My Nervous System

This WebQuest is designed to support information studied in the nervous system unit. As students work through this WebQuest, they will be provided with knowledge of the parts of the nervous system and the five senses. Students should begin to comprehend and evaluate the nervous system’s importance to the function of the human body. For the purpose of this WebQuest, the teacher’s role is to guide and direct students, while allowing them to explore and discover on their own, and at their own pace.

This WebQuest is part of a unit on the nervous system. The nervous system unit is one of five (5) units that make up the “Me and My Body” series. The “Me and My Body” series includes units of the following body systems: respiratory system, circulatory system, digestive system, skeletal system and muscles, and the nervous system. As the unit on the nervous system ends, a supplementary unit on the five (5) senses begins.

Students work in pairs to complete the tasks and have the ability to obtain as much or as little information as they choose. This project promotes self-learning and research skills. Students learn to browse the internet, take notes for future use, and evaluate their own work using a rubric. It is a fun and interactive way for students to learn about the nervous system and the five (5) senses.

A great way to improve and expand this WebQuest would be to set it up in such a way that both readers and non-readers can participate. The text would be accompanied with audio sound. Another good idea to reinforce the students' comprehension of how the nervous system works is by allowing the students to participate in an interactive relay game. During this game, the students will be divided into two equal groups. Each group will sit facing each other while holding hands. Each group will have a sponge lying by the last person’s feet. The teacher will instruct all of the students to close their eyes. Then, when the teacher says "go," the first child in each group will squeeze the hand of the next child, and that child will squeeze the hand of the next child, and so on until the last child feels his/her hand being squeezed. When the last child’s hand is squeeze, he/she will open his/her eyes grab the sponge and go to the front of the opposite line. This routine can be continued until each child is back to the spot where they started or until all of the students have had at least one chance to grab the sponge. Note: By having the children run to the front of the opposite line gives the children the opportunity to work with both hands at grabbing the sponge.

National Science Education Standards, Content Standard A, Science as Inquiry, Kindergarten – 4: As a result of activities in grades K-4, all students should develop –

National Science Education Standards, Content Standard B, Physical Science, Kindergarten – 4: As a result of the activities in grades K-4, all students should develop an understanding of –

National Science Education Standards, Content Standard C, Life Science, Kindergarten – 4: As a result of activities in grades K-4, all students should develop understanding of –

After completing this WebQuest, you will be creating a life-size diagram of the nervous system and how it works.

Step 2: Research the various parts of the nervous system and the five senses by using the links provided throughout your tour.

Step 3: During your tour, you will need to use your “Nervous System” journal to take notes and to draw pictures of each of the three (3) main parts of the nervous system: the brain, spinal cord, and nerves.

Step 4: Use your “Nervous System” journal to take notes and to draw pictures of each of the five (5) senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch.

Step 5: After completing your tour of the nervous system, you and your partner will need to complete the life-size diagram of the nervous system. More information can be found at the end of the tour, or by clicking this link.

When you breathe in, your nose sucks up smells with the air. The smell travels up your nostrils and the smells are picked up by a patch of smell sensors in your nasal cavity, the hollow space inside your nose. Nerve fibers carry messages to the brain, and then your brain can tell you what you are smelling. Click on the nose to find out more.

We use our mouths to eat, but it's the nervous system that sends messages from our taste buds on our tongues to help us taste.

We can feel because the nervous system sends messages through our skin to help us feel.

Do you think that feeling something with your hand will feel the same as with your foot? Why?

Step 3: Choose one of you to lay on his/her back, while the other outlines his/her body form with a pencil. (Please use a pencil to avoid marking on anyone’s clothes or body. You can use a marker to trace it later.)

Step 4: Use your notes and pictures from your “Nervous System” journal to complete the diagram of the nervous system. Be accurate and creative, and most of all, have fun!

Rubric for Nervous System Tour and Diagram
	1 Couch Potato	2 Beginning Aerobics	3 Advanced Aerobics	4 Aerobics Instructor
Artistic Display	Diagram is only in black and white with no additional effort toward the design. It's messy.	Diagram uses 1 or 2 additional colors, and begins to show signs of effort toward the design. It's somewhat neat.	Diagram uses a variety of colors, and shows significant efforts toward a creative design. It's neat.	Diagram uses a variety of colors, which represent the various parts. Diagram is creative. It's very neat.
Illustrations	No or vague detail.	Little detail.	Some detail.	Very detailed.
Labeling	Significant amount of labeling is missing from the diagram and/or includes more than 4 errors. It's not clearly written.	Some labeling is missing from the diagram and/or includes 3 to 4 inaccurate labels. It's not clearly written.	Labeling is included for all parts with no more than 2 errors. It's clearly written.	Labeling is included and accurate for all parts. It's clearly written.
Diagram Content	Several parts are missing or cannot be clearly identified on the diagram.	Only 2 of the 3 parts of the nervous system and/or 4 of the 5 senses are included.	Each of the 3 parts of the nervous system and the 5 senses are included, but show little detail of representation.	Each of the 3 parts of the nervous system and the 5 senses are included and are accurately represented.
Journal Content	Several parts are missing or are not clearly identified or labeled. Little or no notes. It's messy.	Only 2 of the 3 parts of the nervous system and/or 4 of the 5 senses are included. Few notes. It's neat.	Each of the 3 parts of the nervous system and the 5 senses are included, but show little detail of representation. Vague labeling. Some notes on each part. It's neat.	Each of the 3 parts of the nervous system and the 5 senses are included and are accurately represented and labeled. Contains a variety of notes on each part. It's neat.

Brantley, R. (Writer and Director). (2002). Exercise. [Video clip]. Chattanooga, TN.

JC Penny Photography Studio. Red, white, and blue. [Photo]. Chattanooga, TN. Hamilton Place Mall.

Kaiser, P. (2002). The Joy of visual perception: Master diagram. Retrieved March 20, 2003, from http://www.yorku.ca/eye/eye1.htm

Rubric for Nervous System Tour and Diagram