What’s so special about my brain?
Neuroscience: The Learning Brain and BrainLink
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Understandings about brain function in health, aging, learning and disease are growing with breathtaking speed. The Learning Brain and BrainLink® projects have and continue to develop and evaluate science teaching resources on emerging areas in neuroscience for use with elementary and secondary school students. Topics include brain structure, neurons and the nervous system, human senses and movement, learning and memory, diseases of the nervous system, and the effects of drugs on the brain and body.
The links on this page contain complete teacher guides, individual lessons on the brain, digital slides, video presentations and related content to enhance your instruction.
The Learning Brain project is part of the National Institutes of Health’s Blueprint for Neuroscience Education program, and is funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, and the Science Education Partnership Award program, Office of the Director, National Institutes of Health. The BrainLink project was funded by a Science Education Partnership Award.
The Learning Brain: K-5
Teacher Guide
K-1: The Senses Teacher's Guide
Students investigate sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch, and discover how the brain and the senses are connected. (9 activities)
Grade(s)
K-2
K-2
Slide Set
K-1: The Senses Classroom Slides
This slide set is designed for use with activities found in K-1: The Senses Teacher’s Guide.
Grade(s)
K-2
K-2
Reading
Making Sense!
Making Sense! is a colorful, engaging picture/storybook that introduces students to the brain and the five senses as they solve mystery picture puzzles.
Grade(s)
K-2
K-2
Teacher Guide
Train Your Brain: 3-5
How do we learn and remember things? Students investigate how some behaviors work without conscious thought, and how other skills can be newly acquired or improved upon. (11 activities)
Brain Comparisons: 3-8
Teacher Guide
Brain Comparisons Teacher's Guide
Students learn the brain has three main parts, the skull provides protection for the brain, brains differ in size and shape among animals, and more. (6 activities)
Reading
Skullduggery: A Case of Cranium Confusion
The NeuroExplorers find themselves creeping around caves, where they hope to help Professor Ottzinger find the missing skull of the Mishigara Man and clear the Professor’s name!
Reading
Brain Comparisons Explorations
Extension activities designed for use in class (see "Sample Sequence" in the teacher's guide) or the magazine may be taken home to share with family and friends.
Worksheets
Brain Comparisons: The Reading Link
Reading and language arts worksheets for use the book, Skullduggery: A Case of Cranium Confusion.
Memory and Learning: 3-8
Teacher Guide
Memory and Learning Teacher's Guide
Students discover how their brains store and retrieve information and, subsequently, how to be more effective learners. (7 activities)
Reading
Danger at Rocky River: A Memorable Misadventure
NeuroExplorer Max reveals that his grandfather has Alzheimer’s disease. When the club members arrive to visit, they learn Rocky River is rising—and Max’s grandfather is missing. Will they find Max’s Grandpa in time?
Reading
Memory and Learning Explorations
Extension activities designed for use in class (see "Sample Sequence" in the teacher's guide) or the magazine may be taken home to share with family and friends.
Worksheets
Memory and Learning: The Reading Link
Language arts and reading worksheets for use with the student storybook, Danger at Rocky River: A Memorable Misadventure.
Motor System: 3-8
Teacher Guide
Motor System Teacher's Guide
Students investigate the brain and motor system, including the anatomy of motor neurons and their function, voluntary and involuntary movements, and how muscles and nerves produce movement. (10 activities)
Reading
Trouble at Tsavo: The Tale of the Black Rhino
The NeuroExplorers watch in awe as Shiloh Nimbus play tennis. The game is so intense that, after a few minutes, they no longer "see" the players’ wheelchairs. What happened to Shiloh?
Reading
Motor System Explorations
Extension activities designed for use in class (see "Sample Sequence" in the teacher's guide) or the magazine may be taken home to share with family and friends.
Worksheets
Motor System: The Reading Link
Reading and language arts worksheets for use the book, Trouble at Tsavo: The Tale of the Black Rhino.
Sensory System: 3-8
Teacher Guide
Sensory System Teacher's Guide
Students learn how the brain, sensory neurons and five senses work together to receive and process information from outside of the body and inside of the body enabling humans to survive. (9 activities)
Reading
The Cookie Crumbles: A Case of Sensory Sleuthing
Josh Kavil receives a new box of cookies containing a mint-condition baseball trading card. But the cookies inside are stale. What could be the reason for this discrepancy?
Reading
Sensory System Explorations
Extension activities designed for use in class (see "Sample Sequence" in the teacher's guide) or the magazine may be taken home to share with family and friends.
Worksheets
Sensory System: The Reading Link
Reading and language arts worksheets for use the book, The Cookie Crumbles: A Case of Sensory Sleuthing.
Brain Chemistry: 6-12
The integrated components of the Brain Chemistry unit enable students to explore chemical communication in the brain and nervous system, while building a deeper understanding of the powerful effects of drugs in the brain and body. Unit materials are adaptable to a variety of grade levels and teaching and learning styles.
Teacher Guide
Brain Chemistry Teacher's Guide
Students learn about the brain, neurons, chemical communication in the body, risk perception and how personal choices can affect brain function and performance. (9 activities)
Slide Set
Brain Chemistry Classroom Slides
Did you ever wonder why you can respond so quickly when you are startled? Wonder why you can “see” a picture in your mind’s eye? Discover the brain and its powerful communicators, neurons.
