Active learning ideas
This topic delves into the biological foundations of behaviour, focusing on the nervous system's sophisticated architecture. Students examine the division between the central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system (PNS), including the autonomic and somatic branches. A key focus is the neuron, the building block of the system, and the electrochemical process of neurotransmission. Understanding how messages travel across synapses and the role of specific neurotransmitters like glutamate and GABA is essential for understanding human experience.
Activity 01
Students stand in a line representing a neural pathway. They must pass a 'signal' (a squeeze or a ball) using specific rules that mimic action potentials and synaptic gaps, demonstrating the speed and direction of neural travel.
How is the human nervous system organised?
Activity 02
Small groups are assigned a specific neurotransmitter (e.g., Dopamine, Serotonin). They create a visual 'profile' showing its function, what happens when there is an imbalance, and how it relates to everyday Australian life, like the 'rush' of a sports win.
What is the role of the neuron in communication?
Activity 03
Students recall a time they felt startled. They identify the physical symptoms they experienced and then work with a partner to map those symptoms to the activation of the sympathetic nervous system.
How do neurotransmitters affect our mental processes?
A few notes on teaching this unit
Watch Out for These Misconceptions
Messages travel through the nervous system like electricity through a wire.
While 'electrical' is used as a metaphor, neural transmission is electrochemical and involves gaps (synapses). Physical simulations help students see that the signal must be converted to chemical form to cross the gap.
The brain and the nervous system are the same thing.
Students often forget the peripheral nervous system. Using a body-mapping activity where students draw the PNS onto a life-sized outline helps clarify that the nervous system extends to the very tips of the fingers.
Methods used in this brief
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