Today, we introduced the last of the body systems that first grade students will be learning about this year, the nervous system. Working in pairs, students read Your Brain and then completed two reading comprehension activities. In the first, they practiced sequencing by matching the order in which messages are sent and received. Then, tying writing to our reading, students thought about the many jobs their brains have done today. In their sentences, first graders were asked to determine three things that each their cerebrum (thinking), cerebellum (movement), and brain stem (automatic), allowed them to do today.
A special thank you to Anna’s mom for coming in today to talk with us further about the nervous system. We enjoyed examining models of the brain, learning from diagrams of the brain and nervous system, simulating neurons sending messages, and sharing a special snack.