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Universe Within, The
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Classroom Activity
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Objective
To chart the electrical, chemical, and mechanical systems that are
engaged in the brain and body when a person picks up a pencil.
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copy of "Pencil-Lifting Flow Chart" student handout (HTML)
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Copy and distribute the "Pencil-Lifting Flow Chart" student
handout. According to what they observe in the program, have
students complete the flow chart of the series of events that
takes place in the brain and the body when a person picks up a
pencil. They should include as many electrical, chemical and
mechanical systems as they can, in the proper order.
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After students have completed the challenge, discuss the other
body systems (not directly covered in the program) that are
crucial to the success of picking up a pencil, such as vision,
balance, sensory input from fingers, and cognition.
Student responses should reflect an understanding of the various
systems of the body presented in this program. The first step in
picking up a pencil happens in the brain, when the person decides to
perform an action. The eyes locate the pencil. The brain sends a
nerve impulse to the muscles of the arm. The arm muscles, connected
to the arm bones, move, and the hand muscles and bones grasp the
pencil. As the body's weight shifts, the other parts of the body
shift to remain balanced.
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