Module 3
NIDA Junior Scientists Program Module 3
3-1
Guide to Module 3:
Sending and Receiving Messages
Introduction
In module 1, students learned how to use scientic inquiry to solve problems. In module 2,
they learned about four key parts of the brain and what each part does. During the third
mission, students will simulate the process of neurotransmission: how information gets to
and from the brain.
Learning Objectives
• Students simulate neurotransmission.
• Students discover how messages travel throughout the body.
• Students learn about the relationship between the brain and the rest of the nervous system.
Relationship to the
National Science Education Standards
This mission aligns with two standards identied in the NSES: unifying concepts and
processes and science as inquiry. (They use only parts of scientic inquiry for this mission.)
The charts on the next page identify how the mission aligns with each of these standards.
Module 3NIDA Junior Scientists Program
3-2
UNIFYING CONCEPTS AND PROCESSES
Levels K–4 How Mission is Aligned
Systems, order, and organization This mission builds on what students learned
in module 2 about the brain as a system by
illustrating how neurotransmission is part of
that system. Students begin to understand
how the brain works with the other parts of the
nervous system to perform many key functions.
SCIENCE AS INQUIRY
Levels K–4 How Mission is Aligned
Abilities necessary to do scientic inquiry
Students go through some of the steps
of scientic inquiry: observing, making
predictions, completing an investigation to test
their predictions, illustrating a concept, and
drawing conclusions.
Background
Messages, in the form of electrical impulses, constantly travel back and forth between the
brain and other parts of the body. A special cell called a neuron is responsible for carrying
these messages. There are about 100 billion neurons in the human brain.
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A neuron has three main parts. The cell body directs all activities of the neuron. Dendrites
extend out from the cell body and receive messages from other nerve cells. An axon is
a long single ber that transmits messages from the cell body to the dendrites of other
neurons or to other body tissues, such as muscles. A protective covering called the myelin
sheath, covers most neurons. Myelin insulates the axon and helps nerve signals travel
faster and farther.
Dendrites
Myelin Sheath
Cell Body
Axon
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Messages travel along a single neuron as electrical impulses, but messages between
neurons travel differently. The transfer of information from neuron to neuron takes place
through the release of chemical substances into the space between the axon and the
dendrites. These chemicals are called neurotransmitters, and the process is called
neurotransmission. The space between the axon and the dendrites is called the synapse.
When neurons communicate, an electrical impulse triggers the release of neurotransmitters
from the axon into the synapse. The neurotransmitters cross the synapse and bind to
special molecules on the other side, called receptors. Receptors are located on the
dendrites. Receptors receive and process the message.
Axon
Synapse
Dendrites
Synapse
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What’s particularly interesting about neurotransmission is that each neurotransmitter
can bind only to a very specic matching receptor. A neurotransmitter binds to a receptor
in much the same way a key ts into a lock. After transmission has occurred, the
neurotransmitter is either broken down by an enzyme (a chemical that speeds up some of
the body’s processes) or is reabsorbed into the neuron that released it. The reabsorbed
neurotransmitters can be reused at a later time.
Axon
Synapse
Neurotransmitters
Dendrite
Receptors
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Materials
NIDA Junior Scientists DVD
One set of signs for each group
– 6 Neuron Team signs
– 1 Neurotransmitter sign
– 1 Sore foot sign
– 1 Brain sign
One set of messages for each group
– 1 “Why does my foot hurt?” message
– 1 “Sit down. You hurt your foot on a tack.” message
Log sheets
Instruction sheets
Paper and pencils
Masking tape
Preparation
1. To familiarize yourself with the subject of
neurotransmission, read the Background section of this guide.
2. If possible, reserve the gym or all-purpose room. Or you could
do this activity outside on the blacktop.
