Coastal, Limnologic and Marine Research Center (UFRGS)

With the objective to arouse curiosity and explain some brain mechanisms, we’ve organized a open field interactive exhibit on March 16th 2016. There were five main topics of discussion with specific ludic activities for each of them. Knowing the brain: Main nervous system structures and functions as well as interspecific differences and adaptations of the brain were presented. Activities: draw painting (translated from The Mindboggling Coloring Sheets) and memory game. Optical illusions: The visitors had opportunity to explore their senses understanding differences between sensation and perception. Activities: checker shadow illusion, afterimage of a flag, Akiyoshi Kitaoka´s crawling snakes and green and blue spirals illusions. Somatosensory illusions: Here, the visitor explored how brain coding allow sensation. Activities: Aristotle illusion, two-point discrimination test and “Where Was That?” from Eric H. Chudler’s Neuroscience for Kids site. Epilepsies: A brief description of the disorder, symptoms, causes, treatments available, and how to assist during tonic clonic seizures was presented to visitors. Groups of visitors illustrated eletroencefalogram normal brain function, generalized and partial seizure through movement of a tissue. Microcephalies: Considering the relevance at Brazil this year, we talked with visitors bringing some current information and answering questions on this matter. Diagnostic characteristics, causes, relation with Zika virus and prevention were main topics of discussion. A circuit of practices to prevent mosquito reproduction was developed and kids engaged on a modified Hide and Seek where catchers were mosquitoes in different developmental stages.

Elementary school students that had no previous knowledge of the brain had opportunity to perceive its existence and importance. Middle and high school students and adults brought doubts and learn new insights over the brain. Some of them manifested to be grateful for the knowledge provided. Some of the adults that contacted the organization also manifested interest for lectures and it gave rise to a new project directed to adults called “APRIMORAR – Encontros Temáticos”.

We made it a one day event and several schools contacted during the event day interested in bringing their students. Unfortunately we are not prepared for more than four groups of fifty people and we could not receive all of them. This happened because one week before the event only one school had subscribed, maybe previous contact with schools could help to dimension it better.

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