Addiction

Addiction has been called a disease of learning. Once addicted, it is very difficult to unlearn the behavior. For drug addiction, the drugs themselves mimic or alter the ability of neurotransmitters to function properly and for synapses to remodel. A number of the materials on this website address this subject.

BrainU lesson plans on the subject of addiction

C. elegans and Alcohol is a laboratory experiment in which students test the effects of alcohol on the roundworm.

Homeostasis

To be healthy, the human body must maintain equilibrium in its many systems — e.g., levels of water and minerals in the blood, blood pressure, absorption of nutrients and removal of waste products from cells. This is called homeostasis.

The body's heat regulation system is another example of a homeostatic system. As the internal temperature rises, the body sweats to cool off. Alternatively, when the body gets very cold, it starts to shiver to generate some heat. The goal in both cases is to bring the internal temperature back to 98.6 degrees F.

Your Incredible Memory

Students explore declarative memory and discuss the effects of practice on improving this type of memory.

Whose Choice Is It Anyway?

Students discuss the ethics of neuromarketing.

What's the Deal? Addiction Card Game

Students play a game that models the unknown potential for individual addiction, as well as some scientific inquiry processes.

Welcome To Your Senses

Students explore the connection between the 5 senses and the brain by exercising each sense in short experiments.

WebQuest: Structure of the Nervous System

Exercise your students' web search skills while they learn about the structure and function of the nervous system.

Ways of Knowing

Students are introduced to models through questions posed by the teacher.

Phantom Limb

Exploring how vision can alter self-perception

Motor Learning and Memory

Students will measure reaction time during tasks of increasing complexity.

Classroom