3. Make copies of the messages and signs found at the back of this
guide. You will need six Neuron Team signs, one Neurotransmitter
sign, one Sore Foot sign, one Brain sign, one “Why does my foot
hurt?” message, and one “Sit down. You hurt your foot on a tack.”
message for each group. The students will use these messages
during the activity.
Brain
Neuron
Neurotransmitter
Synapse
Neuron
Foot
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You may want to have parent volunteers or instructional
assistants help set up the classroom for this activity.
Try to have at least one other adult in the room while the
children are working on the activity.
4. Set up and label three areas of the room for this activity as shown on the previous
page. Each area has a set of two lines of masking tape with a space between the
rows. Each masking tape row represents a neuron. The space between “neurons”
represents a synapse. (Refer to the diagram on the following page.)
5. Divide the class into groups of nine students, who will be working together as a
team. If you have “extra” children, add them as extra members of a neuron team.
Procedure
1. Conduct a brainstorming session about how students think messages are carried
throughout the body. For example, ask students the following: How does your
brain “know” to perform an activity, such as raise your head? When we talk about
messages traveling, what do we mean? Do you know what a neurotransmitter is?
Write down any ideas students may have. Don’t be surprised if they don’t know
too much about this process.
2. Before beginning the activity, briey explain neurotransmission. Explain what the
terms “neuron” and “neurotransmission” mean. You may want to show the rst
part of the DVD to accomplish this goal.
3. Tell each group of nine students to go to an activity area. In each area, have
three students sit in each masking-tape outlined area. Tell them that they are a
neuron team and give each student a Neuron Team sign. Each group of three
represents one neuron.
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4. Designate one student at each area as the
neurotransmitter student. Have each
neurotransmitter student sit in the space between the
rows of masking tape. Give the neurotransmitter students
their signs.
5. Then designate one student at each area as a person
with a sore foot and one student as the brain, where the
information is processed. The sore foot student should
stand at one end of the neurons, and the brain should
stand at the other end. (Refer to diagram 3a.)
6. Hand the student with the sore foot the message that
says, “Why does my foot hurt?” Have the student begin
the activity by pretending to have a sore foot. Then have
the “foot” student hand the message to the rst member
of the neuron team.
7. Have the students quickly send the message down the
line of neuron team members. The last student hands
the message to the neurotransmitter student. After
receiving the message, he or she gets up and hands
it to the next neuron team. This neuron team leads to
the brain. When the message reaches the last member
of the neuron team, he or she gets up and hands the
message to the student pretending to be the brain.
(Refer to diagram 3b.)
Brain
Neuron
Synapse
Neurotransmitter
Neuron
Foot
3a
Why does
my foot hurt?
Why does
my foot hurt?
3b
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8. When the “brain” receives the message, that student
quickly exchanges it for the message saying, “Sit
down. You hurt your foot on a tack.” The message
then proceeds down the line of students back to the
student with a sore foot.
9. When the student with the sore foot reads the
message, he or she discovers why his or her foot
hurts and what to do about it. (Refer to diagram 3c.)
10. Have students go through the simulation one more
time. They may want to switch roles the second time
around or think of other messages to send.
11. CONGRATULATIONS! YOUR STUDENTS HAVE
JUST COMPLETED MISSION 3 OF BRAIN
POWER!
Sit down! You hurt
your foot on a tack.
Sit down! You hurt
your foot on a tack.
3c
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Discussion Questions
1. Using the simulation, have the students describe how they think messages travel
throughout the body. Give several students an opportunity to explain the process in
their own words.
2. Have the students think of different kinds of messages that travel throughout their
bodies. Examples include the following:
• What am I touching?
• What is that sound?
• Is the water hot or cold?
3. To reinforce what students learned, show the second segment of the DVD again.
Then have the students gure out which part of the brain the message is going to.
They may want to identify each section on their models of the brain.
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1
Extensions
The activities listed below provide a link to other areas in the curriculum. These activities
also make use of the trading cards included in the module.
