INTRO TO THE HUMAN BRAIN

TODAY’S OBJECTIVESCONTENT OBJECTIVE

I can explain how the brain works and how it is studied.I can display critical thinking about research studies.

LANGUAGE OBJECTIVE

I can define Localization of Function and Brain Plasticity.

TODAY’S KEY TERMSNeurologyLocalization of Function

• Frontal Lobe• Hippocampus

NeuronBrain Plasticity

WHAT WE KNOW…As a group, come up with a list of things that you know or have heard about the human brain. Be prepared to share.

Top Myths about Our Brains Video

Which of the ideas that we listed can we take off?

NEUROLOGYThe study of the brain and its functioning.

BRAIN FACTSThe brain is the center of the nervous system and is responsible for controlling our movements, thoughts, decisions, and memories.

The human brain is over 3x larger than mammals that share our body sizes.

The human weights about 3 pounds. While it makes up 2% of our body weight, it consumes 20% of our energy.

The brain consists of 86 billion nuerons which send and receive information around the body.

THE NERVOUS SYSTEM

LOCALIZATION OF FUNCTIONThe principle that certain areas in the brain are responsible for certain behaviors.

EVOLUTION OF THE BRAIN

LOCALIZATION OF FUNCTION:THE FRONTAL LOBEThe Frontal Lobe is responsible for self-control, planning, social judgment, and other higher-order thinking tasks. Gage Video

• Sociopaths (Far Right) have been shown to have less activity in their Frontal Lobe.

LOCALIZATION OF FUNCTION: HIPPOCAMPUSThe Hippocampus is an area deep in the brain responsible for the storage of new memories.

• Damaged Hippocampus = No New Memories.• The Story of HM

ZOMBIE BRAINS…Reanimated human beings, while not immortal, will not 'die' under typical conditions that would ordinarily cause the death of a person. They do not appear to feel or respond to pain, can survive even the most brutal injuries, and despite their bottomless appetite for flesh, they do not need food, water, or sleep to survive. Their functionality appears to center around their brain, as its destruction is the only thing that effectively 'kills' the undead. Even when decapitated, the head will remain active, even though it would be practically harmless at such point.

DIAGNOSING ZOMBIE BRAINSOpen the 3D Brain Model App on the I-Pads.Explore different parts of the brain.

• Determine if the part of the brain is active or inactive. Color that part of the brain with the appropriate color.

OBJECTIVES/ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS• I can explain how the brain changes and

learns. • I can understand how the teenage brain

impacts the behaviors of myself and my peers.

NEURONSNeurons are cells that make up the nervous system (including the brain) that specialize in communication of information throughout the body

• Brains consist of billions of Neurons and Trillions of Neural connections.

BRAIN PLASTICITY The Principle that the brain changes over time and depending on our environment.Our brains are always changing.

• Use it or Loose It!• How Our Learning Occurs in the Brain

NEURAL PRUNING• The principle that the neural connections that we do not

use or need will weaken and disappear over time. • This allows for stronger connections between the

pathways that we do use.

BRAIN POWER: A BABY’S BRAINBrain Power: A Baby's Brain and the Internet

YOUR TASK• Work as a group to write a well crafted sentence that

explains what important lessons we can learn by looking at the development of the human brain.

• With our new knowledge of how the brain builds and prunes neural connections, we now can see…

UNDERSTANDING THE TEENAGE BRAIN• Highly Developed Limbic System (Stress

Response, Sex Drive, Emotional Control)• Developing Frontal Lobe (Decision Making)

• This creates a situation where teens allow their stress responses, biological urges, and emotions to guide their behavior.

KEY CHEMICALS:HORMONESChemical substances, secreted by organs called glands, that affect the functioning of other organs.

KEY CHEMICALS: SEX HORMONES• Testosterone

• Biological Impacts: Main sex hormone in males. Causes growth of muscle mass and strength, increased bone density, deepening of voice, growth of beard.

• Behavioral Impacts: Impacts Competiveness, Aggression, Sex Drive, Protectiveness, Generosity.

• Estrogen• Biological Impacts: Main sex hormone of the female

body. In females, it causes puberty, menstrual cycle, and prepares the uterus for fertilization.

• Behavioral Impacts: Impacts Mood, Appetite, Bonding.

OTHER KEY CHEMICALS• Dopamine: Responsible for the reward center in our brain.

• Serotonin: Controls Mood.

• Cortisol: Released when we are stressed.

• Melatonin: Controls Sleep.

• Oxytocin: Impacts bonding in mammals.

TEENAGE BRAIN LESSON RANKINGS1. As a team, read each section together.

1. Write the title of the section on a sticky note.

2. As you read each section, continually rank the sections from most to least important to your lives.

3. Questions to consider include…• What lessons are most important for teenager to understand? • Which lessons are most relevant to you?• Which lessons do you think would help most teens?• What lessons do you wish you knew before today?

TWEETS FROM THE TEENAGE BRAIN• Pick lessons about the teenage brain that you think are

important and write a series (2-5) tweets that will help others (teenagers, adults, etc.) understand the brain of teenagers. • Limit to 140 Characters.• Feel free to use school appropriate humor.• # encouraged

• Write your favorite Tweet on a flash card and decorate it with images or symbols that help communicate the lesson.