their lid'? What happened? How did it feel?"
(Encourage sharing, validate feelings, and emphasize that it's normal. Guide discussion gently.)

"It's completely normal for that to happen. But the good news is, you have superpowers to help your Upstairs Brain get back in charge!"

(Switch to Slide Deck: Your Brain's Superpowers - Slide 5: Calming Your Brain's Superpowers)

"Here are some things we can do to help our Upstairs Brain calm down our Downstairs Brain: Taking deep breaths, counting to ten, asking a trusted adult for help, or even moving our body with a quick stretch. These are like tools that help you think clearly again!"

Cool-Down: Mindful Breathing (2 minutes)

"Let's try one of those superpowers right now. We're going to do a quick mindful breathing exercise to help our Upstairs Brain take charge and calm our Downstairs Brain."

"Everyone, find a comfortable seat. You can put one hand on your belly. Close your eyes if you feel comfortable, or just look down at your hand. We're going to take three slow, deep breaths together. Breathe in through your nose, feeling your belly rise... and breathe out slowly through your mouth, feeling your belly fall. (Guide students through three deep breaths.)"

"Great job! Remember, you have these amazing superpowers inside your brain. The more you practice using your Upstairs Brain, the better you'll get at understanding and managing your feelings. You are in charge of your brain!"

(Switch to Slide Deck: Your Brain's Superpowers - Slide 6: You've Got Brain Superpowers!)

"Thanks for learning about your brain's superpowers today!"

The Two Brains Diagram: Your Brain's Superpowers! Answer Key

Part 1: Label Your Brain!

Students' drawings will vary, but should clearly indicate two main parts, often represented as a thumb (downstairs brain) and fingers/palm covering it (upstairs brain).

Expected Labels/Concepts:

• Upstairs Brain (Prefrontal Cortex): Labeled as the outer or top part. Job examples: thinking, problem-solving, making choices, planning, focusing, being kind.
• Downstairs Brain (Amygdala): Labeled as the inner or bottom part. Job examples: feeling strong emotions (fear, anger, joy), keeping safe, reacting quickly.

Part 2: Brain Power Questions

1. What is the main job of your Upstairs Brain (the thinking brain)?
   The Upstairs Brain (Prefrontal Cortex) is mainly responsible for thinking, problem-solving, making good choices, planning, focusing, and understanding consequences. It helps us be calm, kind, and rational.

2. What is the main job of your Downstairs Brain (the feeling brain)?
   The Downstairs Brain (Amygdala) is mainly responsible for feeling strong emotions like fear, anger, and excitement. Its primary job is to keep us safe by reacting very quickly to what it perceives as danger.

3. What does it mean to "flip your lid"?
   "Flipping your lid" means that your Downstairs Brain has taken over because it feels like there's a big problem or danger. When this happens, it's harder for your Upstairs Brain to think clearly or make good choices, and you might react strongly based on your emotions.

4. Name two things you can do to help your Upstairs Brain take charge when you feel like you are about to "flip your lid."
   Any two of the following or similar appropriate strategies:
   a. Take 3 deep breaths.
   b. Count to 10.
   c. Ask a trusted adult for help.
   d. Move your body (wiggle, stretch, take a walk).

Part 3: My Brain in Action

Student responses will vary. Look for:

• A clear description of a situation where they felt a strong emotion (e.g., anger, fear, frustration).
• An acknowledgment that their "downstairs brain" was likely active.
• A reflection on how their "upstairs brain" could have helped in that situation (e.g., by taking deep breaths instead of yelling, by asking for help instead of running away, by thinking about a solution).
• Understanding that even if they didn't use a strategy in the moment, they now know ways to try next time.