Exploring Neurons: Understanding Communication in the Brain Through Hands-On Experiments
Partner up with a classmate to conduct a hands-on experiment that demonstrates how our brain communicates with our body. Measure the time it takes to catch a ruler dropped from your fingers and record the results for three trials. Analyze the average distance and delve into the neuropsychological aspects of neurons, which transmit messages in your brain. Learn about the structure of neurons, their parts, and how they communicate via electric and chemical impulses. This engaging activity fosters curiosity about neuropsychology while enhancing teamwork and critical thinking.
Exploring Neurons: Understanding Communication in the Brain Through Hands-On Experiments
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Presentation Transcript
Schema Activator • Partner up with one of your classmates and conduct the experiment for 3 trials each. • Record the point on the ruler (in inches) that the bottom of your hand touches. • Find the average of your three trials. • Why could you not immediately catch the ruler? What is going on inside your body (between your brain and your hand) during this experiment?
Neuropsychology Pre-Test • Complete individually. • Discuss in partners. • You are not being graded on right vs. wrong! It is all about your ideas. • Purpose: • What do you already know about neuropsychology? • Keep in to refer to at the end of the unit to see how much you’ve learned.
What are neurons? What do they do? • Small cells within your brain that transmit messages about EVERYTHING you think, do, and feel. • How many neurons are in your brain? • 1 billion! • How many neurons are in a portion of your brain the size of a grain of rice? • 10,000! • Start small: In order to understand the brain and it’s functioning, we must start by knowing the parts of the neuron and how neurons communicate.
Discovery Education ClipPlay from 40 seconds - 2 minutes • What is the job of a neuron? • What are the two ways that neurons communicate?
Do neurons touch? • No! • The area between the neurons is called the synapse or synaptic gap • The synaptic gap is 5 millionths of an inch
How do neurons communicate? • Messages are sent within a neuron through electric impulses • Messages are sent between neurons through chemical impulses • These chemicals are called neurotransmitters
Quick Check! • What is a neuron? • List the 6 parts of a neuron. • Do neurons touch? • How do neurons communicate?