Module 1
1. Module 1
1.8. Lesson 2
Module 1—The Nervous System
Lesson 2—the Brain and Spinal Cord—the Boss and Unthinking Boss
Get Focused
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Everyone has a brain and a spinal cord. Most people are born with both working the way they should. The brain is the centre of “who” you are—your personality, your values, your intellect, and your ability to determine right from wrong. Your brain is also the central controller of what you can do. It communicates with your spinal cord, allowing you to walk, move, feel, experience life, and perform body functions (like breathing).
Think back to the Big Picture. When you walked across the room to meet your potential new friend, it was your brain that projected your personality and your spinal cord that got you there.
In this lesson you will explore the relationships between the brain and the spinal cord, and you will see how dependant they are on each other to function correctly. When communication between the brain and spinal cord is interrupted, bad things happen. For example, your personality could change, you might lose the ability to walk, or your senses could be altered. Each of these is an example of interrupted communication.
In this lesson you will investigate the following focusing questions:
- What are the main structures of the brain and spinal cord, what are their functions, and how are these functions co-ordinated?
- What happens when the information to or from the brain or spinal cord is disrupted or interrupted?
Module 1: Lesson 2 Assignment
Your teacher-marked Module 1: Lesson 2 Assignment requires you to submit a response to the following:
- LAB questions—LAB 1 or LAB 2
- Discussion questions—D1, D2, and D3
- Reflect and Connect—RC 1 or RC 2
Download a copy of the Module 1: Lesson 2 Assignment to your computer now. You will receive further instructions about how to complete this assignment later in the lesson.
You must decide what to do with the questions that are not marked by the teacher.
Remember that these questions provide you with the practice and feedback that you need to successfully complete this course. You should respond to all of the questions and place those answers in your course folder.
In Lesson 2 you will continue to work on the Module Assessment project by researching the relationship between Alzheimer’s disease, the brain, and the spinal cord. Your research will be stored in your course folder.
Required Materials and Equipment
- a sheep's brain
- rubber gloves
- safety goggles
- dissecting tray or foam tray
- sharp scissors with pointed tips
- sharp knife or scalpel
- a bleach solution to be used for cleanup