Have you ever seen a rat’s brain?
Don’t worry! We haven’t dissected any rats but we did see a rat’s brain today! Dr Lewis, from Leeds University, came to talk to us today about the brain. Our brains are full to bursting with information and the 100,000,000,000 brain cells that we have made a lot of links after listening to Dr Lewis. He spoke to us about our brain’s activity when we learn something new; it truly is the most amazing organ in our body.
This is a rat’s brain – it’s quite similar to ours in shape but obviously much smaller. We also saw a snail’s brain but to be honest we thought it was a bit of fluff! Even though it was so small it did consist of 11,000 brain cells.
As well as looking at brains, we also tested our receptive points in our fingers and hands; we then tested our reflexes. Mrs Weekes asked the question, “Do our reflexes slow down as we get older?” The answer was “Yes. However if you keep your brain active then it will stay alert for longer!”
Finding all possibilities
Year 4 try to find all the ways of making 10. To find them all they need to work systematically.
Learning about brains!
This afternoon we’ve been learning about the brain. Two brain experts from Leeds University have helped us to understand how the brain works. They also showed us some snail and rat brains, tested our reflexes and taught us which parts of our bodies are the best at feeling things.
Brain Week Four
Today we had a visit from brain specialist, Dr Dave Lewis. He talked to us about how we touch and feel. We looked at the brains of animals including small sections of real snail brains and real rats brains. We tested our brain speed and reactions and learnt about how many brain cells animals had.
(We learnt that fresh brains don’t actually smell like cheese, only old preserved ones!)
It was brain-tastic!
Brain Week Three
Year Six wrote poems yesterday about brains. They did this to combine thinking and learning about science (how the brain works) and literacy (the structure of the poem).
This activity allowed them to get all of their brain thinking and working. Here’s an example written by Lili.
- Billions of brain cells.
- Reptilian brain keeps you healthy.
- And alert- don’t let your brain get lazy!
- Intelligent machine.
- Neo-cortex loves a challenge.
- Inside, there are millions of connections being made…ZING!
- A big organ that floats in shock proof fluid.
- Cleverer than ever…It’s the brain!
Visit from the University of Leeds
Year 4 examined a real snail’s brain and a real rat’s brain! We’re currently being visited by lecturers from Leeds University. Well done to Farhaan who knew that the brain has 100,000,000,000 brain cells.
We also tested our touch receptors. We tested the back of our hand, our fingers and the back of our neck to see which had the most receptors.
Learning in literacy
One of our Year 3 pupils uses an iPad to record a sentence. She then listens to the sentence back and rewrites it on her wipe board.
Water Aid Assembly
We’ve a sponsored walk on Friday – Gary from Water Aid tells the school about what happens with our donations.
Brain Week Two
On Tuesday, Dave from d-side came to talk to the children about how drugs and alcohol can affect the brain.
Children were given the opportunity to try out special glasses that show the children how their eyes ‘see’ and brain ‘thinks’ when they are affected by alcohol. The ‘Beer Goggles’ certainly made the children gain an insight about how drugs including alcohol could affect their brain.
How do drugs affect the brain?
…This was one of the questions Key Stage 2 children have been looking at today as part of their drug education sessions with d:side.
Each class have been focussing on a different drug and its effects on the body:
- Year 3 – tobacco
- Year 4 – alcohol
- Year 5 – solvents
- Year 6 – cannabis
Both pupils and staff have given great feedback on the informative sessions and d:side also commented on our ‘very friendly and well behaved’ children.
If you have any questions please see a member of staff or contact Dave Hill, d:side Programme Manager, on 2225471.
For a comprehensive guide to this subject visit the Talk to Frank website (www.talktofrank.com).
