Researching the adolescent brain helps us to better the many myths and truths about middle school students. In this session, participants will examine relevant research pertaining to the development of the adolescent brain in order to understand how this information can impact the design and implementation of effective instruction and develop productive and supportive classroom environments. During the session, participants will have the opportunity to explore the adolescent brain through active reading and engaging strategies and reflect on how this research can impact the decisions of teachers, counselors and school leaders.