IQ2) How do we do the things we do?
Our bodies are amazing! There are an infinite number of things that we can do. However there are many things that we, individually, can't do? Just taking a step forwards involves millions of coordinated actions. How does all this coordination happen? The answer is our Brains. The Brain is a remarkable organ – capable of coordinating our movements, sensing and responding to the world around us. Scientists are still discovering just what the brain is capable of doing, as well as what can go wrong with it and how problems might be corrected.
3.2.1) All Under Control
It is amazing what we can do - try these "Mind Over Body" coordination games |
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For human beings to act in an orderly and efficient manner, your various parts must be coordinated. There must be systems controlling the flow of information. Two systems that work closely together to do this are the Nervous System and the Endocrine System.
The Nervous System provides very QUICK controls and the Endocrine system provides relatively SLOW and LONG-LASTING controls.
The Nervous System provides very QUICK controls and the Endocrine system provides relatively SLOW and LONG-LASTING controls.
3.2.2) Our Amazing Brain
Task 1) The Human Body Pt.5 - Brain Power
a) Watch this video "The Human Body Pt 5- Brain Power" and complete the provided worksheet for class discussion later b) Watch this video "Brain 101" by National Geographic c) Label the different parts of the brain |
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Task 2) Brain Dissection
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Task 3) Watch these fun videos about the way our brain works
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Task 4) Which side of your Brain is more Dominant?
Take this 30 second "Sommer-Sommer Brain Test" to identify which side of your brain is more dominant - the left or the right?
You may have heard people describe themselves as strictly "right-brained" or "left-brained," with the left-brainers bragging about their math skills and the right-brainers touting their creativity. That's because the brain is divided down the middle into two hemispheres, with each half performing a fairly distinct set of operations.
Much of what is known about brain function is owed to Roger Sperry, whose experiments examined the way the human brain's hemispheres operate both independently and in concert with each other. The two hemispheres communicate information, such as sensory observations, to each other through the thick corpus callosum that connects them. [6 Foods That Are Good For Your Brain]
The brain's right hemisphere controls the muscles on the left side of the body, while the left hemisphere controls the muscles on the right side of the human body. When you wink your right eye, that's the left side of your brain at work. Because of this criss-cross wiring, damage to one side of the brain affects the opposite side of the body.
In general, the left hemisphere is dominant in language: processing what you hear and handling most of the duties of speaking. It's also in charge of carrying out logic and exact mathematical computations. When you need to retrieve a fact, your left brain pulls it from your memory. [5 Strange Facts About Memory]
The right hemisphere is mainly in charge of spatial abilities, face recognition and processing music. It performs some math, but only rough estimations and comparisons. The brain's right side also helps us to comprehend visual imagery and make sense of what we see. It plays a role in language, particularly in interpreting context and a person's tone.
Take this 30 second "Sommer-Sommer Brain Test" to identify which side of your brain is more dominant - the left or the right?
You may have heard people describe themselves as strictly "right-brained" or "left-brained," with the left-brainers bragging about their math skills and the right-brainers touting their creativity. That's because the brain is divided down the middle into two hemispheres, with each half performing a fairly distinct set of operations.
Much of what is known about brain function is owed to Roger Sperry, whose experiments examined the way the human brain's hemispheres operate both independently and in concert with each other. The two hemispheres communicate information, such as sensory observations, to each other through the thick corpus callosum that connects them. [6 Foods That Are Good For Your Brain]
The brain's right hemisphere controls the muscles on the left side of the body, while the left hemisphere controls the muscles on the right side of the human body. When you wink your right eye, that's the left side of your brain at work. Because of this criss-cross wiring, damage to one side of the brain affects the opposite side of the body.
In general, the left hemisphere is dominant in language: processing what you hear and handling most of the duties of speaking. It's also in charge of carrying out logic and exact mathematical computations. When you need to retrieve a fact, your left brain pulls it from your memory. [5 Strange Facts About Memory]
The right hemisphere is mainly in charge of spatial abilities, face recognition and processing music. It performs some math, but only rough estimations and comparisons. The brain's right side also helps us to comprehend visual imagery and make sense of what we see. It plays a role in language, particularly in interpreting context and a person's tone.
Optional Task 5) The Unhealthy Brain
Choose one of the diseases of the brain provided below and make notes in your exercise books. Include a brain map as well as how the disease affects people.
Choose one of the diseases of the brain provided below and make notes in your exercise books. Include a brain map as well as how the disease affects people.
- Stroke
- Alzheimer's Disease
- Huntington's Disease
- Brain Tumours
- Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
- Parkinson's Disease
- Motor Neuron Disease
- or you could investigate how the use of mobile phones affect our brains
Interesting Info - Juggling is very very good for your brain
Create your juggling ball using the ABC website "Homemade Juggling Balls" |
More Interesting Info - Brain Magic
First, Keith Barry shows us how our brains can fool our bodies -- in a trick that works via podcast too. Then he involves the audience in some jaw-dropping (and even a bit dangerous) feats of brain magic. |
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Extension - What is Memory?
Task 1) How do we Remember? What is Memory?
