Brainboggling! Exploring Your Awesome Nervous System

Event Description:

During this school program, I do a hands-on introduction to neuroscience at the local public elementary school for the three 5th grade science classes that include a brief presentation and a wide variety of hands-on learning experiences showing how the nervous system works, from cells, synapses and neurotransmitters to whole brain anatomy, physiology and neural diseases. Activities include looking at chemical models of neurotransmitters, lock & key manipulatives for synaptic/neurotransmitter-receptor function, microscopic viewing of neurons, making model neurons out of Play-Doh, models of peripheral nerve structure, sheep brain dissections, study of human cadaver brain and preserved cat nervous system, neuron, spinal cord, brain and other models, wiring students up for pulse monitoring to learn about autonomic control of heart rate, etc.