Grade Levels: 9-12

Time Allotment: Two to three 45-minute class periods

Overview:

In this lesson, students will use selected segments from the PBS series The Human Spark to explore how the capacity for language develops in the human brain, and about how that capacity distinguishes us from other animals.

The Introductory Activity first asks students to brainstorm what distinguishes humans from other primates, and then presents a video clip in which psycholinguist Stephen Pinker suggests that language is one of three unique human qualities. The Learning Activities further explores the development of language in children, the possible origins of words, the function and nature of grammar, and the interconnected anatomy of the brain’s “language loop.” For the Culminating Activity, students will write a short essay summarizing what they’ve learned and positing an unanswered question as a jumping-off point for further research.

This lesson is best used as an introduction to linguistics or psychology, or as a supplement to a biology unit on the anatomy of the brain

Subject Matter: Psychology, Biology, Linguistics, Evolution

Learning Objectives:

Students will be able to:

• Describe several ways in which humans are unique among species
• Outline the sequence of language developmental in children
• Suggest theories for the origins of language
• Explain how tool use and language capacity may be linked in the brain
• Name the parts of the brain involved in language, describing their specific function and relative location in the brain’s anatomy

Standards:

From the National Science Education Standards

Content Standard: 9-12

SCIENCE AS INQUIRY

Content Standard A: As a result of activities in grades 9–12, all students should develop:

UNDERSTANDINGS ABOUT SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY

• Scientists usually inquire about how physical, living, or designed systems function. Conceptual principles and knowledge guide scientific inquiries. Historical and current scientific knowledge influence the design and interpretation of investigations and the evaluation of proposed explanations made by other scientists.
• Scientists conduct investigations for a wide variety of reasons. For example, they may wish to discover new aspects of the natural world, explain recently observed phenomena, or test the conclusions of prior investigations or the predictions of current theories.
• Scientists rely on technology to enhance the gathering and manipulation of data. New techniques and tools provide new evidence to guide inquiry and new methods to gather data, thereby contributing to the advance of science. The accuracy and precision of the data, and therefore the quality of the exploration, depends on the technology used.
• Results of scientific inquiry—new knowledge and methods—emerge from different types of investigations and public communication among scientists. In communicating and defending the results of scientific inquiry, arguments must be logical and demonstrate connections between natural phenomena, investigations, and the historical body of scientific knowledge. In addition, the methods and procedures that scientists used to obtain evidence must be clearly reported to enhance opportunities for further investigation.

Media Resources:

Video:

Clip 1: “Dr. Steven Pinker: Language Makes Us Human”

In this outtake from The Human Spark, Psycholinguist Stephen Pinker discusses the three things he believes makes us distinctly, uniquely human: language, cooperation, and technological “know how.”

Clip 2:  “The Language Spark”

An excerpt from episode 3 of The Human Spark, Episode Three: “Brain Matters” exploring the human brain’s unique capacity for complex language.

Websites:

“Language on the Brain”

A video exploring how the brain processes language,  produced by the American Museum of Natural History for its exhibit “Brain: The Inside Story.”

“The Language Loop”

An educational website from McGill University in Montreal exploring how specific parts of the brain process different aspects on language comprehension and production.

Materials:

For the teacher:

• A computer with internet access connected to a projector and speakers for classroom use.
• “The Sound of Language” Student Organizer Answer Key (PDF) (RTF)
• “The Language Loop” Student Organizer Answer Key (PDF) (RTF)

For each of five group of students:

• A computer with internet access.

For each student:

• “The Sound of Language” Student Organizer (PDF) (RTF)
• “The Language Loop” Student Organizer (PDF) (RTF)

Prep for Teachers:

Prior to teaching this lesson, you will need to:

Preview all of the video segments and websites used in the lesson.

Download the video segments used in the lesson to your classroom computer, or prepare to watch them using your classroom’s internet connection.

Bookmark the website used in the lesson on each computer in your classroom. Using a social bookmarking tool such as delicious.com or diigo (or an online bookmarking utility such as portaportal) will allow you to organize all the links in a central location.