Language arts
Art Reading Math Science Drama
. Work with your students to develop a class newspaper. Ask the groups
to write articles about the parts of the brain, what each part does, how
messages travel throughout the body, and how the brain works with the
nervous system to perform key functions.
2. Ask the students to guess how many neurons they think are in their bodies.
Then write down the answer—100 billion (100,000,000,000). Discuss why so
many neurons are needed. Then point out that each neuron has about 10,000
contacts with other neurons. Help the students grasp the enormity of this
communication system.
3. Divide the students into groups and have each group draw a large poster
showing the vast communication networks in our nervous system. They also
may want to draw an outline of the human body and put the brain in the head.
Then they can use string to show the relationship between the brain and
other parts of the body. They also may want to compare our internal network
to telephone wires, the power grid, or the Internet. Encourage each group to
develop its own way to explain this network.
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Assessment
1. Neurotransmission is a very difcult subject and may be a challenge for some
second- and third-grade students. Our goal is for each student to understand by
the end of the activity that messages travel from different parts of the body to the
brain, where they are processed and sent back through the body.
2. In addition, look for the following indicators of understanding of key concepts:
• Are the students able to simulate neurotransmission without difculty? Can they
describe in their own words how neurotransmission works?
• Are the students able to apply what they learned to another message, such as
“What does the ower smell like?”
• Are students able to explain in pictures or words how neurotransmission works?
3. Put each student’s log sheet in his or her student portfolio.
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Additional Activities
Below are some additional activities that can be used after completion of the third mission.
These activities are extensions to many other areas of the curriculum.
1. Divide the students into pairs and give each pair a set of trading cards. Have
the pairs read the cards together and discuss them. Ask them if they have a
favorite card. If so, have them give reasons for their choice.
2. Have each student design a trading card. The cards can show an activity, a
brain, or a picture of how messages travel. Encourage students to use what
they learned in the previous two modules when developing their trading cards.
3. Play neuroscience “Jeopardy.” Possible categories could be “Scientic
Inquiry,” “Parts of the Brain,” “How Messages Travel,” and “Different Kinds of
Scientists.” Using all the materials learned to date, develop questions in each
category. This is a good way to nd out how much students have learned.
4. Have students make a three-dimensional communication network in your
classroom. Have students create connections using string or rope to show
how information travels. Make sure that students have messages traveling
in one direction to a location designated as the brain, then back in the other
direction.
5. Put on a class play about how messages travel throughout the body.
Encourage students to create a scenario where having messages travel fast
makes a big difference. For example, smelling smoke and then calling 911
prevents a house from burning down.
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Resources
The lists below include resources for teachers and students.
Resources for Teachers
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
www.drugabuse.gov, 301-443-1124
drugpubs.drugabuse.gov/
This Web site contains information about drug abuse as well as a section designed
specically for parents, teachers, and students.
NIDA Drug Pubs
drugpubs.drugabuse.gov, 1-877-NIDA-NIH (1-877-643-2644)
Drug Pubs is NIDA’s research dissemination center. Visitors can order hard copies of NIDA
publications or download electronic versions in multiple formats.
National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information (NCADI)
http://store.samhsa.gov, 1-800-729-6686
NCADI provides information and materials on substance abuse. Many free publications are
available here.
Nicholls, J.G., Wallace, B.G., Fuchs, P.A., & Martin, A.R. From Neuron to Brain.
Sunderland, MA, Sinauer Associates, 2001. Developed for readers with an interest in the
human nervous system with little or no background in the biological sciences; describes
how nerve cells transmit signals and messages.
Woolsey, T.A., Hanaway, J., & Gado, M.H., The Brain Atlas: A Visual Guide to the Human
Central Nervous System. Hoboken, New Jersey, John Wiley & Sons: Fitzgerald Science,
2003. This book is a comprehensive and accurate atlas of the brain. It includes nearly 400
images of the brain and its pathways.
