Build models to understand and mitigate brain injury
Course Description
This lesson sparks students’ curiosity about the brain and helps them understand and mitigate brain injury. Students construct a model of the human brain, equip it with impact sensors, and use data to develop and test designs for protective head gear. This interdisciplinary lesson teaches physical science, life science, health, engineering design, and data science skills. It leverages Excel’s powerful visualizations to engage students in understanding forces and human anatomy in an exciting series of hands-on activities.
Learning objectives
- Locate and describe the functions of the frontal, occipital, parietal and temporal lobes using a brain hat.
- Build a sensor-equipped brain model that connects to Excel for live data visualization.
- Analyze the effects of a head collision using the brain model and Excel visualization.
- Use test data to compare materials for mitigating head injuries.
About this Course
Course Outline
Activity 1: Analyze concussion data
Students analyze concussion data from various sports and activities.
- Brain Impact workbook
Activity 2: Construct a brain hat
Students learn basic brain anatomy and functions of the various regions of the brain.
- Brain Hat template
Activity 3: Equip brain model with pressure sensors
Students build pressure sensors and attach them to the brain model to measure collision impact.
- Brain Impact Simulator instructions
Activity 4: Connect model brain to Excel and visualize live data
Connect the sensorized brain model to Excel to visualize data from simulated impact. Explore the associated emotions and behaviors affected by the collision.
- Brain Impact workbook
Activity 5: Design and test protective gear
Engage Design Thinking to create solutions that mitigate impact on the model brain, and test them using Excel.
- Design Thinking template
Activity 6: Take the Think Taylor Pledge
Commit to being educated about symptoms of concussion, to be honest in reporting concussions, and support those suffering from concussions.
Think Taylor Pledge
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