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Neuroscience For Kids

2010 writing contest

The 2010 Neuroscience for Kids POETRY WRITING CONTEST is now CLOSED and the winners have been sent their prizes from NEURO4KIDS.COM and/or Capstone Press.

Here are samples from some of the winners:

clear Some brains are big
Some brains are small
But when I fall I don't
Use my brain at all.
--- Nicky K., Grade 1, Auburn WA
clear My brain is always working.
My brain works while I sleep.
My brain is like a working machine.
My brain helps me count sheep.
--- Aliya H., Grade 2, Mentor-on-the-Lake, OH

clear I saw the funny caps.
They put one on my head.
I watched a soundless movie.
I heard languages instead.
I saw my brain waves up and down.
The cap left dots and I felt like a clown.
--- Cora O., Grade 1, Milford, CT
clear Cerebellum, cerebellum
You move me, cerebellum
Through the trees or through the breeze,
You move me.
--- Alex H., Grade 3, Cinnaminson, NJ

clear The Temporal lobe is for your memory
Occipital lobe, so you can see
Be careful not to strain your brain
It might also, cause some pain
Gyri and Sulci are part of your brain
Parietal lobe, to feel your pain
The Brain is awesome and cool, too
Just who doesn't love it, just who?
--- Raquel J., Grade 5, Riverdale, GA
clear The brain has parts,
And powers our hearts,
It helps us think
Of colors like pink
We can never stop learning
Because our brains never stop churning
Our brain is a wonderful thing.
--- Aaron P., Grade 5, Liberty Hill, TX

clear What did you just say?
Every second is new
Always waking up.
---Kathyrn L., Grade 7, Seattle, WA
clear Brain with little blood
As a result, stroke is near
Neurons in despair.
--- Luke R., Grade 8, West Linn, OR

clear A synapse occurs
In the mind a thought takes shape
An idea is born.
--- Joseph M., Grade 8, Diamond Bar, CA
clear Every movement accounted for
Even ones that you may ignore
It keeps you alive
So that you may thrive
The brain does all of this and more.
--- James K., Grade 11, Oxford, OH

clear The brain is loaded with synapses
Without them you memory lapses
You need them is true
They're like sticky glue
If shut down, your body collapses.
--- Alex B., Grade 12, Hamilton, OH
clear The brain does a wonderful action-
It aids in preventing distraction
That it helps with attention
Is a fact I must mention
It's a cause for great satisfaction.
--- Gabriella S., Grade 9, Graham, WA

Contest rules:

If you are in Kindergarten to Grade 2, your poem can be in any style; it doesn't even have to rhyme.

If you are in Grade 3 to Grade 5, your poem must rhyme. You can rhyme the last words on lines one and two; the last words on lines three and four, etc. or you can choose your own pattern.

If you are in Grade 6 to Grade 8, your poem must be in the form of a haiku. A haiku has only THREE lines. Also, haiku MUST use the following pattern: 5 syllables in the first line; 7 syllables in the second line; 5 syllables in the third line.

Example Haiku:
Three pounds of jelly
wobbling around in my skull
and it can do math.

If you are in Grade 9 to Grade 12, your poem must be in the form of a limerick. A limerick has 5 lines; lines one, two and five rhyme with each other and have the same number of syllables; lines three and four rhyme with each other and have the same number of syllables.

Example Limerick
The brain is important, that's true,
For all things a person will do,
From reading to writing,
To skiing to biting,
It makes up the person who's you.

Dr. Eric H. Chudler
Dept. of Bioengineering; UWEB E/O
BOX 355061
1705 NE Pacific Street
University of Washington
Seattle, WA 98195-5061

Copyright © 1996-2010, Eric H. Chudler All Rights Reserved.