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History of Neuroscience
http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/hist.html
Lists the history of neuroscience from 4000 B.C. to the present.
Resources for Students
Friedman, D. Focus on Drugs and the Brain. Frederick, MD: Twenty-First Century
Books, 1990. Part of the “Drug-Alert Book” series; gives a good overview of the brain,
neurotransmission, effects of drugs on the brain, and addiction.
Neuroscience for Kids
http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/neurok.html
Contains information on the brain and neurotransmission, activities, experiments, pictures,
and other resources for students and educators.
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Student Instruction Sheet
Module 3: Sending and Receiving Messages
1. How does your leg know when to move while walking?
How does your arm know when you want to raise your hand? How are messages sent
and received throughout the body? Think about these questions.
Share your thoughts with your classmates. Your teacher will write
your ideas on a chart.
2. You will be working in teams of nine at activity areas set up around
the room. Go to an activity area with your teammates.
3. Three students will sit along each area marked by the masking
tape. They are a neuron team. One student will sit between two
neuron teams. He or she is pretending to be a chemical called a
neurotransmitter. One student will be the “sore foot.” Another student
will be the “brain.” Your teacher will tell you what to do and give you
signs to hold. (Refer to the diagram.)
4. Your teacher will give the “sore foot” student the message that says,
“Why does my foot hurt?” He or she hands the message to the rst
member of the neuron team.
Brain
Neuron
Neuron
Synapse
Neurotransmitter
Foot
3-17
5. The message should go to the other two students on the team. The
last neuron team member hands the message to the neurotransmitter
student in the middle.
6. The neurotransmitter student gets up and hands the message to the
next team of three students. This team sends the message to the
brain. When the message reaches the last member of the neuron
team, that student gets up and hands it to the student acting as the
brain.
7. When the brain receives the message, that student exchanges it for
another message. The new message says, “Sit down. You hurt your
foot on a tack.” Send the message back to the student pretending to
have a sore foot.
8. Now the student with the sore foot knows what to do.
9. You may want to go through these steps one more time. This stuff is
tricky—but you can do it!
10. CONGRATULATIONS! YOU HAVE JUST COMPLETED
MISSION 3 OF BRAIN POWER!
Why does
my foot hurt?
Why does
my foot hurt?
Sit down! You hurt
your foot on a tack.
Sit down! You hurt
your foot on a tack.
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Introductory Story for Module 3
If you do not have a DVD player, read this story to
your class to introduce the mission.
“Oh, no,” said Beth, looking at the ashing light of the Brain Power! answering machine. “I bet that
means trouble. I’d better listen to it and see what’s going on.”
“Hi, Brain Storm. It’s me, Teaser,” said the voice on the answering machine. “I’m going to be a little late
because I hurt my foot, and my mom wants me to get it checked out. I’ll be there soon.”
“I hope he’s all right,” Beth said to herself.
Just then, she heard dinging from the computer. Who should appear but Corty!
“Oh, Corty,” said Beth. “Did you hear about Brain Teaser? Isn’t it the worst news?”
“Yes, but it just so happens that it leads in really nicely to your next mission.”
“What do you mean?” Beth asked.
“NIDA wants you to nd out how Teaser knew that his foot hurt.”
“That’s easy,” Beth replied. “He just, I mean, wow, it just hurt. Now I see what you mean. That is a good
question. But I don’t want to do the mission without Brain Teaser.”
Just then, Kevin—Brain Teaser—came limping into the clubhouse.
“Hi, guys,” said Kevin. “I’m back.”
“Good to see you,” Corty and Beth said together. “Are you ready to get started?”
“Sure. Now what’s this I hear about NIDA Mission Control wanting us to nd out how my brain knew
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that I had hurt my foot? If that’s the only question, I already know the answer. My brain heard me say,
‘Ouch.’”
“Very funny. Somehow, I think it’s more complicated than that,” said Beth.
