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The Nervous System

CONCEPTUAL
Science›The Human Body|Ages 9—11|ID: mt_qzbgwaUQOA

Understand that the nervous system has two parts — the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) and nerves that branch throughout the body — and that nerve signals travel at high speed to coordinate senses, thought, and movement

Mastery Evidence

  • Name the two parts of the nervous system: central (brain + spinal cord) and peripheral (nerves throughout the body)
  • Describe the reflex arc: stimulus → sensory nerve → spinal cord/brain → motor nerve → muscle response
  • State that nerve signals travel extremely fast, which is why reflexes happen almost instantly

Assessment Prompt

“Can [child] explain how a message travels from their finger to their brain when they touch something hot, and then back to their hand to pull it away?”

Prerequisites3

Show full prerequisite tree
  • How the Eye Works hard

    Understanding central/peripheral nervous system builds on knowing how eye sends signals via optic nerve

    • The Five Senses hard

      Understanding how the eye works builds on knowing sight is one of the five senses

    • The Brain Controls the Body soft

      Eye sends signals to brain via optic nerve; knowing brain receives sense messages helps

  • Senses, Brain & Responses soft

    Exploratory nervous system detail complements curriculum senses/brain/response topic (US G4)

  • The Brain Controls the Body hard

    Detailed nervous system builds on knowing the brain is the body's control centre

Unlocks1