Proceed to Lesson Activities.

Grade Levels: 5-8

Time Allotment: Two 45-minute class periods

Overview: In this lesson, students view and discuss video segments from the PBS program The Human Spark, as they learn about what distinguishes human beings from other species. In the Introductory Activity, students list similarities and differences between human beings and other species.  In Learning Activity 1, students explore how human thought differs from that of chimpanzees and other species. In Learning Activity 2, students explore a variety of traits/abilities (including language & symbols, social life and the ability to walk upright) and learn how they have evolved in humans over millions of years and how these traits/abilities distinguish humans from other animals. In the Culminating Activity, students compose essays about what makes humans unique.

Subject Matter: Science; Psychology

Learning Objectives:

Students will be able to:

• Compare and contrast human traits/abilities with those of other species.
• Describe how human thinking differs from that of other species.
• Explain one specific human trait/ability and describe how it has evolved over time.
• Discuss at least four ways in which humans differ from other species.

Standards:

National Science Education Standards

Grades 5-8:
Content Standard C: Life Science
As a result of their activities in grades 5-8, all students should develop understanding of:

• Regulation and Behavior
  • All organisms must be able to obtain and use resources, grow, reproduce, and maintain stable internal conditions while living in a constantly changing external environment.
  • Regulation of an organism’s internal environment involves sensing the internal environment and changing physiological activities to keep conditions within the range required to survive.
  • Behavior is one kind of response an organism can make to an internal or environmental stimulus. A behavioral response requires coordination and communication at many levels, including cells, organ systems, and whole organisms. Behavioral response is a set of actions determined in part by heredity and in part from experience.
  • An organism’s behavior evolves through adaptation to its environment. How a species moves, obtains food, reproduces, and responds to danger are based in the species’ evolutionary history.
• Diversity and Adaptations of Organisms
  • Millions of species of animals, plants, and microorganisms are alive today. Although different species might look dissimilar, the unity among organisms becomes apparent from an analysis of internal structures, the similarity of their chemical processes, and the evidence of common ancestry.
  • Biological evolution accounts for the diversity of species developed through gradual processes over many generations. Species acquire many of their unique characteristics through biological adaptation, which involves the selection of naturally occurring variations in populations. Biological adaptations include changes in structures, behaviors, or physiology that enhance survival and reproductive success in a particular environment.
  • Extinction of a species occurs when the environment changes and the adaptive characteristics of a species are insufficient to allow its survival. Fossils indicate that many organisms that lived long ago are extinct. Extinction of species is common; most of the species that have lived on the earth no longer exist.

National Standards for Psychology Curricula

Standard Area IVC: Thinking and Language

• CONTENT STANDARD IVC-1: Basic elements comprising thought
  Students are able to (performance standards):
  • IVC-1.1 Define thinking as a mental process involved in the manipulation and understanding of information. Students may indicate this by (performance indicators): a. Identifying mental images and verbal symbols as elements that comprise thinking.
• CONTENT STANDARD IVC-4: Theories and developmental stages of language acquisition
  Students are able to (performance standards):
  • IVC-4.3 Speculate on whether animals acquire and use language. Students may indicate this by (performance indicators): b.  Relating conclusions drawn from early attempts to teach language to primates; c.  Discussing contemporary views on whether animals can acquire language.

Media Resources

The Human Spark, selected segments

• Human vs. Chimp Thinking
  A discussion about how human thought differs from that of chimpanzees.

• Beyond the Present
  A look at humans’ unique ability to reflect upon events that have happened in the past and think about things that could possibly happen in the future.

• Thinking about Thinking
  A discussion about the ability of humans to think about others’ thoughts.

• Insight and Imagination

An overview of how insight and imagination distinguish humans from others.

Additional segments which students can use in their research for Learning Activity 2:

• A Matter of Size
  A look at the brains of a rat, monkey, chimp and human and why some brains are bigger than others.

• Cooperation

A brief look at the cooperative and social nature of humans.

• Human Language

A look at the difference between human language and other species’ communication systems.

• The Art Spark
  An exploration of early cave art and what it tells us about our ancestors.

Website:

What does it mean to be human?

This Smithsonian Institution website explores what it means to be human and provides a variety of information, photographs and web interactives. The site features a “human characteristics” section, which can be used in Learning Activity 2. This section focuses on human characteristics which have evolved over the past 6 million years: http://humanorigins.si.edu/human-characteristics.

Materials

For the class:

• Computers with internet access
• Computer, projection screen and speakers (for class viewing of online/downloaded video segments)

Before the Lesson

Prior to teaching this lesson, you will need to:

Preview all of the video segments and websites used in the lesson.

Download the video clips used in the lesson to your classroom computer(s) or prepare to watch them using your classroom’s Internet connection.

Bookmark all websites which you plan to use in the lesson on each computer in your classroom. Using a social bookmarking tool such as delicious or diigo (or an online bookmarking utility such as portaportal) will allow you to save the links in one location.

Proceed to Lesson Activities.

Grade Levels: 9-12

Time Allotment: Two 45-minute class periods

Overview: In this lesson, students view and discuss video segments from the PBS program The Human Spark, as they learn about the human brain, including information about brain regions, brain activity and technologies used to explore the brain. In the Introductory Activity, students compare the brains of chimps, rats, monkeys and humans and discuss why the brains of some species are larger than others.  In Learning Activity 1, students explore which regions of the brain are activated during different types of tasks and in Learning Activity 2, students learn about different technologies which provide insight into brain activity. In the Culminating Activity, students explore different regions of the brain.

Subject Matter: Science; Psychology

Learning Objectives:

Students will be able to:

• Identify the brains of chimps, rats, monkeys and humans.
• Discuss why the brains of some species are larger than others.
• Describe which different regions of the brain are activated by language activities, tool use and thoughts about other people’s thoughts.
• Discuss different technologies used to gather information about brain activity.
• Label and describe the different regions of the brain.

Standards:

National Standards for High School Psychology Curricula

Standard Area IIA: Biological Bases of Behavior
Content Standards
After concluding this unit, students understand:

• CONTENT STANDARD IIA-3: Hierarchical organization of the structure and function of the brain
  Students are able to (performance standards):
  • o IIA-3.1 Identify the structure and function of the major regions of the brain. Students may indicate this by (performance indicators): Identifying the regions of the brain by using diagrams and/or computer-generated diagrams; Summarizing the functions of the major brain regions.
  • IIA-3.2 Recognize that specific functions are centered in specific lobes of the cerebral cortex. Students may indicate this by (performance indicators): Describing the functions controlled by the frontal, parietal, occipital, and temporal lobes of the cerebral cortex; Relating examples of research on cortical functioning.
  • IIA-3.3 Describe lateralization of brain functions. Students may indicate this by (performance indicators): a. Identifying the role of the corpus callosum in hemispheric communication.
    
• CONTENT STANDARD IIA-4: Technologies and clinical methods for studying the brain
  Students are able to (performance standards):
  • IIA-4.1 Explain how research and technology have provided methods to analyze brain behavior and disease. Students may indicate this by (performance indicators): b. Discussing how the use of the CT scan, PET scan, MRI, fMRI, and EEG provides information about the brain.

Media Resources

The Human Spark, selected segments

• A Matter of Size
  A look at the brains of a rat, monkey, chimp and human and why some brains are bigger than others.

• Scanning the Brain
  An introduction to MRI scans.

• The Brain in Action
  A look at the regions of the brain which are activated during different tasks.

Websites:

The Secret Life of the Brain

This website for the PBS series “The Secret Life of the Brain” features information, interactives and video clips about the brain. This site includes information about the regions of the brain and brain scanning technologies, which can be used in Learning Activities 1 and 2.

Neuroscience for Kids

This website contains a variety of information and activities about the brain, spinal cord, neurons and the senses. It includes a section on “Brain Imaging,” which can be used as a resource in Learning Activity 2 (http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/image.html).

