Skip to main content

Select an OCR site

  • Log in to Interchange
  • About us
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Blog
  • RSSFeed

OCR homepage

Search using filters

Main navigation

  • Home
  • Qualifications

    Qualifications

    • Apprenticeships
    • AS/A Level GCE
    • Cambridge Nationals
    • Cambridge Progression
    • Cambridge Technicals
    • Cambridge Traineeships
    • Core Maths
    • Employability
    • English Baccalaureate (EBacc)
    • Entry Level
    • Essential Skills Wales
    • Free Standing Maths Qualification (FSMQ)
    • Functional Skills
    • GCSE
    • Cambridge IGCSE
    • Life Skills
    • Offender Learning
    • Other General Qualifications
    • Principal Learning
    • Projects
    • Vocational Education and Skills
    • Vocational Qualifications (QCF, NVQ, NQF)
    • Vocational Qualifications (QCF, NVQ, NQF - Certification only)
    • Wider Key Skills
    GCSE and A Level reform

    GCSE and A Level reform

    • GCSEs and A Levels (from 2015/2016)
    • Teaching and learning resources

    Vocational Education and Skills

    Vocational Education and Skills

  • Subjects

    Subjects

    • Accounting
    • Administration
    • Advice and Guidance
    • Art and Design
    • Banking
    • Being Entrepreneurial
    • Biblical Hebrew
    • Biology
    • Building and Construction
    • Business
    • Certificates of Professional Competence
    • Chemistry
    • Child Development
    • Citizenship
    • Classics
    • Computing/Computer Science
    • Contact Centres
    • Critical Thinking
    • Customer Service
    • Design and Technology
    • Drama
    • Dutch
    • Economics
    • Electronics
    • Employability Skills
    • Engineering
    • English
    • Food Preparation and Nutrition
    • Food Technology
    • French
    • Gateway Science Suite
    • General Studies
    • Geography
    • Geology
    • German
    • Government and Politics
    • Gujarati
    • Health and Safety
    • Health and Social Care
    • History
    • Home Economics
    • Hospitality and Catering
    • Humanities
    • ICT
    • Languages
    • Law and Legal Services
    • Management and Team Leading
    • Manufacturing
    • Mathematics
    • Media and Communication
    • Music
    • Performing Arts
    • Persian
    • Personal and Social Development
    • Physical Education
    • Physics
    • Portuguese
    • Professional Services
    • Projects
    • Psychology
    • Public Services
    • Quantitative Methods
    • Religious Studies
    • Retail
    • Science
    • Sociology
    • Spanish
    • Sport and Leisure
    • Teaching and Support
    • Text Processing
    • Travel and Tourism
    • Turkish
    • Twenty First Century Science Suite
    • Warehousing and Distribution
  • OCR for

    OCR for

    • Assessors
    • Employers
    • Exams officers
    • Higher Education
    • Learners and parents
    • Teachers
    • Training providers
  • I want to

    I want to

    Download past papers

    • Download past papers, mark schemes and examiner reports
    • ExamCreator
    • Past papers policy
    • Past papers availability

    Administer exams and assessments

    • Become a centre
    • Become an assessor
    • Check key dates and timetables
    • Check fees information
    • Check results
    • Create a scheme of work
    • Download admin guides
    • Download basedata
    • Download raw mark and UMS grade boundaries
    • Find out about E-assessment
    • Replace a lost certificate
    • Request a post-results service
    • Submit entries

    Get support and updates

    • Read subject information updates
    • Receive email updates
    • Read exams officer updates
    • Visit other OCR websites
    • Find out about GCSE and A Level reform
    • Offer OCR qualifications

    Find training and development

    • Book Professional Development
  • News

    News

    • Latest news
    • Agenda newsletter
    • OCR Policy Briefing
  • Events

    Events

    • Upcoming events
    • Past events
    • Book Professional Development
  • Community
  • Contact us

    Contact us

    • Complaints policy
    • Customer support
    • Feedback
    • Freedom of information
    • Ireland and Wales
    • Our national offices
    • Press office

    Frequently asked questions

    • Answers@OCR website
  • Help

    Help

    Contact

    • Contact OCR
    • Our national offices
    • Send us feedback

    Help with…

    • Finding qualifications
    • Finding results information
    • Finding past papers
    • Replacing a certificate
    • University placement
    • GCSE and A Level reform
    • Centre approval
    • Our policies
    • Copyright
    • Finding webpages

    Frequent queries

    • Answers@OCR website
  • Log in to Interchange
  • About us
  • GCSE and A Level reform
  • Vocational Education and Skills

GCSE OCR GCSE (9-1) Psychology

  • Home
  • Qualifications
  • By type
  • GCSE
  • OCR GCSE (9-1) Psychology
  • Brain and neuropsychology
  • Sleep and Dreaming
  • Sleep and Dreaming
  • Freudian Theory of Dreaming
  • Activation Synthesis Theory of Dreaming
  • Brain and neuropsychology
  • Application

Share

Brain and neuropsychology

Navigate to resources by choosing units within one of the unit groups shown below.

