Brain Waves Education Program
Grades 4-6
The Human Brain
What is the most important part of your body?
YOUR BRAIN!
YOUR BRAIN!
The brain is like a big message center- messages are sent and received in the brain all the time from our 5 senses. It is divided into four main lobes: the frontal, parietal, temporal, and occipital. Each lobe is responsible for important functions that we rely on every day!
Freepik. (2020). Parts of the Human Brain. Retrieved from https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/colored-labeled-human-brain-diagram_1311040.htm
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, no other cells in the body have these unique features!
Axon: Sends messages to other neurons
Dendrite: Receives messages from other neurons
Dendrite: Receives 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. The best cure for brain damage is prevention- so wear a helmet!
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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, and we have four specialized lobes along with a cerebellum that is a structure located at the back of the brain, containing 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.
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 are sometimes inter-related to each other and some of their functions might also be connected to other lobes of the brain. For example: Smell is linked to Taste, which enhances our appreciation of food (when we have a cold, a plugged nose decreases our enjoyment of food). Smell and taste work together to bring out the real “flavour” of our favourite foods!
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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 (cars, trains, stinky socks)
2) Danger/Risk Alert (sirens, sour milk, skunk),
3) Enjoyment (flowers, perfume, cookies).
Notice that the brain links smell to memory and emotions. For example, smelling popcorn can trigger a memory of being at the theatre and having happy times with friends, and smelling chocolate cookies might 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 (cars, trains, stinky socks)
2) Danger/Risk Alert (sirens, sour milk, skunk),
3) Enjoyment (flowers, perfume, cookies).
Notice that the brain links smell to memory and emotions. For example, smelling popcorn can trigger a memory of being at the theatre and having happy times with friends, and smelling chocolate cookies might bring up memories of good times with Grandma and your love for her.
Clipart Library. (n.d.). Collection of Eating Cookies Cliparts (43). Retrieved from http://clipart-library.com/eating-cookies-cliparts.html
PixiView.com. (n.d.). Grandmother Cartoon Pictures. Retrieved from https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/35254809563595950
PixiView.com. (n.d.). Grandmother Cartoon Pictures. Retrieved from https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/35254809563595950
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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?
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Taste
Taste is located in the Parietal Lobe. The 4 types of taste are: Sweet, Sour, Salty and Bitter.
We have fewer taste buds at the back of the tongue than at the front, an advantage for eating foods we dislike or when 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?
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Vision
The most important sense is Vision in the Occipital Lobe, placed at the back of the brain and under the overhang of our skull, so that it is somewhat more protected. Vision is important for:
1) Danger Alert (smoke)
2) Surroundings (where we are in relation to people, places and things) and balance (in conjunction with hearing)
3) Enjoyment (flowers, animals)
Our eyes use RODS to see black and white as well as in the dark and CONES to see colours. Looking at a screen for too long can make the rods and cones adapt to overstimulation and lose sensitivity, thereby creating negative afterimages (seeing video game images after turning the game off with images originally red now green).
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
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Visual 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!
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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, types of sounds such as car, vs. dog, vs, scratching on blackboard)
5) Physical Balance is associated 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, types of sounds such as car, vs. dog, vs, scratching on blackboard)
5) Physical Balance is associated with Vision and the Occipital Lobe
Netclipart. (2019). Hearing Clipart Large Ear – Ear Sound Waves Clipart. Retrieved from https://www.netclipart.com/isee/iRTTTJ_hearing-clipart-large-ear-ear-sound-waves-clipart/
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 soundwaves in different ranges of frequencies.
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 soundwaves 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!
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Touch
Touch, from our longest sensory 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 in order to protect yourself. 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!
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As you can see… the brain is important for all 5 of our 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.
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Have you ever had a concussion? Do you know anyone who has?
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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 vary 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 you 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 fragile and delicate, and so it requires maximum protection. It controls vital functions such as breathing, swallowing, heartbeat, and more, without it you can’t live. Protect your brain at all costs, you only have one!
Your brain is very fragile and delicate, and so it requires maximum protection. It controls vital functions such as breathing, swallowing, 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!
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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!
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