WebQuest: The Structure of the Nervous System · WebQuest: The Structure of the Nervous System The nervous system consists of three parts: the Brain, the Central Nervous System, and

Written by BrainU participant, Kevin Molohon Page 1 of 6 Champlin Park High School, Anoka-Hennepin School District

WebQuest: The Structure of the Nervous System The nervous system consists of three parts: the Brain, the Central Nervous System, and the Peripheral Nervous System. The Brain is the command center, the Central Nervous System is the brain and the spinal cord, and the Peripheral Nervous System consists of the nerves going from the spinal cord out to your body. Draw and label each of these parts on the diagram below:

The Brain Go to the following web site and follow the instructions below:

http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/bb/kinser/Structure1.html Part One: The Cerebrum The cerebrum or cortex is the largest part of the human brain, associated with higher brain function such as thought and action. The cerebral cortex is divided into four sections called "lobes": the frontal lobe, parietal lobe, occipital lobe, and temporal lobe.

1. On the diagram below, label the four lobes of the cerebrum.

AP Biology Name: ________________________________________

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BrainU WebQuest: The Structure of the Nervous System


2. List the function of each of the lobes of the cerebrum. Frontal Lobe:

Parietal Lobe:

Occipital Lobe:

Temporal Lobe:

3. Label the cerebellum on the diagram above. 4. What does the cerebellum do?

5. The limbic system is often referred to as the ____________ brain. 6. Where is the limbic system found?

7. List the function of each of the parts of the limbic system:

Thalamus:

Hypothalamus:

Amygdala:

Hippocampus:

8. Label the Brain Stem on the diagram above. 9. What does the Brain Stem do?

AP Biology Name: ________________________________________

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10. List the function of each of the parts of the Brain Stem: Midbrain:

Pons:

Medulla:

The Synapse In this section we will focus on the synapse. As you will recall, the synapse is the space between the axon terminal of on neuron and the dendrites of another. It is important to remember that the two neurons aren’t touching; they are just really close to each other. Go to the following web site and answer the questions below:

http://www.mind.ilstu.edu/flash/synapse_1.swf

11. Neurotransmission occurs between the ______ __________ of one neuron and the ___________ of another.

12. At the synapse, information is transmitted from one neuron to another via what kind of messengers?

13. An action potential is an ____________ signal. 14. Why are chemical messengers, or neurotransmitters, needed to get information across

the synapse?

15. What are ions?

16. Why are ions important for neurotransmission?

17. What are the 4 most common ions?

18. How do ions get across the neuron membrane?

AP Biology Name: ________________________________________

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19. An ion channel will only open when a specific _________________ binds to its _____________ ________.

20. If enough ions flow into the post synaptic neuron, the neuron’s threshold will be reached and the neuron will fire an ___________ ______________.

21. What are vesicles?

22. What effect does an action potential have on a vesicle?

23. What happens to the neurotransmitter once it has done its job?

24. What do mitochondria do?

25. List the 5 steps that take place in transmitting information across a synapse (these are in the “Summary” section of the movie). a.

b.

c.

d.

e.

AP Biology Name: ________________________________________

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The Synapse and Learning In this section we are going to focus on how nerve impulses travel from neuron to neuron and how we learn new things. NOTES: 1. Use the PAUSE button as you go through the video if you want to slow things down. 2. Yes, I know that some of this information is a repeat of what you did in the last

section. http://outreach.mcb.harvard.edu/animations/synaptic.swf

26. Label the following parts of the neuron and describe what it is /what it does: Dendrite, Cell Body, Axon and Axon Terminal

27. Signals are sent from one neuron to another by jumping across a tiny space or

______________. 28. Label the following parts of the synapse and describe what it is /what it does:

Presynaptic Neuron, Vesicles, Calcium Channels, Synaptic Cleft, Receptor Molecule and Postsynaptic Neuron

AP Biology Name: ________________________________________

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29. The list below is what happens when a neuron fires and sends a signal along to another neuron. Fill in the missing blanks in each statement. (Remember to use the Pause button!) a. When an ______ __________ begins in a neuron, it travels down the _______. b. When the action potential reaches the ______ terminal, _________ ____________

open and calcium ions rush into the neuron. c. When calcium binds to the ___________, the vesicles carry _______________

toward the presynaptic membrane. d. The neurotransmitter is released into the _______ _________. e. Neurotransmitter diffuses across the synaptic cleft and binds to ____________ on the

______________ _____________. f. The post synaptic neuron receptors are activated. In this case, these receptors allow

________ ions in, causing an __________ potential to start in the postsynaptic membrane.

g. Neurotransmitters are __________ back into the _________ cleft.