When Henry Molaison (now widely known as H.M.) cracked his skull in an accident, he began blacking out and having seizures. In an attempt to cure him, daredevil surgeon Dr. William Skoville removed H.M.'s hippocampus. Luckily, the seizures did go away — but so did his long-term memory! Sam Kean walks us through this astonishing medical case, detailing everything H.M. taught us about the brain and memory. |
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Task 2) How can you improve your Memory!
a) Learn about how to improve your memory with Joshua Foer. In 2005 science writer Joshua Foer went to cover the U.S. Memory Championship. A year later he was back -- as contestant. A year of mental training with Europe's top memorizer turned into a book, Moonwalking with Einstein, which is both a chronicle of his immersion in the memory culture and wonderfully accessible and informative introduction to the science of memory. b) Read this interesting article on the "8 ways for remembering anything" by Psychology Today c) Here are some memory experiments that you can practise in pairs. |
3.2.3) The Spinal Cord
The Spinal Cord is very important in providing an important pathway to the brain to helping us detect stimuli from a SENSE RECEPTOR and react using EFFECTORS. Effectors are either an organ, a gland or muscle. Our Spinal Cord has two main functions: 1) It sends messages to and from the brain 2) It receives messages from sensory nerves and sends messages to motor nerves |
Homework) Read about Our Spinal Cord:
Use the "Spinal Cord Anatomy" website to make notes about the spinal cord. Include a diagram from the website of a cross-section of the spinal cord as well as the diagram provided
Use the "Spinal Cord Anatomy" website to make notes about the spinal cord. Include a diagram from the website of a cross-section of the spinal cord as well as the diagram provided
Extension) Possible treatments for The Spinal Cord
1. A paralysed man has been able to walk again after a pioneering therapy that involved transplanting cells from his nasal cavity into his spinal cord.
2. Article by The Guardian newspaper about Christopher Reeve and is road to recovery
3. The Science behind working towards a cure of spinal injuries.
1. A paralysed man has been able to walk again after a pioneering therapy that involved transplanting cells from his nasal cavity into his spinal cord.
2. Article by The Guardian newspaper about Christopher Reeve and is road to recovery
3. The Science behind working towards a cure of spinal injuries.
3.2.4) The Reflex Action
Reflex actions are fast, occurring automatically and without thinking. They use a pathway known as the reflex arc.
Receptor --- Sensory Neuron ---- Interneuron ------ Motor Neuron ------ Effector
Examples of reflex actions are blinking, sweating, shivering, coughing and the knee-jerk reaction. Also if you touch a hot object or cut yourself, a reflex action occurs. The brain is not initially involved.
Reflex actions are fast, occurring automatically and without thinking. They use a pathway known as the reflex arc.
Receptor --- Sensory Neuron ---- Interneuron ------ Motor Neuron ------ Effector
Examples of reflex actions are blinking, sweating, shivering, coughing and the knee-jerk reaction. Also if you touch a hot object or cut yourself, a reflex action occurs. The brain is not initially involved.
Experiment) Reaction Time
Please write a reliable, valid and accurate scientific method for the Reaction Time Experiment. Use the information below to achieve this.
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Other Reaction Time Tests
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3.2.5) What are Nerves??
What are Nerves????
Read Science focus 3 pg 130 - 131 and make notes about nerves, neurons, synapses and neurotransmitters. Include fully labelled diagrams of a neuron and a synapse. Then use this information to create a model of a neuron that you will be asked to use to identify the different parts. |
3.2.6) Chemical Control - Our Endocrine System
Complete assignment and review worksheet |
4.6) Keeping Things in Balance - Homeostatis
Enzymes, the proteins that regulate chemical reactions in the body, work best within a narrow range of conditions. For this reason it is important that blood sugar levels, body temperature, pH and salt levels in the blood are carefully controlled. Conditions inside the human body remain fairly constant despite changes in the external environment. This is known as homeostasis. In most instances it involves a negative feedback mechanism. Negative feedback is when a change from the normal state triggers a reaction which results in the change being reduced (or decreased) So increased blood sugar will cause the release of insulin to reduce the level of sugar in the blood. Normal blood glucose levels are between 4.0–7.8mmol/L.
Enzymes, the proteins that regulate chemical reactions in the body, work best within a narrow range of conditions. For this reason it is important that blood sugar levels, body temperature, pH and salt levels in the blood are carefully controlled. Conditions inside the human body remain fairly constant despite changes in the external environment. This is known as homeostasis. In most instances it involves a negative feedback mechanism. Negative feedback is when a change from the normal state triggers a reaction which results in the change being reduced (or decreased) So increased blood sugar will cause the release of insulin to reduce the level of sugar in the blood. Normal blood glucose levels are between 4.0–7.8mmol/L.
Additional Interesting Resources
1) 5 Mysteries of the Human Brain that will leave your mind blown
The brain is an incredible organ, and according to recent research it's even more complex that first thought. A single human brain is believed to have more molecular-scale switches than all of the internet connections, routers and computers in the world. So here we have 5 mind blowing mysteries surround the brain that are sure to leave you thinking. From the mysteries of dreaming to the unanswerable question of what is reality? |
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2) The Science of Dreams and the Importance of Sleeping
a) Why do we dream? and What are the different stages of sleep?
b) Why do we feel like we are falling when we come out of a dream? c) What do dreams mean? Collect from the other students, some of the things that they dream about and find out the meaning. - https://science.howstuffworks.com/life/inside-the-mind/human-brain/dream7.htm d) What is deja vu? See video below e) Can more than one person have the same dream at the same time? How or how not? Can you enter someone’s else dream? What is reality? - https://www.world-of-lucid-dreaming.com/mutual-dreaming.html f) Do animals dream? g) What is happening when we sleep walk or sleep talk? h) What is "insomnia" "Restless Leg Syndrome", "Sleep Apnoea" and "Snoring" and "Bruxism"? |
3) Case Study - Phineas Gage
Perhaps the most well-known case study in neuroscience is Phineas Gage, who suffered severe dmamge to the prefrontal cortex following a railroad incident in 1848. Find out more about Phineas Gage.
Perhaps the most well-known case study in neuroscience is Phineas Gage, who suffered severe dmamge to the prefrontal cortex following a railroad incident in 1848. Find out more about Phineas Gage.