Build your own brain
Task
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Using either play dough, plasticine or modelling clay, build your own brain.
Play dough recipe
1 cup flour
1 tbsp oil
½ cup salt
1 cup of water
2 tsps cream of tarter
Mix all ingredients together. Cook over low heat
until dough is formed and is not too sticky.
Preparation
1.
Divide your material (play dough, plasticine or modelling clay) into thirds.
2.
Put 2/3s aside as one large lump and divide the remaining 1/3 into three.
3.
Make sure each of the four parts is a different colour. (If using dough, add four drops of different coloured food
colouring to each. Plasticine comes in different colours. You will need to paint the modelling clay after the brain is
built).
Brain making
1.
Take the largest lump of material and divide it in half. This will make the cerebral cortex which has two parts. Form
each part into an oval (with one side flat) to make the two hemispheres – left and right. Use a small stick (or anything
pointy) to make wrinkles on the curved side of each hemisphere.
2.
Now take one of the smaller portions to form the limbic system, shape it like a bean. Put the bean down on the flat
side of one of the hemispheres and press the hemispheres together. This shows the limbic system is inside the
cerebral cortex. Now open it again so that the limbic system can be viewed / labelled.
3.
Use the third portion to make the cerebellum. Make it in the shape of a ball.
4.
Flatten the ball (just a little) carefully with your thumb.
Place the cerebellum at the base where the two hemispheres join.
5.
Use the fourth portion to make the brain stem.
The brain stem looks like a trumpet. Make the trumpet and stick it to the
bottom of the cerebellum.
Note: Allow your model to dry and harden before moving to the next stage.
6.
Label each part of the brain and explain what its function is.
THE HUMAN BRAIN
Worksheet 3