Science: The Nervous System and Brain
How the brain, spinal cord, and nerves help the body respond
Science: The Nervous System and Brain
How the brain, spinal cord, and nerves help the body respond
Biology - Grade 6-8
- 1
Name the two main divisions of the nervous system.
One division includes the brain and spinal cord, and the other includes the nerves throughout the body.
The two main divisions of the nervous system are the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system. - 2
What organs or structures make up the central nervous system?
The central nervous system is made up of the brain and the spinal cord. - 3
What is the job of the peripheral nervous system?
Think about how information gets from your skin to your brain and back to your muscles.
The peripheral nervous system carries messages between the central nervous system and the rest of the body. It helps the brain and spinal cord communicate with muscles, organs, and sense receptors. - 4
Explain what a neuron is and describe its basic job.
A neuron is a nerve cell. Its basic job is to receive and send electrical and chemical signals that carry information through the nervous system. - 5
A student touches a hot pan and quickly pulls away. Describe the path of information through the nervous system in this situation.
Include the skin, neurons, spinal cord, muscles, and brain in your explanation.
Receptors in the skin detect the heat and send a signal through sensory neurons to the spinal cord. The spinal cord quickly sends a response through motor neurons to the muscles, causing the hand to pull away. The brain also receives the information and recognizes the pain and heat. - 6
What is a reflex, and why is it useful for survival?
A reflex is a quick, automatic response to a stimulus. It is useful for survival because it helps the body react rapidly to danger before a person has time to think about it. - 7
Which part of the brain is mainly responsible for balance and coordination?
This brain part helps you ride a bike, walk smoothly, and keep steady movement.
The cerebellum is mainly responsible for balance and coordination. - 8
Which part of the brain controls many involuntary actions such as breathing and heart rate?
The brain stem controls many involuntary actions such as breathing and heart rate. - 9
What is the function of the cerebrum?
This is the largest part of the brain and helps with conscious thought.
The cerebrum is involved in thinking, memory, learning, decision-making, interpreting senses, and voluntary movement. - 10
How do sensory neurons and motor neurons differ?
Sensory neurons carry information from sense receptors to the brain or spinal cord. Motor neurons carry commands from the brain or spinal cord to muscles and glands. - 11
Why is the spinal cord important to the nervous system?
Think about communication and fast responses.
The spinal cord is important because it carries messages between the brain and the rest of the body. It also helps control some reflex actions quickly. - 12
A soccer player gets hit on the head and has trouble remembering plays and concentrating. Based on brain function, explain why an injury like this can affect thinking and memory.
An injury to the brain can affect thinking and memory because the brain controls those functions. If areas involved in memory, attention, or decision-making are disrupted, the person may have trouble concentrating, learning, or recalling information.