DOCUMENT RESUME

ED 448 044 SE 064 337

AUTHOR Boyle, GraceTITLE The Cookie Crumbles: A Case of Sensory Sleuthing. BrainLink:

Sensory Signals.INSTITUTION Baylor Coll. of Medicine, Houston, TX.SPONS AGENCY National Institutes of Health (DHHS), Bethesda, MD.ISBN ISBN-1-888997-19-2PUB DATE 1997-00-00NOTE 169p.; Illustrated by T. Lewis. Revised by Judith Dresden

and Barbara Tharp. Science notations by Nancy Moreno. Forother books in the BrainLink series, see SE 064 335-338.

CONTRACT R25-RR13454PUB TYPE Guides Classroom Teacher (052)EDRS PRICE MF01/PC07 Plus Postage.DESCRIPTORS Biology; *Brain; Content Area Reading; Elementary Education;

Human Body; Mathematics Education; *Neurology; ProblemSolving; *Science Activities; *Science Instruction

ABSTRACTThe BrainLink project offers educational materials focusing

on current neuroscience issues with the goal of promoting a deeperunderstanding of how the nervous system works and why the brain makes eachindividual special while conveying the excitement of "doing science" amongupper elementary and middle school students. Project materials engagestudents and their families in neuroscience issues as they learn fundamentalphysical and neuroscience concepts and acquire problem-solving and decisionmaking skills. Each BrainLink unit targets a major neuroscience topic andconsists of a colorful science Adventures storybook, a comprehensiveTeacher's Guide to hands-on activities in science and mathematics, a ReadingLink language arts supplement, and a fun and informative Explorationsmini-magazine for students to use with their families at home or in theclassroom. This issue offers a unique approach to learning how the senseswork, including visual illusions and how the brain processes sensoryinformation. (ASK)

Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be madefrom the original document.

The Cookie Crumbles: A Case of Sensory Sleuthing.

Brain Link: Sensory Signals.

By Grace BoyleIllustrated by T. Lewis

Revised by Judith Dresden and Barbara TharpScience notations by Nancy Moreno

BEST COPY AVAILABLE2

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONOffice of Educational Research and Improvement

DUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATIONCENTER (ERIC)

document has been reproduced asreceived from the person or organizationoriginating it.

Minor changes have been made toimprove reproduction quality.

Points of view or opinions staled in thisdocument do not necessarily representofficial OERI position or policy.

A C

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stra

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ewis

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ised

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Judi

th D

resd

en, M

.S. a

nd B

arba

ra T

harp

, M.S

.

Scie

nce

nota

tions

by

Nan

cy M

oren

o, P

h.D

.

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lor

Col

lege

of

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icin

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icat

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ston

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ted

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e U

nite

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ates

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eric

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rain

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a r

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d se

rvic

e m

ark

of B

aylo

r C

olle

ge o

f M

edic

ine.

"N

euro

Exp

lore

rs"

is a

trad

emar

k of

Bay

lor

Col

lege

of

Med

icin

e.

No

part

of

this

boo

k m

ay b

e re

prod

uced

by

any

mec

hani

cal,

phot

ogra

phic

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ss, o

r in

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or m

ayit

be s

tore

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etri

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rwis

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pub

lic o

r pr

ivat

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e w

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ishe

r.

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elop

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inL

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catio

nal m

ater

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n pa

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y fu

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the

Nat

iona

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titut

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f H

ealth

, Sci

ence

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catio

n Pa

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lusi

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licat

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are

sole

ly th

ose

of th

e au

thor

and

pro

ject

sta

ff a

nd d

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t nec

essa

rily

ref

lect

the

view

sof

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lor

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lege

of

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icin

e, th

e sp

onso

ring

age

ncy

or th

e pu

blis

her.

Des

ign

by T

Lew

isC

over

des

ign

by B

ob P

eret

tiPr

oduc

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by K

erri

e K

erns

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now

ledg

men

tsM

any

dedi

cate

d pr

ofes

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als

wor

ked

to a

ssur

e th

e ed

ucat

iona

l and

sci

entif

ic in

tegr

ity o

f th

is p

ublic

atio

n. I

n pa

rtic

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, we

are

grat

eful

toL

eslie

Mill

er, P

h.D

., w

ho in

itial

ly le

d th

e pr

ojec

t, an

d to

Kat

heri

ne T

aber

, Ph.

D. a

nd K

aren

Kab

nick

, Ph.

D.,

for

thei

r co

ntri

butio

ns. O

ther

spec

ialis

ts w

ho p

rovi

ded

guid

ance

incl

ude:

Sco

tt B

asin

ger,

Ph.

D.;

Cas

sius

Bor

delo

n, P

h.D

.; C

elia

Cla

y, M

.P.H

.; D

ane

Che

tkov

ich,

M.D

., Ph

.D.;

Ilen

e Sc

hwar

z, M

.Ed.

; and

Que

ntin

Sm

ith, M

.S. I

n ad

ditio

n, m

any

clas

sroo

m te

ache

rs a

nd th

eir

stud

enis

pro

vide

d in

valu

able

fee

dbac

k.

We

also

are

ver

y gr

atef

ul f

or th

e co

ntin

uing

sup

port

of

Jam

es P

atri

ck, P

h.D

., Pr

ofes

sor

and

Hea

d of

the

Div

isio

n of

Neu

rosc

ienc

e; S

tanl

eyA

ppel

, M.D

., Pr

ofes

sor

and

Cha

irm

an o

f N

euro

logy

; and

Car

los

Val

lbon

a, M

.D.,

Dis

tingu

ishe

d Se

rvic

e Pr

ofes

sor

and

Cha

irm

an o

f C

omm

unity

Med

icin

e at

Bay

lor

Col

lege

of

Med

icin

e.

Bra

inL

ink

Proj

ect D

irec

tor:

Jud

ith D

resd

en, M

.S.

Bra

inL

ink

Proj

ect C

o-D

irec

tor:

Will

iam

Tho

mso

n, P

h.D

.B

rain

Lin

k Pr

ojec

t Fac

ulty

: Nan

cy M

oren

o, P

h.D

. and

Bar

bara

Tha

rp, M

.S.

,\Icd

rio,

14Fo

r in

form

atio

n, c

all 1

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tent

s

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ngii

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ss-W

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ooki

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ctio

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sin

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ooki

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ny8

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isio

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ade

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k V

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ry P

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very

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ds a

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ter

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augh

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uble

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ndin

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e So

lutio

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ssar

y35

The

Neu

roE

xplo

rers

The

Beg

inni

ngA

ll Jo

sh K

avil

saw

was

the

stop

sig

n. T

he n

ext t

hing

he

rem

embe

red

was

wak

ing

up in

the

hosp

ital.

He

had

been

rid

ing

his

bicy

cle

with

out a

hel

met

and

was

str

uck

by a

car

. His

sku

ll w

as f

ract

ured

, and

his

bra

in w

as b

adly

dam

aged

.So

me

good

cam

e of

Jos

h's

unfo

rtun

ate

acci

dent

. For

one

thin

g, h

ele

arne

d ne

ver

to r

ide

with

out a

hel

met

. Sec

ond,

hiS

Mis

fort

une

was

the

begi

nnin

g of

the

Neu

roE

xplo

rers

.W

hen

Josh

's f

rien

ds c

ame

to v

isit

him

at W

orth

ingt

on R

egio

nal

Hos

pita

l, so

me

of th

em b

ecam

e fa

scin

ated

with

the

fiel

d of

neu

rosc

ienc

e.O

n th

eir

visi

ts, t

hey

met

a n

euro

surg

eon,

a n

euro

surg

ical

nur

se, a

neur

olog

ist a

nd a

neu

rora

diol

ogis

t. T

hese

wer

e m

edic

al s

peci

alis

ts h

elpi

ngpa

tient

s w

ho h

ad p

robl

ems

invo

lvin

g th

e br

ain

or o

ther

par

ts o

f th

ene

rvou

s sy

stem

.It

was

Kyl

e C

hris

tian'

s id

ea to

for

m th

e cl

ub. T

he m

embe

rs a

ll w

ante

d to

know

mor

e ab

out t

he n

ervo

us s

yste

m. T

hey

also

like

d to

sol

ve p

uzzl

es a

ndri

ddle

s an

d ha

d an

inte

rest

in in

vest

igat

ing

som

e of

the

mys

teri

es o

f sc

ienc

e.Si

nce

they

for

med

the

club

, the

Neu

roE

xplo

rers

hav

e vo

lunt

eere

d at

a c

ente

rfo

r th

e re

habi

litat

ion

of b

rain

inju

ry p

atie

nts,

held

a N

euro

-Sci

ence

Fai

r an

d sp

ent a

day

inth

e ho

spita

l on

roun

ds w

ith a

neu

rolo

gist

.T

hey

have

lear

ned

a lo

t abo

ut h

ow th

e br

ain

and

nerv

ous

syst

em w

ork,

and

they

alw

ays

are

look

ing

for

exci

ting

thin

gs to

do

with

neur

osci

ence

.

13

Neu

rosc

ient

ists

stu

dy th

e br

ain

and.

SC

'reth

e re

st' o

f the

nerv

ous

syst

em.

17A

5V1:

1110

ing

1210

4 of

the

nerv

ous

,.

syst

em.is

the

nerv

e ce

ll, o

r ne

uron

.T

he w

ord

"neu

ron"

com

es fr

om th

ebr

eali4

,-'4

for

"ner

ve."

How

man

yw

ords

can

ou fi

nd_

-tha

t.sta

rt w

it

14

The

Clu

b M

embe

rsK

yle

Chr

istia

nK

yle'

s fa

ther

is a

n ar

chae

olog

ist

at D

arga

te U

nive

rsity

and

oft

en is

away

on

digs

.L

ast y

ear,

he

took

Kyl

e w

ith h

imon

a s

hort

dig

in B

eliz

e. K

elly

, Kyl

e's

sist

er,

som

etim

es d

oes

thin

gs w

ith th

e N

euro

Exp

lore

rs, a

lthou

gh s

ome

of th

e m

embe

rs f

eel

that

she

is a

littl

eyo

ung

for

the

club

. Kyl

e lik

es to

rea

d sc

ienc

e fi

ctio

n bo

oks

and

play

com

pute

rga

mes

. His

hob

by is

mem

oriz

ing

fasc

inat

ing

triv

ia.

The

Bra

inW

hen

Ant

onio

Vel

asqu

ez-R

uiz,

alia

s T

heB

rain

, was

a to

ddle

r, h

ew

as v

ery

quie

tan

d ne

ver

trie

d to

talk

. One

day

he

sudd

enly

bega

n sp

eaki

ng in

com

plet

ese

nten

ces.

Sin

ce th

en, h

e ha

s be

en k

now

nas

the

smar

test

boy

in to

wn.

The

trou

ble

is, o

nly

his

best

fri

end

can

unde

rsta

nd T

he B

rain

's b

ig w

ords

and

long

sent

ence

s.T

he B

rain

rea

dsa

lot,

but h

is m

ost-

used

boo

ks a

re a

ver

y fa

t dic

tiona

ry,

a se

t of

ency

clop

edia

s, a

nd G

ray'

s A

nato

my.

Max

Mill

erM

ax h

as b

een

frie

nds

with

The

Bra

in s

ince

they

wer

e ba

bies

, and

that

's w

hy h

eun

ders

tand

s hi

m s

o w

ell.

The

y sp

end

mos

t of

thei

r tim

e to

geth

er. W

hile

The

Bra

in r

eads

, Max

oft

en w

orks

on m

odel

s of

boa

ts a

nd p

lane

s or

bui

lds

thin

gsw

ith w

ood.

Max

bec

ame

inte

rest

edin

neu

rolo

gy w

hen

his

gran

dfat

her

had

trou

ble

with

his

mem

ory

and

was

dia

gnos

ed w

ith A

lzhe

imer

's d

isea

se.

Lak

eish

a C

raw

ford

Lak

eish

a w

ants

to b

ea

ches

s gr

andm

aste

r, s

o sh

e ca

rrie

s a

pock

et c

hess

gam

ear

ound

with

her

. She

oft

en th

inks

abo

ut th

ings

in te

rms

of c

hess

pro

blem

s, a

nd s

heha

s de

velo

ped

a go

od m

emor

y. S

he a

lso

likes

to p

lay

othe

rga

mes

and

spo

rts.

Kar

ate

less

ons

are

her

late

st p

assi

on. L

akei

sha

has

a lit

tle s

iste

r w

ho h

as e

pile

psy.

iii16

Is le

y I

and

Is le

y II

Iden

tical

twin

s, I

s le

y I

and

II (

even

thei

r pa

rent

s do

n't c

all t

hem

by

thei

r ac

tual

firs

t nam

es)

are

alw

ays

kidd

ing

each

oth

er. T

hey

both

love

spo

rts

and

play

socc

er, b

aseb

all a

nd b

aske

tbal

l. Is

ley

I co

llect

s ba

seba

ll ca

rds

and

has

a 19

54M

icke

y M

antle

in g

ood

cond

ition

. Is

ley

II h

olds

the

reco

rd f

or c

onse

cutiv

eba

sket

ball

free

thro

ws

in h

is s

choo

l. T

heir

fat

her,

a b

ird-

wat

cher

, got

them

inte

rest

ed in

sci

ence

by

read

ing

to th

em f

rom

the

note

s of

Cha

rles

Dar

win

.

B.J

. Arm

stro

ngB

.J. s

pend

s a

lot o

f tim

e w

ith h

er d

rum

s. I

n fa

ct, s

he c

arri

es h

er d

rum

stic

ks w

ithhe

r an

d us

es th

em o

n an

y ha

rd s

urfa

ce s

he c

an f

ind!

She

wan

ts to

pla

y in

a b

and;

but s

he a

lso

wan

ts to

be

a ph

ysic

ian.

B.J

. has

two

olde

r br

othe

rs w

ho s

omet

imes

act a

s ad

viso

rs to

the

Neu

roE

xplo

rers

. One

bro

ther

is a

neu

rolo

gist

at a

med

ical

scho

ol. H

er b

roth

ers

neve

r lik

ed to

use

her

for

thal

nai

ne, B

ever

ly J

ane,

so

they

've,

alw

ays

calle

d he

r B

.J.,

and

so d

o he

r fr

iend

s.; j

i

Shilo

h N

umhu

sSh

iloh

lived

on

a ga

me

pres

erve

in A

fric

a fo

r m

any

year

s. W

hile

ther

e, h

er b

ack

was

inju

red,

and

now

she

mus

t use

a w

heel

chai

r. B

efor

e he

r in

jury

, Shi

loh

was

ver

yat

hlet

ic. N

ow s

he h

as b

ecom

e an

exc

elle

nt w

heel

chai

r te

nnis

pla

yer.

She

als

o lik

es to

put t

oget

her

jigsa

w p

uzzl

es w

ith th

ousa

nds

of p

iece

s. S

hilo

h w

as h

appy

to m

ake

frie

nds

with

the

Neu

roE

xplo

rers

whe

n sh

e ca

me

to h

er n

ew s

choo

l in

Am

eric

a.

Josh

Kav

ilW

hen

Josh

rec

over

ed f

rom

his

hea

d in

juri

es, h

e co

uldn

't w

ait t

o jo

in th

e cl

ub w

ith h

isfr

iend

s. J

osh

has

alw

ays

liked

sci

ence

, bec

ause

he

love

s to

fig

ure

out h

ow th

ings

wor

k.H

e al

so lo

ves

anim

als.

He

has

a pe

t liz

ard

nam

ed S

coot

er, a

sna

ke n

amed

Slim

, tw

odo

gs a

nd tw

o ca

ts. A

fter

his

exp

erie

nce

as a

pat

ient

in a

reh

abili

tatio

n ce

nter

, he

deci

ded

he w

ould

like

to b

e a

phys

ical

ther

apis

t whe

n he

gro

ws

up.

IK

MtiS

A F

rien

d R

etur

nsJo

sh K

avil

coul

dn't

belie

ve it

. He

look

ed a

roun

d K

yle

Chr

istia

n's

base

men

t. H

ere

he w

as w

ith h

is f

rien

ds,

at la

st. H

e w

as g

lad

to b

e ba

ck!

Kyl

e w

as ta

ppin

g on

the

blac

kboa

rd a

t the

fro

nt o

f th

ero

om.

"Neu

roE

xplo

rers

," h

e an

noun

ced,

"ho

w a

bout

sitt

ing

dow

nso

we

can

star

tth

e m

eetin

g?"

"Any

new

mys

teri

es?"

Lak

eish

a as

ked

as s

he m

ade

a cr

ushi

ng c

hess

mov

e ag

ains

t her

han

d-he

ld c

ompu

ter.

"Gue

ss n

ot,"

Kyl

e sa

id, "

but i

t stil

l is

a ve

ry im

port

ant m

eetin

g. A

syo

use

e, J

osh

is b

ack,

and

he

fina

lly is

goi

ng to

be

an o

ffic

ial m

embe

r of

our

clu

b!"

Eve

ryon

e ye

lled

and

clap

ped

so m

uch

that

Kyl

e co

uldn

'tsa

yan

othe

r w

ord.

All

the

Neu

roE

xplo

rers

kne

w w

hat h

ad h

appe

ned

to th

eir

frie

nd, J

osh.

He

was

hit

by a

car

whi

le r

idin

g hi

s bi

cycl

e ei

ght m

onth

s ag

o. H

e w

asn'

tw

eari

ng a

hel

met

, and

he

hit h

is h

ead

whe

n he

fel

l. A

fter

an

oper

atio

n fo

rda

mag

e to

his

bra

in, h

e w

as in

the

hosp

ital f

or a

mon

th. H

e sp

ent t

wo

mor

e m

onth

s in

a r

ehab

ilita

tion

cent

er a

nd th

en c

ontin

ued

to g

o ba

ck th

ere

ever

y da

y fo

r th

erap

y. S

ome

of th

e ki

ds h

ad k

ept i

n to

uch

with

Jos

h, s

o he

knew

how

they

'd s

tart

ed th

e N

euro

Exp

lore

rs C

lub

afte

r hi

s in

jury

.Jo

sh h

eld

up h

is h

ands

to q

uiet

his

fri

ends

. "T

hank

s fo

r th

e gr

eetin

g,"

he s

aid,

gri

nnin

g. "

Bel

ieve

me,

I'm

hap

pier

to b

e he

re th

an y

ou a

re to

see

me!

