Brain Blitz Activity Sheet
BRAIN BLITZ: Reaction Lab
5-Minute Hands-On Investigation • The Neural Highway
5-Min Challenge
Student Name:
Lab Partner:
Date:
The Mission
How fast does your brain receive a message from your eyes and send a command to your fingers? Test your reaction time using just a 12-inch (or 30 cm) ruler!
1 Get Ready
Partner holds the ruler at the top (12 in / 30 cm). Place your thumb and index finger hovering at the 0 mark without touching.
2 Drop & Catch
Without warning, partner drops the ruler! Catch it between your fingers as quickly as you can. Do not move hand down!
3 Record
Read the measurement right where your thumb clamped the ruler. Lower numbers mean faster brain reaction!
Your Reaction Trials
| Trial | Catch Mark (inches or cm) | Partner Check |
|---|
| Trial 1 | ______ | □ |
| Trial 2 | ______ | □ |
| Trial 3 | ______ | □ |
| Best (Fastest) Catch: | ______ | ★ |
Speed Scale
1 - 4 in (2-10 cm) Lightning Reflex!
5 - 8 in (11-20 cm) Swift Highway
9 - 12 in (21-30 cm) Warming Up
Nerve impulses travel at over 200 mph!
The 5-Step Message Pathway: Trace How It Happened
Sensory → Brain → Motor
1. SENSE
Eyes detect the falling ruler
2. SEND IN
Sensory nerves carry signal up
3. PROCESS
Brain decides: "Catch it now!"
4. SEND OUT
Motor nerves zoom down arm
5. REACT
Finger muscles snap shut
Think Like a Neuroscientist
1. Which body part acted as the receptor (collected the information), and which acted as the effector (did the action)?
2. Did your reaction time improve from Trial 1 to Trial 3? Why does practicing help your brain and nerves work faster?
5th Grade Life Science • Nervous System & Information Processing Sensory Input → Integration → Motor Output
