Case Study 1 – The man with no memory Henry Molaison, known by thousands as “H.M.”, is probably the best known single patient in the history of neuroscience. His severe memory impairment, which resulted from experimental brain surgery to control seizures, was the subject of study for five decades until his death in December 2008.
How do our choices change our brains? This key culminating unit brings together all the understanding the students have acquired with an in-depth investigation of how their choices affect their brains, as well as how their brains affect their choices. The students begin by drawing upon their understanding of how neurons collaborate to form a
How do our neurons work together to control behaviors? This unit expands what students now understand about how neurons talk to each other, to take a look at more complex behaviors. Carrying on with the theme of using examples that students will find personally relevant, the unit begins by exploring the sleep-wake cycle. Students keep
How do our neurons communicate with each other? This unit investigates how neurons are able to communicate with each other to send electrical signals from one part of the brain to another. As an example everyone can relate to, the students begin this unit by exploring how many different factors can influence our perception of
What are the building blocks of our brains? This unit explores the neuron as the primary building block of our brains. During this unit students learn how the neuron is put together and how it does what it does, and what can happen when different parts of the neuron fail to function as a result
Got Brains: What do our brains do? This unit is intended to engage students with understanding how their brains work. As a start, they investigate how brains are put together by dissecting a sheep’s brain. Then they investigate firsthand not only how their brains sense their environment, but also how their brains can be fooled
The Neurological Disorders (ND) Module is organized around five key questions. These questions guide our investigation of the nervous system from the building blocks of our brains to how our brains control behavior. The students will explore each of these questions and then, for a final project, use what they have learned to describe how