Exercises In this section you will learn how we learn new things. Do the exercises and answer the following questions.

30. By changing how nerves are connected, we _________ ___________. 31. In the first exercise, the star is always ___________. 32. How do we learn?

33. We have specific neurons for recognizing ________ and __________. 34. How did you learn to match the neurons, the star shape, and the color orange?

35. In the second exercise, what change did you make in your synapse?

36. List the ways that you might change a synapse.

AP Biology Name: ________________________________________

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Neurons Access www.g2conline.org

Then, search for “Virtual Neuron”.

Choose “Virtual Neuron”

Using two neurotransmitters, balance the inputs of the neurons so that you get the primary neuron to fire. Summarize your findings from the activity below.

From the same screen, under “Related Items”, choose the 3rd video down…Dopamine and Serotonin Systems and Disorder.

Watch and summarize the video below:

AP Biology Name: ________________________________________

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http://www.g2conline.org/

Action Potential Access: http://outreach.mcb.harvard.edu/animations/actionpotential_short.swf 1. Click on “Introduction” and press play. Answer the following questions:

a. What are Schwann cells and what do they do?

b. What is an “action potential”…how is electricity created during an action potential?

c. When can an action potential occur?

d. What is membrane polarity? What 2 ions create membrane polarity?

2. Click on “Resting Potential” and press play. Describe how resting potential is maintained for a cell. Complete the resting potential exercise.

AP Biology Name: ________________________________________

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http://outreach.mcb.harvard.edu/animations/actionpotential_short.swf

3. Click on “Depolarization” and press play. Summarize your findings below and complete the depolarization exercise.

4. Click on “Repolarization” and press play. Summarize your findings below and complete the depolarization exercise.

5. Click on “Return to Resting Potential” and press play. Summarize your findings below.

AP Biology Name: ________________________________________

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6. Click on “Zoom Out”. Summarize your findings below:

Sodium/Potassium Pump

Access: http://sites.sinauer.com/neuroscience5e/animations04.02.html 1. How many Na+ ions are being pumped out?

2. How many K+ ions are being pumped in? 3. Since the numbers are different, could this cause imbalance of charge on either side of the membrane? 4. What molecule is providing the energy for this ion transport? 5. What is the process called when particles are being transported against the concentration gradient across

a membrane?

AP Biology Name: ________________________________________

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http://sites.sinauer.com/neuroscience5e/animations04.02.html

Genes to Cognition Online:

Genes to Cognition (G2C) Online is about modern neuroscience. It focuses on cognitive disorders, cognitive processes, and research approaches.

Go the following website/link:


From the top left of the screen, choose one “disorder”. Click on your choice from the disorders listed…

Chosen disorder: ____________________________________

From the descriptive paragraph that comes up, briefly define your disorder:

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Then, just below what you just read/summarized, click on the dots below the topic paragraph to see a synopsis of the information in that section. In your own words, simplify what you are reading from each section indicated…do not copy the entire set of information!

Genes:__________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________

Biochemicals:_____________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________

Cells:____________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________

Brain anatomy:___________________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Cognition:_______________________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Environment:____________________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

NOW – pick ONE of the above areas of interest for you in terms of this disorder, watch a lecture video, and summarize the findings/presentation… you do this by clicking on one of the colored dots at the TOP, in the area to the left and right underneath the search bar.


From the top of the screen, under Research Approaches, click on “Bioinformatics”.

Then, when the white drop-down box comes up, click on the dots below the topic to see a synopsis of the information in that section. In your own words, simplify what you are reading…do not copy the entire set of information!

Genes:_______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Biochemicals:_________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Cells:________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Brain anatomy:________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Cognition:____________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Again – pick ONE of the above areas of interest for you in terms of Bioinformatics, watch a lecture video, and summarize the findings/presentation… you do this by clicking on one of the colored dots at the TOP, in the area to the left and right underneath the search bar.

Finally, click on 3-D brain at the bottom and use this to help you review the brain structures/functions as part of with the Nervous System!

WebQuest: The Structure of the Nervous System · WebQuest: The Structure of the Nervous System The nervous system consists of three parts: the Brain, the Central Nervous System, and

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