And

I b

roug

ht s

ome

cook

ies

for

ever

yone

, to

than

k yo

u fo

r st

icki

ng b

ym

e al

l thi

s tim

e."

"All

righ

t! G

ive

me

cook

ies

and

I'll f

ollo

w y

ou a

nyw

here

!" I

s le

y I

crie

d

as h

e le

aped

to g

et th

e fi

rst c

ooki

e."G

ood.

May

be y

ou'll

qui

t fol

low

ing

me

arou

nd f

or a

cha

nge,

" Is

ley

IIte

ased

his

bro

ther

. He

grab

bed

a co

okie

for

him

self

.W

hile

Kyl

e pa

ssed

the

box

of c

ooki

es a

roun

d, J

osh

answ

ered

eve

ryon

e's

ques

tions

abo

ut h

is p

rogr

ess.

The

Neu

roE

xplo

rers

wer

e so

gla

d to

see

him

,th

ey f

orgo

t abo

ut th

eir

wis

h fo

ra

new

mys

tery

or

adve

ntur

e.

Cro

ss-W

ired

"Hol

d it

a m

inut

e,"

shou

ted

Kyl

e w

hen

ever

yone

was

talk

ing

to J

osh

aton

ce. "

Let

him

ans

wer

a q

uest

ion

with

out i

nter

rupt

ion.

" T

hero

om b

ecam

equ

iet a

fter

B.J

. pla

yed

a dr

um r

oll o

n th

e ta

ble

top.

"Wel

l, yo

u kn

ow th

at I

cou

ldn'

t mov

e m

y le

g an

d ar

m a

t all,

for

a w

hile

.B

oy, w

as th

at s

cary

! B

ut a

t the

reh

abce

nter

I le

arne

d to

wal

k ag

ain.

Loo

k,"

hesa

id, w

alki

ngac

ross

the

room

, "I

don'

t eve

n ne

ed to

use

a c

ane

anym

ore.

And

my

righ

t arm

is w

orki

ng a

gain

, too

!""Y

our

righ

t arm

?as

ked

B.J

. "I

thou

ght

you

crac

ked

the

left

side

of

your

sku

ll an

dhu

rt th

ele

ftsi

de o

fyo

ur b

rain

. Why

was

n't

it yo

ur le

ft a

rm a

nd le

gth

at w

ould

n't w

ork?

""Y

ou r

emem

ber

the

brai

n an

dne

rvou

s

Rea

l -lif

e N

euro

Exp

lore

rs

Tod

ay, d

octo

rs a

re a

ble

to h

elp

acci

dent

vict

ims

with

hea

d or

spi

nal c

ord

inju

ries

in m

ore

way

s th

an e

ver

befo

re. B

ette

rem

erge

ncy

care

, im

prov

ed te

chni

ques

for

reha

bilit

atio

n an

d ne

w d

rugs

are

help

ing

to im

prov

e th

e re

cove

ry o

fpe

ople

with

thes

e ty

pes

of in

jurie

s.

3

Mos

t ner

vous

sys

tem

path

way

s fr

om th

e br

ain

.toth

e re

st o

f the

bod

y cr

oss

over

from

one

sid

e of

the

body

to th

e ot

her.

Thi

sha

ppen

s in

the

prai

n,its

eif o

rin

the

spin

al c

ord.

You

mig

htsa

y th

at w

e ar

e cr

oss-

Wire

alT

his

is w

hy d

amag

e to

one

side

of t

he b

rain

can

affe

ctm

ovem

ent o

r se

nsat

ions

64,

the

othe

r si

de o

f the

boj

y.;.,

syst

em a

re c

ross

-wir

ed,"

sai

d K

yle.

"L

ook,

her

e's

the

pict

ure

of it

," h

ead

ded,

ope

ning

a b

ook

in th

e pi

le o

n hi

s sh

elf.

Just

then

, Shi

loh

Nim

bus

ease

d he

r w

heel

chai

r ov

er to

Jos

h an

din

trod

uced

her

self

. "H

i! I

'm S

hilo

h,"

she

said

. "I'm

a n

ew m

embe

r of

the

club

, and

I k

now

how

it f

eels

whe

n yo

ur b

ody

does

n't w

ork

righ

t. I

was

inan

acc

iden

t too

, but

my

spin

al c

ord

was

inju

red.

You

're lu

cky

your

inju

rydi

dn't

do p

erm

anen

t dam

age.

""Y

eah,

I r

eally

am

luck

y to

hav

e m

ost o

f th

e m

ovem

ent b

ack,

" Jo

shsa

id, "

but I

stil

l can

't he

ar in

one

ear

."Su

dden

ly J

osh

stop

ped

talk

ing.

"W

hat's

this

," h

e sa

id to

him

self

,lo

okin

g do

wn

into

the

cook

ie b

ox, "

a ba

seba

ll ca

rd?"

He

blin

ked.

Why

was

a b

aseb

all c

ard

lyin

g in

the

botto

m o

f th

ebo

x of

coo

kies

?Pi

ckin

g ou

t the

car

d, J

osh

held

it u

p an

d sa

id, "

Loo

k at

this

. I'v

e go

t aba

seba

ll ca

rda

Mic

key

Man

tle r

ooki

e ca

rd f

rom

195

2."

4

E,

Mys

tery

Coo

kies

"Let

me

see

that

!" c

ried

Is

ley

Ias

he

shov

ed h

is w

ayto

the

card

in J

osh'

s ha

nd. "

Wow

! C

ool!

Tha

t'son

e of

the

best

car

ds th

ere

is!

Itm

ust b

e w

orth

a f

ortu

ne a

t the

spor

ts c

ard

stor

e."

He

held

the

card

up,

and

ever

yone

look

ed a

t it.

"It l

ooks

in p

erfe

ct c

ondi

tion!

" sa

idK

yle.

"It l

ooks

like

min

t con

ditio

n,"

said

Is l

ey I

, the

exp

ert.

"Wha

t doe

s th

at m

ean?

" as

ked

Shilo

h."I

t mea

ns it

's s

till i

n pe

rfec

t con

ditio

n af

ter

all t

hese

year

s.T

his

is a

195

2 ca

rd, a

nd it

'sju

st li

ke n

ew!"

Is

ley

Iex

plai

ned.

He

pulle

d th

e ca

rd c

aref

ully

out

of

its p

last

icco

ver

and

wav

ed it

in th

e ai

r so

all

coul

d se

e.A

s it

wav

ed b

y hi

sno

se, J

osh

snif

fed

the

card

. "W

ow,

it ev

en s

mel

ls li

ke n

ew. Y

ou k

now

like

a ne

w b

ook.

""H

ow e

xtre

mel

y ex

trao

rdin

ary

that

an o

bjec

t sho

uld

emit

such

an

arom

a af

ter

40-o

ddye

ars,

" T

he B

rain

com

men

ted.

Max

turn

ed to

Jos

h as

he

expl

aine

d T

he B

rain

's w

ords

for

the

grou

p."H

esa

ysit'

s fu

nny

that

a c

ard

over

40

year

s ol

d sm

ells

like

new

.""I

t's f

unny

that

an

old

card

is in

a bo

x of

coo

kies

!" L

akei

sha

adde

d. "

Why

doyo

u su

ppos

e it'

s th

ere?

"Jo

sh lo

oked

puz

zled

. "I

don'

t kno

w,"

he

said

. "T

he b

ox d

oesn

'tsa

yth

ere'

sa

base

ball

card

in it

. It d

oesn

'tsa

yth

ere'

san

y su

rpri

se. I

n fa

ct, I

was

sur

pris

edw

hen

the

cook

ies

cam

e to

my

hous

e! A

del

iver

y tr

uck

brou

ght t

he p

acka

ge,

and

it ha

dm

y na

me

on it

. I d

on't

know

who

sen

t the

m."

"It w

as n

ice

ofyo

u to

shar

e th

em w

ithus

, any

way

," B

.J. s

aid.

2 7

4L5

The

sen

SeO

f tas

te. d

epen

ds

on ti

nS'_

.PF

(P:4

,11e

?,01

s1q6

1

r` ta

ste

duds

loC

ated

* th

erto

ngue

and

insi

de th

e m

outh

.'''

You

hav

e_ o

ver

10,0

00P

0ofe

1711

45i W

hen

you

tast

e 4"

.

som

ethi

ng, t

iny

rece

ptor

sin

side

the.

itast

e bu

ds s

end

mes

sage

s al

ong

nerv

es tO

,sp

ecia

l al.-

eaS

insi

de o

ur44

.3.

;-V

"

"I th

ough

t the

y'd

be g

ood

for

a ce

lebr

atio

n, s

o I

save

d th

emfo

r to

day,

" Jo

sh a

nsw

ered

. "It

say

s th

ey're

fro

m C

ousi

n C

onni

e's

Coo

kie

Com

pany

, but

I d

on't

know

any

thin

g el

se a

bout

them

.""I

n th

at c

ase,

I h

ave

to te

ll yo

u th

at th

is c

ooki

e is

n't v

ery

good

," s

aid

Lak

eish

a. "

It's

not

sw

eet e

noug

h. I

neve

r ha

d a

cook

ie b

efor

e th

at w

asn'

t sw

eet."

"Min

e ta

stes

sor

t of

like

saw

dust

," a

dded

Max

."I

nev

er m

et a

coo

kie

I di

dn't

like,

but

I d

on't

even

wan

t to

fini

sh th

is o

ne,"

chi

med

in I

sley

Tap

ping

out

a ja

zz b

eat w

ith h

er f

eet a

nd s

mas

hing

an

imag

inar

y cy

mba

l, B

. J. s

poke

for

the

rest

of

them

. "T

here

def

-in-

ite-l

y is

...so

me-

thin

g w

rong

...w

ith th

ese

cook

-ies

." S

mas

h!T

he g

roup

of

frie

nds

look

ed a

t eac

h ot

her.

The

y al

mos

tsh

iver

ed, a

s th

ough

an

elec

tric

cur

rent

had

run

thro

ugh

all o

fth

em. K

yle

whi

sper

ed e

xcite

dly

in th

e su

dden

sile

nce,

"W

hy is

ava

luab

le b

aseb

all c

ard

stuc

k in

a b

kik

of ta

ste-

less

coo

kies

? W

ese

em to

hav

e a

mys

tery

aft

er a

ll!"

Neu

roE

xplo

rers

inA

ctio

nT

he c

lub

mem

bers

cou

ldn'

t sto

p th

inki

ng a

bout

the

cook

iem

yste

ry. J

osh

look

ed a

t the

coo

kie

box

and

foun

d th

e co

mpa

ny's

addr

ess.

It w

asn'

t far

aw

ay!

The

y de

cide

d to

take

a fi

eld

trip

toC

ousi

n C

onni

e's

Coo

kie

Com

pany

!T

he n

ext d

ay, t

hey

all m

et o

n a

corn

er to

take

a ci

ty b

us.

Shilo

h go

t on

the

whe

elch

air

lift a

nd th

e ot

hers

clim

bed

up th

est

eps

of th

e bu

s, e

xcite

d to

be

on th

eir

way

. At l

east

mos

t of

them

wer

e. "

Are

you

sur

e th

is b

ogus

vis

it to

the

cook

ie c

ompa

ny is

630

!

prud

ent?

" sa

id a

voi

ce b

ehin

d K

yle.

It w

as T

he B

rain

."H

e w

onde

rs if

it's

sm

art f

orus

to b

e go

ing

to th

is c

ooki

e co

mpa

ny,

pret

endi

ng w

e lik

e th

eir

cook

ies,

" M

ax tr

ansl

ated

."T

his

is a

fin

e tim

e to

be

won

deri

ng,"

B.J

. cal

led

out f

rom

acr

oss

the

aisl

e. "

It's

too

late

now

! W

e're

on o

ur w

ay."

"It's

a m

yste

ry th

at n

eeds

sol

ving

," K

yle

stat

ed,

"eve

n if

it is

n't a

neur

osci

ence

adv

entu

re."

"On

the

cont

rary

," T

he B

rain

add

ed th

ough

tful

ly, "

it is

evi

dent

that

alm

ost a

ll hu

man

end

eavo

r in

volv

esne

uros

cien

ce. T

hink

abo

ut it

.""H

e di

sagr

ees,

" M

ax s

aid

sim

ply.

"H

e th

inks

neur

osci

ence

isev

eryw

here

."E

very

body

sm

iled.

The

y kn

ew th

at T

heB

rain

had

fun

bei

ng d

iffi

cult.

The

y kn

ew h

e th

ough

t thi

s tr

ip w

ould

be

a lo

t of

fun,

tooa

nd h

e co

uldn

'tre

sist

a m

yste

ry, n

euro

scie

nce

or n

ot.

3 .1

7:3

;)3

Cou

sin

Con

nie'

s C

ooki

e C

ompa

ny"T

his

is th

e st

opyo

u w

ante

d, s

on,"

the

bus

driv

er a

nnou

nced

to K

yle,

"Eas

t Ada

ms

Stre

et."

"Thi

s is

it, e

very

body

," K

yle

said

, lea

ding

the

Neu

roE

xplo

rers

off

the

bus

and

wai

ting

whi

le th

e dr

iver

ope

rate

d th

e w

heel

chai

r lif

t for

Shi

loh.

The

bus

's e

ngin

e ro

ared

as

it st

arte

d of

f ag

ain

on it

s jo

urne

y do

wn

the

win

ding

roa

d. "

The

dec

ibel

leve

l em

itted

by

this

veh

icle

is s

uffi

cien

t to

dam

age

our

audi

tory

cap

acity

!" s

hout

edT

he B

rain

, cov

erin

g hi

s ea

rs w

ith h

is h

ands

."H

e sa

ys th

e bu

s is

so

loud

, it c

ould

rea

lly h

urt

your

ear

s,"

Max

yel

led

to h

is f

rien

ds. T

hey

trie

d to

clos

e of

f th

eir

eyes

, ear

san

d no

ses

as th

e bu

ssp

utte

red

off

nois

ily in

a c

loud

of

smok

e an

d oi

l.L

ooki

ng a

roun

d to

fin

d th

eir

way

, the

y no

ticed

the

sky

begi

nnin

g to

dar

ken.

Rai

n cl

ouds

rol

led

inov

erhe

ad. T

hey

wal

ked

dow

n th

e st

reet

and

sto

pped

in f

ront

of

a la

rge

gate

."T

his

is th

e ad

dres

s on

the

cook

ie b

ox-4

10 E

ast -

Ada

ms

Stre

et,"

Jos

h an

noun

ced.

"The

re's

a s

ign,

" K

yle

said

, poi

ntin

g to

the

othe

rga

tepo

st. "

It s

ays

Cou

sin

Con

nie'

s C

ooki

e C

ompa

ny."

"Tha

t's th

e co

okie

Com

pany

?" B

.J. s

aid

soft

ly.

The

re, j

ust o

ver

a m

ound

of

wee

dy la

wn,

surr

ound

ed b

y a

blac

k ir

on f

ence

and

per

ched

on

asm

all h

ill w

as a

tall,

old

bui

ldin

g. I

t loo

ked

mor

e lik

ea

haun

ted

hous

e th

an a

bak

ery.

"Isa

y w

e go

hom

e,"

Is le

y II

sai

d as

he

turn

ed to

run.

His

bro

ther

hel

d hi

m b

y th

ebe

lt.

8

Loue

l noi

ses

can

dam

age

hear

ing

by,-

harm

ing

tiny

hair-

like

cells

in th

eill

iner

mas

t par

t of t

he e

ar. A

ese

ibel

le c

onve

rt s

ound

wav

es in

the

air'

into

sig

nals

that

can

trav

elal

ong'

-

,i,ne

rves

toth

e br

ain.

rF)1

6-

Exa

mpl

es o

f lou

d so

unds

that

ca

t7e

dang

erou

i inc

lude

noi

se

.mot

orcy

cles

` or

trai

ns, v

ery

loud

rnto

ic h

eard

thro

ugh

head

pho

neS

br'

rock

con

cert

, or

nois

e fr

om

fireb

raC

kers

or

gun

shot

s.-

3 4

3 7

In a

n in

stan

t, da

rk c

loud

s pi

led

Upo

n da

rker

clo

uds

until

the

entir

esk

y w

as b

lotte

d ou

t .by

thre

aten

ing

shad

ows.

Rai

n be

gan

com

ing

dow

nha

rd. "W

e ha

ve n

o ch

oice

now

," K

yle

anno

unce

d. "

The

nex

t bus

doe

sn't

com

e fo

r ha

lf a

n ho

ur..

If w

e st

and

here

we'

ll ge

t soa

ked.

" A

cra

shin

gbo

om a

nd a

bol

t of

light

ning

sen

tth

em h

urry

ing

tow

ard

the

hous

e.In

a p

ack,

the

club

sho

ved

thro

ugh

the

gate

and

mov

ed u

p th

epa

th a

nd o

nto

the

porc

h of

Cou

sin

Con

nie'

s C

ooki

e C

ompa

ny. K

yle

and

Lak

eish

a he

lped

Shi

loh

up th

e w

orn

step

s. J

osh

bold

ly k

nock

ed o

n th

edo

or. The

doo

r cr

acke

d op

en, a

nd tw

oey

es p

eere

d at

the

Neu

roE

xplo

rers

.T

hund

er b

oom

ed in

the

dist

ance

. The

eyes

squ

inte

d an

d pu

lled

away

, as

ifth

ey w

ere

bein

g su

cked

in b

y th

eda

rkne

ss. T

hen

the

door

sw

ung

open

.A

larg

e w

oman

loom

ed o

ver

them

."W

hat i

s it?

" sh

e as

ked

imPa

tient

ly.

BE

ST C

OPY

AV

AIL

AB

LE10

"We'

re th

e N

euro

Exp

lore

rs C

lub,

" K

yle

told

her

, "an

d w

e'd

like

to v

isit

your

bak

ery.

We

thou

ght y

ou m

ight

be

able

to m

ake

us s

ome

brai

n-sh

aped

cook

ies

for

our

mee

tings

.""N

o! W

e do

n't d

o sp

ecia

l ord

ers,

" re

plie

d th

ew

oman

, "an

d w

e do

n't

take

vis

itors

." S

he q

uick

ly s

tepp

ed b

ack

and

slam

med

the

door

.

