Teach a Child

Teach a Child

Develop a teaching aid that helps explain to a 10-year-old child how messages are transmitted in the brain.

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Introduction

Biopsychology is the study of how the human brain and body work, specifically: How do the cells in our brain lead to our thoughts and actions? That's the essence of the mind-body problem—what role does biology play?

There’s an old saying that the best way to learn is to teach someone else. For this assessment, you are asked to develop a teaching aid that helps explain to a 10-year-old child how messages are transmitted in the brain. The objective of this assessment is to help you understand the basic actions of the brain by explaining it to the hypothetical 10-year-old child (feel free to test out your fine work on a child you know).

Instructions

Select one brain structure from the list below to focus on in your teaching aid:

• Broca’s area.
• Wernicke’s area.
• Thalamus.
• Hypothalamus.
• Pons.
• Reticular formation.
• Cerebellum.

Develop a teaching aid to explain to a 10-year-old child the way the brain communicates. Be sure to cite your sources.

The final product should answer the following questions:

• Explain how neurons communicate. How do neurons work? How do they talk to each other? What happens to leftover transmitters?
  • Consider including the following:
    • Resting potential, graded potential, action potential.
    • Neurotransmission release.
    • Excitatory postsynaptic potential or inhibitory neuron potential.
• Explain the functions of the area of the brain you chose from the list above.

Helpful tip: Start by reviewing the readings and creating bullet points for each step. Then reword your bullet points in different ways until you find one that is clear, simple, and easy to understand. You might consider using metaphors if it helps.

Optional WebAR Experience

Throughout this course, you will find QR Codes that will allow you to interact with integrated Augmented Reality content and experiences. Please use your mobile device to access the tutorial using this QR code.

• Getting Started With WebAR.

Click the QR code WebAR: Teach a Child – Neuron Communications for a 3D view of how neurons communicate with each other.

Additional Requirements

• Written communication: Written communication is in professional style with correct grammar, usage, and mechanics.
• Resources: Use a minimum of one scholarly source.
• APA formatting: References and citations are formatted according to APA style and formatting.
  • Use Academic Writer for guidance in citing sources in proper APA style. See the Writing Center for more APA resources specific to your degree level.
• Length: 1–4 pages.
• Font and font size: No smaller than 10-point font.

Competencies Measured

By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and rubric criteria:

• Competency 1: Relate the actions of the mind and body to psychological and physical health.
  • Explain how neurons communicate.
  • Explain the functions of a region of the brain.
• Competency 5: Write for purpose in a well organized text, incorporating appropriate evidence and tone in grammatically sound sentences.
  • Use APA style formatting for citations and reference list with only minor errors.
  • Address assessment purpose in a well-organized text, incorporating appropriate evidence and tone in grammatically sound sentences that a 10-year-old could understand.

Scoring Guide

Use the scoring guide to understand how your assessment will be evaluated.

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Criterion 1

Explain how neurons communicate.

Distinguished

Explains how neurons communicate, using an example.

Proficient

Explains how neurons communicate.

Basic

Explains how neurons communicate, with multiple errors.

Non Performance

Does not explain how neurons communicate.

Criterion 2

Explain the functions of a region of the brain.

Distinguished

Explains the functions of a region of the brain, using an example.

Proficient

Explains the functions of a region of the brain.

Basic

Explains the functions of a region of the brain, with multiple errors.

Non Performance

Does not explain the functions of a region of the brain.

Criterion 3

Use APA style formatting for citations and reference list with only minor errors.

Distinguished

Uses APA style formatting for citations with no errors and a reference list with no more than minor errors.

Proficient

Uses APA style formatting for citations and reference list with only minor errors.

Basic

Uses APA style formatting for citations and reference list, but includes major errors.

Non Performance

Does not use citations or have a reference list.

Criterion 4

Address assessment purpose in a well-organized text, incorporating appropriate evidence and tone in grammatically sound sentences that a 10-year-old could understand.

Distinguished

Presents a focused purpose through strong organizational skills. Presents evidence through strong paraphrasing, summarizing and appropriate tone and sentence structure that a 10-year-old could understand.

Proficient

Addresses assessment purpose in a well-organized text, incorporating appropriate evidence and tone in grammatically sound sentences that a 10-year-old could understand.

Basic

Addresses the assessment purpose with minimal issues related to evidence, tone, and sentence structure that a 10-year-old could understand.

Non Performance

Does not respond to the assessment prompt and/or does not organize text appropriately, uses inappropriate tone, or does not write structurally sound sentences that a 10-year-old could understand.

Use the resources linked below to help complete this assessment.

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The Brain and Nervous System

The Nervous System

The biological domain of psychology focuses on the way our biology shapes our thoughts and behaviors. Biopsychology, sensation, and consciousness are examples of subareas that fall within this domain. The nervous system, in particular, plays a large role in the communication between neurons, which trigger activity in the brain, and some of our key functions.

• In Essential Biological Psychology, read the following:
  • Read Chapter 1, “What is Biological Psychology?” pages 1–15.
  • Read Chapter 2, “Approaches to Studying Biological Psychology,” pages 16–42.
  • Read Chapter 3, “The Nervous System and How it Works,” pages 43–63.

These readings will explore the functions and structures of the nervous system. Understanding these aspects will lend an understanding of the role each plays in our physical and psychological functioning.

• In Essential Biological Psychology, read the following:
  • Read Chapter 4, “The Brain: its Structures, Regions, and Functions,” pages 64–83.

Optional WebAR Experience

Use the QR code WebAR: The Nervous System to interact with an integrated AR experience that will walk you through the nervous system.

Brain Regions and Functions

The brain is divided into different regions so that each carries out a specific task. Click Brain Anatomy, Regions, and Functions to view the major regions of the brain and learn about their specific functions.

Optional WebAR Experience

Use the QR code WebAR: Brain Regions and Functions to get an AR experience that will allow you to explore the regions of the brain and their functions.

Academic Research and Writing

APA Style

You can consult the Learn tab of Academic Writer and find:

• The Basic Paper Setup quick guide in the Page Formatting section. This will help you with the mechanics of setting up an APA style paper.
• The Heading Levels quick guide in the Page Formatting section. This will help you with how to use headings in an APA style paper.

Scholarly Sources

Psychologists rely on scholarly sources to find information that is both credible and aimed at providing the highest quality of information. This can be more than the peer-reviewed sources you’ve been asked to focus on in other courses. Read What Is Scholarly? to learn more.

Scholarly sources can be challenging to read. Please review the following to learn tips and tricks for Reading Scholarly Articles. Once you are comfortable reading scholarly sources, the following source will help you to see several different ways to be an effective note taker:

• Taking Notes: Four Types of Note Taking.

Using the Library

The database guides below will help you gain proficiency in researching library resources.

• Database Guide: PsycARTICLES.
• Database Guide: Psychology Database.

You can consult the library guide Links to the Full Text on how to find full text for an article if there is not a PDF or HTML full text link.