Reading
Legacy of Lost Canyon
Legacy of Lost Canyon is an engaging mystery adventure story that also teaches science and health concepts related to the brain, central nervous system and chemicals in the body.
Reading
Brain Chemistry Explorations
Magazine containing articles and activities on topics including plants which stimulate or depress certain aspects of the nervous system, the structure of the brain, neurons and the nervous system, and more.
Worksheets
Brain Chemistry: The Reading Link
Collection of ready-to-use reading and language arts activities directly related to the book, Legacy of Lost Canyon, both of which are integrated components of the Brain Chemistry unit.
Nature News Stories
BioEd Online is pleased to provide current biology and life sciences news stories from Nature News, the science syndication arm of the premier international science publisher, the Nature Publishing Group.
Bridging the gap between artificial vision and touch Cats know their names — whether they care is another matter Why the sexes don’t feel pain the same wayRelated Video and Slide Presentations
Presentation
New Insights into Autism (Part 1)
Arthur L. Beaudet, MD, gives a research presentation on the causes, prevalence, impacts and treatment of autism.
Presentation
New Insights into Autism (Part 2)
Sakira U. Peters, PhD, explains the traits and diagnosis of autism, and current research being conducted to learn more about this disorder.
Presentation
Rett Syndrome, The Continued Search for Answers
Huda Y. Zoghbi, MD, addresses the neurological disease known as Rett Syndrome, including the causes, symptoms, treatments and current research in the field.
Presentation
Sleep and Human Performance
Join David F. Dinges, PhD, as he describes studies being conducted to understand and limit effects of inadquate sleep and how these problems affect both astronauts on space missions and patients on Earth.
Video
What Causes an Ice Cream Headache?
How could something so good, like ice cream, give you such a fast headache?
Individual Lessons: K-1: The Senses
Download the activity slide set, What Sound Is It? which contains embedded audio files for use with the activity, "Our Sense of Hearing."
The Brain: Control Central
Students explore the basic functions and characteristics of the brain and skull, and learn about three major structures in the brain: the cerebrum, cerebellum and brainstem.
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K-2
K-2
The Brain: Protection
Students learn that the brain is fragile and that it is enclosed by the skull, which protects the brain and forms the shape of the head.
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K-2
K-2
The Brain: Communication
Students discover that their brains receive and act on information from inside and outside the body, and that the senses gather and process different kinds of information.
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K-2
K-2
Our Sense of Vision
Students make kaleidoscopes to learn that light is essential to vision, and that the brain processes information from the eyes, which are “light detectors."
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K-2
K-2
Our Sense of Hearing
Students investigate hearing and discover that sensory receptors in the ears collect sound information and transmit it to the brain, and that the effects of sound can be seen using a tuning fork and water.
View this lesson Download PDF Digital Slide SetGrade(s)
K-2
K-2
Our Sense of Taste
Students taste four mystery substances and learn that the tongue is covered with taste buds, which contain taste receptors, and that the brain determines the flavors we experience.
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K-2
K-2
Our Sense of Smell
Students use four different flavors of dry soft drink mix to investigate the sense of smell, and learn that the nose can detect very small particles in air and transmit the information to the brain.
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K-2
K-2
Our Sense of Touch
Students explore the sense of touch by identifying mystery objects with their eyes closed and discover that the skin receptors communicate with the brain, which can discriminate among many tactile objects.
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K-2
K-2
Using All the Senses to Understand Our World
Students use all of their senses to understand that there are different types of sensory receptors in the body, and all of them work together to provide information to the brain, which interprets the signals.
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K-2
K-2
Individual Lessons: Brain Chemistry
Brain Chemistry: Pre-assessment
Introduce students to the brain and some its most important functions, and measure how much they already know about the brain and nervous system.
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What is a Neuron?
Students are introduced to how messages are sent and received by neurons, and they build a model neuron.
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Neural Network Signals
Students create an electrical circuit and investigate whether or not different dissolved substances conduct electricity.
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Neurotransmitters Contain Chemicals
Students play a simple card game to learn the sequence of events in the transmission of nervous system signals.
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Crossing the Synaptic Gap
Students conduct a simulation activity that demonstrates how multiple incoming signals influence the action of neurons.
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Hormones and Stress
Students describe a stressful situation and how their bodies responded to it.
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Drugs, Risks and the Nervous System
Students estimate the risks associated with different events and compare their estimates to the real probabilities.
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Food for the Brain
Students learn about nutrients important for health by dissecting a slice of pizza.
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Brain Chemistry: Post-assessment
Students complete a post-assessment to demonstrate what they have learned about brain chemistry.
View this lesson Download PDFFunding
National Institutes of Health: Blueprint for Neuroscience Education, National Institute on Drug Abuse, and Science Education Partnership Award program, Office of the Director, Division of Program Coordination, Planning and Strategic Initiatives, Office of Research Infrastructure Programs.
The Learning Brain: Interactive Inquiry for Teachers and Students
Grant Number: RD25DA033006
Science Education Partnership Award, NIH
BrainLink—National Dissemination Plan—Phase II
Grant Number: R25RR09833-2
Filling the Gaps—K–6 Science/Health Education
Grant Number: 2R25RR013454