Dec

isio

n M

ade

The

Neu

roE

xplo

rers

fla

ttene

d th

emse

lves

aga

inst

the

wal

l of

the

porc

h,tr

ying

to s

tay

out o

f th

e bl

owin

g ra

inas

the

stor

m g

ot w

orse

."C

urio

user

and

Cur

ious

er,"

The

Bra

in s

aid,

rub

bing

his

han

ds to

geth

eras

he

look

ed a

roun

d th

e m

yste

riou

s bu

ildin

g."I

thin

k th

at's

a q

uote

fro

m 'A

lice

in W

onde

rlan

d',"

Max

exp

lain

ed.

"Thi

s is

no

won

derl

and!

" L

akei

sha

said

, as

the

Neu

roE

xplo

rers

pus

hed

toge

ther

mor

e tig

htly

. "W

e'd

bette

r ge

tou

t of

here

.""W

hat a

re w

e go

ing

to d

o no

w?"

Is

ley

I as

ked.

"Wal

k ba

ck to

the

bus

stop

and

go h

ome?

" Is

ley

II r

eplie

d ho

pefu

lly.

Kyl

e lo

oked

at t

he o

ther

Neu

roE

xplo

rers

, sea

rchi

ng th

eir

eyes

. Fin

ally

,he

spo

ke. "

Som

ethi

ng's

wei

rd h

ere.

Isa

y w

e sn

oop

arou

nd a

littl

e. M

aybe

we

can

peek

thro

ugh

a w

indo

w o

r so

met

hing

see

wha

t's g

oing

on.

""I

bel

ieve

ther

e is

con

sens

us f

or th

at e

ndea

vor,

" T

he B

rain

rep

lied.

"We

all a

gree

," s

aid

Max

. "L

et's

take

a lo

ok."

The

Neu

roE

xplo

rers

tipt

oed

acro

ss th

e cr

eaky

por

ch, f

ollo

win

g its

win

ding

pat

h ar

ound

the

side

of

the

hous

e."S

hade

's d

own,

" B

.J. s

aid,

pre

ssin

g he

rno

se a

gain

st th

e fi

rst w

indo

w.

"Can

't se

e a

thin

g."

It lo

oked

as

thou

ghev

ery

shad

e w

as d

own,

eve

ry c

rack

was

sea

led

and

ever

y do

or lo

cked

.

311

r0

At t

he v

ery

end

of th

e po

rch

was

one

last

doo

r. L

akei

sha

jiggl

ed th

e ha

ndle

."I

gue

ss th

is o

ne is

lock

ed to

o,"

she

said

.D

isap

poin

tmen

t set

tled

over

the

youn

g ex

plor

ers.

Lak

eish

a si

ghed

and

lean

edhe

avily

aga

inst

the

door

. "W

ell,

I gu

ess

that

's it

," s

he s

aid.

And

it w

as!

Bec

ause

as

Lak

eish

a le

aned

aga

inst

the

door

, it o

pene

d, a

nd s

hedi

sapp

eare

d fr

om s

ight

, as

if s

he h

ad b

een

swal

low

ed u

p by

the

dark

, old

hou

se.

Dar

k V

oice

s"L

akei

sha,

whe

re a

re y

ou?"

the

Neu

roE

xplo

rers

voi

ced

in lo

ud w

hisp

ers,

as e

ach

of th

em f

ollo

wed

thro

ugh

the

door

fro

m th

e gl

oom

of

a st

orm

y da

yin

to th

e bl

ackn

ess

of th

e cl

osed

-up

old

hous

e.A

s fa

r as

the

Isle

ys w

ere

conc

erne

d, th

is w

as th

e da

rkes

t pla

ce th

ey h

adev

er b

eene

ven

dark

er th

an th

e C

aves

at C

alic

oon!

The

re w

ere

no li

ghts

, and

ever

y w

indo

w w

as s

hade

d. O

nly

a di

m li

ght c

ame

thro

ugh

the

still

-ope

n do

or.

Star

ing

into

the

dark

ness

in th

e co

rner

of

the

room

, the

Isl

eys

wer

e st

artle

d as

som

ethi

ng m

oved

tow

ard

them

thro

ugh

the

gloo

m.

"Wha

t's th

at?"

Is

ley

I ex

clai

med

."I

t's ju

st m

e,"

Shilo

h sa

id, e

mer

ging

fro

m th

e da

rkne

ss a

nd r

ollin

g cl

oser

toth

e tw

ins.

The

Isl

eys

rela

xed.

Now

they

cou

ld s

ee th

e ot

her

Neu

roE

xplo

rers

. Nob

ody

was

spe

akin

g. B

ut th

ere

was

som

eone

spe

akin

ga v

oice

, get

ting

clos

er. I

t was

a w

oman

's v

oice

. Kyl

e w

aved

his

han

d, th

en h

eld

his

fing

er to

his

lips

."W

hat d

o yo

u th

ink

I di

d?"

the

voic

e sa

id. "

I se

nt th

em a

way

.""A

re y

ou s

ure

they

're g

one?

" a

gruf

f m

an's

voi

ce a

nsw

ered

."Y

es. I

che

cked

. The

re's

no

one

out f

ront

. The

y w

ere

just

a b

unch

of

kids

anyw

ay. I

t's n

othi

ng to

wor

ry a

bout

, Cha

rlie

," th

e w

oman

sai

d.

1242

"I g

uess

not

," s

aid

Cha

rlie

. "I'm

just

a lit

tle n

ervo

us, C

onni

e. A

fter

all,

we

still

hav

e m

ore

to d

o to

day.

We

have

n't g

otte

n al

l our

pho

ne c

alls

yet

,yo

u kn

ow."

"We

still

hav

en't

hear

d fr

om th

egu

y in

Chi

cago

?" C

onni

e as

ked

anxi

ousl

y."N

o, a

nd h

e sa

id h

e'd

orde

r m

ore

if h

e lik

ed th

e fi

rst o

ne,"

Cha

rlie

repl

ied.

"Oka

y, I

'll s

tay

near

the

phon

e,"

she

said

. "Y

ougo

che

ck th

e pr

ess.

"T

he v

oice

s st

oppe

d an

d fo

otst

eps

disa

ppea

red

into

oth

erro

oms.

"A m

ost p

ecul

iar

conv

ersa

tion,

" T

he B

rain

sai

d, s

crat

chin

g hi

s ch

in. N

oon

e lo

oked

at M

ax, b

ecau

se th

ey u

nder

stoo

d. T

hey

all w

ere

thin

king

the

exac

t sam

e th

ing.

Thi

s w

as v

ery

stra

nge.

4,3

13B

EST

CO

PY

AV

AIL

AB

LE4

45

A S

enso

ry P

lan

The

Neu

roE

xplo

rers

did

n't k

now

wha

t was

goi

ng o

n or

whe

re th

eyw

ere

in th

is d

ark

hous

e, b

ut th

ey a

ll kn

ew w

hat t

hey

wer

e go

ing

to d

o.T

here

was

a m

yste

ry h

ere,

and

they

wou

ld n

ot tu

rn a

way

fro

m it

!"W

e ne

ed a

pla

n,"

B. J

. sai

d, tw

irlin

g im

agin

ary

drum

stic

ks.

"Tea

ms,

" Is

ley

I sa

id.

"Rig

ht,"

con

tinue

d Is

ley

II. "

We

need

to s

plit

into

team

s. S

olvi

ngm

yste

ries

is ju

st li

ke s

port

s. W

e ne

ed te

amw

ork.

""T

he te

ams

need

to g

athe

r cl

ues,

" Jo

sh a

dded

, "to

try

and

mak

e so

me

sens

e ou

t of

all t

his.

""T

hat's

it!"

Kyl

e ex

clai

med

. "Y

ou s

aid

it!"

"Wha

t did

he

say?

" Is

ley

I as

ked,

pee

ring

thro

ugh

the

dark

ness

for

Jos

h's

face

.K

yle

answ

ered

, "L

et's

mak

e so

me

sens

eou

t of

this

in th

e w

ay w

e kn

ow b

est,

usin

gne

uros

cien

ce. L

et's

use

our

sen

ses!

"L

akei

sha

unde

rsto

od im

med

iate

ly. "

Sens

ete

ams,

" sh

e sa

id. "

We'

ll di

vide

up

into

team

san

d ga

ther

clu

es b

y us

ing

our

sens

es."

Exc

itedl

y, th

e N

euro

Exp

lore

rs s

tart

edw

hisp

erin

g ba

ck a

nd f

orth

. Who

wou

ld b

e on

the

team

s? W

here

wou

ld th

ey g

o? W

hat

wou

ld th

ey f

ind?

Isle

y I

and

II w

ere

read

y to

go.

The

ytu

rned

tow

ard

each

oth

er in

the

dark

. "H

igh

five

!" I

sley

I s

aid,

rai

sing

'his

han

d an

dhi

tting

Kyl

e in

the

side

of

the

face

! K

yle'

s

14

46

glas

ses

flew

off

and

his

hea

d sn

appe

dto

the

side

."O

w!"

Kyl

e cr

ied

out.

"Is

ley!

Be

care

ful!

Whe

re d

idm

y gl

asse

s go

?"Sc

oopi

ng u

p K

yle'

s gl

asse

s, L

akei

sha

exam

ined

them

."O

ne o

f th

e le

nses

is g

one,

Kyl

e, a

nd th

ey're

ben

t," s

he s

aid.

"Sor

ry,"

Is

ley

I sa

id. "

I ho

peyo

u do

n't n

eed

thos

e to

see

!"Is

ley

II g

ave

his

brot

her

a sm

all s

hove

. "T

his

is n

o tim

e fo

r jo

kes,

klu

tz,"

he s

aid.

"Wel

l, I

gues

syo

u co

uldn

't he

lp it

," s

aid

Kyl

e, f

inge

ring

his

use

less

eyeg

lass

es. "

It's

too

dark

to s

ee m

uch

arou

nd h

ere

anyw

ay."

A c

alm

voi

ce s

poke

out

calm

, but

als

o co

nfid

ent.

It w

as a

voi

ce w

itha

plan

. "I

know

wha

t we

can

do,"

Shi

loh

anno

unce

d, "

and

I kn

ow h

oww

eca

n do

it."

Eve

ryon

e N

eeds

a B

rain

Shilo

h ge

ntly

roc

ked

her

whe

elch

air

back

and

fort

h w

hile

she

talk

ed.

"We'

ll sp

lit u

p in

to f

our

sens

e te

ams.

Sin

ce ta

stin

g an

d sm

ellin

g w

ork

toge

ther

any

way

, we

can

com

bine

them

in o

ne te

am. T

he o

ther

team

s w

illbe

see

ing,

touc

hing

and

hea

ring

."Is

ley

I sp

oke

firs

t. "I

s le

y II

and

Kyl

eca

n be

on

the

seei

ng te

am w

ith m

e.W

e'll

look

for

clu

es u

sing

our

visi

on."

"If

we

had

a th

inki

ngte

am, y

ou c

ould

n't b

e on

it, I

s le

y I!

" hi

s br

othe

rsa

id. "

Kyl

e w

on't

be m

uch

ofa

visi

on p

artn

er w

ithou

t his

gla

sses

!""T

hat's

rig

ht,"

Shi

loh

adde

d, "

and

Josh

sho

uldn

'tbe

on

the

hear

ing

team

.""B

ut y

ou c

an h

ear,

can

'tyo

u Jo

sh?"

ask

ed I

s le

y II

."Y

es, b

ut o

nly

out o

fon

e ea

r,"

Josh

ans

wer

ed. "

Whe

n yo

u he

ar w

ith

1511

8

both

ear

s, it

's e

asie

r to

fig

ure

out w

here

sou

nds

are

com

ing

from

.So

met

imes

that

hel

ps!"

"I h

ave

a co

ld,"

Lak

eish

a sa

id w

ith a

sni

ffle

. "I

won

't be

muc

h go

od f

orth

e ta

stin

g an

d sm

ellin

g te

am."

Shilo

h no

dded

. In

her

head

she

was

ass

embl

ing

team

s, m

akin

g pl

ans

and

estim

atin

g ou

tcom

es. "

Oka

y,"

she

said

fin

ally

, "he

re's

how

it w

ill b

e.L

akei

sha

and

B.J

. will

for

m th

e se

eing

team

. Is

ley

I an

d II

will

be

the

tast

ean

d sm

ellin

g te

am."

Shi

loh

spun

her

whe

elch

air

to f

ace

the

othe

rs. "

Josh

and

Kyl

e w

ill ta

ke th

e se

nse

of to

uch,

and

The

Bra

in a

nd M

ax, h

eari

ng."

"Wha

t abo

ut y

ou, S

hilo

h?"

Kyl

e as

ked.

Josh

ste

pped

for

war

d. H

e w

as lo

okin

g at

Shi

loh

with

adm

irat

ion.

"Tha

t's e

asy,

" he

sai

d. "

Shilo

h ob

viou

sly

is th

e ce

nter

of

this

nerv

ous

syst

em. S

he's

goi

ng to

be

the

brai

n of

our

sen

sory

net

wor

k."

"Exa

ctly

!" S

hilo

h an

swer

ed e

xcite

dly.

"I'm

goi

ng to

sta

y ri

ght h

ere.

As

soon

as

your

sen

se te

am d

isco

vers

a c

lue,

com

e ba

ck h

ere

and

tell

me

abou

tit.

I'll

try

to p

ut th

em a

ll to

geth

er a

nd m

ake

som

e se

nse

of th

em."

"Of

cour

se. S

hilo

h w

ill b

e th

e ce

nter

of

inte

grat

ion

and

anal

ysis

our

cere

brum

," T

he B

rain

add

ed to

him

self

. Pul

ling

a pe

n fr

om h

is p

ocke

t, he

bega

n to

dra

w a

bra

in o

n hi

s bu

s sc

hedu

le, w

ith li

nes

from

eac

h se

nse

orga

nto

sho

w h

ow s

enso

ry m

essa

ges

go to

the

brai

n."Y

ou c

an p

ut a

ll th

e se

nsor

y cl

ues

toge

ther

, Shi

loh,

and

try

to c

ome

upw

ith a

n an

swer

," M

ax s

aid,

gla

ncin

g at

his

fri

end'

s dr

awin

g. "

It's

per

fect

! Ju

stlik

e cl

ues

from

all

the

sens

es a

re s

ent t

o th

e br

ains

in o

ur b

odie

s!"

It w

as a

lmos

t as

if s

omeo

ne h

ad tu

rned

on

the

light

s, b

ecau

se n

ow th

eN

euro

Exp

lore

rs c

ould

see

cle

arly

. The

mys

tery

was

def

ined

. The

y kn

ew w

hat

they

had

to d

o. A

nd th

ey h

ad a

sen

sibl

e w

ay to

do

it.

1650

Info

rmat

ion

abou

t the

wor

ld a

roun

d us

isde

tect

ed b

y re

cept

ors

in th

e ne

rvou

s sy

stem

.E

ach

kind

of

rece

ptor

res

pond

s to

a c

erta

in ty

peof

info

rmat

ion.

For

exa

mpl

e,re

cept

ors

in th

e ba

ckof

the

eye

dete

ct li

ght,

and

rece

ptor

s on

the

tong

ue r

ecei

ve in

form

atio

n ab

out t

aste

.

The

info

rmat

ion

from

eac

h se

nse

ispr

oces

sed

ina

diffe

rent

par

t of t

he b

rain

. Afte

r se

nsor

ysi

gnal

s ar

e re

ceiv

ed, t

hey

are

sent

to o

ther

are

asof

the

cere

brum

to b

e co

mbi

ned

with

oth

erin

form

atio

n. T

he a

maz

ing

brai

n is

abl

e to

put

man

y di

ffere

nt k

inds

of i

nfor

mat

ion

toge

ther

!

Bitt

ersw

eet

Aft

er c

reep

ing

alon

ga

dark

, dus

ty h

allw

ay, t

he I

s le

y tw

ins

foun

d th

eki

tche

n. T

hey

wer

en't

sure

of

the

path

they

had

fol

low

ed a

nd d

idn'

t kno

who

w th

ey w

ould

get b

ack

to w

here

they

had

bee

n."W

e sh

ould

hav

e le

ft a

trai

l of

crum

bs,"

Is l

ey I

sai

d."I

fee

l lik

e I'm

pla

ying

bas

ketb

all w

itha

blin

dfol

d on

," I

s le

y II

sai

d.T

his

sure

ly w

as th

e ki

tche

n. I

t sm

elle

d lik

eso

met

hing

had

bee

n ba

king

, and

a fa

int h

eat s

till l

inge

red

arou

nd th

e ov

ens.

A g

limm

er o

f lig

ht in

the

gloo

msh

owed

pots

and

pan

s ha

ngin

g fr

om th

e ce

iling

like

bat

s in

a c

ave.

The

rese

emed

to b

e bo

xes

of c

ooki

es n

eatly

sta

cked

on la

rge

tabl

es li

ning

the

wal

ls.

"Wha

t do

you

smel

l?"

Is le

y I

aske

d hi

s br

othe

r.

117

The

sen

se o

f sm

ell d

etec

ts m

olec

ules

that

are

..ca

rrie

d in

air.

The

mol

ecul

es d

rift i

nto

tti.n

ose

and

stim

ulat

e sp

ecia

l ner

ve c

ells

, or

rece

ptor

s.T

he r

ecep

tors

sen

d si

gnal

s to

the

brai

n, te

lling

it w

hich

odo

r is

bei

ng s

mel

led.

Ofte

n, th

e se

nses

of s

mel

l and

tast

e. w

ork

toge

ther

. To

test

this

, try

eat

ing

som

ethi

ngw

hile

you

hol

d yo

ur n

ose.

Is le

y II

was

uns

ure.

"B

aked

thin

gs, I

gues

s,"

he s

aid.

"Yes

, coo

kies

but t

here

are

oth

erth

ings

too,

" Is

ley

I sa

id, t

akin

g a

few

slo

wsn

iffs

. He

bent

clo

se to

a ta

ble

top.

"I

thin

kth

ere

was

fre

sh in

k on

this

tabl

e. A

nd I

smel

l oil,

too,

like

mac

hine

oil.

""H

ey,"

Is

ley

II s

aid,

"th

at's

am

azin

g.H

ow d

id y

ou s

mel

l all

thos

e th

ings

?"Is

ley

I la

ughe

d qu

ietly

. "M

aybe

ther

e ar

eso

me

thin

gs I

do

bette

r th

an y

ou."