Introduction

Overview

Delivery guides are designed to represent a body of knowledge about teaching a particular topic and contain:

  • Content: A clear outline of the content covered by the delivery guide;
  • Thinking Conceptually: Expert guidance on the key concepts involved, common difficulties students may have, approaches to teaching that can help students understand these concepts and how this topic links conceptually to other areas of the subject;
  • Thinking Contextually: A range of suggested teaching activities using a variety of themes so that different activities can be selected which best suit particular classes, learning styles or teaching approaches.

Curriculum Content

Overview

  • the function and actions of the brain during sleep, including the limbic system 
  • activity of neurons in the pons during sleep 
  • the process of synthesis as a function of the cerebral cortex

Thinking Conceptually

Overview

General approaches: 

The structure and function of the brain can be challenging and so using creative and interactive activities is advised. Building models from play dough or modelling clay, building a brain using coloured paper to represent the different parts or even using technology to download apps all bring an element of fun to this subtopic. 

Common misconceptions or difficulties learners may have: 

Learners are likely to find brain structures and function challenging. Using visual aids, such as a model of the brain or laminated posters of the brain structure, and kinaesthetic activities, would be a good way to further understanding. 

Conceptual links to other areas of the specification – useful ways to approach this topic to set learners up for topics later in the course: 

The brain and neuropsychology is assessed throughout the whole specification. To enable learners to see the links between neuropsychology across the specification, a ‘working’ poster style sheet could be placed up on the classroom wall at the start of the course. Learners could add to the poster after each piece of neuropsychology is taught to visually see the connections across the topics.

Thinking Contextually

Overview

Due to the complexity of neuropsychology, this subtopic is likely to be predominately teacher delivered. 

Using visual images or interactive activities can aid understanding. Because neuropsychology is taught throughout the whole specification, it is important that learners can make links throughout. Concept mapping or keeping a ‘diary’ of each part can help learners to make and see the connections.

The function and actions of the brain during sleep, including the limbic system

An introduction to the limbic system including its structures and functions.

Share activity

  • Copy URL
  • Email

Resources

  • What is the Limbic System in the Brain? - Definition, Functions and Parts
    • Copy URL
    • Email

The function and actions of the brain -Pons / cerebral cortex

A good website for simplifying the parts of the brain and their functions. Learners could use it to make cue cards of parts of the brain, including the pons, with brief descriptions of its function in REM sleep and dreaming.

Share activity

  • Copy URL
  • Email

Resources

  • The Brain Made Simple
    • Copy URL
    • Email

The function and actions of the brain: 1

An interactive brain simulation where you can learn about the functions of the brain and effects of brain injury.

Share activity

  • Copy URL
  • Email

Resources

  • The functions of the brain and effects of brain injury
    • Copy URL
    • Email

The function and actions of the brain: 2

Draw cartoon illustrations of each part of the brain, adding detail about their function in sleep.

Share activity

  • Copy URL
  • Email

The function and actions of the brain: 3

‘One word’ activity. After each concept is teacher taught, learners write down one word that sums up that material. At the end of each proportion of learning, learners then use their stimulus word to elaborate and explain the entire piece of material.

Share activity

  • Copy URL
  • Email

The function and actions of the brain & key concepts

‘Finding a match’ activity – teacher prepares a set of matching cards – each set with a part of the brain or a concept from other subtopics, and its matching card with the definition, example or function - shuffle the cards and give one to each learner. Learners have to find their match. Once found they can build a glossary with all the information on each of their cards. 

This activity can also be done by one learner reading out their card and then the other learner who believes they are a match calls out with their card.

Share activity

  • Copy URL
  • Email

Acknowledgements

Overview

OCR’s resources are provided to support the teaching of OCR specifications, but in no way constitute an endorsed teaching method that is required by the Board and the decision to use them lies with the individual teacher. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the content, OCR cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions within these resources. We update our resources on a regular basis, so please check the OCR website to ensure you have the most up to date version. 

© OCR 2017 - This resource may be freely copied and distributed, as long as the OCR logo and this message remain intact and OCR is acknowledged as the originator of this work.

About us

  • Contact us
  • Jobs
  • Our policies
  • What we do
  • Who we are

Help and support

  • Answers@OCR website
  • OCR Blogs
  • OCR Community
  • OCR CPD Hub

I want to

  • Book Professional Development
  • Check key dates and timetables
  • Check results
  • Download past papers, mark schemes and examiner reports
  • Find out about GCSE and A Level reform
  • Submit entries

Part of

  • Cambridge Assessment logo
  • LRQA logo

Select an OCR site

Administration

  • Interchange Opens in new window

Support

  • Answers@OCR website Opens in new window
  • OCR Blogs Opens in new window
  • OCR Community Opens in new window
  • OCR CPD Hub Opens in new window

Qualifications

  • Cambridge GCSE Computing Online Opens in new window
  • OCR STEM Developing skills and knowledge across the STEM spectrum.
  • TIME Training in Maths and English for post 16 learners

© OCR

  • Sitemap
  • Privacy policy
  • Terms and conditions
  • Accessibility
  • Copyright statement
  • Use of cookies
Back to top