BAW Activities

The activities will be split into stations, beginning at the cellular level (what is a
neuron?), moving through the lobes of the brain, covering what protects the brain
and finishing up with giving participants the chance to look at and touch a human
brain.

We will have tables set up that will represent each station. There will also be poster
boards (see attached ppt) with information about the station and activities. Not all
1. Takestations
one pipe cleaner
requireand
a roll it into a ball.
volunteer, but This will be the
it would becell
goodbody.
to have someone present to do
some explaining and answer questions. Some stations require more than one
volunteer (like stations 4&5).
2. Take another pipe cleaner and attach it to the new cell body by pushing it through the ball so there are two halves
stickingParticipants
out. Take the two
willhalves
haveand twist them together
worksheets into
to fill in a single extension.
information as themThis move
will be the axon.
from station to
station.

3. TakeBelow are descriptions

other colored of the
pipe cleaners and pushstations andthe
them through whatcell volunteers willopposite
body on the side be expected
the axon.to do. are the
These
dendrites. These can be shorter than your axon and you can twist more pipe cleaners to make more dendrites.
Thank you SO MUCH for your time and effort this year.

Emily
4. Wrap a different color around the length of the axon, this will represent the myelin sheath.
___________________________________________________________________

5. WrapStation
a final pipe
1 cleaner
What onis the end of the axon, this will be the synaptic terminal/axon tip!
a Neuron?

This station covers what a neuron is and how it differs from other cells in the body.
Microscopes with slides of neurons will be at this station, perhaps slides with other
body cells as well. You will be responsible for:

Helping keep slides in order

Helping operate microscopes
Answer questions about neurons

Station 2 Make a Neuron

Pipe cleaner neuron! Participants will use pieces of pipe cleaners to make a neurons,
complete with cell body, axon, dendrites, myelin sheath and synaptic terminal. You
will:

Assist in the making of pipe cleaner neurons

Answer questions about the neuron

Directions for pipe cleaner neurons:

 Station 3 Frontal Lobe

Station 3 focuses on the frontal lobe. The poster covers location and function of the
lobe and includes two activities the Stroop Test and a motor activity. You will be
responsible for:

Talking about the functions of the frontal lobe.

Answering questions about the Stroop Test
Answering questions about the motor activity.

Put on our thinking Use your motor control:

caps!
Can you rub your stomach
The Stroop Test and pat your head at the
measures our mental same time?

When you do that, you are

using your motor cortex.
Station 4 Parietal Lobes

This station talks about the parietal lobes: location and function (sensory cortex and
taste). We will be grouping sense of smell into this station, as smell has a
great deal to do with taste. This station requires at least 2 volunteers.

You will:

Talk about function

Assist in the mystery box activity
o There will be four numbered boxes. Participants will reach into the box
and touch the item inside. On their worksheet there are 4 items shown.
Participants will place the box number below the item they think is in
it.

o Example:
Assist with the Jelly Bean test:
o Participants close eyes and hold nose closed. You give them a jelly
bean and tell them to chew. After a few seconds, tell them to un-hold
their nose. They should suddenly taste the jelly bean much better.
o Scent is 80% of taste!
Station 5 Temporal Lobes

This station covers information on the temporal lobes. It contains the primary
auditory cortex, the hippocampus and processes smell. It includes 3 activities
shaker tubes, memory game and smell jars. This station should have at least 3
Use an egg to demonstrate the importance of all these layers:
volunteers. You will be expected to:

1. Makefunction
Explain an egg brain with all the protective layers: wrap an egg in layers of
of lobes
saran wrap to serve as meninges, place in a plastic cup that serves as the
Answer
skull questions
and add water, which would be the CSF.
Assist
2. Makewith shakeregg
a second jars brain with only a skull: place an egg in the plastic cup.
o Participants will shake conical tubes that contain 1. Water 2. Pennies
and 3. A bouncy ball
o The can match the tube number with the item on their worksheet.
Assist with smell jars
o Participants can smell the scents and then match the jar number to the
scent listed on their worksheet.
Assist with hormone jar.
o Not everyone will smell this. Those who do have the appropriate gene.
Explain genes, proteins and smell receptors.

Station 6 Occipital Lobes

Occipital lobe contains the visual cortex. Talk about how information travels from
the eyes all the way to the back of the head. There will be a number of optical
illusion board set up for participants to look at. There will also be instructions for
determining which of their eyes the dominant one is. You will:

Answer questions and explain visual system.

Help with activities.

Station 7 Protecting the Brain Meninges, CSF and Skull

This station covers the tissues that keep the brain safe and includes the egg-drop
activity. Talk about the hard outer covering of the brain/head: the skull. Then talk
3. Drop
about the both cups surrounding
membranes at the same time
the from
brain:the same
the height. and finally the fluid that
meninges
the brain floats in (and that fills the ventricles): the cerebrospinal fluid. You will:
Report on your worksheet which brain survived the fall!
Answer questions and explain anatomy
Assist with egg drop activity
Station 8 The Human Brain

The brain will be out for participants to come and look at and touch. The volunteer
here will point out the lobes on the brain, talk about connections, point out the
meninges and answer questions.

Remind participants to wear gloves and wash hands following the activity!