"Thi

s ta

stes

sal

ty,"

Is

ley

II a

nnou

nced

sudd

enly

fro

m a

far

cor

ner

of th

e ki

tche

n."W

here

are

you

? W

hat a

re y

ou d

oing

?D

on't

tast

e an

ythi

ng u

nles

s yo

u kn

ow w

hat

it is

!" h

is b

roth

er s

aid

in a

loud

whi

sper

."O

ver

here

," I

s le

y II

ans

wer

ed. "

Don

'tw

orry

. I ju

st f

ound

the

cook

ies.

Hey

, thi

son

e ta

stes

sor

t of

swee

t. H

ere,

try

one.

"Is

ley

I st

umbl

ed o

ver

to I

sley

II

and

took

a c

ooki

e fr

om h

im. "

Hm

m,"

he

said

aft

er b

iting

off

a sm

all p

iece

, "th

isco

okie

is b

itter

."T

he tw

ins

tast

ed s

ever

al c

ooki

es f

rom

dif

fere

nt b

oxes

. "T

hey

all t

aste

alit

tle d

iffe

rent

and

mos

t of

them

are

n't v

ery

good

," I

sley

I s

aid

fina

lly.

"Thi

s ba

ker

has

no s

ense

of

tast

e,"

said

Isl

ey I

I. "

I th

ink

we

need

to r

epor

tth

is b

ack

to S

hilo

h."

Isle

y I

didn

't un

ders

tand

. "W

hat f

or?

Just

bec

ause

we

tast

ed s

ome

bad

cook

ies?

"

1854

"No,

bec

ause

it s

eem

s lik

e C

ousi

n C

onni

e do

esn'

tca

re h

ow h

er c

ooki

esta

ste,

" Is

ley

II a

nsw

ered

. "D

oes

that

tell

us a

nyth

ing?

"Is

ley

I sh

ook

his

head

. "A

ll it

tells

me

is th

at s

he's

a p

retty

bad

coo

k."

"We

need

to r

epor

t to

Shilo

h,"

Is le

y II

insi

sted

."L

et's

go.

"

Vis

ible

Clu

esIn

ano

ther

par

t of

the

hous

e, L

akei

sha

wal

ked

into

a cl

osed

doo

r, w

ith a

thum

p. "

Ow

! I

can'

tse

e a

thin

g!"

she

crie

d."S

hhh,

" B

.J. w

arne

d. "

Of

cour

se y

ouca

n't s

ee. T

he li

ghts

are

out

!" s

he w

hisp

ered

."L

ight

has

to g

o in

toyo

ur e

yes

befo

re y

ouca

n se

e, r

emem

ber?

""O

kay,

oka

y, I

get

the

poin

t," s

aid

Lak

eish

a, "

but i

t doe

sn't

help

me

righ

t now

.""Y

ou're

rig

ht,"

B.J

. sai

d. "

May

be it

will

be b

ette

r on

the

othe

r si

de o

f th

is d

oor.

"L

akei

sha

and

B.J

. ent

ered

yet a

noth

erla

rge,

unl

it ro

om. T

his

was

the

thir

d in

aro

w. T

hey

stum

bled

for

war

d un

stea

dily

."B

.J.?

I h

ave

a fe

elin

g w

e're

not

alo

ne,"

Lak

eish

a sa

id w

itha

quiv

er.

B.J

. sw

allo

wed

har

d. "

Wha

t do

you

mea

n?"

she

whi

sper

ed.

19

Ligh

t ent

ers

the

eye

thro

ugh

the

pupi

l. T

hele

ns b

ehin

d th

e pu

pil f

ocus

es li

ght o

n th

ere

tina

at th

e ba

ck o

f the

eye

. The

ret

ina

cons

ists

of n

erve

cel

ls th

at d

etec

t lig

ht a

ndse

nd m

essa

ges

abou

t it b

ack

to th

e br

ain.

The

prim

ary

visu

al c

orte

x, w

here

info

rmat

ion

from

the

eyes

is r

ecei

ved

in th

ebr

ain,

is lo

cate

d at

the

back

of t

he h

ead.

Ove

r 20

oth

er a

reas

of t

he b

rain

hel

ppr

oces

s vi

sual

info

rmat

ion.

"Wel

l, m

y ey

es a

re g

ettin

g us

ed to

the

dark

, and

ther

e's

som

ethi

ng o

ver

ther

e,"

Lak

eish

a sa

id, "

som

ethi

ng b

ig a

nd w

hite

ove

r by

the

wal

l!"

B.J

. squ

inte

d an

d st

eppe

d cl

oser

to th

e hu

ge, g

host

ly th

ing,

not

dar

ing

tobr

eath

e. "

It's

...it'

s ju

st a

sta

ck o

f bo

xes

cove

red

with

a sh

eet!

" sh

e sa

id w

itha

sigh

of

relie

f."W

hat's

in th

em?"

Lak

eish

a sa

id. "

Wai

t! I

just

rem

embe

red

I ha

vea

flas

hlig

ht o

n m

y ke

yrin

g."

.She

pul

led

it ou

t. "I

t wor

ks!"

B.J

. and

Lak

eish

a qu

ickl

y op

ened

sev

eral

box

es a

nd h

eld

thei

r co

nten

tsup

to th

e lig

ht o

f th

e tin

y fl

ashl

ight

. The

y sa

w p

aper

...al

l kin

ds o

f co

lore

din

ks...

card

boar

d...s

heet

s of

pla

stic

."T

hese

are

n't b

akin

g su

pplie

s,"

Lak

eish

a sa

id. "

We'

d be

tter

go r

epor

t thi

s."

"But

ther

e ar

e a

few

mor

e ro

oms

we

shou

ld g

o th

roug

h,"

B.J

. pro

test

ed.

BE

ST

CO

PY

AV

AIL

AB

LE20

"I d

on't

know

," L

akei

sha

said

. "T

his

is k

ind

of s

pook

y."

"Are

you

sca

red?

" B

.J. a

sked

."Y

ou b

et!"

sai

d L

akei

sha.

"So

am I

. Let

's g

et o

ut o

f he

re,"

sai

d B

.J.,

and

she

grab

bed

Lak

eish

a's

hand

.

Mak

ing

Sens

e?R

ocki

ng h

er w

heel

chai

r ba

ckan

d fo

rth

in th

e da

rkro

om, S

hilo

hco

nsid

ered

the

firs

t clu

es. T

he I

sley

sha

d ju

st le

ft a

fter

rep

ortin

g w

hat

they

fou

ndth

e sm

ell o

f in

k an

dm

achi

ne o

il, a

nd b

ad-t

astin

gco

okie

s. S

hilo

h se

nt th

em b

ack

tosn

iff

out m

ore

clue

s.H

er th

ough

ts k

ept r

etur

ning

toth

e st

rang

e co

nver

satio

n th

ey h

adhe

ard

betw

een

Con

nie

and

Cha

rlie

.Sh

iloh

stop

ped

rock

ing,

toss

ed h

erhe

ad b

ack

and

clos

ed h

erey

es f

or a

seco

nd to

try

to th

ink

hard

er.

"Shi

loh,

are

you

all

righ

t?"

Lak

eish

a cr

ied

out

as s

he e

nter

edth

e ro

om.

21

VA

' 60

Shilo

h's

eyes

pop

ped

open

. "W

ha...

0h, y

es, o

f co

urse

," s

he s

aid.

"I

was

just

thin

king

. Wha

t did

you

see

? A

ny c

lues

?""W

e th

ink

so,"

sai

d L

akei

sha.

"W

e sa

w s

omet

hing

, but

we'

re n

ot s

ure

wha

t it m

eans

.""B

oxes

," B

.J. c

ontin

ued,

dru

mm

ing

on a

tabl

e w

ith h

er f

inge

rs, "

with

pape

r, c

olor

ed in

ks, c

ardb

oard

, and

she

ets

of p

last

ic."

"Ink

ssou

nds

like

prin

ting

supp

liesb

ut w

hy w

ould

a b

aker

y ne

edth

ose?

" Sh

iloh

mut

tere

d, h

alf

to h

erse

lf. "

Any

way

, why

don

't yo

u he

adba

ck o

ut. S

ee w

hat e

lse

you

can

see.

"T

he tw

o gi

rls

left

Shi

loh

alon

e w

ith h

er th

ough

ts. S

hilo

h w

as a

t the

cent

er o

f th

e w

hole

inve

stig

atio

n, a

nd s

he w

as c

once

ntra

ting,

tryi

ng to

put

ever

ythi

ng to

geth

er a

s in

form

atio

n ca

me

in f

rom

eac

h of

the

sens

e te

ams.

Feel

ing

For

Clu

esO

nce,

whe

n he

was

a c

hild

, Jos

h hi

d in

a h

all c

lose

t tha

t was

fill

ed w

ithw

ool c

oats

and

bla

ck r

ainb

oots

. Tha

t was

pre

tty d

ark.

He

also

rem

embe

red

bein

g ca

ught

in a

n el

evat

or w

ithou

t ele

ctri

cal p

ower

. Tha

t was

dar

ker

than

nigh

t. T

hen

he im

agin

ed o

uter

spa

ce. N

othi

ng J

osh

coul

d im

agin

e w

as a

sda

rk a

s th

is b

asem

ent.

Eve

ry w

indo

w w

as s

hutte

red

and

cove

red

by a

bla

ckcl

oth.

It w

as to

tal d

arkn

ess.

Josh

and

Kyl

e in

ched

alo

ng th

e w

alls

. "W

e'd

be lo

st w

ithou

t our

sen

seof

touc

h,"

Kyl

e co

mm

ente

d."Y

ou m

ean

we

aren

't lo

st?"

Jos

h as

ked.

"No,

I d

on't

thin

k so

. We'

re in

the

base

men

t, m

ovin

g al

ong

an o

ldw

oode

n w

all,"

Kyl

e an

swer

ed c

alm

ly. 22

6162

sens

ory

cort

exT

he s

ense

of t

ouch

act

ually

is m

ade

up o

fse

vera

l diff

eren

t kin

ds o

f sen

satio

ns. E

ach

sens

atio

n is

det

ecte

d by

a d

iffer

ent r

ecep

tor

in th

e sk

in. T

here

are

rec

epto

rs fo

r ho

t and

cold

, pai

n an

d pr

essu

re, f

or e

xam

ple.

The

sen

sory

rec

epto

rs s

end

mes

sage

s ba

ckto

a s

peci

al p

art o

f the

bra

in c

alle

d th

ese

nsor

y co

rtex

. Thi

s pa

rt o

f the

bra

in s

itsrig

ht b

ehin

d th

e m

otor

cor

tex,

acro

ss th

eto

p of

the

head

.

"A w

oode

n w

all?

How

do

you

know

that

?" J

osh

rem

arke

d."U

se y

our

fing

ers,

" K

yle

repl

ied.

"It

's th

e be

stw

ay to

lear

n th

ings

with

your

sen

se o

f to

uch.

""O

w!"

Jos

h cr

ied.

Kyl

e tu

rned

and

squ

inte

d, b

ut h

e st

ill c

ould

n't

see

Josh

cle

arly

. "W

hat's

the

mat

ter,

Jos

h?"

he s

aid.

"Spl

inte

r. I

n m

y fi

nger

tip,"

Jos

h sa

id, s

haki

ng h

is h

and.

"Tha

nks

a lo

t!"

"Tha

t's a

noth

er to

uch

sens

atio

npai

n,"

said

Kyl

e."I

t let

s yo

ur b

rain

war

n yo

u no

t to

do th

at a

gain

.""R

ight

," J

osh

said

qui

ckly

. "It

's te

lling

me

I do

n't w

ant a

noth

er s

plin

ter,

so I

'm n

ot g

oing

to to

uch

that

wal

l aga

in."

"The

n yo

u w

on't

feel

the

vibr

atio

n,"

Kyl

e sa

id.

"Wha

t vib

ratio

n?"

aske

d Jo

sh.

"The

vib

ratio

n in

this

wal

l," h

is f

rien

d an

swer

ed.

Josh

rea

ched

out

, pla

ced

his

palm

car

eful

lyon

the

wal

l and

fel

t it s

haki

ngju

st th

e tin

iest

bit.

"W

ow, y

ou're

rig

ht. W

hy is

it d

oing

that

?" h

esa

id.

t323

6 4

"I d

on't

know

," K

yle

resp

onde

d."L

et's

kee

p m

ovin

g,"

Josh

add

ed. "

May

be w

e ca

n fi

nd o

ut w

hat i

t is.

"T

he b

oys

crep

t slo

wly

aro

und

the

room

, clin

ging

to th

e w

all u

ntil

they

pass

ed th

roug

h a

dark

doo

rway

and

ent

ered

ano

ther

unl

it sp

ace.

"Sto

p,"

Kyl

e w

hisp

ered

sud

denl

y. T

he tw

o bo

ys f

elt s

tron

ger

vibr

atio

nsin

the

wal

l. So

mew

here

in th

e di

stan

ce w

as a

fai

nt, m

echa

nica

l rum

ble.

"It m

ust b

e a

mac

hine

," J

osh

said

. "It

sou

nds

just

like

a...

""

a pr

intin

g pr

ess,

like

dow

n at

the

new

spap

er b

uild

ing,

" K

yle

said

."Y

es,"

Jos

h sa

id e

xcite

dly,

"th

at's

wha

t...W

ait a

min

ute.

I c

an f

eel m

ore

vibr

atio

ns u

nder

my

feet

. Not

like

the

stea

dy s

haki

ng in

the

wal

l. L

ike

clum

p-cl

ump.

..lik

e fo

otst

eps.

""S

omeo

ne's

com

ing,

" K

yle

said

, a li

ttle

too

loud

ly.

"Who

's th

ere?

" A

str

ange

voi

ce b

oom

ed f

rom

acr

oss

the,

room

.,It w

asn'

tth

e vo

ice

of a

Neu

roE

xplo

rer,

that

muc

h th

ey b

oth

knew

."G

o! L

et's

get

out

of

here

," K

yle

yelle

d, b

reak

ing

into

a r

un.

In th

e pi

tch

blac

k ce

llar,

Jos

h he

sita

ted.

Whi

ch w

ay s

houl

d he

go?

Foot

step

s w

ere

appr

oach

ing,

but

he

coul

dn't

tell

from

whi

ch d

irec

tion.

Whi

ch w

ay h

ad K

yle

gone

?T

urni

ng to

his

left

, Jos

h ra

nstr

aigh

t int

o th

e le

gs o

f C

harl

ie, t

he m

anw

ith C

ousi

n C

onni

e."W

hat?

Who

are

you

?" th

e te

rrif

ying

ly h

uge

man

gro

wle

d, a

nd h

egr

abbe

d Jo

sh a

nd li

fted

him

up

by th

e sh

irt.

Josh

's le

gs d

ance

d cr

azily

,ru

nnin

g on

air

. "Y

ou're

one

of

thos

e ki

ds!"

Cha

rlie

sai

d, h

oldi

ng J

osh

up to

his

face

. "H

ow'd

you

get

her

e? Y

ou're

com

ing

with

me.

"

Sens

ing

Dan

ger

Kyl

e fo

und

his

way

bac

k to

Shi

loh

and

quic

kly

repo

rted

wha

t he

and

Josh

had

fou

ndm

echa

nica

l vib

ratio

ns th

at m

ight

be

from

a p

rint

ing

pres

s.T

hen

he to

ld a

bout

the

huge

man

, and

how

he

and

Josh

got

sep

arat

ed.

Shilo

h no

dded

her

hea

d. "

Tha

nks

for

the

info

," s

he s

aid.

"T

hat a

dds

alo

t to

the

pict

ure.

But

you

'd b

ette

r hu

rry

back

and

try

to f

ind

Josh

!"A

s so

on a

s K

yle

left

, Shi

loh

star

ted

rock

ing

her

chai

r ag

ain.

She

was

wor

ried

. The

Isl

eys

hadn

't re

turn

ed. S

he s

till h

adn'

t hea

rd f

rom

Max

and

The

Bra

in, a

nd n

ow J

osh

was

mis

sing

. Was

this

too

dang

erou

s fo

r th

eN

euro

Exp

lore

rs?

Sou

nd tr

avel

s a0

wav

es o

fco

mpr

esse

d ai

r,M

olec

ules

. The

ear

:ca

ptur

es s

ound

ivav

es a

nd.

tran

slat

es th

em in

to n

ervo

ussy

stem

sig

nals

insi

de th

e in

ner

ear.

Info

rmat

ion

abou

t sou

nd is

sen

t to

a sp

ecia

l par

t of t

he;

Shilo

h sh

ook

off

her

doub

ts. I

t was

ioo

late

totu

rn b

ack.

She

had

bet

ter

figu

re o

ut w

hat w

as g

oing

onan

d fa

st!

The

Bet

ter

to H

ear

You

With

The

Bra

in a

nd M

ax w

alke

d th

roug

h th

ree

conn

ectin

g ro

oms

som

ewhe

re in

the

cree

py o

ldho

use.

Eac

h ro

om s

eem

ed q

uiet

er th

an th

e la

st.

"May

be w

e sh

ould

hea

d ba

ck, B

rain

," M

ax s

aid.

"I

have

n't h

eard

any

thin

g."

A

"Per

haps

you

are

n't l

iste

ning

,car

eful

ly e

noug

h,"

The

Bra

in o

ffer

ed.

"Of

cour

se I

'm li

sten

ing,

" M

ax s

aid

quic

kly.

"The

re's

just

no

soun

d co

min

g in

to m

y ea

rs e

xcep

tyo

ur v

oice

."T

he B

rain

had

his

han

ds c

uppe

d ar

ound

the

back

s of

his

ear

s. "

Perh

aps

if y

ou a

pplie

d an

assi

stiv

e te

chni

que,

you

r au

dito

ry s

ense

wou

ld

926

706

func

tion

mor

e ef

fici

ently

," h

e sa

idto

his

fri

end.

"You

mea

n yo

u're

hea

ring

som

ethi

ng b

y cu

ppin

gyo

ur h

ands

beh

ind

your

ear

s?"

Max

rep

lied.

He

copi

ed T

he B

rain

's s

ugge

stio

n. "

Hey

, you

'reri

ght!

" he

whi

sper

ed. "

Ica

n he

ar a

wom

an ta

lkin

g."

"I b

elie

ve s

he's

talk

ing

on th

e te

leph

one,

" T

he B

rain

sai

d. H

e pl

aced

his

ear

clos

e to

the

wal

l, pu

tting

his

cup

ped

hand

on

its s

urfa

ce. "

Lis

ten,

" he

said

ver

y so

ftly

.T

hey

hear

d on

e si

de o

fa

conv

ersa

tion.

