How To Make A Model Of The Brain Using Styrofoam

Beady Neuron

For grades three-12

Exit those chaplet and make a neuron! This neuron with vii dendrites requires 65 chaplet: 42 beads for the dendrites, 10 chaplet for the cell torso, 12 beads for the axon and 1 dewdrop for the synaptic final. String the chaplet using the design in the diagrams below. The cord can be yarn, rope, or for the best effect use flexible wire. You can also create your own pattern or use a different colored bead for a nucleus in the cell body.

Materials:

• Wire
• 65 beads
• or get a total Beady Neuron Kit

Pipe Cleaner Neuron

For grades iii-12

Leave those pipe cleaners and make a neuron! This neuron pipe cleaners of 5 different colors: one color each for the dendrites, cell trunk, axon, myelin sheath and synaptic terminal. Any colors will do.

	1. Take i pipe cleaner and scroll it into a ball. This is volition be the cell body. 2.Take another pipage cleaner and attach it to the new "cell body" past pushing it through the brawl and so at that place are ii halves sticking out. Take the two halves and twist them together into a single extension. This will be the axon.
	iii.Accept other pipage cleaners and push them through the "cell body" on the side opposite the axon. These are dendrites. These tin be shorter than your axon and y'all tin twist more pipe cleaners to make more dendrites.
	4.Wrap pocket-size private pipe cleaners along the length of the axon. These will represent the myelin sheath. 5. Wrap another pipage cleaner on the end of the axon. This will exist the synaptic terminal.

String Neuron

It's a parachute! Information technology'south a witch'due south broom! It's the Eiffel Tower! No, it's a NEURON!!!
If you have ever played any "string games," then this neuron model should be like shooting fish in a barrel for you lot to make. Follow the steps on this page to make a neuron from string.

Materials:

• A loop of string or yarn (about three ft. in length).

Rope Neuron

This giant model of a neuron illustrates the properties of chemical transmission and the activity potential. You must construct the neuron before you employ information technology with a grouping of people. Cutting two to 3 foot lengths of rope to use equally dendrites. Another 10-15 pes piece of rope will be turned into the axon. The cell body and synaptic concluding of the neuron can exist plastic containers. Drill holes in the plastic containers for the dendrites and axon. To secure the dendrites and axon in place, tie a knot in the ropes so they volition not sideslip through the holes of the containers. The activity potential is modeled with a puddle float. Thread the puddle float onto the axon before y'all secure the axon in identify. Place small plastic balls or ping-pong balls in the synaptic terminal and your model is set up to go!

Prepare the model:

1. Get volunteers to concord each of the dendrites.
2. Get i volunteer to hold the prison cell body and 1 to hold the synaptic terminal. Make certain the person holding the synaptic last keeps his or her hands Abroad from the place the axon attaches (more near this after).
3. Get 1 volunteer who volition agree more molecules of neurotransmitter (more plastic assurance) near the people who are dendrites.
4. Become one volunteer to hold the action potential.

Use the model:

1. Have the person holding molecules of neurotransmitter TOSS the plastic assurance to the people who are dendrites. The "dendrite people" attempt to take hold of the plastic balls. This models the release of neurotransmitters and the attachment (binding) of neurotransmitters to receptors on dendrites.
2. When 3 plastic balls are caught by dendrites, the person belongings the action potential can throw/slide the pool float down the axon. This simulates the depolarization of the neuron above its threshold value and the generation of an action potential.
3. The action potential (pool bladder) should speed down the axon toward the synaptic terminal where it will slam into the container. This should crusade the release of the neurotransmitters (plastic assurance) that were being held there.
   Caution: The pool float volition travel very fast! Make sure that the person holding the synaptic terminal keeps his or her fingers and hands Away from the pool bladder.

If the entire model is stretched tightly, the puddle float should travel downward to the final smoothly. This model can be used to reinforce the "ALL-OR-NONE" concept of the activeness potential:

• Once the activeness potential starts, it continues without pause.
• The size of the action potential stays the aforementioned as it travels down the axon.

