ABOUT YOU HAVE A BRAIN

Throughout his life, renowned neurosurgeon Dr. Benjamin Carson has

needed to overcome many obstacles: His father leaving the family;
being considered stupid by his classmates in grade school; growing up
in inner-city Detroit; and having a violent temper. But Dr. Carson didnt
let his circumstances control him, and instead discovered eight
principles that helped shape his future.
InYou Have a Brain: A Teens Guide to Think Big, Dr. Carson unpacks
the eight important parts of Thinking Big Talent,Honesty,
Insight,Niceness,Knowledge,Books,In-Depth learning, andGod and
presents the stories of people who demonstrated those things in his
life. By applying the idea of T.H.I.N.K. B.I.G. to your life, and by looking
at those around you as well, you too can overcome obstacles and work
toward achieving your dreams.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dr. Carson is an emeritus professor of neurosurgery, oncology, plastic surgery, and pediatrics at the Johns Hopkins School
of Medicine. In 1984, he was named director of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Childrens Center, a position he
retired from in 2013. In 2008, he was named the inaugural recipient of a professorship in his name, the Benjamin S. Carson,
Sr., M.D., and Dr. Evelyn Spiro, R.N., Professor of Pediatric Neurosurgery. Also in 2008, he was awarded the Presidential
Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the land. He was the keynote speaker for the Presidents National Prayer
Breakfasts in 1997 and 2013. Through his philanthropic foundation, the Carson Scholars Fund, he strives to maximize the
intellectual potential of every child. An internationally renowned physician, Dr. Carson has authored over a hundred
neurosurgical publications and has been awarded more than sixty honorary doctorate degrees and dozens of national
merit citations. Dr. Carson has written six best-selling books, and his fifth book,America the Beautiful: Rediscovering What
Made This Nation Great, released in early 2012, made theNew York TimesBestseller List. His sixth book,One Nation:
What We Can All Do to Save Americas Future, was released in 2014, and became a number oneNew York Timesbestseller.
He is a syndicated columnist and a highly sought-after, world-renowned inspirational and motivational speaker.

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YOU HAVE A BRAIN CLASSROOM GUIDE

YOU HAVE A BRAIN
As a neurosurgeon, Dr. Ben Carson has a unique grasp of the human brains infinite complexities.

CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
Assemble books, journals, and student-appropriate websites related to the brain. Have teams of three or four do the
research to create fact sheets based on one of the following questions:

What can the human brain do physically, intellectually, emotionally?

Why does Dr. Carson refer to the brain as a natural resource?
How are intelligence and personality interconnected?
What risks have neurosurgeons taken, and what are their triumphs?

Have the teams share their findings with the whole class.
Do you have a brain? The question served as a challenge for me. It installed confidence and hope that if I would only
make use of this resource Id been given, I would be ready to deal with any hardship or challenge life threw at me.
- DR. BEN CARSON IN YOU HAVE A BRAIN, CHAPTER 2: THINK BEYOND THE CAN

THINK BEYOND THE CAN

Dr. Carsons mother repeatedly urged her two boys to use the brains God gave them. Smart people look beyond
the moment.

CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
Help students compile a list of situations where people dont always use their heads:
Knee-jerk reactions
Snap decisions
Impulse purchases
Ask students to work in teams, each taking one of these scenarios. Have them list out possible consequencesthe good
and the badand the choices it presents. Have them write two short skits: one based on worst-case consequences, the
other demonstrating what happens when you get your brain involved.
I dont care what that other boy said or called you. His words shouldnt matter at all
What really matters is how you respond your behavior! Look beyond the moment!
- SONYA CARSON IN YOU HAVE A BRAIN, CHAPTER 2: THINK BEYOND THE CAN

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YOU HAVE A BRAIN CLASSROOM GUIDE

READING CHALLENGE
Dr. Carson describes his mothers simple plan to help him and his older brother improve their grades at school.

CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
Put the same challenge to your classroomread two books a week. Get them started with a suggested reading list that
reflects a wide range of topics and genres. Have them chart their progress for several weeks. Offer incentives. In place of
Sonya Carsons oral reports, encourage the students to review their books on GoodReads (www.goodreads.com). At the
end of term, have each student choose one book that changed the way they think. They should prepare and present a
report on the book, explaining their recommendation.
If you can read, you can learn just about anything you want to know.
The doors of the world are open to people who can read.
- SONYA CARSON IN YOU HAVE A BRAIN, CHAPTER 4: HOW WE GOT SMART

TALENT MIX
Talent isnt simply about being better at something than everyone else. Dr. Carson explains that talent involves a whole
range of things: innate and learned skills, interests, character and personality traits, intelligence, and acquired knowledge.
Just as every human being is a unique and valuable individual, our talent mix can be as distinctive as our fingerprints.

CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
Have the students get together in groups of three to work through Dr. Carsons Personal Talent Assessment. Students
should look for patterns and aptitudes in their teammates. Suggest possible career paths that would put their unique brain
to good use. Have students use this material to develop long-term goals involving class schedules, extracurricular activities,
and reading materials.
When a person identifies, develops, and uses his own unique talent, he is likely to excel.
Then he can wisely choose careers that allow him to maximize as many of his giftings as possible.
- DR. BEN CARSON IN YOU HAVE A BRAIN, CHAPTER 14: TALENT

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YOU HAVE A BRAIN CLASSROOM GUIDE

TEACHERS AS MENTORS
Dr. Carsons mentors recognized his potential and challenged him to reach for his goals. Remind your students that if they
take the initiative, they can also benefit from their teachers time, expertise, and life experience.

CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
Have the class break down into pairs and send them to interview the various teachers and administrators on your campus.
They should report back with details about these potential mentors:

What are their credentials?

When are they available to talk?
What resources can they make available to students who want to specialize in their area?
Are there extracurricular programs, camps, conferences, or competitions that would benefit learners?
What books do they recommend?
How are they continuing to pursue excellence in their field?
Although I attended a poor inner-city school, I could take some initiative, use my brain,
and still get a decent education. I just had to ask myself, Why am I in school?
Am I here just to watch all the turmoil? Or will I do what I can to change the situation?
- DR. BEN CARSON IN YOU HAVE A BRAIN, CHAPTER 6: TAMING MY TEMPER

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Videos featuring Dr. Carson talking about
the principles in You Have a Brain:
http://bit.ly/YouHaveaBrain

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Website:
http://www.zondervan.com/YouHaveaBrain