"Y

es, o

f co

urse

we

sent

you

the

Man

tle c

ard.

... W

hy w

ould

I li

e? ..

.It s

houl

d ha

vego

tten

ther

e lo

ng a

go...

.Ido

n't k

now

, wha

t sho

uld

we

do?.

..I s

ee, r

ight

....M

aybe

ther

e's

anot

her

Josh

ua K

avil.

...T

hat's

pos

sibl

e....

Yea

h, I

kno

w. T

hen

som

eone

els

e ge

ts th

eca

rd...

.No,

I'm

not

too

wor

ried

. Who

ever

gets

it w

ill p

roba

bly

thin

k it'

sju

st a

dum

b pr

ize

and

thro

w it

aw

ay...

.Sur

e, I

kno

w h

owm

uch

mon

ey it

'sw

orth

!...O

kay.

No

prob

lem

....R

ight

. In

toda

y's

mai

l....O

kay.

Bye

."T

he B

rain

turn

ed a

nd lo

oked

at M

ax. "

We

mus

t rel

ay th

is in

fori

natio

nto

Shi

loh

with

ala

crity

," h

e st

ated

.M

ax u

nder

stoo

d. T

hey'

d be

tter

repo

rt to

Shi

loh

righ

t aw

ay!

t. 4

27

Putti

ng I

t All

Tog

ethe

rA

fter

telli

ng S

hilo

h w

hat t

hey

had

hear

d, T

he B

rain

and

Max

turn

ed to

leav

e. "Don

't lis

ten

for

any

mor

e cl

ues,

" Sh

iloh

told

them

. "I

thin

k w

e ha

veen

ough

and

we

may

hav

e tr

oubl

e. K

yle

and

Josh

got

sep

arat

ed. W

hy d

on't

you

go a

nd tr

y to

fin

d ev

eryb

ody

and

brin

g th

em b

ack

here

, whi

le I

just

try

topu

t the

pie

ces

toge

ther

?" T

he tw

o bo

ys n

odde

d an

d se

t off

in a

hur

ry.

Shilo

h fe

lt th

at s

he h

ad th

e la

st p

iece

of

the

mys

tery

. The

tele

phon

e ca

llpu

t eve

ryth

ing

toge

ther

for

her

. All

of th

e N

euro

Exp

lore

rs h

ad f

ound

impo

rtan

t clu

es w

ith th

eir

sens

es, a

nd s

he w

as a

bout

to h

ave

the

answ

er.

She

wen

t ove

r th

e cl

ues

in h

er h

ead.

Cou

sin

Con

nie

was

n't i

nter

este

d in

mak

ing

tast

y co

okie

s, s

o sh

e m

ust b

e m

ore

inte

rest

ed in

som

ethi

ng e

lse.

But

wha

t? P

rint

ing

supp

lies,

the

smel

l of

ink

and

mac

hine

oil,

alo

ng w

ith th

evi

brat

ion

of a

pri

ntin

g pr

ess.

..Con

nie

and

Cha

rlie

wer

e pr

intin

g so

met

hing

.W

hat w

ere

they

pri

ntin

g? N

ot c

ooki

e bo

xesb

aseb

all c

ards

! W

hy g

o to

all

this

trou

ble

to p

rint

bas

ebal

l car

ds?

She

thou

ght a

bout

the

tele

phon

e ca

ll.Su

dden

ly S

hilo

h sm

iled.

She

had

the

answ

er.

But

Shi

loh'

s jo

y at

sol

ving

the

mys

tery

sud

denl

y tu

rned

into

par

iic. H

erfr

iend

s w

ere

out t

here

, in

a da

rk h

ouse

, with

two

crim

inal

s. S

hilo

h m

ayha

ve f

igur

ed o

ut w

hat C

ousi

n C

onni

e w

as u

p to

, but

the

Neu

roE

xplo

rers

coul

d be

in d

ange

r. S

he h

ad to

sav

e th

em!

Cau

ght i

n a

Web

Cha

rlie

had

The

Bra

in b

y th

e ar

m a

nd M

ax b

y th

e sh

irt.

"Tw

o m

ore,

"he

sai

d gr

uffl

y, to

ssin

g th

e bo

ys in

to a

sm

all r

oom

. Max

and

The

Bra

intu

mbl

ed to

the

floo

r. "

Do

you

thin

k th

at's

all

of th

em ?

", C

harl

ie s

aid.

287'

4

"Alm

ost,"

Con

nie

answ

ered

. "I

know

Isa

w o

ne m

ore.

A g

irl.

In a

whe

elch

air.

I'll

go

look

for

her

. Kee

p th

ese

brat

s lo

cked

in h

ere

until

I f

igur

eou

t wha

t to

do w

ith th

em."

Con

nie

and

Cha

rlie

sto

rmed

out

of

the

room

, sna

ppin

g th

e do

or s

hut

behi

nd th

em w

ith a

twis

t of

the

lock

."M

ax?"

a v

oice

ask

ed f

rom

the

corn

er. M

ax r

ecog

nize

d it

as a

n Is

ley.

"Is

ley?

" he

sai

d. "

One

,"an

swer

ed I

s le

y I.

"And

Tw

o,"

anot

her

Is le

y vo

ice

said

. Neu

roE

xplo

rers

' voi

ces

cam

efr

om e

very

sha

dow

."I

'm h

ere

too,

" sa

id L

akei

sha.

"So

is B

.J."

"And

me,

" Jo

sh s

aid,

app

eari

ngfr

om th

e si

de, "

and

Kyl

e to

o."

The

Neu

roE

xplo

rers

all

stoo

dto

geth

er n

ear

the

cent

er o

f th

e sm

all

room

. It s

mel

led

dust

y an

d m

usty

.U

sing

Lak

eish

a's

flas

hlig

ht, t

hey

coul

d se

e a

few

cob

web

-cov

ered

piec

es o

f fu

rnitu

re, s

ome

boxe

s of

old

book

s, a

roc

king

hor

se c

over

edw

ith d

usta

nd n

o w

ay o

ut.

"Thi

s is

big

trou

ble,

" Is

ley

IIsa

id. "

The

se g

uys

are

seri

ous.

""W

hy w

ould

they

be

this

ang

ry

29

just

bec

ause

we

look

ed a

roun

d th

eir

stup

id c

ooki

e fa

ctor

y?"

Is le

y I

aske

d."T

hing

s ar

e no

t wha

t the

y se

emed

," T

he B

rain

ann

ounc

ed. "

We

obvi

ousl

y ha

ve s

tum

bled

upo

n an

illic

it en

terp

rise

ope

ratin

g he

re."

"Thi

s is

n't a

coo

kie

fact

ory.

The

se g

uys

are

croo

ks,"

Max

inte

rpre

ted,

"and

we

are

trap

ped

like

inse

cts

in a

web

!"

Big

Tro

uble

The

whe

els

of S

hilo

h's

chai

r gl

ided

acr

oss

crea

ky w

oode

n fl

oors

as s

hem

aneu

vere

d th

roug

h da

rk h

allw

ays.

If

she

coul

dn't

find

her

fri

ends

, she

mus

t cal

l the

pol

ice.

Whe

re w

as a

pho

ne?

Eas

ing

arou

nd c

orne

rs, o

peni

ngcl

osed

doo

rs to

eer

ie r

oom

s, S

hilo

h fi

nally

fou

nda

desk

with

a d

imly

lit

lam

p on

itan

d a

tele

phon

e! S

he r

aced

acr

oss

the

room

and

gra

bbed

the

phon

e. S

hilo

h di

aled

9-1

-1. E

ach

seco

nd s

eem

ed li

kean

hou

r as

she

wai

ted

for

her

call

to b

e an

swer

ed.

The

n sh

e ht

hd h

eavy

foo

tste

ps b

ehin

d he

r. A

voi

ce §

ciee

Che

d, "

No,

you

don'

t! G

et a

way

fro

m th

ere,

you

trou

ble-

mak

er."

Cou

sin

Con

nie

grab

bed

Shilo

h's

arm

, tor

e th

e ph

one

out o

f he

r ha

ndan

d ja

mm

ed it

bac

k on

its

base

. Som

ehow

she

see

med

tow

rap

hers

elf

arou

nd S

hilo

h's

who

le u

pper

bod

y. S

hilo

h fe

lt as

thou

gh s

he w

ere

bein

gst

rang

led

by a

hug

e sn

ake,

and

she

cou

ldn'

t mov

e.C

onni

e sh

oved

the

chai

r an

d Sh

iloh

acro

ss th

e ro

om, o

ut th

e do

or a

ndon

thro

ugh

the

maz

e of

the

old

hous

e. T

hey

stop

ped

by a

doo

r, a

nd S

hilo

hco

uld

hear

fam

iliar

voi

ces.

Her

e th

ey w

ere!

At l

east

she

wou

ld b

e w

ith th

eot

her

Neu

roE

xplo

rers

. A h

ush

fell

in th

e ro

om a

s th

e do

or o

pene

d an

dSh

iloh

was

pus

hed

insi

de.

The

n th

e N

euro

Exp

lore

rs a

ll ta

lked

at o

nce.

"Sh

iloh!

...T

hey

got y

ou

307

8

too.

...N

ow th

ey'v

e go

t us

all."

"Not

for

long

," J

osh

whi

sper

ed, a

nd h

e sc

oote

dou

t the

ope

n do

or b

efor

eC

ousi

n C

onni

e co

uld

turn

arou

nd to

gra

b hi

m.

"Com

e ba

ck h

ere,

kid

!"th

e bi

g w

oman

sho

uted

,fu

mbl

ing

for

her

key

to lo

ckth

e ot

hers

in th

eir

pris

on.

"Cha

rlie

!" s

he y

elle

d. "

Hel

pm

e ge

t tha

t kid

!"A

ll ov

er th

e ho

use,

the

smal

l ban

d of

pri

sone

rs c

ould

hear

the

soun

ds o

fa

chas

eR

unni

ng. Y

ellin

g. A

tele

phon

eri

ngin

g. T

hen

quie

t. St

ill n

o Jo

sh. H

ad h

e be

en c

augh

t? D

id h

ege

t aw

ay?

Wha

t was

goi

ng o

n?E

ven

as th

ey li

sten

ed f

or c

lues

, the

Neu

roE

xplo

rers

beg

anto

que

stio

nSh

iloh,

and

she

told

them

qui

ckly

wha

t she

had

fig

ured

out f

rom

the

info

rmat

ion

each

of

the

sens

e te

ams

had

brou

ght h

er.

A S

ensa

tiona

l End

ing

Fina

lly, t

here

was

noi

se a

gain

out

side

the

door

of

the

Neu

roE

xplo

rers

'lit

tle p

riso

n ce

ll. N

ow th

ey c

ould

mak

eou

t voi

ces.

"O

kay,

you

two.

Don

'tgi

ve u

s an

y tr

oubl

e. J

ust t

ake

us to

the

kids

." T

his

was

a v

oice

they

had

n't

hear

d be

fore

.

231

"Her

e. T

his

way

. The

y're

ove

r he

re."

Tha

t was

Jos

h!O

nce

agai

n, a

key

wen

t in

the

lock

and

the

door

ope

ned.

Pili

ng o

ut o

f th

esm

all r

oom

and

into

a la

rger

one

, now

ligh

ted,

the

Neu

roE

xplo

rers

mob

bed

arou

nd th

eir

frie

nd. T

wo

polic

e of

fice

rs h

eld

Con

nie

and

Cha

rlie

by

thei

r ar

ms

and

sat t

hem

dow

n on

box

es in

the

mid

dle

of th

e ro

om.

One

of

the

offi

cers

took

out

a n

ote

pad

and

said

, "A

ll ri

ght,

now

, let

's s

eew

hat's

goi

ng o

n! W

e ge

t her

e to

che

ck o

ut a

911

and

this

boy

cra

shes

into

my

part

ner,

her

e. T

hese

two

are

taki

ng o

ff d

own

the

stre

et, a

nd th

e bo

y sa

ysth

ey're

cro

oks.

So

wha

t's th

e st

ory?

"Jo

sh ju

mpe

d ri

ght i

n, h

ardl

y st

oppi

ng f

or b

reat

h. "

We

foun

d a

base

ball

card

in s

ome

horr

ible

coo

kies

that

wer

e de

liver

ed to

my

hous

e. W

e de

cide

d to

inve

stig

ate,

and

we

cam

e he

re. W

e go

t in

the

hous

e by

acc

iden

t, an

d w

e m

ade

sens

e te

ams,

and

Shi

loh

was

the

brai

n....

""W

ait a

min

ute,

son

. Slo

w d

own,

" in

terr

upte

d a

polic

e of

fice

r. "

Let

's b

ack

up a

littl

e. W

hat w

ere

you

all d

oing

insi

de th

is h

ouse

?""W

e're

the

Neu

roE

xplo

rers

Clu

b,"

Kyl

e ex

plai

ned,

"an

d w

e ca

me

here

on

a fi

eld

trip

. It's

a lo

ng s

tory

, but

som

ethi

ng lo

oked

fis

hy a

bout

this

pla

ce, a

ndw

e tr

ied

to f

ind

out w

hat w

as g

oing

on.

I g

uess

we

wen

t a li

ttle

too

far.

""E

spec

ially

if y

ou s

ense

d so

met

hing

was

wro

ng,"

add

ed o

ne o

f th

e of

fice

rs.

"Tha

t's ju

st it

," a

nsw

ered

Jos

h, "

we

sens

ed s

omet

hing

was

wro

ng, b

ut w

ew

eren

't su

re, a

nd it

all

just

hap

pene

d so

fas

t. W

e de

cide

d to

use

our

sen

ses

totr

y to

fin

d ou

t wha

t was

goi

ng o

n an

d, a

ll of

a s

udde

n, w

e w

ere

in tr

oubl

e. W

edi

dn't

know

they

wer

e cr

ooks

unt

il th

ey lo

cked

us

up."

"Wha

t?"

aske

d a

puzz

led

polic

eman

. "Y

ou'v

e lo

st m

e ag

ain!

'"W

e sp

lit u

p in

to te

ams

and

foun

d se

nsor

y cl

ues,

" B

.J. s

aid.

"And

just

like

neu

rons

rep

ortin

g in

form

atio

n to

the

brai

n fo

r pr

oces

sing

,w

e al

l rel

ayed

our

sen

se c

lues

to S

hilo

h,"

Max

off

ered

, "so

Shi

loh

was

the

only

one

who

had

all

the

clue

s, a

nd s

he c

ame

up w

ith th

e an

swer

."

32

81

The

Sen

sibl

e So

lutio

n"C

ousi

n C

onni

e's

Coo

kie

Com

pany

is ju

sta

fron

t for

a c

ount

erfe

itop

erat

ion,

" ex

clai

med

Shi

loh,

som

ewha

t pro

udly

. "T

hey

aren

't ju

st p

rint

ing

base

ball

card

s, th

ey're

cou

nter

feiti

ng th

em. T

he M

icke

y M

antle

card

Jos

hfo

und

is a

cou

nter

feit.

The

coo

kie

busi

ness

isa

fake

!""I

'm s

till n

ot s

ure

Iun

ders

tand

all

of th

is, b

utI

get t

he g

ener

al id

ea,"

said

one

off

icer

.Sh

iloh

cont

inue

d,"C

ousi

n C

onni

e an

dC

harl

ie w

ere

forg

ing

valu

able

bas

ebal

l car

ds,

hidi

ng th

em in

coo

kie

boxe

s an

d sh

ippi

ng th

emto

dea

lers

to b

e so

ld a

sor

igin

als.

Jos

h go

t a b

oxby

mis

take

bec

ause

his

nam

e w

as th

e sa

me

ason

e of

thei

r cu

stom

ers.

Cou

sin

Con

nie

and

Cha

rlie

rea

lly a

recr

imin

als!

""S

ound

s lik

e yo

u're

apr

etty

sm

art b

unch

of

kids

," s

aid

the

othe

r

833

BE

ST C

OPY

AV

AIL

AB

LE

Glo

ssar

y

polic

e of

fice

r, "

but y

ou c

ould

hav

e be

en in

ser

ious

trou

ble

if J

osh,

her

e,ha

dn't

been

ther

e to

hel

p us

fin

d yo

u. H

e he

lped

us

catc

h th

is p

air

tryi

ng to

get a

way

, too

.""C

ome

on,"

the

offi

cer

said

, "le

t's g

et y

ou h

ome

safe

ly b

efor

e yo

ur f

olks

get t

oo w

orri

ed. W

e'll

take

Cou

sin

Con

nie

and

her

pal d

own

to th

e st

atio

nfo

r qu

estio

ning

."T

he N

euro

Exp

lore

rs f

iled

out o

f th

e ho

use,

stil

l tel

ling

each

oth

erex

cite

dly

how

impo

rtan

t the

ir s

ense

had

bee

n in

solv

ing

the

puzz

le, a

ndho

w g

reat

Shi

loh'

s br

ain

had

been

in p

uttin

g it

all

toge

ther

.K

yle

look

ed a

t Jos

h an

d sa

id, "

I th

ink

we

all s

ense

that

it's

gre

at to

have

you

back

, Jos

h.G

ood

wor

k!"

"An

adm

irab

le c

ase

of s

enso

ry s

leut

hing

, my

frie

nds!

" T

he B

rain

add

ed,

his

face

bre

akin

g in

to a

sat

isfi

ed g

rin.