Materials:

• Rope (for dendrites and axon)
• Plastic containers (for cell body and synaptic terminal)
• Puddle Float (or another object will slide forth the rope; for the action potential)
• Plastic assurance (for neurotransmitters)
• Volunteers!

Background information: The Action Potential | The Synapse | Neurotransmitters

Neuron Costume

For grades K-12

Can't remember of a costume for Halloween? Why not be a neuron? The idea sent in by Kate Five.; you tin can see her is wearing her neuron costume in the photograph.)

Cut some pipe cleaners into short pieces. Wrap these curt pieces around longer pipage cleaners to make dendrites. Wrap 1 end of each dendrite effectually a rubber pivot. Pin the dendrites to a pink short-sleeved shirt and hat. Put on your costume...be a neuron!

Materials:

• Pinkish short-sleeved shirt
• Blue long sleeved shirt
• Pink shorts
• Blue tights
• Blue lid
• Rubber pins
• Blue pipage cleaners

More neuroscience inspired costumes from Adlai E. Stevenson High School:

Neuron...in a BAG!

For grades half dozen-12

An edible neuron? Mix ane box of Jell-O with water by following the directions on the Clot-O box. After the Jell-O has cooled to a warm temperature, pour it into minor plastic numberless. Add fruits (canned fruit cocktail works well) and candies to the Jell-O to represent the organelles you would detect inside of a neuron. For case, mandarin orangish slices could be mitochondria; a cherry half could be the nucleus; red and black string licorice could be microtubules and neurofilaments. The plastic bag can stand for the jail cell membrane. Don't forget ribosomes, the golgi appliance and endoplasmic reticulum. You should as well make a "fable" of your prison cell and so you call back which nutrient represents which organelle. Write your legend on some carte du jour stock or index card. After all the "organelles" take been added, tie off the acme of the bag with a twist tie and place the "jail cell" in the refrigerator. When the Jell-O gets firm, take it out, and compare your neuron to other neurons. Then, have a snack...a neuron snack.

Materials:

• Clot-O - whatever flavor
• Plastic bags - sandwich size
• Canned fruit
• Candies
• Twist ties
• A moving-picture show or diagram of a neuron

Run into cells of the nervous system for more about the organelles found in neurons.

Elementary Neuron Model

For grades K-12

Here'southward the most simple model of a neuron I tin think of...and you don't need any supplies. It'due south your hand! Concur out your arm and spread your fingers. Your mitt represents the "prison cell body" (also called the "soma"); your fingers represent "dendrites" bringing information to the cell torso; your arm represents the "axon" taking information abroad from the cell body.

Materials: NONE

Model a Encephalon

For grades One thousand-12

Create a model of the brain by using clay, playdough, styrofoam, recyclables, food, etc. Create a whole encephalon or use a brain atlas and create cross-sections of the brain at different levels. Use different colors to point different structures.

Materials:

• Clay or Playdough or Styrofoam or Recyclables (canteen caps, cups, buttons, etc) OR Food (fruit, jelly beans)
• A picture show or diagram of the brain

Brain "Recipes"

Here are two recipes for the construction of a model brain:

Recipe 1 (from the Pacific Science Center and the Grouping Health Cooperative in Seattle, WA)

Materials:

• 1.5 cups (360 ml) instant potato flakes
• two.5 loving cup (600 ml) hot water
• ii cups (480 ml) clean sand
• 1 gallon ziplock bag

Combine all of the ingredients in the ziplock bag and mix thoroughly. It should counterbalance nigh iii lbs. (1.35 kg.) and have the consistency of a existent encephalon.

Recipe 2 (from BrainLink)

Materials:

• two cups water
• ii cups flour
• four teaspoons cream of tartar
• One quarter loving cup vegetable oil
• 1 loving cup salt
• Red food coloring

Mix the h2o, salt, flour and cream of tartar in a large bowl or blender until the lumps disappear. Then mix in the vegetable oil. Put the entire mixture into a sauce pan and "cook" information technology over depression heat until it gets lumpy. Pour the mixture out and let it cool. Then knead and shape it into the form of a encephalon. Don't forget to add wrinkles (gyri) to your brain. Squirt in ruby nutrient coloring for claret vessels.