“You’re right, Beth. It is,” said Corty. “The way to nd out how messages travel is to act it out. Here’s
what you should do. Kevin, you pretend you’re a foot.”
“A what?” asked Kevin.
“A foot,” Corty calmly replied. “Beth, you be the brain. And now we need help from all those kids
watching this DVD. Ask your teacher how to play the game. You’ll need kids pretending to be neurons
and a neurotransmitter, as well as a foot and a brain. If none of this makes sense to you right now, don’t
worry. It will soon.”
Beth and Kevin nodded their heads in agreement. “Have fun,” shouted Brain Storm and Brain Teaser.
“And one more thing. What you’re about to nd out is really cool.”
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Log Sheet
Name:
My picture of neurotransmission
Questions I have about neurotransmission
What I learned about neurotransmission
Neuron Team
Cell Body
Dendrites
Myelin Sheath
Axon
Neurotransmitter
Sore Foot
Brain
Why does my foot hurt?
Sit down. You hurt your foot
on a tack.
BRAIN POWER NEWS
Parent Newsletter
Volume 1, Number 3
Sending and Receiving Messages
How do we know if we hurt our foot? The way the brain receives information like
this is explained in module 3 of the NIDA Junior Scientists Program.
Messages are sent throughout the body and received by the brain through a process
called
neurotransmission
. The drawing below explains how neurotransmission works.
1. The cells shown here are called
neurons
. There are billions of neurons
throughout the body. The illustration in the circle is an example of the process
of neurotransmission.
Axon
Synapse
Receptors
Neurotransmitters
2. If you hurt your foot, a message travels
from your foot, via the neurons, to the brain.
For communication between neurons to take
place, an electrical impulse triggers the
release of chemicals called
neurotransmitters
.
Neurotransmitters are released into the
space between the two neurons. This space is
called the synapse.
3. When neurons communicate, the neurotransmitters from one neuron are
released, cross the synapse, and attach themselves to special molecules in the
next neuron called
receptors
. Receptors receive and process the message, then
send it on to the next neuron.
4. Eventually, the message reaches the brain. The brain then gives directions
about what to do next. In this case, the directions would be, “You hurt your
foot on a tack. Sit down.”
During the classroom activity, students simulate the process of neurotransmission.
One student pretends to be the brain, another student is the foot, six students
are neuron team members, and one student is the neurotransmitter. By acting out
this process, students develop an understanding of our internal communication
network. They also learn that the brain is the ultimate “information processor.”
continued
We are introducing students to neurotransmission for several important reasons.
For one, scientic information about the brain and the nervous system is growing at
a rapid rate. By the time your child is an adult, we may understand the mechanisms
behind many diseases of the nervous system, such as Alzheimer’s disease and
multiple sclerosis. People will need to understand how the brain works in order to
make informed decisions about their health and the health of their families.
Another key reason for introducing neurotransmission is that we are paving the
way for explaining what happens if people interfere with this process by taking
drugs. Drugs have a major impact on neurotransmission. Students will be learning
more about this during modules 4 through 6.
Science at Home
As a family, play “Whispering Down the Lane.” One person whispers a sentence
to a neighbor, who passes it on to the next person. Did the message arrive at its
destination—by going through all your family members down the line—intact? Or did the
message get confused? Either way, point out that neurotransmission is something like this
game, although it is much more complicated. Messages have to go through neurons to the brain.
Ask your child whether most messages are processed correctly by the brain. Then ask if the
brain ever garbles messages. Give an example to your child, such as when you might say, “Get
into the refrigerator,” when you actually mean “Get into the bathtub.”
What Does Your Child Think?
Have your child draw or write something about neurotransmission.
Additional Resources
The books and Web sites listed below have more information about neurotransmission.
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
www.drugabuse.gov, 301-443-1124
This Web site contains information about drug abuse and a section
designed specically for parents, teachers, and students.
