FROM SCHOLASTIC AND THE SCIENTISTS OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DRUG ABUSE, NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH, U.S.

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

WWW.SCHOLASTIC.COM/HEADSUP
STUDENT WORK SHEET

Train
Your Brain!
Through repetition, you can train your brain to become faster at a new skill. When you process a thought,
messages are sent across connections in the brain called synapses. Synapses that are used repeatedly become
strengthened and more productive. The exercise below will show you the effect of repetition on your brain’s
synapses.
Directions: Using the code breaker below, decipher each scrambled sentence and record how long it takes you to
the nearest second using a clock or timer. Then answer the questions that follow.

Code Breaker
A=Z B E=V F M=N Q=J R =E W=
=Y C= =U G= I=R J N=M O =I S= D X=C
X D = T H=S =Q K= =L P= H T=G Y=B Z
W P L=O K U=F V =A

1. V c v i x r h v h g i v m t g s v m h b l f i y l w b z mw r n k i l e v h b l f i n r m w. E X E R C I S E
S T R E N G T H E N S Y O U R B O D Y A N D I M P R O V E S Y O U R M I N D.
Time it took to solve: 5 MINS.

2. Ksbhrxzo z x g r e rg b k i l w f x v h k i l g v r m h g s z g r n k i l e v n v n l i b. P H Y S I C A L A C
T I V I T Y P R O D U C E S P R O T E I N S T H A T E M P R O V E M E M O R Y.
Time it took to solve: 7 MINS.
3. V c v i x r h v k i l w f x v h z y i z r m x s v n r x z o g s z g r n k i l e v h n l l w. E X E R C I S E P
R O D U C E S A B R A I N C H E M I C A L T H A T I M P R O V E S M O O D.
Time it took to solve: 4 MINS

Think It Through: Answer these questions about what your observed about how quickly your brain learnt!
1. You were likely able to decode the third sentence more quickly than the first one. What was your
difference in seconds?
 2. If you were able to solve the third sentence more quickly, why do you think that was so?

3. Write the following sentence using the coding key above: “I am a super decoder.” You may have written some of

the letters in code without looking at the code breaker. Explain the brain process at work.

4. How can you use this knowledge of how your brain works to improve your grades? 5. How can you use this

knowledge to improve your ability to stop and think before making a decision?

FROM SCHOLASTIC AND THE SCIENTISTS OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DRUG ABUSE, NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH, U.S.
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES