Signal Spark Slides
Bell Ringer Unit 2, Lesson 1
Start Immediately!
Get Started
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1
Grab your spiral from the class tray.
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Check the paper tray for today's handouts.
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Check the Turn-It-In Bin for graded papers.
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Write the date, Unit 2, Lesson 1, and the title in your spiral.
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Complete the Bell Ringer on the right.
The Hot Stove Problem
Hook Case
Scenario: You accidentally touch something extremely hot. Your hand jerks away almost immediately.
In your spiral:
How did your body know something was wrong AND make your hand move so quickly?
You don't need to know the scientific answer yet. Make your best guess!
Class Timer Write quickly!
10:00
Detective Brain is on the case...
Where did that signal go?
Unit 2 Biological Bases of Behavior
Lesson 1
— Active Psychology Instruction —
How the Brain and
Body Communicate
Your brain and body are constantly sending messages back and forth.
How exactly does that happen in real time?
Step 1: Input The skin senses heat
Step 2: Response The hand pulls away
Goal & Map
Where We Are Headed Today
Today's Target
Target
Learning Target
I can explain how the nervous system carries messages between the brain and body and how those messages affect our behavior.
Question
Essential Question
How exactly do the physical brain and body communicate with each other in real-time?
Today's Journey
5 Steps
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1
Meet the communication system — Nervous system connection.
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2
Meet the messengers — How neurons carry signals.
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3
Cross the gap — How neurotransmitters move.
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4
Who controls what? — Specialized brain divisions.
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5
Put it all together — Trace the full signal path.
Something Happens
Message Travels
Body Responds
Why Psychology?
Wait... Why Are We Learning About Nerves in Psychology?
Big Picture
WHAT IS PSYCHOLOGY? Psychology is the study of behavior and mental processes.
Everything you think, feel, sense, and do depends entirely on physical communication between your brain and body. None of your reactions happen magically!
📱 Phone Buzzes
You feel the vibration → your nerves carry the signal → you decide to reach for it.
⚡ Sudden Fright
Someone scares you → your heart instantly pounds → you jump backward!
💡 THE PSYCHOLOGY LINK: If psychologists want to explain why you behave the way you do, they must first understand how your nervous system carries the messages that trigger your reactions.
Biological Flow
Event (Heat)
Message (Nerve Path)
Response (Muscle)
Behavior (Pull Away)
Check Your Understanding
If you hear your name and turn your head, what had to happen inside your body before you could respond?
The Network
Your Body Has a Communication System
CNS vs. PNS
Central Nervous System (CNS)
Command Center
The CNS consists of: Brain + Spinal Cord
CNS HEADQUARTERS
Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)
The Cables
The PNS consists of: Nerves outside the spine
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The PNS is the massive web of nerves branching throughout your arms, legs, organs, and skin.
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Analogy: If the CNS is military headquarters, the PNS is the network of field phone wires carrying messages back and forth.
PNS FIELD LINES
Check Your Understanding
Which system includes the brain and spinal cord — CNS or PNS? Explain why it's called the "command center."
The Messengers
But How Does the Message Actually Travel?
Meet Neurons
Essential Vocabulary
NEURON = A Specialized Nerve Cell
A single specialized cell that carries messages through the nervous system.
Think of neurons as tiny individual biological messengers. They are the microscopic building blocks of your entire communication system.
Neurons Carry Signals in Both Directions!
📥 Incoming Signal
HOT! → Neurons carry sensory information up toward your CNS.
📤 Outgoing Command
MOVE HAND! → Neurons carry physical instructions down to your muscles.
No Anatomy Required!
Neurons allow the brain and body to communicate instantly!
GO! GO!
Check Your Understanding
What is the basic job of a neuron? How does it make brain-body communication possible?
The Gap
One Problem: Neurons Don't Actually Touch
Cross the Gap
How do messages move between neurons?
A message can travel easily through a single neuron, but eventually it hits the end of that cell. The next neuron is separated by a tiny, microscopic space called a synapse.
🔗 Synapse = The tiny gap between individual nerve cells.
The Solution
Neurotransmitters
Chemical messengers released by neurons that help signals move from one neuron to another.
Because neurotransmitters bridge the physical gaps, they make brain communication possible. They directly influence your thoughts, feelings, movements, and behavior.
The 4-Step Crossing
- 1 Message reaches end of neuron.
- 2 Neurotransmitters are released.
- 3 They cross the synapse gap.
- 4 The next neuron receives message.
Neuron A Neuron B SYNAPSE (GAP)
Check Your Understanding
What crosses the synapse to help the message reach another neuron? Why is this chemical connection so important?
Somatic System
Some Body Movements Are Your Choice
Voluntary Path
Nervous System Divisions
Somatic Nervous System (SNS)
The part of the Peripheral Nervous System (PNS) that controls voluntary movement of skeletal muscles.
🧠 Voluntary = You consciously choose to do it!
Everyday Somatic Choices
Decide to stand up
Reach for your phone
Kick a soccer ball
Raise your hand
Voluntary Response Chain
DECISION MESSAGE MUSCLE
Check Your Understanding
You decide to pick up a pencil. Is the somatic nervous system involved? Why?
