WHAT IT IS:

Brain Drain is a quick retrieval practice or brainstorming strategy where students document or record many thoughts on a focused topic in a short period of time.

HOW IT WORKS:

On a given topic, be it content topics, content area questions, or even student work for feedback, the teacher sets a time limit, generally 2-5 minutes, during which students jot or record as many related thoughts, recalled details or ideas, or feedback considerations as they can.
For content activities, the goal of the time is to refresh students’ thinking on a topic or assess recall to judge potential intervention or differentiation. The task is most effective when the recall is informal and does not require polished results.
For feedback activities, the teacher should provide students a framework and expectations for delivering productive feedback (such as the “Likes & Wonders” approach) and consider a method of doing so efficiently (such as Gallery Walk).