Thinking Cap

For grades 3-12

Display your encephalon on a "Thinking Cap." Thinking Caps are created from papier (or paper) mache.

Create the Form: First, create the brain course for the cap. You lot can create a form from wire (e.one thousand., craven wire) or a balloon or utilize a basin to build your cap around. You could fifty-fifty ball up some newspaper and comprehend information technology will masking record. The grade should have the approximate size and shape of your head then you can habiliment information technology.

Create the Structure: Cutting strips of newspaper and mucilage them to the class using papier mache paste. Pastes can exist made from:

• White glue and h2o (most 2 parts glue to ane function water)
• White flour, salt and water (well-nigh one part flour to i part water with a few tablespoons of common salt)
• Liquid starch

Coat the paper strips with the paste, and identify them on the course. Allow each newspaper layer dry before y'all add a new layer. Add plenty layers to give y'all a strong structure. When the structure is dry, remove the underlying course. You may take to cut the edges of the structure and repair the sides for a good fit on your head.

Decorate the Thinking Cap: yous tin pigment the Thinking Cap with the lobes of the encephalon (meet photograph) or with the different areas of the cerebral cortex.

The Thinking Cap

A Encephalon Hemisphere Lid you can brand from paper.

Broiled Brains/Baked Neurons

For grades Thousand-12

Broiled brains and neurons may wait and smell tasty, but don't eat them. Mix flour and table salt in a large basin. Add together h2o and mix. The mixture should commencement to stick together. If the mixture is too crumbly, add a little more water.

Spread a niggling flour on a countertop or cutting board. Work the mixture into a ball and knead it on the countertop or cut board. When the mixture tin be molded, take pieces and shape them into brains or neurons.

Place the finished brains and neurons on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in the oven at 350^o for x-fifteen minutes. The brains and neurons will plow slightly brown, only don't let them burn. Let the brains and neurons cool, then paint them.

Circumspection: Be extremely careful using the oven. The cookie canvas and baked items tin get VERY hot. Adult supervision is required!

Materials:

• Flour (ane loving cup)
• Common salt (i/four cup)
• H2o (1/3 to 1/two cup)
• Oven for baking
• Paints

Baked Brains/Baked Neurons
Uncooked Neuron	Baked Neuron	Broiled CNS
		Uncooked CNS
	Uncooked Brain	Broiled Neurons

Exercise You Know Your Brain?

Grades one-12

Alexandra Colón Rodriguez, a PhD educatee in Comparative Medicine and the Integrative Biology Program, Environmental and Toxicological Sciences Program at Michigan State University, has created a groovy hands-on activity to larn near the brain.

Know Your Brain Action

Make a True cat and Rabbit Brain

Grades 4-12

Make brains once more and again. BrainLink has developed cat and rabbit brain molds that you tin buy from the Carolina Biological Supply Company (CBS) for $xvi.95 each (Catalog #MF-95-2849A) . Coat each side of the condom mold with liquid hand soap. Mix up FAST prepare dental plaster (as well bachelor from CBS) with water to the consistency of toothpaste. Pour the dental plaster into each side of the mold. Sandwich the mold together and wait most 15-20 minutes. Tap the mold a few times to go out all the air bubbles. It can get a scrap messy. When the plaster has set and is hard, skin back ane side of the mold and remove the brain. You tin can add food coloring to the plaster while you lot are mixing the plaster if y'all desire a encephalon with a fleck of colour or you can paint the different parts of the brain with different colors.

Materials:

• Encephalon Molds
• Fast set dental plaster (telephone call a local dental supply company - information technology is adequately inexpensive - about $fifteen for 25 pounds - enough for many brains). Patterson Dental Supply, Inc. also has the plaster (itemize #48512). Their phone number is 1-800-626-5141 or 1-502-459-7444.
• Food coloring and pigment (if you want to color the brains)
• Water - to mix upwardly the plaster

Jello Brain

Grades Yard-12

Get jello molds in the shape of the brain at Archie McPhee. For nigh $12 (plus shipping) you get either a gelatin mold of the top half of the brain or a side (lateral) view of the brain. Brand brains over and over once more. You tin can too model the meninges (coverings) of the brain by using layers of plastic wrap on top of your jello brain. Make sure everyone gets a taste. Now that's what I phone call encephalon food!

