Andrea N. Bailey
Weeks One and Two
In week one and two, the class will be introduced to the brain through a brief scientific explanation using pictorial representations of the brain, as well as reading materials on the brain. The students will gain an understanding of how the brain works and how the brain is made. Finally during this week students will begin to study the vocabulary associated with the brain. Vocabulary words that will be introduced and integrated throughout this unit include: synapses, neurons, dendrites and axon neurotransmitters . The students will obtain background knowledge about the brain which will be used to understand why the brain needs proper nutrients to work properly and efficiently.
Weeks Three and Four
During these weeks students will analyze the six categories of nutrients for good health and brain development. In order to develop a deep understanding of the six categories, students will need to gain a deeper understanding the basis of The Food Pyramid.
Weeks Five and Six
During these final two weeks of the unit students will be asked to apply their skills learned to their everyday lives. Projects and activities will allow students to apply their prior knowledge about the brain and how proper food choice can affect their own brain development. Based on their cumulative study, students can create and evaluate a daily food guide/meal plan that will help their brain work to its utmost capacity. Participating in these activities will focus on the issues dealing with good nutrition and their effects on the brain. Students will gain an understanding of good food choice and how crucial it is for the growth and development of their brains. Students will then be evaluated on their application of the knowledge through this study.
In accordance with the Connecticut State Standards for Science, after completing this unit students' will be able to identify foods they need to stay healthy. Students will recognize what influences their healthy behaviors and decisions. Students will describe what they need to eat to keep themselves healthy. Through this unit students will recognize that the food they choose to eat will affect the development of their brain.