1,-P

4

p?1

'

v.:,-

-06 34

7,71

1'fr

i

S 6

neur

olog

y (n

u-R

AH

L-u

h-ge

e)a

bran

ch o

f m

edic

al s

cien

ce th

at d

eals

with

the

nerv

ous

syst

emne

uron

(N

U-r

ahn)

a ce

ll of

the

nerv

ous

syst

em th

at c

ondu

cts

a si

gnal

fro

m o

ne p

art o

f th

e bo

dy to

ano

ther

neur

orad

iolo

gist

(nu

-ro-

ray-

dee-

AH

L-u

h-jis

t)a

med

ical

doc

tor

who

use

s pi

ctur

es o

f th

e in

side

of

the

body

(X

ray

san

d ot

hers

) to

iden

tify

inju

ry a

nd d

isea

se in

the

nerv

ous

syst

emne

uros

cien

ce (

NU

-ro-

SY-e

ns)

a br

anch

of

scie

nce

rela

ted

to th

e st

udy

of th

e ne

rvou

s sy

stem

neur

osur

geon

(nu

-ro-

SUR

-jun

)a

med

ical

doc

tor

who

spe

cial

izes

in o

pera

ting

on th

e br

ain,

spi

nal c

ord

and

nerv

esne

uros

urgi

cal n

urse

(nu

-ro-

SUR

-ji-

kul N

UR

S) a

nur

se w

ho is

par

t of

the

team

of

peop

le w

ho p

erfo

rm s

urge

ry o

nth

e ne

rvou

s sy

stem

with

a n

euro

surg

eon

oper

atio

n (a

hp-u

h-R

A-s

hun)

an a

ct p

erfo

rmed

on

the

body

with

sur

gica

l ins

trum

ents

to r

epai

r th

e ef

fect

s of

dise

ase

or in

jury

phys

icia

n (f

ih-Z

IH-s

hun)

a m

edic

al d

octo

rre

cept

or (

ree-

SEP-

tuhr

)a

cell

or g

roup

of

cells

that

rec

eive

stim

uli f

rom

out

side

the

body

; a, s

ense

org

anre

habi

litat

ion

(ree

-(h)

uh-b

il-uh

-TA

-shu

n)-

the

proc

ess

of r

esto

ring

a p

erso

n to

a c

ondi

tion

of h

ealth

or

rest

orin

gth

e ab

ility

to f

unct

ion

retin

a (R

ET

-i-n

uh)

sens

ory

mem

bran

e at

the

back

of

the

eyeb

all t

hat c

onve

rts

light

to n

euro

nal a

ctiv

ity th

attr

avel

s al

ong

the

optic

ner

ve to

the

brai

nse

nsat

ion

(sen

-SA

-shu

n)an

aw

aren

ess

of s

timul

atio

n of

any

of

the

sens

es, a

s si

ght,

smel

l, to

uch,

etc

.se

nse

(SE

NS)

(1)

a fu

nctio

n of

the

body

by

whi

ch o

ne is

mad

e aw

are

of th

e w

orld

out

side

, as

sigh

t, he

arin

g,to

uch,

sm

ell o

r ta

ste;

(2)

a f

eelin

g or

aw

aren

ess;

(3)

to b

ecom

e aw

are

of; (

4) c

lear

und

erst

andi

ng o

r go

odju

dgm

ent

sens

ory

rece

ptor

(SE

NS-

uh-r

ee r

ee-S

EP-

tuhr

)a

part

of

the

body

by

whi

ch o

ne r

ecei

ves

info

rmat

ion

from

the

outs

ide,

as

the

eyes

for

see

ing,

ear

s fo

r he

arin

g, e

tc.

sens

ory

netw

ork

(SE

NS-

uh-r

ee N

ET

-wur

k)al

l of

the

part

s of

the

body

invo

lved

in r

ecei

ving

and

tran

smitt

ing

sens

ory

info

rmat

ion

(sen

sory

rec

epto

rs, n

euro

ns, a

nd th

e br

ain)

skul

l (SK

UL

)al

l the

bon

es o

f th

e he

ad, i

nclu

ding

the

cran

ium

and

the

faci

al b

ones

soun

d w

ave

(SO

WN

D w

ayv)

a ki

nd o

f vi

brat

ion

that

trav

els

thro

ugh

a su

bsta

nce,

suc

h as

air

, and

can

be

hear

dsp

inal

cor

d (S

PY-n

uhl k

ord)

the

thin

rop

e of

ner

vous

tiss

ue in

side

the

bone

s of

the

spin

eth

erap

y (T

HA

IR-u

h-pe

e)tr

eatm

ent t

o he

al o

r im

prov

e th

e ef

fect

s of

a b

odily

dis

orde

r, il

lnes

s or

inju

rytis

sue

(TIH

-sho

o) m

any

cells

of

the

sam

e ki

nd, j

oine

d to

geth

er to

do

a sp

ecif

ic jo

bvi

brat

ion

(vy-

BR

AY

-shu

n)a

quiv

erin

g or

trem

blin

g m

otio

nvi

sual

cor

tex

(VIZ

H-u

h-w

uhl K

OR

-tek

s)pa

rt o

f th

e ce

rebr

um th

at r

ecei

ves

info

rmat

ion

from

the

eyes

36

9.J

O

Gra

ce B

oyle

was

a te

ache

r in

Hem

pste

ad, N

ew Y

ork

for

20 y

ears

and

rec

eive

d he

r M

.S. d

egre

e in

Ele

men

tary

Adm

inis

trat

ion

from

Hof

stra

Uni

vers

ity. S

he d

evel

oped

, coo

rdin

ated

and

impl

emen

ted

a pr

ogra

m f

or g

ifte

d an

dta

lent

ed s

tude

nts

in th

e H

emps

tead

sch

ool s

yste

m. M

s. B

oyle

has

wri

tten

curr

icul

um m

ater

ials

for

sev

eral

text

book

publ

ishe

rs, s

peci

aliz

ing

in a

ctiv

ity b

ooks

that

enc

oura

ge c

hild

ren'

s cr

itica

l thi

nkin

g sk

ills

and

stor

ies

that

prom

ote

scie

ntif

ic c

urio

sity

. Cur

rent

ly, M

s. B

oyle

is a

fre

elan

ce w

rite

r. H

er s

on, D

r. T

hom

as P

. Boy

le, a

Flo

rida

rad

iolo

gist

, ser

ves

as c

onsu

ltant

for

her

sci

ence

-bas

ed w

ritin

g.

T L

ewis

was

bor

n in

Tex

as b

ut h

as tr

avel

led

exte

nsiv

ely,

livi

ng in

suc

h lo

cale

sas

Afr

ica,

Sw

itzer

land

and

Ala

ska.

Cur

rent

ly, h

e liv

es in

a s

mal

l tow

n in

the

stat

e of

Was

hing

ton

with

his

wif

e an

dyo

ung

son.

Whi

le h

is b

road

ran

ge o

far

twor

k ha

s ap

pear

ed in

man

y fo

rmat

s, h

e is

esp

ecia

lly f

ond

of c

reat

ing

illus

trat

ions

for

chi

ldre

n. R

ecen

t boo

ks b

eari

nghi

s w

ork

are

Bed

time

Rhy

mes

fro

m A

roun

d th

e W

orld

and

Cin

dere

lla: T

he U

ntol

d St

ory.

He

has

draw

n th

e M

icke

yM

ouse

com

ic s

trip

for

Dis

ney

Prod

uctio

ns a

nd is

one

of

the

crea

tors

of

Ove

r th

e H

edge

,a

com

ic s

trip

in n

atio

nal

synd

icat

ion.

Facu

lty m

embe

rs in

the

Div

isio

n of

Sch

ool-

Bas

ed P

rogr

ams

at B

aylo

r C

olle

ge o

f M

edic

ine

in H

oust

on, T

exas

, hav

ede

velo

ped

and

revi

sed

inst

ruct

iona

l mat

eria

ls f

or th

e B

rain

Lin

k® p

roje

ct. J

udith

Dre

sden

, Bar

bara

Tha

rp a

nd N

ancy

Mor

eno

have

bee

n w

orki

ng to

geth

er a

t Bay

lor

for

seve

ral y

ears

on

scie

nce

educ

atio

n pr

ojec

ts in

volv

ing

teac

hers

and

stud

ents

fro

m k

inde

rgar

ten

thro

ugh

colle

ge. A

ll ar

e pa

rent

s of

teen

age

or g

row

n ch

ildre

n. A

s a

team

, the

y al

so h

ave

crea

ted

inst

ruct

iona

l mat

eria

ls f

or th

e M

y H

ealth

My

Wor

ldT

M p

roje

ct, w

hich

foc

uses

on e

nvir

onm

enta

l hea

lth s

cien

cefo

r el

emen

tary

sch

ool s

tude

nts.

Judi

th D

resd

en, o

rigi

nally

fro

m N

ew Y

ork

and

New

Eng

land

, for

mer

ly c

ondu

cted

edu

catio

nal r

esea

rch

and

eval

uatio

n fo

r pu

blic

and

pri

vate

sch

ools

. Edi

tori

al w

ork

with

a p

ublis

hing

com

pany

als

o le

d to

her

cur

rent

inte

rest

inw

ritin

g an

d ed

iting

sto

ries

and

sci

ence

act

iviti

es f

or c

hild

ren.

She

dir

ects

the

Bra

in L

ink

proj

ect a

t Bay

lor

and

at r

egio

nal

cent

ers

arou

nd th

e co

untr

y. O

ther

pro

ject

s in

volv

e pr

omot

ing

min

ority

stu

dent

s' a

cces

s to

car

eers

in s

cien

ce a

nd th

ehe

alth

pro

fess

ions

.

Bar

bara

Tha

rp, o

rigi

nally

fro

m C

alif

orni

a, o

nce

wor

ked

for

the

FBI

in W

ashi

ngto

n, D

.C.,

and

late

rw

as a

nec

onom

ic a

naly

st f

or a

n oi

l com

pany

. Mor

e re

cent

ly, s

he h

as b

een

an e

lem

enta

ry te

ache

r sp

ecia

lizin

g in

her

fav

orite

subj

ects

, sci

ence

and

mat

h. C

urre

ntly

, in

addi

tion

to c

reat

ing

educ

atio

nal m

ater

ials

, she

als

o en

joys

wor

king

with

man

ycl

assr

oom

teac

hers

and

thei

r st

uden

ts. S

he d

irec

ts e

lem

enta

ry s

choo

l tea

cher

enh

ance

men

tpr

ogra

ms

at B

aylo

r.

Nan

cy M

oren

o, o

rigi

nally

fro

m W

isco

nsin

and

Mic

higa

n, is

a b

iolo

gist

who

spe

cial

izes

in b

otan

y. S

he s

pent

cons

ider

able

tim

e st

udyi

ng n

eotr

opic

al p

lant

s in

Mex

ico

befo

re c

ompl

etin

g he

r do

ctor

al d

egre

e at

Ric

e U

nive

rsity

.C

urre

nt in

tere

sts

incl

ude

invo

lvin

g sc

ient

ists

in p

re-c

olle

ge e

duca

tion.

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The Brain Link® series for health and science education provides:

Adventures in learning: Story BooksExciting hands-on: Activities Guide for TeachersEngaging health/science mini-magazine: Explorations for Children and Adults

The Brain Link series includes:

Skullduggery Trouble at TsavoBrain Comparisons Motor Highways

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oc,.,540

The Cookie CrumblesSensory Signals

(:4010'.ottS

UPTORA'11oNt

Danger at Rocky RiverMemory & Learning

BEST COPY AVAILABLE

BrainLink®

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Sensory SignalsRevised Edition

Nancy Moreno, Ph.D.Leslie Miller, Ph.D.

Barbara Tharp, M.S.Katherine Taber, Ph.D.Karen Kabnick, Ph.D.Judith Dresden, M.S.

Baylor College of Medicine

Houston, Texas

© 1997 by WOW! PublicationsAll rights reserved. Revised Edition 1997Printed in the United States of AmericaWOW! Publications, Inc.

15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

ISBN: 1-888997-23-0

The mark "Brain Link" is a registered service mark of WOW! Publications."NeuroExplorers" is a trademark of WOW! Publications.

No part of this book may be reproduced by any mechanical, photographic orelectronic process, or in the form of an audio recording, nor may it be stored ina retrieval system, transmitted, or otherwise copied for public or private usewithout prior written permission of the publisher. Black-line mastersreproduced for classroom use are excepted.

The activities described in this book are intended for school-age children underdirect supervision of adults. The authors, Baylor College of Medicine and thepublisher cannot be responsible for any accidents or injuries that may resultfrom conduct of the activities, from not specifically following directions, or fromignoring cautions contained in the text.

Development of BrainLink' educational materials was supported, in part, byfunds from the National Institutes of Health, Science Education PartnershipAward grant number R25 RR09833 to Baylor College of Medicine. Theopinions, findings and conclusions expressed in this publication are solely thoseof the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of Baylor College ofMedicine, the sponsoring agency, or the publisher.

Cover design: Bob PerettiDesign and production: Kerrie KernsIllustrations: Kerrie Kerns, Rhonda Flemming and T Lewis

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments ii

About Brain Link iii

Where Do I Begin? iv

Sample Sequence of Activities, Adventures and Explorations v

Materials vi

Activity 1. Windows to the World 1

Activity 2. Putting It All Together 4

Activity 3. Sense Phone 8

Activity 4. Vision and Illusions 16

Activity S. Can You Hear Me? 23

Activity 6. Tactile Tests 27

Activity 7. Get the Point?

Activity 8. My Sensory Strip

Activity 9. Use Your Brains, Create Refrains

Glossary

30

33

36

39

Science and Health for Kids!

These Brain Link Activities are designed to be used with otherconwohents of the Sensory Signals unit:

rainLink AdventuresThe Cookie.CrUmbles: The. NeuroExplorersrm irva Case of

Sensory Sleuthing

BrainLink ExplorationsSensory Signals

BrainLink@1997, WOWI Publications

(1uv

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ContentsSensory Signals

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The BrainLink project at Baylor College of Medicine hasbenefited from the vision and expertise of scientists andeducators from a wide range of specialties. Our heartfeltappreciation goes to James Patrick, Ph.D., Professor and Headof the Division of Neuroscience, Stanley Appel, M.D.,Professor and Chairman of Neurology, and Carlos Vallbona,M.D., Distinguished Service Professor and Chairman ofCommunity Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, who havelent their support and expertise to the project. We also expressour gratitude to Leslie Miller, Ph.D., who assembled theoriginal BrainLink development team and guided the BrainLinkproject through its first years, and to Cynthia Bandemer,M.P.H., Director of Education, Houston Museum of Healthand Medical Science, who directed BrainLink activitiessponsored by the Harris County Medical Society.

Members of the original BrainLink steering committee providedmuch valued vision and inspiration for shaping the originaldirection and design of the project: Terry Contant, Ph.D.;Barbara Foots, M.S.; Anne Hayman, Ph.D.; Judith Livingston,M.Ed.; Christina Meyers, Ph.D.; Kathleen Philbin, Ph.D.;Carolyn Sumners, Ed.D.; and Katherine Taber, Ph.D.

Several colleagues provided guidance during the production ofthis guide. In particular, we would like to offer our specialthanks to: Scott Bassinger, Ph.D.; Francis Catlin, M.D.; CeliaClay, M.P.H.; Dane Chetkovich, M.D., Ph.D.; Ruthanne Eatock,Ph.D.; Ron Fields, Ph.D.; John Maunsell, Ph.D.; Sarah Pallas,Ph.D.; and Samuel Wu, Ph.D.

Special thanks go to the National Institutes of Health, ScienceEducation Partnership Award Program, to Marjorie A. Tingle,Ph.D. and to Robert Hendrickson, Ph.D. for their support of theBrainLink project.

We are especially grateful to the many classroom teachers in theHouston area who eagerly participated in the field tests of thesematerials and provided invaluable feedback.

BrainLink Project Director: Judith Dresden, M.S.BrainLink Project Co-director: William Thomson, Ph.D.BrainLink Project Faculty: Barbara Tharp, M.S. and Nancy Moreno, Ph.D.

AcknowledgmentsSensory Signals

100

"The brain is the last andgrandest biological frontier,the most complex thing wehave yet discovered in ouruniverse. It containshundreds of billions of cellsinterlinked through trillionso connections. The brainboggles the mind."

James D. Watsonfrom Discovering the BrainNational Academy Press1992

BrainLink@1997, WOW! Publications

ABOUT BRAINLINK - Science and Health for Kids!

The Brain Link Project's exciting Activities, Explorations andAdventures "link" students, teachers and parents to advancedknowledge of the brain and nervous system and to vital science andhealth information. Prepared by teams of educators, scientists andhealth specialists, each Brain Link unit focuses on a different aspect ofthe brain and the nervous system. The activity-based, discovery-oriented approach of the Brain Link materials is aligned with theNational Science Education Standards and the National HealthEducation Standards.

The three components of each Brain Link unit help students learnwhy their brains make them special.

Brain Link Adventures presents the escapades of theNeuroExplorers Club in an illustrated storybook that alsoteaches science and health concepts.

Brain Link Explorations for Children and Adults is a colorfulmini-magazine full of information, activities and fun things todo in class or at home.

fXPLORATIONSFOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS

Brain Link Activities Guide for Teachers presents activity-based lessons that entice students to discover concepts inscience, mathematics and health through hands-on activities.

GUIDE FOR T EACHERS

BrainLink materials offer flexibility and versatility and areadaptable to a variety of teaching and learning styles.

BrainLink01997, WOW! Publications

10 About BrainLinkSensory Signals

WHERE DO I BEGIN?

The Adventures, Explorations and Activities components of each Brain Link unit are designed to be usedtogether to introduce and reinforce important concepts for students. To begin a Brain Link unit, someteachers prefer to generate students' interest by reading part or all of the Adventures story. Others use thecover of the Explorations mini-magazine as a way to create student enthusiasm and introduce the unit.Still others begin with the first discovery lesson in the Brain Link Activities - Guide for Teachers.

If this is your first Brain Link unit, you may want to use the pacing chart on thefollowing page as a guide to integrating the three components of the unit intoyour schedule. When teaching Brain Link for 45 to 60 minutes daily, mostteachers will complete an entire Brain Link unit with their students in two tothree weeks. If you use Brain Link every other day or once per week, oneunit will take from three to nine weeks to teach, depending on the amountof time you spend on each session.

The Brain Link Activities - Guide for Teachers provides backgroundinformation for you, the teacher, at the beginning of each activity. Inaddition, a listing of all materials, estimates of time needed to conductactivities and links to other components of the unit are given as aids forplanning. Questioning strategies, follow-up activities and appropriatetreatments for student-generated data also are provided. The final activity ineach Brain Link Activities - Guide for Teachers is appropriate for assessingstudent mastery of concepts.

Using Cooperative Groups in the Classroom

Cooperative learning is a systematic way for students to work together in groups of two to four. It providesan organized setting for group interaction and enables students to share ideas and to learn from one another.Through such interactions, students are more likely to take responsibility for their own learning. The use ofcooperative groups provides necessary support for reluctant learners, models community settings wherecooperation is necessary, and enables the teacher to conduct hands-on investigations with fewer materials.

Organization is essential for cooperative learning to occur in a hands-on science classroom. There arematerials to be managed, processes to be performed, results to be recorded and clean-up procedures to befollowed. When students are "doing" science, each student must have a specific role, or chaos may follow.