Here is the recipe for the top view jello brain:

• 3 large (6 oz) boxes of jello (peach or watermelon recommended)
• 1 tin (12 oz) evaporated skimmed/fatty-gratis milk
• A few drops of dark-green food coloring (to alter the color to grayness)
• 3.v cups of water (2.5 cups boiled; 1 cup common cold)

1. Coat mold with vegetable oil or spray
2. Add 2.5 cups of boiling water into jello. Stir and deliquesce jello.
3. Stir in ane cup of common cold water.
4. Stir in skimmed milk (~2 minutes)
5. Add a few drops of dark-green food coloring
6. Pour entire mixture into jello mold
7. Place mold into refrigerator overnight.

Make the Bones of the Spinal Column (Vertebrae)

For grades Yard-12

The homo spinal cord is protected by the bony spinal column shown. There are 31 segments of the spinal cord and 33 bones (vertebrae) that surround these segments. There are vii cervical vertebrae, 12 thoracic, five lumbar, v sacral and 4 coccygeal vertebrae in the human body. To model these bones, get 33 empty spools of thread (buttons may besides piece of work or slices of newspaper towel holders). Run a string or thread through the middle of one of the spools or buttons. Tie off ane stop of the cord and put the remaining spools or buttons on the string. Each spool (or button) will correspond one vertebra. When your model is finished, notice how information technology can bend. In a real spinal column, the vertebrae are held together past ligaments.

Materials:

• Empty thread spools or buttons
• String

Read more well-nigh the spinal column.

Cap Head...No, it'due south your Encephalon!

For grades K-12

A swell manner to innovate the encephalon. Get a white pond cap - yous know, the kind that pulls on tight over your head. Draw an outline of the brain on the cap with a black mark. To introduce the brain to your grade, wear the cap!! Information technology is a great manner to showtime a discussion. You could also draw the lobes of the encephalon or different areas of the cognitive cortex on your cap with different colour markers.

Materials:

• White Swim Cap
• Black Marker
• Color Markers

Connect the Dots

For grades K-6

This practise is to illustrate the complexity of the connections of the encephalon. Describe 10 dots on i side of a piece of paper and x dots on the other side of the paper. Assume these dots represent neurons, and assume that each neuron makes connections with the 10 dots on the other side of the paper. Then connect each dot on i side with the 10 dots on the other side. Every bit you can see from the diagram beneath, it gets very complicated after a while. I have simply connected 4 of the "neurons".

Think that this is quite a simplification. Each neuron (dot) may actually make thousands of connections with other neurons. If yous tried this your paper would exist really messy!!

Materials:

• Pencil, pens, markers
• Newspaper

Compare and Contrast

For grades Grand-12

What better model of the brain than a Real Encephalon!! Try to get "loaner" brains (human and brute) from your local university (try medical schools, Departments of Biology, Zoology, Psychology). Some animal supply companies as well sell brains (see the Resource Page). You may be able to observe cow or squealer brains at the supermarket or local butcher.

Endeavour to get a "Encephalon Atlas" or look at some pictures of the brains hither at Neuroscience for Kids or visit the Mammalian Brain Collection at the University of Wisconsin. This volition aid the identification of brain structures.

Brand sure you wear gloves when handling any specimens. As well be aware that some brains may be perserved with formaldehyde solutions which accept an unpleasant odor and also should exist handled with intendance.

After you take collected all the specimens:

Compare and Discuss:

1. What are the similarities and differences betwixt the brains?
2. What are their relative sizes?
3. Place areas of the brain. Cortex? Cerebellum? Cranial fretfulness?
4. Are their noticeable differences in whatsoever particular parts of the brains?
5. Is the cortex smooth or rough?
6. Compare placement of the cerebellum and spinal cord.
7. Compare size of olfactory seedling.
8. Compare size of cerebral cortex.
9. Talk over encephalon weight vs body weight issues.
10. Discuss encephalon size and intelligence.
11. Discuss language and brain size.
12. Discuss cortical expansion in higher species.

