Media

Interactive Workbooks from the Dana Foundation (www.dana.org)

Mindboggling Workbook
A fun-filled activity book about the brain for children in grades K-3 (ages 5-9). Provides an introduction to how the brain works, what the brain does, its importance, and how to take care of it.

“It’s Mindboggling!” Workbook
Packed with information about the brain in a fun format of games, riddles, and puzzles, this booklet is perfect for middle and high school students.

More Mindbogglers Workbook
An addition to It’s Mindboggling!, this new publication is a closer look at learning and memory, the senses, drug addition, and how the brain and nervous system work...still in a fun format. 

Gray Matters Podcasts
Gray Matters is a radio series on brain topics that has been produced since 1994 by Public Radio International in association with the Dana Alliance

• My Subject My Child: A Parent/Researcher’s Search for Answers on Autism
• Autism Commentary with Dr. Barry Gordon
• Brain Music
• The Teenage Brain
• The Developing Brain

Video Clips

Brain Power Tutoring

The Listening Program®

Reading Rockets

Podcasts

Reading Rockets' interviews with top children's book authors and illustrators are an excellent way to introduce students to those who create books kids know and love. Not just for children, these interviews are also enjoyed by parents, teachers, librarians, and other educators who appreciate the value of children's literature and get a kick out of putting a face and voice to the authors and illustrators whose work we enjoy. These interviews are available from ReadingRockets.org in audio and video formats. To see a transcript from these interviews, to find out more about each author, or to watch the full interview, see Reading Rockets' Books & Authors section.

EyeStory

Music
“Driven to Distance: A Sensory Journey Through Autism”

Dear Families of Children having Autism Spectrum Disorders,
With unyielding passion of heart, mind, and soul you embrace your children empowering their growth and development. You are determined to prevent your children from being “Driven to Distance”, pursuing biological, environmental, and spiritual avenues developing brain connections that have a profound impact upon your children’s ability to love, grow, and interact with others. You nurture their capacity for feelings and attachment, which are very necessary steps toward thought and language. You embrace that the brain learns and environment plays a powerful role in affecting biology and developing children’s potential. You are truly great explorers of new territory, querying the map of billions of chemical “letters” that make up human DNA. You challenge what turns genes on/off and what drives this process. Advances in neuroscience have helped us to better understand the role of biological sensory pathways in Autism Spectrum Disorders, that for multiple underlying reasons, are overexcited (too many switch-ons) and/or overinhibited (too many switch-offs). The brain learns and sensory pathways can be developed. YOUR LOVE, FORTITUDE, AND YOUR CHILDREN’S GROWTH ARE EVIDENCE OF THE POWER OF HUMAN POTENTIAL. 
This song is for you.
We chose music/song, very sensory resonating avenues, to share what the children have expressed to us in over 30 years of clinical work with them and watching them grow. This composition reflects many of children’s own words describing their sensory experiences, from which they are “Driven to Distance” and also reflects “Peaceful Rhythms” aiding development. As you listen to this composition, may it resonate within you echoing the children’s expressions of “Distance” and also echo “Peaceful Rhythms” that can guide their health. As you view the spectrogram movie of the composition, may you sense the dysrhythmic overexcitation-overinhibition reflecting sensory storms, Driving Distance, and sense peaceful rhythms, guiding Sensory Harmony and Health.

Throughout your exploration of your children’s growth and development we wish you a continued journey filled with wonder, excitement, and smiles on your children’s faces reflecting loving hearts, peaceful souls, and thoughtful minds. Your children’s growth is evidence of the power of brain growth and the power of human potential. We always look forward to seeing the children and journeying with you.

Warmly,

Dr. Val Scaramella-Nowinski: Pediatric Neuropsychology
Founder, Pediatric Neuropsychology Autism Initiative; “Driven To Distance” Lyrics

Chad W. Konchak “Driven to Distance” Music composer and Guitar/Vocals
We Wholeheartedly  Thank: Jason Mann – Bass, Elizabeth Olsen – Cello, Cynthia Berecz - Vocals, Suvo Sur – Mix, Recording, and Arrangements, and Advanced Brain Technologies (ABT) - Alex Doman, Founder and CEO, and Greg Lawrence- Audio Engineer- Visual Composition (www.advancedbrain.com), for their artistic talents and kindred spirits in touching the lives of the children.

This spectrograph is a visual representation of sound modulation reflecting excitation, “switching on”, and inhibition, “switching off”.

Cherish What You Have Learned - Embrace What You Are Learning- Create Opportunities to Learn More