Implementation of “Brain challenges” (SOI-IT-605)
The brain by Bill McConkey – Wellcome Collection, United Kingdom – CC BY.
Author: Luigia Palumbo
School/organisation: I.C.S. “Papa Giovanni XXIII-Capozzi-Galilei”
Below is a summary of the activities, but you can download the full Story of Reuse and its annexes here:
This implementation of the Europeana Learning Scenario “Brain Challenges” (LS-PT-22) by Maria Antónia Brandão was a three-week science unit on the human nervous system, run with a class of 16 thirteen-year-olds, including students with disabilities and Special Education Needs (SEN), with inclusion as a core priority.
Using a blended approach (collaborative lab work at school, independent research at home), students worked in small mixed-ability groups of 3–4, each contributing through their own strengths, whether literary, artistic, digital, musical, or practical. Europeana’s digital heritage resources helped connect the science content to students’ personal interests.
Introduction
I implemented the Learning Scenario proposed by Maria Antónia Brandão, making some strategic modifications to better align it with the lower secondary school curriculum. In the Italian school system, topics relating to pathologies of the Nervous System are usually limited to brief overviews covering stroke, Parkinson’s disease, and meningitis.
To make the subject more engaging and accessible, I shifted the focus to a Project-Based Learning approach, placing the Europeana.eu portal at the centre of the research phase. Following the structure of the selected Learning Scenario, I began the session by establishing the fundamental “building blocks” of neuroanatomy before moving on to functional systems.
Phase 1: Establishing the structural foundations
In class we had already covered the nervous system in general terms, analysing its functions and identifying the various organs that make it up. I began the session by focusing on the microscopic level so that students could distinguish the primary functional units of the nervous system, as the author of the Learning Scenario “Brain Challenges” had done.
- Activity: We used diagrams and comparative tables to distinguish neurons from glial cells.
- Outcome: This allowed students to visualise the brain not merely as a single organ, but as a complex network of distinct biological components.
Phase 2: Exploring hemispheric dynamics and plasticity
Once the cellular foundations had been established, we moved from “parts” to “processes.”
- Implementation: I led a discussion on lateralisation, specifically clarifying the specialised roles of the right and left hemispheres.
- Key concept: I introduced the concept of neuroplasticity, using real-world examples to demonstrate how these structures physically reorganise themselves in response to learning or trauma.
Phase 3: Spatial mapping of the cerebral lobes
The final phase of the implementation focused on macro-anatomy and functional correlation.
- Methodology: Students engaged in a mapping exercise to locate the Frontal, Parietal, Temporal, and Occipital lobes.
- Integration: For each identified area, we highlighted its specific sensory or cognitive function (for example, linking the occipital lobe to visual processing), reinforcing the connection between location and everyday functions.
Collaborative work and the creative process
I organised students into working groups of four, based on their specific interests and competencies. This created a dynamic environment in which students were able to collaborate effectively across both the writing phases and the technical execution of their projects. Each group spent approximately four hours developing their chosen work under my guidance as facilitator. A significant portion of this time (3h) was dedicated specifically to collaborative writing, ensuring that every student contributed to the final narrative, scientific explanation, or creative texts.
Recommended timeline for the activity phases
Since students were already proficient in using the platform, the timings were optimised for content creation:
- Europeana Resource Selection (45 min): Rapid selection of high-quality assets.
- Collaborative Writing (3 hours): Drafting of content or rap lyrics based on findings.
- Hands-on Production (2 hours): Finalisation of models, artworks, or song recording.
- Final Presentation (1 hour): Sharing of diversified outputs with the class.
- Assessment (1 hour): Simple online formative assessments and a multiple-choice summative test. Evaluation of products and processes through the assessment rubric.
Outcomes
Students moved beyond passive learning to become active creators: writing rap songs to memorise terminology, building physical brain models, and producing artwork. This multimodal approach was particularly effective for students with disabilities and SEN, enabling them to demonstrate understanding in ways that suited them. Collaborative group work also strengthened soft skills like negotiation, time management, and problem-solving, while familiarity with Europeana deepened digital literacy and respect for copyright.
For the educator, the standout insight was how Europeana’s versatility enabled genuine differentiated instruction. All students accessed the same quality resources but expressed their learning differently. The project also broke down subject silos, linking science with music, art, and literature, and shifted the classroom culture from teacher-led instruction to a shared research community. Even typically disengaged students with disabilities contributed actively, with visible motivation and pride in the collective output.
CC-BY: the featured image used to illustrate this article has been found on Europeana and has been provided by the Wellcome Collection.