Chapter 8 Lesson 5 "How the Nervous System Controls the Body"

Materials:

• Notes Sheet for 8-5
• Nervous System Review Sheet.

Objective:

• Students will identify the structures and functions of the nervous system.
• Students will identify the function of the spinal cord.
• Students will describe how impulses travel
• Students will explain the purpose of reflex actions.

Alaska Content Standards:

• SCI A-10 Students will understand that living things are made up mostly of cells and that all life processes occur in Cells (Cells)
• SCI A-12 Students will distinguish the patterns of similarity and differences in the living world in order to understand the diversity of life and understand the theories that describe the importance of diversity for species and ecosystems.

Anticipatory Set: Find out how many students are playing basketball, any other sport or are in a band. The students will then tell about the person that coordinates the players' movements or the music. What would happen to the team if they did not have someone to lead the team?

The body to has a system that coordinates all the other systems. Just like this team without a coach would do very poorly so would a body without this system especially a complicated body like the human body. How does the body coordinate its activities?

Teacher Input: Show this picture of the nervous system. Have the students name the three main parts of the system while the teacher points an arrow at the different parts. What is the main part of the nervous system?

Pull up this picture of the brain and have the students name the three main parts of the brain while the teacher points an arrow at the different parts. What do the three parts of the brain do? Remind the students that these responses can be put on their notes sheet.

Show this map of the brain's activities or this map and mention to the students that different areas of the brain do different things. There are several places to find this information and they will need it for the end of the notes sheet.

Ask how messages get from muscles to the brain and back again. Show this picture of a sensory neuron. Explain that this type of nerve carries messages to the brain or spinal column. Are there any other types of nerves? Explain motorneurone or relay neuronas the students identify them.

Explain to the students that not all of the body's actions need to be "thought" about. There are many things that the brain does not control. Instead the spinal cord responds instantly. Have the students name actions that take place in your body that the brain does not "think about" then look at this chart on the Human Nervous System Tree. Explain it to the students. Next look at the chart on sympathic and parasympathetic. Explain the terms Sympathetic and Parasympathetic. Show the diagram on the Nervous System Schematic and explain the chart.

Modeling: Show the students the Nervous System Section on the ADAM Cd.

Check for Understanding: Have the students complete the bottom of their Notes worksheet. Watch to make sure students understand that the left side of their brain controls the right side of their body.

Closure: Sum up the ideas of this lesson for the students: Gray and white matter make up the brain. Gray matter is composed of nerve cell bodies. White matter is composed of nerve tracts that enable parts of the brain to communicate with one another. The cerebrum is divided into two hemispheres. Each can function separately. The right hemisphere controls primarily the left side of the body and vice versa. A nerve tract called the corpus callosum connects the two hemispheres.

Independent Practice: Students will find out which half of their brain is dominant by answering some survey questions at: http://www.mtsu.edu/~studskl/hd/hemis.html

Students will work on the worksheet, "The Nervous System" and take the quiz on Lesson 5.

Duration:

30 minutes + 10-15 for Independent Practice (Could be longer if taken for homework).