Materials

For the class:

• Computers with internet access
• Computer, projection screen and speakers (for class viewing of online/downloaded video segments)
• Scanning the Brain Answer Key (PDF) (RTF)

For each student:

• Scanning the Brain Student Organizer (PDF) (RTF)
• Four Brains Handout (PDF)

Before the Lesson

Prior to teaching this lesson, you will need to:

Preview all of the video segments and websites used in the lesson.

Print one copy of the “ Scanning the Brain Answer Key.

Print one copy of the Scanning the Brain Student Organizer and one copy of the Four Brains Handout for each student.

Download the video clips used in the lesson to your classroom computer(s) or prepare to watch them using your classroom’s Internet connection.

Bookmark all websites which you plan to use in the lesson on each computer in your classroom. Using a social bookmarking tool such as delicious or diigo (or an online bookmarking utility such as portaportal) will allow you to save the links in one location.

1. Let students know today’s lesson is about the brain. Ask students to brainstorm some facts they know about the human brain. Write down their answers and discuss. Keep them available for review and discussion later in the lesson.  
2. Ask students to discuss how they think the size and shape of the human brain compares with those of a rat, a chimp and a monkey.
3. Distribute the “Four Brains” handout and ask students to identify the four species whose brains are shown.
4. Let students know they will now be watching a video segment from the PBS program, The Human Spark, which features the brains of the four species featured on the Four Brains Handout. Ask students to observe which four species are featured and to try to determine which brain on their handout corresponds to which species.
5. Play A Matter of Size. After playing the segment, ask the students to review their photos and discuss which species were featured in the segment (chimp, rat, human and monkey). Ask students to discuss which brain they now think corresponds to which species. (1-chimp; 2-rat; 3-human; 4-monkey)
6. Ask students to compare and contrast the brains of the monkey, chimp and human. What do they have in common? (Their shapes.) What differs between them? (Their sizes. A human brain is three to four times bigger than a chimp brain.)
7. Ask students how the brains of primates compare to the brains of other species. (They are larger.)
8. Ask students to discuss what Robin Dunbar from Oxford University states as the reason why the brains of primates are larger than those of other species. (Their brains are bigger because of the more complex societies in which they live. The larger brains help them collaborate with others in order to solve problems of everyday life and death. Dunbar states that in order to live in a big group, one needs a big enough brain with sufficient computing power to handle all of the relationships.)

Learning Activity 1

1. Let students know they are now going to view a video segment which explores different parts of the brain and examines which sections are activated during a variety of tasks.  Ask students to record the tasks featured in the video, as well as which sections of the brain are highlighted during each task.
2. Play The Brain in Action. After playing the segment, ask the students to discuss each of the featured tasks and which parts of the brain were highlighted during each one.  

• Task: Language errors.
  • Words that don’t make sense-
    

  Region of the brain: area in back of brain, mostly on left sid

• Grammatical errors-

Region of the brain: toward front of brain, exclusively on left side (in adult). In child, the region is on left side of brain, but the area is less focused than in adult.

• Task: Tool Use

Region of brain: Left side of brain, very close to regions used for language.

• Task: Thinking about someone else’s thoughts.

Region of brain: Right Temporo-Parietal Junction (RTPJ), located on the right side of the brain, above the right ear.

3. Ask students to discuss why they think the brain regions activated for language and tool use are similar. (Both tasks involve action planning and   sequencing. Both involve the ability to modify a behavior in order to achieve a desired goal.)

4. Ask students to discuss what type of tasks stimulate the Right Temporo-Parietal Junction (RTPJ). (Thinking about other people’s thoughts). Explain this region is among a small number of cortical regions that are the most different in human brains compared to other brains. This is one of a few cortical regions that takes a long time to reach maturity in the life of a human child.

