Assessment

1. As the students work on these activities, look for evidence of the following:
   • Are the students grasping the concept that the brain is a complex organ made up of different parts that perform different functions?
   • Do the students understand how the different tools work that researchers use? Do they understand that each tool is used for a specific purpose?
   • Can the students apply what they have learned to new situations? For example, can they use the information to write a story?
2. Put each student’s Brain Instruction Sheet in his or her student portfolio.

Additional Activities

Below are some additional activities that can be used after the students complete the first mission. These activities are extensions to many other areas of the curriculum.

1. Draw a class illustration of the brain. Be sure to label all of the parts the students studied during the mission. Include the functions of each part.
2. Write a class play about the brain or brain research. The play could focus on the work of the brain researchers that the students learned about, how each device is used to study the brain, or the function of each part of the brain.
3. Make a class chart with ideas on how to protect the brain. Some suggestions include wearing a helmet when bike riding or rollerblading, eating a nutritious diet, and wearing a seatbelt when in a car. After developing the list, discuss specifically how each idea could protect the brain.