Use a long knife (for LAB USE Just!) to make a midsaggital cutting (a cut right down the heart, the long style from front to back) to split the encephalon in one-half if you desire to see internal structures (and if the brains belong to you lot). Identify and compare internal brain structures using the brain atlases. Some areas of the brain that should be like shooting fish in a barrel to place are the:

• corpus callosum
• thalamus
• pons
• inferior and superior colliculus
• cingulate cortex
• medulla
• cerebellum

Try making some sections of the brain. These can be coronal (frontal) sections (across the brain, side to side) to run into other encephalon structures non visible along the midline. Identify and compare what yous meet.

Materials:

• A encephalon
• A long knife (this should only exist used within the lab)
• Trays (to concord brain specimens)
• Gloves (for handling specimens)
• Masks if the smell is strong
• Encephalon atlas
• Pointing devices (popsicle stick, probe, toothpick) to identify structures

Model a Retinal Image

Grades 4-12

The brain has a tough job. Information technology is works all the time and the center has to brand things difficult. The convex nature of the lens of the eye turns an image upside down on the retina. The encephalon must make sense of this and turn it "right-side up". To model what a convex lens does to an image, become a magnifying drinking glass. Find a white wall or tape a white piece of paper to a wall that faces a window. Hold the magnifying glass close (three in; 10 cm) to the white wall or paper. You lot should see an inverted prototype of whatever is outside of the window. This is what is projected onto your retina.

Materials:

• Magnifying glass
• White Wall or Paper and record

Read more than about the retina.

Message Transmission

Grades iii-12

Messages can travel in neurons at speeds up to 268 miles/hr! These signals are transmitted from neuron (nerve prison cell) to neuron across "synapses."

Let's make a chain of neurons...have anybody stand up and form a line. Each person in the line is a neuron. As shown in the figure on the right, your left hand are the dendrites of a neuron; your body is the jail cell trunk; your right arm is an axon and your right hand is the synaptic terminal. Your right paw should have a small vial of liquid or some other item, such as a button or pebble, to stand for neurotransmitters.

Each person should be about arms length abroad from the side by side person. When the leader says "GO," have the person at the start of the line starting time the signal transmission by placing his or her "neurotransmitter" into the hand of the side by side person. Once this bulletin is received, this second neuron places its neurotransmitter into the dendrite of the next neuron. The 3rd neuron then places its neurotransmitter into the dendrites of the next neuron and the "signal" travels to the end of the line. The transmission is complete when the "betoken" goes all the way to the end of the line.

Recall that each "neuron" will pass its own transmitter to the next neuron in line. Each neuron HAS ITS OWN neurotransmitter.

Let'southward review

• What are the parts of a neuron? The paw that receives the neurotransmitter is the "dendrite." The middle function of your body is the "soma" or "cell body." The arm that passes the neurotransmitter to the next person is the "axon" and the paw that gives the slap is the "synaptic terminal". In between the hands of two people is the "synaptic gap". For more than about the parts of a neuron, run across cells of the nervous system and the synapse.
• Measure how long it takes the message to go from the showtime neuron to the last. Also, measure the distance from the kickoff to the last neuron. At present summate the speed. How fast did the message travel from start to last neuron? Why exercise you think the speed of transmission of the model is and then irksome?

Materials:

• Stopwatch
• Vials for neurotransmitters

Saltatory Conduction

Grades 3-12

Saltatory conduction is a style that myelinated axons transmit activity potentials. Activeness potentials bound from node to node. To model this, accept everyone stand and class a straight line. Each person should exist at arms length of the side by side person. Give the terminal person in line a small object like a ball or an eraser. This fourth dimension, each person does Not make upwards an individual neuron. This fourth dimension, everyone together is a Unmarried neuron and each person is a "myelinated department" of an axon. The space between each person is a node of Ranvier. To start the axon potential, someone should say "go". The commencement person will slap the mitt of the neighboring person, and then that person volition slap the mitt of the side by side person etc., etc. Recollect, in this model, the line of people is just i neuron.

