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A look at cognitive development and how our brains learn to solve harder problems.
Have you ever wondered why a toddler thinks you've actually disappeared during a game of Peek-a-Boo, but you know you're just behind your hands?
Cognitive development is the story of how your brain changes the way it thinks, learns, and solves problems as you grow. Think of your brain like a computer that gets a massive software update every single year. When you were a baby, your 'software' was very simple—you mostly learned by touching, tasting, and looking. Now that you are in fifth grade, your brain has unlocked powerful new tools like logic, planning, and abstract thinking. This means you can think about things that aren't right in front of you, like what might happen next week or how a character in a book feels.
Quick Check
In your own words, what is 'cognitive development'?
Answer
It is the process of our brain's thinking and problem-solving skills growing and changing as we get older.
One of the biggest 'level-ups' in your brain is called conservation. Imagine two identical glasses filled with the exact same amount of juice, . If you pour one glass into a tall, skinny cylinder, a toddler will insist the tall glass has 'more' juice because it looks higher. However, your brain uses logical reasoning. You know that if you didn't add or take away any juice, then , regardless of the shape of the container. You are now able to look past what your eyes see and use what your mind knows to be true.
1. You have 1 whole graham cracker. 2. You break it into 4 small pieces. 3. A 3-year-old might be excited because they think they have 'more' crackers now (4 is more than 1!). 4. You know that . The total amount of food is exactly the same.
Quick Check
If you squish a ball of play-dough into a long snake, does the amount of dough change?
Answer
No, the amount (mass) stays the same even though the shape looks different.
As a fifth grader, you are using a superpower called metacognition. This is when you 'think about your own thinking.' When you realize a math problem is getting tricky and decide to try a different strategy, that is metacognition! You can now plan ahead, predict mistakes before they happen, and understand that other people might have different thoughts than you do. This is why you can play complex games like chess or Minecraft—you aren't just reacting; you are strategizing and imagining future possibilities.
1. You want to plan a surprise party for your mom. 2. You have to think about what she likes, not just what you like (that's seeing another perspective). 3. You create a timeline: 'If the party is at 5:00 PM, I need to hide the balloons by 4:30 PM.' 4. You are using logic and planning to solve a multi-step problem.
1. Imagine your friend Sam puts a candy bar in a blue backpack and leaves the room. 2. While he is gone, you move the candy to a red backpack. 3. Where will Sam look for the candy when he returns? 4. A very young child thinks Sam will look in the red backpack because they know it's there. 5. You know Sam will look in the blue backpack because he doesn't know what you know. This is called Theory of Mind.
What is the best definition of 'metacognition'?
If a toddler sees a sandwich cut into 8 tiny pieces instead of 2 large halves, why might they be happy?
Cognitive development means your brain stays exactly the same from birth until you are an adult.
Review Tomorrow
Tomorrow, try to explain the 'Juice Glass' experiment to a family member. Can you remember the word for why the amount stays the same?
Practice Activity
The next time you are solving a hard puzzle or math problem, stop and ask yourself: 'What strategy am I using right now?' That is you using metacognition!