Summer SAVY 2017, Session 1/Day 3- Biology of the Brain (Rising 6th/7th)

Posted by morganr1 on Wednesday, June 14, 2017 in SAVY.

We definitely exercised our brains today in Biology of the Brain! We started the day by finishing up our neural network mini-project videos from Day 2. The students depicted a synapse (two neurons aka brain cells sending signals to each other) using stop motion animation video or through a skit. Your student can now describe and identify all the different types of cells in our brain and spinal cord that help us move and think and remember. 

We spent a good chunk of time learning about memory today since the students expressed interest in this subject on the first day of SAVY. We played memory games to test our own memory and collected a bunch of experimental data about our memory that we will analyze tomorrow. We also reviewed the different types of short and long term memory processing and where that is stored in our brains. Since we were on the subject of memory we took a deep dive into the molecular processes behind Alzheimer’s disease (what Dr. LaPointe studied previously in the lab) and the students are now inspired to dive deep into their own research projects on a brain disease.

I have been continually impressed with everyone’s ability to take in a lot of information in a small amount of time. The students are engaged in the discussion and asking great questions. I’m really excited to let them have a little more independence and finish their small group projects to show all the parents on Friday. Tomorrow we will tour a lab at Vanderbilt in the afternoon, continue working on our project, and have a little quiz competition to see how good OUR memories are at taking in all the we’ve learned this week. Ask your student if they can test your memory using some of the games we played today! 

Dr. LaPointe