Nervous and Sensory Learning Activity Objectives

Identify and explain the structure and function of organs involved in the Nervous and
Sensory system of animals
Explain how the environment has shaped adaptations in the Nervous and Sensory system
of animals
Explain the evolution of the human Nervous and Sensory system by exploring the
Nervous and Sensory systems across diverse group of animals

Nervous and Sensory System Teaching Outline

1. Begin session with Nervous System PowerPoint (~15 minutes)
a. Teach students about the basics of neurons and signaling mechanisms, and talk
about how neurons evolved for animals.
b. Start from beginning slide (Slide 1) and end at Myelin Sheaths and Conduction
of Neurons (Slide 13).
c. Students should take notes for reference in future.
2. Formative Assessment 1 (~10 minutes)
a. Students are asked to identify and describe the various structures of a neuron, in
addition to explaining how neurons evolved for animals.
b. Distribute Worksheet 1
c. Students can use any resource to help them in completing the worksheet
d. Collect the worksheet once completed and grade/give feedback. Return to
students when finished with grading for future reference.
3. Continue with Nervous System PowerPoint (~15 minutes)
a. Teach students about what makes up a Nervous system, the divisions in the
Nervous System, sections of an animal brain, structures and functions of the
human brain, and how the brain evolved among different animals.
b. Start from Supporting Cells and White/Gray Matter (Slide 14) and end at Bird
brain vs. Human brain (Slide 32)
c. Students should take notes for reference in future.
4. Formative Assessment 2 (~10 minutes)
a. Students are asked to identify and describe the various structures of the human
brain, in addition to explaining how the animal brain has evolved among the
different animals.
b. Distribute Worksheet 2
c. Students can use any resource to help them in completing the worksheet
d. Collect the worksheet once completed and grade/give feedback. Return to
students when finished with grading for future reference.
5. Finish remaining Nervous System PowerPoint (~10 minutes)
a. Start from Sensory (Slide 33) and end at Humans and Sensory Organs (Slide
37)

b. Teach students about sensory mechanisms and how sensory organs have evolved
among the different animals.
c. Students should take notes for reference in future.
6. Formative Assessment 3 (~20 min)
a. Begin the Jeopardy PowerPoint Activity
b. For more details on the rules and outline of the game, see the Formative
Assessment 3 Jeopardy PowerPoint Outline document.
c. Winners get any prize the instructor wishes to hand out
7. Knowledge Quiz (~10 min)
a. Distribute Knowledge Quiz and give 10 minutes to complete
b. No resources are allowed
c. End session once Knowledge Quiz is completed

Contingency Plan
If students are not comprehending the material, have them separate into groups of at most 3 and
write down the topics that they are confused about on the various whiteboards that are in the
classroom. Identify the material that seems to be troubling the students the most, and have an
open discussion about that topic to address the problem at hand.
If students are still confused, then have them collaborate and use any resource that is available to
them to learn the problem. Engage with and help the students by asking them questions and
answering any question that seems to trouble them.