Our third visit to one of our favorite classrooms, in a converted house on NE MLK…
Our dedicated neuro-educator crew from WSU Vancouver and Portland State returned to school on Monday, to talk about synapses, neurotransmitters and drugs…
Sarah Loftus from PSU took the lead, using a worksheet she’d designed to introduce students to how neurons communicate chemically with each other across those synaptic gaps…
McCoy students had terrific questions about specific drugs, about the brain basis of phobias, about whether it was possible to change your brain into a “zombie” brain..!
We used the popular “Mouse Party” website, maintained by the Human Genetics Department at the University of Utah, to illustrate aspects of synaptic transmission and the actions of specific drugs, including alcohol, and cannabinoids…
After a lively discussion, Art Coordinator Jeff Leake led students in creating their own brains, out of clay. Our NW Noggin volunteers spread out in the classroom, to answer specific questions in smaller groups…
McCoy teachers Kim Keyes and Paul Weaver remarked how they would certainly enjoy this kind of support and engagement on a regular basis! An effort to provide clear, honest answers to good questions about the biological basis of behavior, from undergraduates and graduates studying this material firsthand, is inherently interesting, compelling, educational and fun…
School officially ends at 12:15pm, but many students were still there, molding clay and asking questions, at half past noon!
Many thanks to Kim, Paul, and the students at McCoy. Sheep brain dissections are coming up next!
