On The Brain

Grade Level: 4-7
Subject: Science/Health

On Monday, June 2, 2008, surgeons at Duke University Medical Center announced that they had successfully removed a cancerous tumor from Sen. Edward Kennedy's brain.

Kennedy remained awake and alert during the entire procedure, doctors said. By keeping him awake, they were able to map the brain's key areas, like those that control movement and speech, and avoid cutting into them. His doctors were also able to use "neuronavigation techniques" to map his brain's cancerous areas. Doing this helped surgeons to better target the cancer and get all of it out.

Medical researchers have learned a lot about the brain in recent years, especially about the relationships between the brain's structure and functions. Understanding the brain has revolutionized diagnosis, treatment, and further research of a variety of conditions, including brain cancer and Alzheimer's disease. In this lesson, your own investigations will discover how exactly the brain works within the larger network of the nervous system.

Brain Basics

Begin with some brain basics by going Inside the Brain. This interactive tour at the Alzheimer's Association has two parts, with the second part going into detail about the Alzheimer's affects the brain. For now, stick with part one exploring Brain Basics. On the first screen, roll your mouse over the colored text to see the brain's three main parts. Draw your own diagram of the brain (like the one shown in this diagram, which is basically a side view), labeling each part and describing its functions.

On the next screen, you will get an inside look at the brain's Supply Lines. About how much blood and oxygen does your brain need compared to the rest of your body? Next, find out more about those Thinking Wrinkles of yours. As you roll over the text to see and read about the specific regions of the cortex, which parts are you using right now? Add to your brain diagram, by color coding the smaller parts of the brain shown here, and adding labels and descriptions. Draw a second diagram of the brain—a top view—illustrating the Left/Right Brain sections and general functions.

Stepping deeper into the brain, wade your way through The Neuron Forest, Cell Signaling, and Signal Coding. What kinds of problems could a person have if a disease or tumor hampered the proper functioning of brain neurons? List at least two possible effects related to each cortex section. Discuss your lists with classmates.

Brain Games

Now it is time to play a few true "brain games" where Brains Rule! When you click open each game, maximize the browser window so that the game screen fills your computer screen. First, take a ride on the Brain-o-Coaster. In this game, you will get an inside view of the brain's early development. Take any seat on the neural plate for your first ride, and then grab a snack. Take the ride up to four times, choosing a different seat every time.

Next, Neuron Explosion will train and test you on what makes up a nerve cell. In Neuron Navigator, choose your favorite car to drive a leg to move.

Get up your nerve to enter the Neuron Laboratory. As master of the castle, it is up to you to straighten out Frankenbrain. After your assistant tells you what is going on, click the left-hand side of the room to take a look at the book shelf. Click on every item to see what they are. What do you notice about Frankenbrain's behavior?

Return to the middle of the room, and then go upstairs to get the laboratory key. Check out the lesson on the computer. As you answer each question correctly, you will get a number for the keycode. Once finished, your second assistant will use the code to unlock the door. Get downstairs and enter the lab.

Examine Frankenbrain through the machine, and try to fix the problem. What are the two different problems Frankenbrain has? Once you have sewn up the neuron circuit, fix the neuron's function. To blast the blue blockers, double-click on them.

Lastly, play Brain Attack. This game shows the different ways blood and oxygen can get cut off from our brains. What are the four ways? What happens when one of these occur?

If you have time, learn more about how illness affects the brain, by examining Alzheimer's Disease and the Brain and Brain Cancer.

Newspaper Activities

Using The Sacramento Bee, find three or more photos of people or animals doing activities. For one or more people or animals pictured, make a list of the activities he or she is doing. Then, draw a brain diagram, color-coding each area of the cortex used for each activity. Map the activity to your brain diagram (for example, draw a line from the activity description to the cortex area, or use a color legend next to each activity).

As an extra project, read your newspaper looking for brain-related illnesses to research. Investigate how exactly the illness affects the brain and what behavioral and mental problems it causes for the patient. Explain the illness to classmates, using diagrams of the brain and other illustrations.