Page 29 - FOUNDATIONS FOR LIFE; EXPLORING GOD’S UNIVERSE
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Science Y6 – Marvellous Me – lesson 5
THE TELEPHONE SYSTEM
THE HUMAN BRAIN AND NERVOUS SYSTEM
Truth to Teach (Source)
Saint Augustine ‘Men go abroad to wonder at the height of the mountains, at the huge waves of the sea, at the
long courses of the rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motion of the stars;
and yet they pass by themselves without wondering.’
The function of the human brain and nervous system
The brain weighs 1300-1400grams and has 100 billion neurons
The nervous system is the body’s major control and communications system
The basic unit of the nervous system is a nerve cell
The spinal cord carries messages to the brain from different parts of the body
Way to Work (Means)
1. Review the previous lessons.
2. Give the children various unusual commands, e.g. stand up, turn around twice, touch your toes and shout, “Hurrah!”
3. Talk about the process of receiving such commands and carrying them out. Establish how much the children
already know about the brain and the nervous system. Compare the brain to a computer.
4. Show pictures of the brain and identify the various parts so that the children can label the brain on the
worksheet. Share some amazing facts about the brain.
5. Let them use books and other information sources to write about the nervous system and brain. Remind the
children of the skill of finding relevant information and not copying out, or downloading, everything on the subject.
There will be opportunity for children to conduct further study on this later.
6. Gather after a set time to share and praise God for his amazing creation of the brain in particular.
Learning for Life (Fulfilment)
1. The children should be more familiar with the way in which the brain and nervous system work together as a
control and communications system.
2. They will have had further experience in selecting relevant information from a range of information sources.
3. It is hoped that their sense of awe and wonder will serve to increase their worship of God.
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