The Teaming Up model* provides an efficient system. Four "jobs" are delineated: Principal Investigator,Materials Manager, Reporter, and Maintenance Director. Each job entails specific responsibilities. Studentswear job badges that describe their duties. Tasks are rotated within each group for different activities, so thateach student has an opportunity to experience all roles. Teachers even may want to make class charts tocoordinate job assignments within groups.

Once a cooperative model for learning has been established in the classroom, students are able to conductscience activities in an organized and effective manner. All students are aware of their responsibilities andare able to contribute to successful group efforts.

* Jones, R. M. 1990. Teaming Up! LaPorte, Texas: ITGROUP.

Where Do I Begin?Sensory Signals iv

Brain Link@1997, WOW! Publications

Sensory SignalsSample Sequence of Activities, Adventures and Explorations

The components of this Brain Link unit can be used together in many ways. If you have never usedthese materials before, the following outline might help you to coordinate the Activities described in thisbook with the unit's Adventure story (The Cookie Crumbles) and Explorations mini-magazine (SensorySignals).

Similar information also is provided for you in the Links section of each activity in this book.

Activity ConceptsClass Periodsto Complete

Activity

Links to Other Components of Unit

Adventures:Cookie Crumbles

Explorations:Sensory Signals

1. Windows to theWorld

Senses provide us withinformation about theworld.

1

Read: A Friend Returns;Cross-Wired; MysteryCookies

Cover page activity; TheNeuro Side ( p 7)

2. Putting It All Together

Different areas of thecerebrum receiveinformation from thesenses.

1

Read: NeuroExplorersIn Action; CousinConnie's CookieCompany

Gray Matters (p 2); Is SeeingBelieving? (p 3)

3. Sense Phone The brain receives andintegrates informationfrom the senses.

1 or 2Read: Decision Made;Dark Voices

Gray Matters (p 2); SensibleGames (p 5)

4. Vision and Illusions

Optical illusions provideclues about how the braincluesprocesses visualinformation.

or 2 Read: A Sensory Plan;Everyone Needs a Brain

Is Seeing Believing? (p 3); UseYour BrainPromote YourHealth (p 4); Sensible Games(p 5)

5. Can You Hear Me?Some kinds of hearingloss are preventable.

1Read: Bittersweet;Visible Clues

Gray Matters (p 2); Decadeof the Brain (p 4); SensibleGames (p 5)

6. Tactile TestsThe sense of touch varieson different parts of thebody.

1Read: Making Sense?;Feeling for Clues

Cover Activity; Gray Matters(p 2); Careers forNeuroExplorers (p 7)

7. Get the Point?

Receptors in the skinreceive information fromwithin their receptivefields.

1

Read: Sensing Danger;The Better to Hear YouWith

Cover Activity; Gray Matters(p 2)

8. My Sensory StripThe sensory cortexreceives information fromreceptors in the skin.

1

Read: Putting It AllTogether; Caught in aWeb; Big Trouble

Gray Matters (p 2)

9. Use Your Brains,

Create Refrains

Summary of concepts andassessment 1

Read: A SensationalEnding; The SensibleSolution

Gray Matters (p 2); Decadeof the Brain

Brain Link@1997, WOW! Publications 103 Sample Sequence

Sensory Signals

MaterialsYou will need the following materials to teach this unit.

package of popped popcorn, buttered and salted (Activity 1)

package of unpopped popcorn, no salt, no butter (Activity 1)

hot air or other popcorn popper (Activity 1)

two identical opaque plastic bags (Activity 1)

colored markers or crayons (Activities 2 and 3)

scissors (one per student or group) (Activities 3 and 8)

15 meters of medium weight string per group of six students(Activity 3)

six disposable cups (8 oz size) per group of six students(Activity 3)

small box of paper clips (Activities 3, 6 and 7)

hand magnifiers (one per student or pair of students) (Activity 4)

white notecards (one per student) (Activity 4)

disposable ear plugs (one pair per student) (Activity 5)

cassette or compact disc player and tapes or compact discs(Activity 5)

paper lunch bags (one per pair of students) (Activity 6)

pairs of similar tactile materials, for example: penny andwasher, cotton and fur, fine and coarse sandpaper, newsprintand copy paper, foil and wax paper) (Activity 6)

rulers (one per student or group) (Activities 7 and 8; forActivity 8, rulers should be divided in millimeters)

clear tape (one roll per group) (Activities 7 and 8)

pipe cleaners (one per student) (Activity 8)

glue (Activity 8, if not using tape)

MaterialsSensory Signals

104

Call 1-800-969-4996for, information aboutBrainLink printedmaterials and supplies.

BrainLink@1997, WOW! Publications

Windows to the WorldBRAINLINK BACKGROUND (for the teacher)

Our senses are our "windows to the world." Through thesenses, we obtain information necessary for survival. Like allother forms of life, we need to interact with our surroundings toobtain nutrients, protect ourselves from danger and reproduce.Senses also work within our bodies to provide cues aboutvarying states of our body organs and positions of our musclesand limbs.

Simple one-celled organisms, such as the amoeba, detectlight, temperature and other characteristics of the environmentover much of their external surfaces. More complex animalshave evolved specialized cells called receptors that respond tospecific aspects of their environments by sending messages to therest of the nervous system. Receptors translate informationabout the physical world and conditions inside the body intoimpulses that travel along neurons. Most receptors arespecialized to respond best to a particular kind of stimulus.Thus, the simple nerve endings in the skin respond to pressure ortemperature, while rods and cones, receptors in the back of theeye, react only to the presence of different kinds of light.

Specialized regions within the brain receive and integrateinformation detected by sensory receptors. Through this process,we are able to interpret and react to our environment. Sensesenable us to participate in the worldto learn, to achieve, todiscover, to communicate.

Taste and smell, in particular, are emphasized as studentsembark on a sensory exploration that introduces this unit ofBrain Link activities. You may wish to highlight some of theinteresting facts about taste and smell listed on the following page.

LINKS

This activity may be taught along with the followingcomponents of the Sensory Signals unit.

Cookie Crumbles chapters:A Friend ReturnsCross-WiredMystery Cookies (see science box on page 18)NOTE: If this is your students' first Brain Link Adventurestory, have them read the introductory sections of thebookThe Beginning and The Club Membersbeforecontinuing with the chapters listed above.

Explorations:Cover page activity

BEST COPY AVAILABLE

0 0Brain LinkC41997. WOW! Publications

ACTIVITY 1

CONCEPTSSenses provide us withinformation about the worldaround us.Senses provide informationfrom within the body:,

OVERVIEWStudents conduct anexploration using all fiVa..senses.

1-3

SCIENCE & MATH SKILLSObserving, predi ng anddrawing conclusions

TIMEPreparation: 15 minutesClass: 30 minutes

443014,,!,t,MATERIALS

3plain, unpopped popcornapparatus for POppiritionibuttered; *Salted popcorn(previously prepared orpurchased)2 identical opaque plaiticbags

The senses are our "windows tothe world."

1. Windows to the WorldSensory Signals

SET-UP

Conduct this discovery lesson with the entire class. The activitywill lead students to think about the basic scientific questions,What do you think is happening? and How do you know?

Pop or purchase buttered, salted popcorn before class andput it in an opaque plastic bag. Bring plain, unpopped popcorn(no butter or salt) to be prepared in class.

PROCEDURE

1. Conceal a popcorn popper behind a desk or screen andbegin popping the corn. Ask the students to sit quietly attheir desks. As the kernels begin to pop, ask, What do youthink is happening behind the screen? When studentsrespond that you are making popcorn, ask, How do youknow? If only one sense is mentioned, ask, What else tellsyou it's popcorn?

2. Without allowing students to watch, put the warm, newly-popped corn into a bag identical to the one containing thebuttered, salted popcorn. Bring out both bags. Ask, Howcould you tell which batch was just popped? Let the studentstouch the bags. Again, ask, Which batch was just popped?What makes you think so?

3. Now ask, Is either batch flavored? How could you tell?Allow students to smell the popcorn from each batchwithout peeking into the bag. Ask, Are they the same ordifferent? How are they different?

4. Finally ask, Are either or both batches salted? How couldyou find out? Allow one or all students to taste one kernelfrom each batch.

5. Conclude by conducting a discussion with the students abouthow they were able to solve the popcorn mysteryaf studentshave not yet mentioned "senses," introduce the COn:cept.

1. Windows to the WorldSensory Signals

Taste and Smell Facts

Taste and smell depend onreceptors that normally arestimulated by chemicals.Molecules dissolved in liquidare detected by receptors 'onthe tongue. Molecules carriedin air are recognized by '71:1-41

'receptors inside the nose;

Even though the sense of "- :1smell is about 10,000 timesas sensitive as taste, thesenses of smell and tasteusually work in concert,....allowing us to distinguish r}"

-.among thousands of diffeient:,odors and flavors.

, . ;

There are about 10,000.receptor units or taste buds'organized in small clusteis on-the tongue.

4,While the four basic tastessweet, sour, salty and bittercan be detected over -mostthe tongue's surface, certainregions are more responsiveto a particular taste; The tipof the tongue is mostsensitive to sweet, the frontand sides to salt, the-sidethe very back to sour'and,the-center back to bitter.

Ask students which bag containsrecently popped corn.

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Brain Link01997, WOW! Publications

Senses bring information about inside and outside the bodyto the brain. Very briefly discuss the common senses (sight,hearing, smell, taste, touch/feeling).

6. Ask the students to tell you all the parts of the body and thenervous system that they used in this exploration (eyes, nose,mouth, tongue, ears, fingers, brain, neurons, etc.)

Stimulate further discussion by asking, What did your braindo? How did the information get from the sense organs (eye,ear, fingers, nose, etc.) to the brain? These questions willbuild interest for Activity 2.

8. Draw a simple diagram on the board, as shown, to illustratethe relationship between detecting a stimulus, sending amessage to the brain and interpreting the message in thebrain.

BRAIN JOGGING

Here are more ideas for you and your students to explore.

What do you think a sense is? Is the ability to detect thepassage of time a sense? How about balance? Hunger?Detecting graVity?

Can you think of anything that you do or have ever donewithout using any of your senses?

Some people believe that our brains can receive informationdirectly. This controversial phenomenon is calledextrasensory perception (ESP). What does the word,"extrasensory," mean? Do you think that it's possible for thebrain to receive information that does not pass through thesensory system?

Brain Link@1997, WOW! Publications

sensoryreceptor

Make a simple diagram of sensorypathways on the board.

1. Windows to the WorldSensory Signals

Putting It All TogetherBRAINLINK BACKGROUND (for the teacher)

Certain parts of the brain are dedicated to each sense.Initially, different areas of the cerebrum are responsible forreceiving messages from each kind of sense organ. For example,a specific region of the cerebrum in the back of the brain isdedicated to receiving information from the eyes. Not only areareas of the brain specialized with regard to the senses, butscientists have discovered that, within each specialized area ofthe brain, neurons respond to particular aspects of sensoryinformation. In the visual region, for instance, some neurons aredevoted to motion, others to color, and yet others to shapes andpatterns. The diagram at the bottom of the page shows theprimary sensory processing area (sensory cortex) for each of thefive senses. While not shown on the drawing, it should be notedthat all sensory information is routed through a central locationdeep inside the brain (known as the thalamus), before being sentto the appropriate Sensory area.

After sensory signals are initially processed, they areforwarded to other areas of the cerebrum for more complexintegration. In addition, there are areas in the cerebrum wherethe brain puts together information from all the senses. Whenwe obtain information from several senses, we often are betterable to understand a situation than when we have only one formof sensory input.

Motor Cortex

ACTIVITY 2.

CONCEPTSDifferent areas of thecerebrum receiveinformation from each sense.

OVERVIEW ,Students learn about thespecial areas of the brain thatreceive information from thesenses. .

SCIENCE & MATH SKILLSModeling and inferring

-

TIMEPreparation: 5 minutesClass: 30 minutes 't

MATERIALScopies or. oyerhead..4g.transparency of *SensoryAreas of the Cerebrum" on..:page 6

=

copies of "Sensory NeuroKidon, page 7 (one per student)

The pathway of tasteto the cerebrumis still unknown.

Smell Area(Olfactory Cortex)

Auditory Area(Auditory Cortex)

2. Putting It All TogetherSensory Signals

Visual Area(Visual Cortex)

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Primary Sensorygittreas of the Cerebrum

te .108 BrainLink@1997. WOWI Publications

LINKS

This activity may be taught along with the followingcomponents of the Sensory Signals unit.

The Cookie Crumbles chapters:NeuroExplorers in ActionCousin Connie's Cookie Company

Explorations:Gray Matters (page 2)Is Seeing Believing? (page 3)Sensible Games (page 5)

SET-UP

Conduct this activity with the entire class.

PROCEDURE

1. Project an overhead or distribute copies of the Sensory Areasof the Cerebrum page. Have students identify basic parts ofthe brain (such as cerebrum, cerebellum and brainstem)before pointing out the special areas where information fromeach sense is first processed. Ask, Can you find whereinformation about things we see is sent? About things wesmell? About things we hear?

Give each student a copy of the NeuroKid page. Have thestudents draw a line from each sensory stimulus (lamp, food,radio, etc.) to the primary receptor organ associated with it(eye, ear, tongue), and on to the area of the cerebrum wherethat particular sensory information is processed.

3. You may want to assign a specific color for each sense tomake the diagram easier to follow. Students may use thatcolor to fill in the corresponding area of cerebral cortex.

4. Note that the stimuli may evoke more than one sensoryresponse. For example, food can be tasted, smelled, seen andtouched. After their initial responses, urge older students tonote all the senses that could be stimulated by each item.

2.

BRAIN JOGGING

Here is another idea for you and your students to explore.

Which sense do you usually rely upon most? Explain whythat sense is more important to you compared to all yourother senses.

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1 0Brain Link@1997. WOW! Publications

Unusual Animal SensesThere are many fascinating ways inwhich different animals "sense"their environments through distinctsets of "windows," or senses. Eachorganism is sensitive to only aportion of the information available

.in:the environment. Animals have,evolved different types of"windows" depending upon theParticular environment in whichthey live and what, specifically, theyneed to know about their.Surroundings in order to survivelong enough to produce offspring.

"Did you know that:

Mosquitoes are able to detect thepresence of potential prey by

.sensing the carbon dioxide (CO2);biven off as waste from animalrespiration?

e' Crabs and flies tastewith their feet, allowing

= them to knowimmediately if they have

..7landed upon something edible?*Some male moths can smell and

then locate a potential mate:ri"everal miles away by detecting-airborne chemicals (pheromones)produced by the female?

*Bats and whales send out sound---,signals and monitor the echo to

assess the nearness of obstacles,danger and food (echolocation)?Homing pigeons and other birdsire believed to sense the

teirth's magnetic fields."-,kand use that information

foi.navigation?14Fiectric fish generate

electric fields aroundz."`' ,Nthemselves that allow them

la.detect objects in theirimmediate vicinity?

z.?!.Rattlesnakes use a special organ

.:(the pit organ) to locatepother animals, even intotal darkness, byseeing an aura

.--,;,,indicating the warmth1,!-.cif,t.he other animal's

body?

2. Putting It All TogetherSensory Signals

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Brain Link@1997, WOW! Publications

2. Putting It All TogetherSensory Signals

SensePhoneBRAINLINK BACKGROUND (for the teacher)

Some neurons or other cells act as receptors to translatedifferent types of physical information (light, heat, presence ofcertain molecules, etc.) into nervous system messages or signals.These signals then travel along sensory neurons to the brain.

Most sensory receptors are specialized to respond to aparticular type of information. For example, there are differentreceptors in the skin devoted to receiving and transmittinginformation about pain, pressure, heat, cold and touch.Interestingly, there are many aspects of the physical environmentto which our receptors do not respond. For example, we "see"light only between wavelengths of 400 and 700 nanometers (onenanometer is equivalent to one billionth of a meter) in theelectromagnetic spectrum. Other organisms, such as many speciesof bees, are able to see wavelengths that are invisible to us.

The brain continually is being bombarded by sensory signalsfrom inside our bodies and all around us. Incredibly, it is able tofilter out much of that input, enabling us to ignore some of thesignals, but to utilize others. Complex communication andprocessing occur continuously within the brain's neural networksto produce "understanding" of what is happening around us.

This activity is designed to help students discover, in a basicway, how the senses work together. It emphasizes the veryimportant role the brain plays in deciphering and integratingsensory information.

LINKS

This activity may be taught along with the followingcomponents of the Sensory Signals unit.

The Cookie Crumbles chapters:Decision MadeDark VoicesAlso see science boxes on pages 3-4

Explorations:Gray Matters (page 2)Is Seeing Believing? (page 3)Sensible Games (page 5)

SET-UPYou will need to copy the What Would You Be Doing If...?

pages and cut out the individual cards. Students rifarcio this ifyou prefer. Divide the class into groups of six studentkt oconduct this activity.

3. SensePhoneSensory Signals

113

ACTIVITY 3

CONCEPTSThe brain receives andintegrates information fromall of the senses.

OVERVIEWStudents create a string andcup model of sensoryreceptors and the brain thatallows them to explore howthe brain puts togetherinformation from each of thesenses.

SCIENCE & MATH SKILLSUsing variables, measuring,modeling, problem solving andinferring

TIMEPreparation: 10 minutesClass: 45-60 minutes

MATERIALSEach group of six students willneed:

copy of "SensePhoneInstructions" on page 10set of "What Would You BeDoing If...?" cards on pages11-156 disposable cups (8 oz size)15 m of medium weightcotton string11 paper clipsscissorscolored pencils or markers

BrainLink@1997, WOWI Publications

PROCEDURE

1. Have each group construct a sensory nervous system modelconsisting of 5 "sensory receptors" (cups) connected byseparate "sensory neurons" (strings) to a central receiver or"brain" (cup) using the Sense Phone Instructions as a guide.The string from each "receptor" will enter the "brain" at anarea representing the specific area of cerebrum for that sense.

2. Use the Sense Phones to learn about the brain's role in"making sense" of incoming information. Distribute a set of"What Would You Be Doing If...?" riddle cards among the"sensory receptors" in each group. Retain the answer cardsfor yourself. Cards for four riddles are provided. Studentsmay enjoy creating their own riddles on the blank cards.