Learning Activity 2

1. Ask students to brainstorm the names of some of the machines or techniques that researchers use to find out about the activity taking place inside someone’s brain. (Possible answers: MRI scans, CAT scans, etc.)
2. Let students know they will now be viewing a video to learn about MRI scans. Ask students to observe what an MRI machine does and what type of information it can provide.
3. Play Scanning the Brain. After showing the video, ask students to discuss what MRI machines do and what type of information they provide. (MRI machines use a powerful magnetic field to image the brain and they can find out what parts of a person’s brain are active when the person is performing different tasks. The MRI takes images of slices of the brain from side to side, top to bottom and front to back. The slices are combined to give a complete 3-D image of the person’s head.)
4. Explain that the class will now be learning more about the different technologies researchers use to explore the brain. Distribute the Scanning the Brain Student Organizer and ask students to explore one of the following types of technologies in more detail:

• CAT/CT
• EEG
• MEG
• MRI and fMRI
• PET

5. Ask students to find out the following information for their assigned technology and to record their findings on the Scanning the Brain  Student Organizer:

• how it works
• the type of information it provides
• its advantages and drawbacks

Encourage students to use a variety of resources to find out the information. Here are two sites with information about brain scanning technologies:

• Secret Life of the Brain: Scanning the Brain http://www.pbs.org/wnet/brain/scanning/index.html
• Neuroscience For Kids: Brain Imaging http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/image.html

6. After the students have recorded their findings, ask them to share their information with the rest of the class.  As students share their information, have the rest of the class fill in the information about the technologies that they did not research. Refer to the Scanning the Brain Answer Key, as needed.

7. Lead a discussion about the different brain scanning technologies and ask students to compare and contrast the different approaches. Refer to the answer key, as needed.

Culminating Activity

1. Ask students to select one of the following brain regions to research:

● Brain Stem                     ● Limbic System and Thalamus

● Cerebellum                    ● Occipital Lobe

● Corpus Callosum           ● Parietal Lobe

● Frontal Lobe                  ● Temporal Lobe

2. Encourage students to use the “3-D Brain Anatomy” section of The Secret Life of the Brain website and other resources to explore their assigned region.

3. Ask students to find out the following about their assigned brain regions:

• the location of the region
• the main functions associated with the region
• other facts about the region

4. After students have completed their research, ask them to give a presentation to their classmates about their assigned region.

Grade Levels: 9-12

Time Allotment: Two 45-minute class periods

Overview: In this lesson, students learn about the changes that occur in children as they grow. In the Introductory Activity, students brainstorm and use online resources to explore the stages of development children go through from birth to age five. In the Learning Activity, students explore video segments from the PBS program The Human Spark to learn about brain growth, language development and how children’s views of right and wrong can be shaped by others. In the Culminating Activity, students reflect upon their own process of development and how they acquired their skills and knowledge.

Subject Matter: Science; Psychology; Child Development

Learning Objectives:

Students will be able to:

• Describe important child development milestones from birth to age five.
• Discuss the developing human brain.
• Describe how the development of humans compares to that of animals and discuss the role of language in children’s development.
• Explain how authority figures can influence children’s perceptions of right and wrong.
• Discuss what has shaped their own skills and knowledge.

Standards:

National Standards for High School Psychology Curricula

Standard Area IIIA: Lifespan Development
Content Standards
After concluding this unit, students understand:

