Nervous System

Topic: Nervous System

Objectives & Outcomes

• Students will be able to identify and describe the major structures and functions of the nervous system.

Materials

• Diagram of the nervous system
• Chart paper and markers
• Copies of the worksheet "Built-in Brain Scanner: Identifying the Major Structures and Functions of the Nervous System"

Warm-up

• Ask students to raise their hands if they've ever felt a "brain squeeze." Ask them to describe the experience and what caused it.
• Tell students that today they will be learning about the nervous system, which is the system of organs that controls our thoughts, movements, and senses.

Direct Instruction

• Begin by introducing the structure of the nervous system, which consists of the brain and spinal cord, and the nerves that branch off from them to all parts of the body.
• Using the handouts, discuss the function of each part of the nervous system, including:
• the brain, which processes information and controls movement
• the spinal cord, which transmits signals from the brain to the rest of the body
• the nerves, which carry those signals to the rest of the body
• Using the diagram of the nervous system, point out the major parts of the nervous system and their functions.

Guided Practice

• Next, have students work in pairs to label the major parts of the nervous system on the diagram.
• As a class, go over the answers and discuss the functions of each part.

Independent Practice

• For independent practice, have students create a colorful poster or presentation to teach their classmates about the nervous system. They can include information about the structure and functions of the major parts, as well as any interesting facts they learned in class.

Closure

• Review the main points of the lesson and have students share any projects or presentations they created.

Assessment

• Use a multiple choice or short answer quiz to assess understanding of the main points of the lesson.Evaluation
• Use the presentations or projects created by students as an formative or summative evaluation of understanding.Closure
• Have students reflect on the lesson and what they learned, looking for any misconceptions or gaps in knowledge.