When the action potential gets to the last person holding the object, have this person toss the object into the air. This represents the neurotransmitter (the object) floating out into the synaptic crack (the air).

You can also measure the time it takes the indicate to motility downwards the axon using a stopwatch. Measure the approximate distance the signal must travel (the total distance of the all the people). If y'all then divide the altitude past the fourth dimension, you will go the speed (conduction velocity) of the signal. The conduction velocity of this model neuron will most likely be much slower than in the fastest of real neurons (about 268 miles/hr).

Don't forget to read more about saltatory conduction

Materials:

None

Action Potential Game

Grades four-12
Game designed by Jessica Koch

Objective: Race to heighten the resting potential to a higher place threshold to fire an action potential.

Background: When neurotransmitters cross a synapse, they tin bind with receptors on dendrites. This bounden can consequence in a change in the electrical potential of a neuron. An excitatory postsynaptic potential occurs with the neuron becomes depolarized, raising the electrical potential from its baseline of about -seventy mV and bringing information technology closer to threshold and increasing the adventure that an action potential will fire. An inhibitory postsynaptic potential occurs when the electric potential is lowered, making it less likely an action potential volition be generated. If the electrical potential is raised so that it reaches the threshold, an action potential volition burn down down the axon of a neuron.

How to Play: Players should be divided into two teams: the Excitatory Postsynaptic Potential (EPSP) Team and the Inhibitory Postsynaptic Potential (IPSP) Squad. The teams will race to run into who can get the greatest signal to their team's cell trunk in 30 seconds. Each team lines upwardly to human action like a dendrite. A bespeak, (a small ball), is passed from person to person much like how an electrical betoken travels down a dendrite toward the cell body. Each EPSP team signal successfully transferred to the cell torso is worth +v or +10 mV (millivolts); each IPSP Squad betoken is worth -v or -10 mV. The signals are passed down the dendrites until they reach the end and are tossed into the cell body container. But one indicate ball tin be passed at a fourth dimension pregnant that a dendrite must drib the ball (signal) into the cell body container earlier the first person in the dendrite can pass the next ball (indicate).

To Win: The typical resting potential of a neuron is -70 mV. To crusade an action potential the membrane potential must reach -55 mV. Therefore at the finish of 30 seconds the signals are summed from the cell body container. The total amount of millivolts is added to -70 mV to encounter if an action potential is fired. If an activity potential is fired the EPSP team wins! If not then the IPSP team wins!

Materials:

• 3 large containers or tupperware
• About 32 ping pong assurance, labeled with blackness marker -5, +5, -10, +10 (8 of each). Each ball should also exist labeled with the team proper name: EPSP or IPSP.
Game Ready-upward

Nervous Organization Child

Grades G-6

It's a bird, it'southward a plane....no it'south "Nervous System Kid" (besides known as "Brain Boy" or "Gyri Girl")! Get a large slice of butcher paper - large enough for a student to lie down on. Have a student lie downwardly on this paper and outline his or her trunk. Now fill-in and color this outline with parts of the nervous arrangement or use the pictures of the organs supplied below. The encephalon and spinal cord should be easy. Don't forget the sense organs (eyes, ears, rima oris, nose, skin). Follow a diagram of the peripheral fretfulness to add more features to your drawing. Also, label the structures that are drawn.

Materials:

• Butcher paper
• Markers (to outline and colour the motion picture)
• Pens and pencils (to label the structures)
• Pictures of internal and sense organs - cut out, paste on your body outline and color (employ the "dorsum" push button of your browser to bring you back to this folio):
  • Brain
  • Nose
  • Eyes
  • Mouth
  • Ears
  • Heart/Lung
  • Digestive Arrangement

Mr. Egghead - The Cerebrospinal Fluid

Grades 3-12

The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) has several functions. I of these functions is to protect the encephalon from sudden impacts. To demonstrate how this works, we need to bring in "Mr. Egghead." Mr. Egghead is a raw egg with drawn-on face. The inside of the egg represents the brain and the egg shell represents the pia mater (the inner virtually layer of the meninges or coverings of the brain).