• CONTENT STANDARD IIIA-1: Development as a lifelong process
  Students are able to (performance standards):
  • IIIA-1.1 Describe physical, social, and cognitive changes from the prenatal period throughout the lifespan. Students may indicate this by (performance indicators): a. Illustrating developmental changes in physical, cognitive, and social development
    b.  Describing research on child development; c.  Hypothesizing on the interaction of physical, cognitive, and/or social changes in behavior; d. Inferring how peer relationships change over time; e.  Describing similarities and differences in development across cultures; f.  Discussing the relative importance of peers’ versus parents’ influence in different cultural groups; g.  Examining the role of psychology in enhancing the life of older adults.
  • o IIIA-1.3 Identify the complex cognitive structures found in the early development of infants and young children. Students may indicate this by (performance indicators): a.  Citing research on the capabilities of infants and young children; b.  Comparing contemporary research on early views of infant capabilities with current understanding; c.  Discussing the role of the caregiver in promoting child development; d.  Explaining how cultural practices in child-rearing may influence cognitive development.
  • IIIA-1.4 Apply lifespan principles to personal experience. Students may indicate this by (performance indicators): a. Comparing their own life experiences with general patterns of others from their generation; b.  Predicting their own developmental changes over time; c.  Describing transition from childhood to adolescence; d.  Explaining the transition from adolescence to adulthood; e.  Projecting themselves into late life adulthood (i.e., post 65)
• CONTENT STANDARD IIIA-4: Issues surrounding the developmental process (nature/nurture, continuity/discontinuity, stability/instability, critical periods)
  Students are able to (performance standards):
  • IIIA-4.1 Describe the role of critical periods in development. Students may indicate this by (performance indicators): a. Giving an example of a critical period in development; b. Evaluating significance of critical periods in development; c. Explaining difficulties of research in the area of critical periods; d. Linking cortical development to enriched environments during critical periods.
  • IIIA-4.2 Explain the issues of continuity/discontinuity and stability/instability in development. Students may indicate this by (performance indicators): a. Giving an example to illustrate continuity or discontinuity in development; b.  Citing research concerning stability or instability of traits over time;

New York State Standards:

Learning Standards for Health, Physical Education, and Family and Consumer Sciences

Students will know the basic principles of home and community safety. They can demonstrate the skills necessary to maintain their homes and workplaces in a safe and comfortable condition. They can provide a safe and nurturing environment for themselves and others.

• Students understand the stages of child development and apply this knowledge to activities designed to enrich the physical, social, mental, and emotional development of a young child. This is evident, for example, when students: plan a daily program of balanced activity for preschoolers based on knowledge and understanding of patterns of child growth and development; describe effective ways of promoting positive behavior in children; identify characteristics of a safe and nurturing home and work environment.

Media Resources

The Human Spark, selected segments

• The Developing Brain
  A look at how the human brain develops throughout a person’s life.

• Language Development
  An overview of how human language develops.

• Learning Right and Wrong
  A look at how a child’s views of what is right and wrong can be shaped by others.

Websites:

• Child Development and Parenting This section of the CDC’s National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities Website provides information about child development, including the following:

• The Milestones Quiz This interactive quiz highlights developmental milestones.
• Developmental Milestones This section has fact sheets about developmental milestones from birth through age five.
• Milestones Chart This interactive chart provides details about developmental milestones through age five.

• Development Timeline This site features a child development timeline, which students can use in the Introductory Activity.

Materials

For the class:

• Computers with internet access
• Computer, projection screen and speakers (for class viewing of online/downloaded video segments)
• “Child Development Milestones” handout. Optional. (See “Before the Lesson” for details.)
• Printouts of the following “Important Milestones” fact sheets from the CDC website.
  (Note: Print out enough copies so that each group of 2-3 students has one of the seven fact sheets. If possible, when conducting this lesson’s Introductory Activity, divide the class into at least seven groups before assigning these fact sheets so that each of the fact sheets can be distributed to at least one group. For example, at least one group should receive the “end of 3 months” fact sheet, at least one should receive the “end of 7 months” fact sheet, etc. It is fine if more than one group gets the same fact sheet. Instead of making printouts, you can have students access the information directly on the Web.)

Important Milestones Fact Sheets from www.cdc.gov:

• Important Milestones by the End of 3 Months

www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/pdf/parents_pdfs/3MonthMilestonesFactShe.pdf

• Important Milestones by the end of 7 Months

www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/pdf/parents_pdfs/7Month.pdf

• Important Milestones by the end of 1 Year (12 Months)

www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/pdf/parents_pdfs/12MonthMilestonesFactSh.pdf

• Important Milestones by the End of 2 Years (24 Months)

www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/pdf/parents_pdfs/24MonthMilestonesFactSh.pdf

• Important Milestones by the End of 3 Years (36 months)

www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/pdf/parents_pdfs/3Year.pdf

• Important Milestones by the End of 4 Years (48 months)

www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/pdf/parents_pdfs/4Year.pdf

• Important Milestones by the End of 5 Years (60 months)

www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/pdf/parents_pdfs/5Year.pdf

Before the Lesson

Prior to teaching this lesson, you will need to:

Optional: Print out the “Child Development Milestones” handout and cut out each item along the dashed lines. Make enough copies so that each pair of students has at least one item on the sheet. (There are 33 items on the sheet.) This handout can be used in the Introductory Activity.

