Champittet 7th graders explore stress and the human brain through interactive storytelling

How do the different parts of our brain work? Why do we sometimes feel stressed – and what can we do about it? Our Champittet 7th graders explored these topics and more in a dynamic workshop led by the authors of a very special children’s book: La Fabuleuse Maison Cerveau.

The story invites children to explore the “fabulous home of the brain”, including the different parts and their function. Using this imaginative starting point, our guest speakers Aurélie Lattion and Alexandre Pinault guided our students through a series of puzzles to understand how the brain works.

By solving each enigma, students unlocked an animal-character representing a region of the brain and its specific role. For example, our learners discovered that the hippocampus helps us to form memories – a part represented in our story by an elephant who works as an archivist!

As a next step, our students took on the roles of the different parts of the brain. By interacting with each other, our participants gained a whole new appreciation for the complexity of this fascinating organ.  

Through a mixture of storytelling and neuroscience, our workshop addressed the important topic of stress prevention in a way that was accessible and memorable. Our 7th graders discussed possible sources of stress in their daily lives, like taking a test, giving a presentation or losing a game. They also talked about different levels of stress, and how to counteract these feelings.

Caring for mental health is crucial to supporting our wellbeing. From doing something we love – sports, music, drawing, reading – to giving or receiving a compliment, or even a hug, our students found that there are many ways in which we can help ourselves and others to feel better. 

Why not continue the conversation at home with some more feel-good ideas?