Autonomic System
Good News: You Don't Have to Remember to Make Your Heart Beat
Automatic Path
Nervous System Divisions
Autonomic Nervous System (ANS)
The part of the Peripheral Nervous System (PNS) that controls internal body functions automatically.
⚙️ Automatic = Your body handles it without you ever consciously deciding to do it!
How They Compare:
Somatic (SNS) I CHOOSE the movement
Autonomic (ANS) My body handles it automatically
ANS Examples
- Heartbeat & Blood Pressure
- Breathing & Digestion
- Sweating & Pupils changing size
SCARY SCENARIO: Someone suddenly scares you. You don't stop and decide: "I think I'll increase my heart rate now." Your Autonomic System handles that instantly and automatically!
Check Your Understanding
Your heart starts pounding when something scares you. Somatic or autonomic? Explain why.
Integration
BODY GROUP CHAT: FOLLOW THE MESSAGE
Follow the Path
The Phone Drop Disaster
You're holding your phone when it suddenly starts slipping out of your hand. You see and feel it slipping. Almost instantly, you grab for it. How did your brain and body pull that off?
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SOMETHING HAPPENS: Your body detects that the phone is slipping.
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NEURONS CARRY INFORMATION: Neurons are nerve cells that carry messages through the nervous system.
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THE PNS CONNECTS YOUR BODY TO THE CNS: The Peripheral Nervous System (PNS) carries information between your body and your brain/spinal cord.
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THE CNS PROCESSES THE INFORMATION: The Central Nervous System (CNS) — the brain and spinal cord — processes the information and helps coordinate a response.
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INSTRUCTIONS TRAVEL BACK: Messages travel through the nervous system toward the muscles needed to respond.
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YOUR HAND MOVES: You intentionally grab for the phone. Because you chose this movement, the Somatic Nervous System (SNS) is involved.
BUT HOW DO NEURONS PASS MESSAGES TO EACH OTHER?
Neurons don't actually touch. The tiny gap between neurons is called a synapse. Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers that help signals move across the synapse to the next neuron.
PHONE SLIPS PNS CNS PNS HAND MOVES
SPIRAL STOP — 3 MINUTES
Think & Write
Your heart also starts racing because you thought you were about to destroy your phone. Is your racing heart controlled by the SOMATIC or AUTONOMIC nervous system? Explain why.
Independent Practice
BODY GROUP CHAT: WHO SENT THAT?!
Worksheet Practice
Worksheet: Who Sent That?!
YOUR JOB
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1
Read each situation.
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Figure out what your brain and body are doing.
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Identify the nervous-system concept involved.
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Follow the message through the nervous system when asked.
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Explain WHY when the question asks you to explain your answer.
Need help? Use Slides 4–10.
CLASS LOGISTICS
TIME: 20 MINUTES
VOICE LEVEL: 1
📝 Use your presentation and spiral if you need help.
CNS: "Signal Sent" Delivered ✅
Remember
Don't just memorize the words. Think about what JOB each part of the nervous system is doing.
Vocabulary Work
VOCABULARY — CHOOSE 4
Choose 4
Today's Core Vocabulary List
- 1 Central Nervous System (CNS)
- 2 Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)
- 3 Neuron
- 4 Neurotransmitter
- 5 Synapse
- 6 Spinal Cord
- 7 Somatic Nervous System (SNS)
- 8 Autonomic Nervous System (ANS)
YOUR JOB
- Choose 4 vocabulary words from the list above.
- Write those 4 words in your spiral.
- Open Canvas.
- Go to Modules and find today's presentation.
- Open the presentation and go to the LAST SLIDE.
- Use the glossary on the last slide to write the definition for each of your 4 chosen words.
Timer [10:00]
Brain is drafting...
Exit Check
BEFORE YOU LEAVE...
Before You Go
Double-Check Your Work
PART 1 — VOCABULARY
Complete 4 vocabulary words + definitions in your spiral. Show your spiral to Ms. Cummings for a vocabulary check.
PART 2 — WORKSHEET
Finish Body Group Chat: Who Sent That?! Turn in your worksheet.
BEFORE YOU GO
- ✓ 4 vocabulary words + definitions are complete
- ✓ Spiral has been checked
- ✓ Body Group Chat: Who Sent That?! has been turned in
- ✓ Return your spiral
You're ready to head out!
Reference Glossary
GLOSSARY / VOCABULARY REFERENCE
UNIT 2, LESSON 1 — ALL 8 TERMS
1. Central Nervous System (CNS)
The brain and spinal cord; the body's main processing and control center.
2. Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)
The nerves outside the brain and spinal cord that connect the CNS to the rest of the body.
3. Neuron
A nerve cell that carries messages through the nervous system.
4. Neurotransmitter
A chemical messenger released by neurons that helps signals move from one neuron to another.
5. Synapse
The tiny gap between individual nerve cells.
6. Spinal Cord
The major pathway that carries messages between the brain and the rest of the body.
7. Somatic Nervous System (SNS)
The part of the PNS that controls voluntary movement of skeletal muscles.
8. Autonomic Nervous System (ANS)
The part of the PNS that automatically controls internal body functions such as heartbeat, digestion, and sweating.
Use these definitions to complete your 4 chosen terms in your spiral.
Professor Brain's Dictionary