Print out the “Important Milestones” fact sheets from the CDC website. (See the Materials section for details.) Print out enough so that each group of 2-3 students has one fact sheet. Note: Instead of printing out the sheets, you can have students access this information on the Web.

Create a timeline in the classroom with the following points marked off:

Leave enough space between each of the points on the timeline, so that students can affix their “Child Development Milestones” strips of paper in the appropriate spots.

Preview all of the video segments and websites used in the lesson.

Download the video clips used in the lesson to your classroom computer(s) or prepare to watch them using your classroom’s Internet connection.

Bookmark all websites which you plan to use in the lesson on each computer in your classroom. Using a social bookmarking tool such as delicious or diigo (or an online bookmarking utility such as portaportal) will allow you to save the links in one location.

Proceed to Lesson Activities.

Human Spark: So Human, So Chimp & Brain Matters, Selected Segments

Human vs. Chimp Thinking
A discussion about how human thought differs from that of chimpanzees.

Beyond the Present
A look at humans’ unique ability to reflect upon events that have happened in the past and think about things that could possibly happen in the future.

Thinking about Thinking
A discussion about the ability of humans to think about others’ thoughts.

Insight and Imagination

An overview of how insight and imagination distinguish humans from others.

Additional segments which students can use in their research for Learning Activity 2:

A Matter of Size
A look at the brains of a rat, monkey, chimp and human and why some brains are bigger than others.

Cooperation

A brief look at the cooperative and social nature of humans.

Human Language

A look at the difference between human language and other species’ communication systems.

The Art Spark
An exploration of early cave art and what it tells us about our ancestors.

Downloadable QuickTime versions of the video segments:
(Note: To download a video, right click on the video title and click “Save Link As…’ or “Save Target As…”. On a Mac, press the CTRL key and simultaneously click the mouse, then save the link.)

Human vs. Chimp Thinking

Beyond the Present

Thinking about Thinking

Insight and Imagination

Matter of Size

Cooperation

Human Language

The Art Spark

The Human Spark, Brain Matters

“Dr. Steven Pinker: Language Makes Us Human” (Please note this link will open a new page or tab and take you to a separate location on the Human Spark website.  This clip is NOT downloadable.)

In this outtake from The Human Spark, Psycholinguist Stephen Pinker discusses the three things he believes makes us distinctly, uniquely human: language, cooperation, and technological “know how.”

The Language Spark

An excerpt from The Human Spark exploring the human brain’s unique capacity for language.

Downloadable QuickTime versions of the video segments:
(Note: To download a video, right click on the video title and click “Save Link As…’ or “Save Target As…”. On a Mac, press the CTRL key and simultaneously click the mouse, then save the link.)

The Language Spark

The Human Spark, selected segments

The Developing Brain
A look at how the human brain develops throughout a person’s life.

Learning Right and Wrong
A look at how a child’s views of what is right and wrong can be shaped by others.

Downloadable QuickTime versions of the video segments:
(Note: To download a video, right click on the video title and click “Save Link As…’ or “Save Target As…”. On a Mac, press the CTRL key and simultaneously click the mouse, then save the link.)

The Developing Brain

Language Development

Learning Right and Wrong

The Human Spark: Brain Matters, selected segments

A Matter of Size

A look at the brains of a rat, monkey, chimp and human and a discussion of why some brains are bigger than others.

Scanning the Brain

An introduction to MRI scans.

The Brain in Action

A look at the regions of the brain that are activated during different tasks.

Downloadable QuickTime versions of the video segments:
(Note: To download a video, right click on the video title and click “Save Link As…’ or “Save Target As…”. On a Mac, press the CTRL key and simultaneously click the mouse, then save the link.)

A Matter of Size

Scanning the Brain

The Brain in Action