Comparative Brains
Instructions for presenters
Objective: To explore similarities and differences in brain anatomy and to compare the brains of different species.
Materials: Brain specimens (rats, mice, cat, monkey, honey bee, etc), comparative brain slides.
Directions: Explain that at this station the children will learn how brains of animals are alike or different. Then, you will show them pictures of different brains and they will guess what animal each brain belongs to.
1) Pass around the brain specimens. How is each brain different? Can they guess what animal each one came from?
2) Show the Brain Comparison Diagram. Point out the different structures in the brain and explain what they do.
Leave the Brain Comparison Diagram and the black and white sheet with different animal brains on it out for the children to see. Tell them to use these as reference guides when they are guessing what animal each brain belongs to.
3) Show each "what animal is this?" slide and let the children guess. Guide their guesses (Could this be a mammal, or a reptile?) and give them clues based on the brain comparison diagrams.
4) Some facts about the animals and how their brains function are provided on the reveal side of each slide. You can explain everything, or just limit to whatever is age appropriate.
FAQ:
How did you get the animal brains / how did they die?
These animals were used in research. We study how to treat things like heart disease, diabetes, drug addiction, and cancer by using animals, so they are very important to us and we take good care of them. Sometimes these animals die naturally, and other times they are put down- like if you had a pet that was dying and you took it to the vet to be put to sleep. We use their brains to teach people about how the brain works, the same as with the human brains.