Brain Education Program
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Grades 4-6Thank you to the Cambridge & North Dumfries Community Foundation and the City of Waterloo for their support which allowed us to develop this educational resource. 
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Resources for Teachers, Educators
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The Human Brain
Your BRAIN is the most important part of your body!
Freepik. (2020).
The brain is like a big message center- it is where messages are sent and received from our 5 senses.
It is divided into four main lobes:
- The Frontal Lobe
- The Parietal Lobe
- The Temporal Lobe
- The Occipital Lobe
And the Cerebellum
Each lobe is responsible for important functions that we rely on every day!
It is divided into four main lobes:
- The Frontal Lobe
- The Parietal Lobe
- The Temporal Lobe
- The Occipital Lobe
And the Cerebellum
Each lobe is responsible for important functions that we rely on every day!
Neurons
The human brain is made up of billions of cells called Neurons.
They send and receive messages telling us how we think, move, and feel!
Neurons are different from other cells in our body because they have specialized branches, called Dendrites and Axons.
They send and receive messages telling us how we think, move, and feel!
Neurons are different from other cells in our body because they have specialized branches, called Dendrites and Axons.
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Axons: Send messages to other neurons
Dendrites: Receive messages from other neurons
Dendrites: Receive messages from other neurons
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Our skin cells and hair cells always grow back. A broken arm or bruise can recover, but damaged neurons cannot. Prevention is the best way to protect your brain - so wear a helmet! |
Brain Lobe Functions
The brain is important for everything we do! When we move, touch, see, think and feel emotions, we are using our brain!
Different areas of the brain that serve different functions are called lobes.
We have four specialized lobes. We also have a structure located at the back of the brain, called the cerebellum, which contains over 50% of the total number of neurons in the brain!
Humans have 5 basic senses: touch, smell, taste, hearing and sight.
When we use our senses, information is sent to our brains to help us perceive the world around us.
Different areas of the brain that serve different functions are called lobes.
We have four specialized lobes. We also have a structure located at the back of the brain, called the cerebellum, which contains over 50% of the total number of neurons in the brain!
Humans have 5 basic senses: touch, smell, taste, hearing and sight.
When we use our senses, information is sent to our brains to help us perceive the world around us.
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The 5 senses and their functions can be connected to other lobes of the brain. For example: Smell is linked to Taste, which enhances our love of food Smell and taste work together to bring out the real “flavour” of our favourite foods! |
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When we have a cold, a stuffy nose can change the way food tastes to us!
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Cerebellum
The Cerebellum is an important part of brain, but it is not one of the lobes.
It helps us when we play sports and helps us keep balance on our bikes and skateboards.
It helps us when we play sports and helps us keep balance on our bikes and skateboards.
Smell
The sense of smell allows us to detect chemicals in the air. Another name for the sense of smell is olfaction.
Smell is located in the Temporal Lobe and is important for 3 main reasons:
1) Information about our surroundings (stinky socks or fresh laundry)
2) Danger/Risk Alert (smoke, sour milk, skunk),
3) Enjoyment (flowers, perfume, cookies).
Notice that the brain links smell to memory and emotions. For example, smelling popcorn can trigger happy memories of being at the movies with friends, and smelling chocolate cookies can bring up memories of good times with Grandma and your love for her.
Smell is located in the Temporal Lobe and is important for 3 main reasons:
1) Information about our surroundings (stinky socks or fresh laundry)
2) Danger/Risk Alert (smoke, sour milk, skunk),
3) Enjoyment (flowers, perfume, cookies).
Notice that the brain links smell to memory and emotions. For example, smelling popcorn can trigger happy memories of being at the movies with friends, and smelling chocolate cookies can bring up memories of good times with Grandma and your love for her.
Clipart Library
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Some people in the world have NO sense of smell! This is called anosmia. A serious head injury may cause anosmia. What kinds of good smells would you miss smelling if you had anosmia? Could anosmia be dangerous in any situations? |
Taste
We have fewer taste buds at the back of the tongue than at the front.
An advantage for eating foods we dislike or taking our medicine by placing them towards the back of the tongue.
Notice that medicine is made to leave a bitter aftertaste to prevent harmful effects from taking too much.
An advantage for eating foods we dislike or taking our medicine by placing them towards the back of the tongue.
Notice that medicine is made to leave a bitter aftertaste to prevent harmful effects from taking too much.
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Our tongue’s taste buds DO grow back if damaged, but the neurons in our brain DO NOT! So, if you burn your tongue, there is no permanent damage to your sense of taste. What things would you miss tasting if you lost your sense of taste? |
Vision
Our sense of vision comes from the Occipital Lobe. Located at the back of the brain and under the overhang of our skull, it is given a little more protection. Vision is important for:
1) Safety (smoke)
2) Surroundings (where we are in relation to people, places and things) and balance (working with hearing)
3) Enjoyment (flowers, animals)
1) Safety (smoke)
2) Surroundings (where we are in relation to people, places and things) and balance (working with hearing)
3) Enjoyment (flowers, animals)
Eyes use RODS to see black and white as well as in the dark and CONES to see colours.
Eyes are the window to the brain, protect them by:
- Walking, not running, with sharp things in your hands
- Using good lighting when reading, writing, or using the computer
- Not looking directly at the sun
- Wearing proper eye protection during sports
- Getting your eyes regularly examined
Looking at a screen for too long can make the rods and cones adapt to overstimulation and lose sensitivity, thereby creating negative afterimages
Take a look at these pictures!
Try to look at one of these pictures for 1 minute, and then look at a blank wall.
Take a look at these pictures!
Try to look at one of these pictures for 1 minute, and then look at a blank wall.
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Optical illusions occur can occur from different properties in the occipital lobe of the brain as it processes information. So, your perception of an illusion has more to do with the way you process information in your brain and less with the optics of your eye. For example, do you see a bunny or duck in the image below? Maybe you can see both! |
Hearing
Hearing is in the Temporal Lobe. The outer ear captures sound and sends it to the auditory cortex in the temporal lobe. Hearing is important for 5 reasons:
1) Communication
2) Danger/Risk alert (sirens, bear growling, mosquitoes buzzing)
3) Enjoyment (music, birds singing, etc.)
4) Awareness of our surroundings (near vs. far, soft vs. loud, high vs. low pitch, directional, kinds of sounds like car, vs. dog, vs, scratching on blackboard)
5) Physical Balance which is in association with Vision and the Occipital Lobe
1) Communication
2) Danger/Risk alert (sirens, bear growling, mosquitoes buzzing)
3) Enjoyment (music, birds singing, etc.)
4) Awareness of our surroundings (near vs. far, soft vs. loud, high vs. low pitch, directional, kinds of sounds like car, vs. dog, vs, scratching on blackboard)
5) Physical Balance which is in association with Vision and the Occipital Lobe
Clipart
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Do Animals hear sound? The ability to hear is only found in vertebrates and insects. Within these groups, mammals and birds have the most developed sense of hearing. Different animals hear sound waves in different ranges of frequencies. |
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People can lose some or all of their hearing because of loud noises and head injuries. Can you think of why you need your hearing? We’ll give you some examples! |
Touch
Touch, from our largest sense organ (skin) is located in the Parietal Lobe. The four types of touch include pain, temperature, pressure, and vibration, and are important for:
1) Comfort (teddy, snuggly)
2) Detecting Danger (hot stove)
3) Personal contact (hugs from people and pets)
1) Comfort (teddy, snuggly)
2) Detecting Danger (hot stove)
3) Personal contact (hugs from people and pets)
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You might not like feeling pain, but pain is actually useful for you. Pain is a warning sign that tells you to stop doing what you are doing to protect you.
Some people are born with no sense of pain, which you might think is good, but it is actually extremely dangerous! Think about it, if you put your hand on a stove and didn’t have a sense of pain, you might not realize you are hurting yourself before permanent damage is done! |
Have you noticed that it takes longer for you to feel things at your toes than at your hands or tongue?
That's because the neurons in your tongue or hands are closer to your brain than the neurons in your feet. This means that the synapses have a shorter distance to travel before they reach your brain and tell you what you're feeling.
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As you can see… the brain is important for all of our 5 senses. It is important to protect our brain for our smell, taste, vision, hearing, touch, and more! |
Protect your 5 senses by WEARING A HELMET!
Concussion Safety
A concussion is a type of brain injury caused by a blow to the head, face, neck, or body, making your brain bounce back and forth against the inside of your skull. Falls are the most common cause of concussion, with contact sports, such as football or hockey, being the second most common.
Thankfully, most people usually recover fully from concussions if they take the proper rest and care as needed. The 3 keys to recovering from a concussion include recognizing, reporting, and resting.
Thankfully, most people usually recover fully from concussions if they take the proper rest and care as needed. The 3 keys to recovering from a concussion include recognizing, reporting, and resting.
Here's a short Video on Concussions!
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Have you ever had a concussion? Do you know anyone who has? |
Symptoms of a Concussion
If you think you or someone you know might have a concussion, it is important to tell an adult immediately! The sooner you recognize a concussion the better chances you have of healing! Remember that each individual is different, and symptoms can be different for everyone.
The University of Queensland. (2018). Signs and symptoms of a concussion. Queensland Brain Institute. Retrieved from https://qbi.uq.edu.au/concussion/signs-and-symptoms-concussio
Concussion Management
If you think yourself or a friend might have a concussion, immediately follow the STAR rule!
What to do when you have a concussion:
What to do for a family member or friend with a concussion?:
- Rest
- Reduce screen time
- Reduce physical activity
What to do for a family member or friend with a concussion?:
- Read to them
- Play a quiet game with them
- Make an art project with them
- Send them a card
- Be patient
Brain Protection
Why Protect your Brain?
Your brain is very delicate, and so it requires a lot protection. Because it controls vital functions such as breathing, swallowing, your heartbeat, and more, without it you can’t live. Protect your brain at all costs, you only have one!
Your brain is very delicate, and so it requires a lot protection. Because it controls vital functions such as breathing, swallowing, your heartbeat, and more, without it you can’t live. Protect your brain at all costs, you only have one!
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One of the best ways for you to protect your brain and prevent brain injury is by wearing a helmet! Can you think of any other ways to protect your brain and keep it healthy? We’ll give you some examples! |
Helmet Safety
Wearing a helmet is necessary to protect your head. It is very important to wear one when participating in sports or wheeled activities (bikes, scooters, rollerblades, skateboards, etc…). It provides a cushion for your head and brain in case of a fall and can help prevent head injury.
Remember to follow the 2V1 rule when putting on your helmet and ensuring that if you have a ponytail, it is safely thread through the back of the helmet, allowing it to rest on your head properly and fit correctly.
Ask an adult for help when putting on your helmet to make sure you are safely wearing it!
Remember to follow the 2V1 rule when putting on your helmet and ensuring that if you have a ponytail, it is safely thread through the back of the helmet, allowing it to rest on your head properly and fit correctly.
Ask an adult for help when putting on your helmet to make sure you are safely wearing it!