NIDA Drug Pubs
drugpubs.drugabuse.gov, 1-877-NIDA-NIH (1-877-643-2644)
Drug Pubs is NIDA’s research dissemination center. Visitors can
order hard copies of NIDA publications or download electronic ver-
sions in multiple formats.
National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information (NCADI)
http://store.samhsa.gov, 1-800-729-6686
NCADI provides information and materials on substance abuse.
Many free publications are available here.
Woolsey, T.A., Hanaway J., Gado, M.H., The Brain Atlas: A Visual
Guide to the Human Central Nervous System. Hoboken, New
Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, 2003. This book is a comprehensive and
accurate atlas of the brain. It includes nearly 400 images of the
brain and its pathways.
History of Neuroscience
http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/hist.html
Lists the history of neuroscience starting from 4000 B.C. to the
present.
Neuroscience for Kids
http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/neurok.html
This site contains information on the brain and neurotransmission,
activities, experiments, pictures, and other resources.
Neuron
mod3-1_tc.ai
A neuron is a special kind of cell.
Billions and billions of neurons make
up the brain. Neurons carry messages
through the body. They are so tiny
you can't see them with just your
eyes! You would need a powerful
microscope to be able to see neurons.
Camillo golgi
Camillo Golgi was a scientist from
Italy. One day, he looked at a piece
of owl's brain with a microscope.
He saw something nobody had ever
seen before—neurons! Camillo Golgi
discovered neurons.
mod3-2_tc.ai
surgical papyrus
The Egyptians were one of the first people
to write about the brain. They kept notes and
called them the "Surgical Papyrus." It is one
of the first things written about the brain that
we still have today. They didn't think the brain
was very important. When they were making a
mummy, they scooped the brain out and threw it
away. They didn't know that the brain is one
of the most important parts of the body!
squid neuron
The squid's neurons are among the
largest found in nature. The squid's
neurons are much, much bigger than
a human's. Because these neurons
are so big, scientists use them in
experiments.
mod3-3_tc.ai
neurotransmitters
Neurotransmitters are chemicals
that can be found in neurons.
They carry messages from one
neuron to another across the
synapse. The messages travel
really fast!
synapse
Neurons talk to each other all the
time, but they never actually touch.
Two neurons meet at a place called
the synapse. Special chemicals
called neurotransmitters carry the
message across the synapse.
Neuron
mod3-1_tc.ai
A neuron is a special kind of cell.
Billions and billions of neurons make
up the brain. Neurons carry messages
through the body. They are so tiny
you can't see them with just your
eyes! You would need a powerful
microscope to be able to see neurons.
Camillo golgi
Camillo Golgi was a scientist from
Italy. One day, he looked at a piece
of owl's brain with a microscope.
He saw something nobody had ever
seen before—neurons! Camillo Golgi
discovered neurons.
mod3-2_tc.ai
surgical papyrus
The Egyptians were one of the first people
to write about the brain. They kept notes and
called them the "Surgical Papyrus." It is one
of the first things written about the brain that
we still have today. They didn't think the brain
was very important. When they were making a
mummy, they scooped the brain out and threw it
away. They didn't know that the brain is one
of the most important parts of the body!
squid neuron
The squid's neurons are among the
largest found in nature. The squid's
neurons are much, much bigger than
a human's. Because these neurons
are so big, scientists use them in
experiments.
neurotransmitters
mod3-3_tc.ai
Neurotransmitters are chemicals
that can be found in neurons.
They carry messages from one
neuron to another across the
synapse. The messages travel
really fast!
synapse
Neurons talk to each other all the
time, but they never actually touch.
Two neurons meet at a place called
the synapse. Special chemicals
called neurotransmitters carry the
message across the synapse.
Sending and receiving Messages
The body is made up of billions of cells. Cells are
the smallest unit of life. They are so small you can't
even see them!
Cells of the nervous system are called "neurons."
Neurons carry messages throughout the body.
The human brain alone has about 100 billion neurons.
