Teacher sheet · Ages 10–11 · about 45–50 minutes
The brain: parts, jobs and reaction time
Lesson page: echoesof.science/school/brain/ages-10-11/ · Pupil worksheet: echoesof.science/school/brain/ages-10-11/print/
Learning aims
- Name the main parts and lobes of the brain and link them to jobs.
- Describe the central and peripheral nervous system and sensation, integration, response.
- Describe the parts of a neuron.
- Carry out a fair test with repeats and a mean.
Lesson plan
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 5 min | Starter: write your name with your other hand. Why is it harder? |
| 10 min | Read the text; label a brain outline. |
| 20 min | Reaction-time fair test in pairs. |
| 5 min | Game: Which part of the brain? |
| 5 min | Quiz. |
Materials for the experiment
- A 30 cm ruler per pair
- Results table
- The conversion chart below (distance → time)
Safety: Drop the ruler straight down from a small height and keep faces clear. Use a plastic or wooden ruler without sharp edges. No grabbing at each other.
Common misconceptions
| Pupils may think… | Actually… |
|---|---|
| The left side of the brain controls the left side of the body. | Each hemisphere mainly controls the opposite side. |
| Catching the ruler is a reflex. | It needs seeing, the brain and a movement command, so it is a reaction, not a simple reflex. |
| Each job uses only one part of the brain. | Parts work together; the lobe jobs are the main links. |
Worksheet answers
- Cerebrum: thoughts, memory, planning; cerebellum: coordinating movement; brain stem: breathing and heart rate.
- Eyes see the ruler fall, the signal goes to the brain (images, then movement control), down the spinal cord and along nerves to the hand muscles.
- Answers vary; for example a mean of 15 cm is about 0.18 s.
- Single tries vary a lot; a mean of several tries is more reliable.
Quiz answers
- Which part of the brain coordinates movements like playing the piano? The cerebellum. The cerebellum coordinates movement and learned movements.[1]
- Which hemisphere mainly controls your left hand? The right hemisphere. Each hemisphere mainly controls the opposite side of the body.[1]
- Which lobe deals with images from the eyes? The occipital lobe. The occipital lobe processes images from the eyes.[1]
- What makes up the central nervous system? The brain and spinal cord. The CNS is the brain and spinal cord.[2]
- Which part of a neuron receives messages? The dendrites. Dendrites receive messages; the axon sends them.[1]
- In the ruler test, why does the holder drop it at a different moment each time? So the catcher cannot guess when it will fall. Guessing the moment would make the reaction time look shorter than it is.[8][7]
Going further
Test reaction time to a sound: the holder says 'drop' as they let go and the catcher closes their eyes. Compare the means.
Sources used in this lesson
- [1] Brain Basics: Know Your Brain (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NIH, USA)): reliability High
- [2] Anatomy and Physiology, 12.1 Basic Structure and Function of the Nervous System (OpenStax, Rice University): reliability High
- [7] Reaction Time (Neuroscience for Kids) (Eric H. Chudler, University of Washington): reliability Medium-high
- [8] Reaction Time (outreach activity) (Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University): reliability Medium-high
Full list with links and a note on each source's reliability: echoesof.science/school/brain/sources/
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