Put Mr. Egghead in a container (tupperwear works fine) that is a bit larger than the egg. The container represents the skull. Now put a tight top on the container and shake it. You lot should observe that shaking the "brain" (the egg) in this situation results in "damage" (a broken egg).

At present echo this experiment with a new Mr. Egghead, except this time, fill the container with water. The h2o represents the cerebrospinal fluid. Note that shaking the container does not cause the "brain impairment" as before because the fluid has cushioned the brain from injury.

You lot could make this into a science fair project: test the hypothesis that "The cerebrospinal fluid and skull protect the encephalon from affect injury." Drop Mr. Egghead from a standard height (or heights) in unlike weather condition: one) with fluid in the container, 2) without fluid in the container, 3) with different fluids or materials (sand, rocks) or 4) in dissimilar shaped containers, etc. Make sure you keep notes to record your observations!

Materials:

• Eggs (at to the lowest degree 2)
• Markers to draw on a face (waterproof)
• Plastic container with top.
• Water (to fill the container)

Piece and Dice - Learning Directions and Planes of Section

Grades 3-12

One manner to learn the planes of sections and anatomical directions is to model the brain with fruit. That'southward right, fruit....the bigger the better...a melon (honey dew or cantaloupe) works nicely. Make optics, a nose, ears and a mouth out of cork and stick them on the melon head with toothpicks. Or amend nonetheless, get a set of "Mr. Potato Head" body parts and stick them into the melon. The optics, nose, ear and rima oris give a sense of "which fashion is the front" to the round melon. Now make your sections with a big knife...a coronal (frontal) section first, and so a horizontal section, and so a sagittal department. See the "slice page" for the right directions and planes.

Materials:

• A melon - a dear dew or cantaloupe piece of work
• Cork or Mr. Potato Head body pieces
• Knife - to cut melon

Emotion Notion

Grades K-6

How many emotions do you have? Happy, sorry, mad, surprised? Make an "Emotion Collage" by cut out magazine pictures of people expressing different emotions. Mucilage the pictures on a piece of paper or brand a poster to evidence the different emotions. Yous could make separate papers or posters of dissimilar emotions.

Materials:

• Magazines with pictures of people
• Scissors
• Glue
• Paper or poster lath

Encephalon Comparisons

Grades iii-12

How is your encephalon like to other objects? For example, how is your encephalon like a bowl of Jell-O? How is information technology unlike? Are they both soft? Exercise they accept layers? Can they store data? Practice they utilise electricity? Do they comprise chemicals? Requite each person a different object. Each person must make a list of similarities and differences between their object and a brain.

Materials:

• Suggested objects: Jell-O, record recorder, balloon, apple tree, camera, computer, phone, volume, ball.

Brain Charades

Grades 3-6

Although it's non besides hard to depict what the brain does, it's non also easy to human action it out. Try to describe the functions of the brain and nervous organisation with this game of "Encephalon Charades."

Write downwards words that describe brain functions on pocket-size pieces of paper. This table of words will help you lot become started:

Vision	Smell	Gustatory modality	Touch	Hearing
Emotions	Movement	Retention	Speech	Heart Rate
Breathing	Thinking	Planning	Problem Solving	Reading
Command Hormones	Slumber	Balance	Eating	Drinking

Mix the papers in a bowl, bag or a hat. A actor should pick a paper out of the bowl then act out the function. Everyone else should endeavor to guess what the histrion is acting out. Actors must remain silent. When someone guesses the action, write the word on the board. Another player should select a new give-and-take and human action it out. Repeat the game until all of the words have been identified correctly.

Materials:

• Paper
• Pen or pencil
• Container for words

Go TO:

Hearing

Smell

Gustatory modality

Bear on

Vision

Working Together

Source: https://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/chmodel.html

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