3. Within the groups, have each "sensory receptor" read his/herinformation in turn into the "receptor" cup so that only the"brain" can hear it. After listening to all of the clues, the"brain" should put all the information together (integrate it)in order to come up with a solution. Allow the "brain" afew moments for thinking after the clues are spoken.

4. There may be many "right answers" to each riddle. Theanswer cards contain one possible interpretation of thesensory information. Your students may be more creative atanswering the question, "What Would You Be Doing If...?"Accept all answers that are plausible!

5. After the "brain" has proposed a solution, have each"receptor" read his or her information to the group. Ask thestudents, Is the information from any of the individualsenses enough to figure out the answer? Does the brain haveenough information to solve the riddle? Have studentswithin each group rotate positions after each riddle.

6. Develop a class discussion about the senses and sensoryintegration by asking the students, Do you think that youcould describe an object using only one sense? If so, whichsense? If not, which sense might give you the mostinformation? What about describing a whole situation oractivity? Why might you be able to describe an object, butnot an activity, using only one or two senses?

BRAIN JOGGING

Here are more ideas for you and your students to explore.

Think of situations in which information from only a singlesense is not enough to understand what is happening.

77-"nWhy do you think the sensory receptors for he , seeing,smelling and tasting are located on your head?

E:24

BrainLink61997, WOWI Publications

BEST COPY AVAILABLE4 -1j. J. tic

Students use cups and string tocreate a model of the sensorynervous system.

Distribute riddle cards to each groupof students. Use the blank riddlecards on page 15, if students wouldlike to create their own riddles.

If desired, students mayexperiment with differenttypes of string, cups,'attachmentlengths of siring; indoorand outdoor settings, etc.to get the best resultsfrom their model:

3. SensePhoneSensory Signals

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What Would You Be Doing If...?

Riddle 1

I hear somethingcrunching.

Possible brain solution:I am eating a red apple.

BrainLink101997, W014/1 Publications 117 3. SensePhone

Sensory Signals

What Would You Be Doing If...?

Riddle 2

I hear somethingdripping.

I see something roundedand yellow.

Possible brain solution:I am making lemonade.

3. Sense PhoneSensory Signals 118

Brain Link01997, WOW! Publications

What Would You Be Doing If...?

Riddle 3

I hear wind blowing andwater rushing.

Riddle 3

I smell something fishy.

Riddle 3

I feel something wet.

Brain Link01997, WOW1 Publications

Possible brain solution:I am at the ocean shore orbeach.

110 3. Sense PhoneSensory Signals

T11 What Would You Be Doing If...?

I see movement, colorsand many people.

Riddle 4

I feel hot and dusty.

3. Sense PhoneSensory Signals

Possible brain solution:I am at a rodeo, carnivalor fair.

120 Brain Link101997, WOW! Publications

What Would You Be Doing If...?Blank Riddle Cards

Brain Link101997, WOW! Publications

I613. SensePhone

Sensory Signals

. Vision and Illusions

BRAINLINK BACKGROUND (for the teacher)

The Visual System

Most of our knowledge about the surrounding world comesfrom the sense of vision. This seemingly miraculous sensetransforms signals produced by light energy entering the eye intoperceptions of movement, color and form. The abilities torecognize a face, identify an object under different conditions oflight or interpret the different components of a landscape resultfrom complex processes that take place in many different areasof the cerebral cortex. The strategies used by the brain in visioncannot be duplicated, even by the most sophisticated existingcomputers and software.

We only are beginning to understand how the visual systemin the brain works. While it was once believed that visionworked like a simple camera, we now know that it is a muchmore complex process. Light enters the eye through the pupiland is focused by the lens on the retina, where it activates speciallight-sensitive cells (rods and cones). These cells convert lightenergy into electrical signals that travel along the optic nerve tothe visual centers of the brain. The primary visual cortex, wheresignals are first processed, is located at the back of the head.However, there are at least 20 other areas of cerebral cortexdevoted to the processing of visual information. Cells in differentareas of the visual cortex respond to different characteristics ofobjects (for example, motion, form, color). Each of these areasreceives special information carried along separate pathways.This information is assembled along parallel and hierarchicalroutes, not yet fully understood, to form a three dimensionalmental perception of the world.

Tricking the Eye and Brain

Optical illusions provide clues about the ways in which thebrain processes visual information. The brain appears to makecertain assumptions about what is to be seen in the world. Wheninsuffidient information is provided or the information isconflicting, the brain can be "tricked."

In this activity, students will explore several well-knownillusions. They are based upon the following principles.

4. Vision and IllusionsSensory Signals 122

ACTIVITY 4

CONCEPTSSome optical illusionsprovide clues about how thebrain processes visualinformation.The brain can be fooled byinsufficient or conflictingvisual input.

OVERVIEWStudents learn about thebrain's role in vision, as theyexperience well-known opticalillusions.

SCIENCE & MATH SKILLSObserving, identifyingvariables, identifyingrelationships and measuring

TIMEPreparation: 10 minutesClass: 30-45 minutes

MATERIALSwhite notecards (one perstudent or pair of students)hand magnifiers (one perstudent or pair of students)copies of "The VanishingSpot" and "Brain Illusions"on pages 21 and 22 (onecopy per student)

Brain Link101997, N/014/1 Publications

Inverted Image

Light enters our eyes in the same way that it enters a pinholecamera or passes through a simple lens (such as a handmagnifier). As a result, the light that becomes focused on theretina presents an image that is inverted relative to the outsideworld. Higher levels of the brain adjust for this, so that we "see"the world in its correct orientation.

Filling In

Sometimes, when information that the brain receives aboutthe physical world is not complete, it tries to fill in the gaps.This happens with the area in the field of vision thatcorresponds to the "blind spot" on the retina. The blind spot isthe exit point for the optic nerve to the brain. It contains noreceptor cells and cannot react to incoming light.

However, we do not "see" a blank space in our field ofvision, because the brain fills in the missing area with anestimate of what it should look like. This astonishing processcan be experienced in the illusion presented on the studentpage, The Vanishing Spot. This illusion is constructed so that ablack circle or a gap in a line falls exactly on the blind spot ofthe eye. When the brain "fills in" the blind spot, the image ofthe circle disappears and the line appears unbroken!

Grouping

Light coming into the eye is detected as tiny points by theindividual receptors in the retina. This information must beprocessed through many levels in the brain before it becomesuseful. In fact, the association of separate points into moremeaningful mental images is one of the primary tasks of thevisual cortex. One of the ways the brain organizes visualinformation is by clustering objects that are close together. As aresult of this tendency, the groups of dots in the second exampleon Brain Illusions appear to be arranged either in columns or inrows, depending upon the spacing.

BrainLink@1997, WOW! Publications

Images are inverted when they arefocused on the retina.

Iris

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123

Retina(light receptors)

The blind spot has no receptors forlight, yet we do not see a blankspace in our field of vision.

4. Vision and IllusionsSensory Signals

Figure vs. Ground

The visual system works on a "winner takes all" basis. Theeye and brain can focus intently on only one object at a time.Everything else is reduced to background. When a figure isambiguous, as in psychologist Edgar Rubin's famous vaseexample shown on the Brain Illusions page, the brain jumpsfrom one interpretation to another. Thus, the figure can appearas either two faces in profile or a symmetrical vase, but not asboth at the same time.

Context

One of the most difficult tasks faced by the brain is building Do you see a vase or two profiles?a three-dimensional perception of the world from the two-dimensional image received on the retina. The brain uses severalcontext clues to estimate depth and distance. One clue isshading. Look at the rows of circles in the third example onBrain Illusions. The circles will appear as spheres or cavities,depending upon where you assume the light is coming from. It isvirtually impossible to see both rows of spheres as concave orconvex (adapted from Ramachandran, V. 1988. Perceiving Shapefrom Shading. Scientific American 259(2):76-83). Another clue isperspective. Small-appearing or closely positioned objects can beinterpreted as being far away, depending upon the relative size ordistance of surrounding objects. Examples include railroadtracks that converge in the distance, or an automobile thatgradually increases in size as it approaches. The brain uses cluesabout the relative size of nearby objects to interpret theseexamples correctly.

When provided with insufficient or conflicting information, Context cues provide information aboutthe brain can be fooled. The open cube provided on the Brain distance and size.

Illusions page is a good example of this. Since there are no cluesabout which surface is closest to the viewer, the brain will switchamong different interpretations of the cube. (This illusion wasfirst devised by L. A. Necker in 1832.)

LINKS

This activity can be taught along with the following sectionsof other components of the Sensory Signals unit.

The Cookie Crumbles chapters:A Sensory PlanEveryone Needs a BrainAlso see science box on page 19

Explorations:Is Seeing Believing (page 3)Use Your Brain Promote Your Health (page 4Sensible Games (pages 5-6)The Neuro Side (page 6)Toad Hunt (page 8)

4. Vision and IllusionsSensory Signals

The Necker Cube is a well-knownoptical illusion.

124 B rainLink61997, WOW! Publications

SET-UP

Conduct the following explorations in one longer or severalshort sessions, depending on the ages of your students and thetime available. Students may work individually or in pairs.

PROCEDURE

1. Inverted Image. Give a hand magnifier and a note card toeach student or pair of students. Direct them to stand withtheir backs to a window as they hold the magnifiers a fewinches in front of the note cards. The students shouldobserve the image that is projected onto the card. (If theimage is not sharp, have them move the magnifier forwardand backward until it becomes focused.) Ask, What do yousee? Is it right side up? Help the students understand that theimage projected onto the retina of the eye also is inverted.The brain "flips" the image to its correct orientation as itbuilds a mental picture of the physical world.

2. Filling In. Pass out copies of The Vanishing Spot and directeach student to follow the simple instructions listed at thebottom of the page. What happens to the black circle? Tothe space in the black line? What do you think is happening?Lead the students to conclude that the brain is filling in thespace corresponding to the "blind spot" on the retina.

3. Grouping. Give each student a copy of Brain Illusions. Askstudents to focus their attention on the rows of dots shownin example A. First, ask them to establish the number of dotsin each group. Follow by asking, Are the dots in the firstgroup arranged cross-wise or up-and-down? Why do youthink so? What about the dots in the second group? Lead thestudents in a discussion about the role of spacing in alteringtheir perceptions of the arrangement of the dots.

4. Figure vs. Ground. Let the students look at example B on theBrain Illusions page. Ask them to describe what they areseeing. (Some will see a vase, others a pair of faces, andothers may mention that the image switches between thefaces and the vase.) Encourage the students to think aboutwhat might be happening. Explain that the eye and brain canbe busy with only one object or image at a time and thateverything else becomes background. In the case of thisillusion, the brain jumps from one interpretation of the figureto the other. Follow by asking whether it is ever possible towatch two different things closely at the same time.

5. Context Clues. Direct students' attention to example C. Askthem to imagine that the light illuminating the ,Isleres iscoming from above. Have them identify whicli`', 416 of

Brain Link01997, WOW! Publications

41 )1 1/4)

The Vanishing Spot

Hold this sheet about I8 inches from your face. Cloth your righteye. Stare at the x using your left eye. Move the sheet back andforth slightly. What happens to the black circle?

Close your right one and try again, this time focusing on theiriangle. What happens?

4. Make and Nuanialgroyaw. le.r

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4. Vision and IllusionsSensory Signals

spheres looks like it is concave and which row looks convex.Now, ask them to mentally switch the light source to belowthe figure. Which row is concave and which is convex now?Challenge the students to establish whether it is possible tosee both rows simultaneously as concave or convex. Why orwhy not?

6. Challenge students to identify which side of the open cube inexample D is facing forward. Is it possible to tell? Whatkinds of clues would we need to determine which side isclosest to the viewer? Students also may notice that theirattention will flip between two (or more) differentinterpretations of the cube, much in the same way as theirinterpretation of example B switched between the vase andthe two faces.

BRAIN JOGGING

Here are more ideas for you and your students to explore.

Try using different tricks of perspective to create drawingsthat represent three-dimensional objects or scenes. Possibletechniques include using shading, making backgroundobjects smaller, and letting linear objects converge in thebackground.

Find other examples of illusions, and ask students todescribe what they think the brain is doing (filling in, usingcontext clues, etc.). Be aware that the brain mechanismsbehind some illusions still are not understood.

4. Vision and IllusionsSensory Signals

126

The Vanishing Spot

x

Hold this sheet about 18 inches from your face. Close your righteye. Stare at the x using your left eye. Move the sheet back andforth slightly. What happens to the black circle?

A

Close your right eye and try again, this time focusing on thetriangle. What happens?

Brain Link01997, WOWI Publications

r)1474. Vision and Illusions

Sensory Signals

Brain Illusions

A. B.

C. D.

4. Vision and IllusionsSensory Signals 128 Brain Link

001997. WOW! Publications

Can You Hear Me?BFtAINLINK BACKGROUND (for the teacher)

Hearing and the Ear

Sound is produced when an object vibrates in air (or anothermedium, such as water) and produces alternating bands of highand low pressure, known as sound waves. Even though soundwaves possess very low levels of energy, our ears and brain areable to detect the frequency and loudness of sounds, as well asto locate sound sources.

The human ear is designed to collect sound waves and detectminute changes in air pressure. The outer ear consists of the earflap and a short passageway known as the auditory canal. Theeardrum or tympanic membrane is located at the inner end ofthe auditory canal. The eardrum bulges inward or outward inresponse to pressure changes caused by sound waves. Thismovement is amplified by the three tiny, interconnected bonesresiding in the middle ear.

Another membrane separates the middle and inner ears. Theinner ear is a complicated labyrinth of interconnected fluid-filledchambers and canals. The upper group of canals is important forthe sense of balance. The lower canal is coiled like a snail shelland is filled with fluid. This structure, known as the cochlea,converts pressure waves into impulses that are sent alongsensory neurons to the auditory centers in the brain.

Sensory Loss

Our ability to detect and process information from theoutside world depends on the presence of intact and functioningsensory systems. Whenever any of the components of aparticular sense is harmed, our capacity to receive informationthrough that sense may be diminished, distorted or eliminated.In the ear, damage to any of the parts described in the precedingsection could result in partial or complete hearing loss.

Some kinds of sensory loss are preventable! While we arenot able to protect our sensory systems from every kind ofdamage, certain measures can be taken to limit harmfulsituations. This is particularly true of the sense of hearing.Simple actions, such as wearing earplugs in noisy settings, oftencan prevent damage to delicate structures inside the ear. Inaddition, protective headgear and helmets for sports and certainoccupations help avoid serious head injuries. Safety glasses,shaded lenses, heavy gloves, protective clothing, and sun screensall shield valuable sensory receptors in the eyes and skin.

;:kThis activity lets children experience how earplugs reduce the

amount of sound that enters the ear:

Brain Link@1997, WOW! Publications

BEST COPY AVAILABLE23

1 2

ACTIVITY 5

CONCEPTSThe human ear is designed totrap sound waves andconvert information aboutsound into nervous systemsignals.Some kinds of hearing lossare preventable.

OVERVIEWStudents experience the effectsof ear plugs and learn aboutprotecting the ear, as anexample of how sensoryloss-can be prevented.

SCIENCE& MATH SlotsObserving, considering andcalculating variables,measuring and drawing,,,conclusions

TIMEPreparation: 15-minutesClass: 30 minutes

MATERIALScopies of "How Loud Is TooLoud?" on page 26 .

disposable earplugs (onepair per student)cassette/compact disc.2,player and one.,di:iiiOr*:tapes or compact discs

,

Protect Your Hearing

Headphones are a particularlyinsidious contributor to hearingdamage. If the volume on apersonal tape player is so loudthat another person can hearthe sound coming from theheadset, the wearer may beharming his/her ears!

5. Can You Hear Me?Sensory Signals

LINKS

This activity may be taught along with the followingcomponents of the Sensory Signals unit:

The Cookie Crumbles chapters:BittersweetVisible Clues

Explorations:Gray Matters (page 2)Decade of the Brain (page 4)Sensible Games (page 5)

SET-UP

This activity may be carried out with the entire class or withgroups of three students. In either case, the activity requires threedifferent categories of participants: (1) students with earplugs,(2) students without earplugs and (3) observers, who also willact as recorders.

In advance, select one or more cassette tapes, CD's or radiosettings that present different kinds of sounds. Examples includespeaking voices, vocal music, classical instrumental music,special sound effects, rock music, etc. For each trial with thestudents, gradually increase the volume of the cassette or CDplayer from the lowest setting possible to one that is betweenmedium and high (the actual amount that you increase theloudness will depend on your classroom size and other factors).If possible, have students sit in a circle, all at an equal distancefrom the sound source.

You or some of your students may want to prepare a tape ofdifferent sounds to use for this activity.

PROCEDURE

1. After dividing them into groups, explain to students thatthey will be listening to sounds that will increase gradually inloudness. Tell the students in the "earplugs" and "withoutearplugs" groups to keep their eyes closed during theexperiment and raise their hands when they first begin tohear a sound. When they stop hearing the sound, theyshould lower their hands and wait for the next one. Repeatthe experiment several times with different kinds of music orsounds. The "observers" should record which of the othertwo groups responded to the sound first during each trial.Depending on the age of your students, you may wish tohave them record the actual time intervals between theresponses of each group.

5. Can You Hear Me?Sensory Signals

Ear drumMiddle ear

Neurons to brain

Auditory canal

Cochlea

The ear is designed to capturesound waves and transform theminto impulses that can be sentalong sensory neurons to the brain.

Students should raise theirhands when they first begin tohear the sound.

130 Brain Link@1997, WOW! Publications

Have all the "earplugs" participants insert the plugs gentlyinto their ears. The plugs should fit snugly, but not beuncomfortable.

3. Play each sound, gradually increasing the volume until all ormost of the students have raised their hands. Repeat theexperiment several times with different kinds of music orsounds. The "observers" should record which of the othertwo groups responded to the sound first during each trial.You may wish to have students calculate the actual timeintervals between responses by the two groups.

4. Lead a discussion of the results of the trials. You may do thisinformally, or you may wish to tabulate the observations onthe board. Did the students wearing earplugs first hear thesound at lower or higher levels of loudness than the groupwithout earplugs? What does this tell us, in general, aboutthe usefulness of earplugs? For which types of sounds werethe earplugs most effective? Discuss the informationpresented on the How Loud is Too Loud? sheet.

BRAIN JOGGING

Here are more ideas for you and your students to explore.

Imagine a new invention that could help compensate for theloss of one of the senses or that increases the acuity of asense. Describe your sense-improvement invention in a shortparagraph or story, or draw a picture of it.

Use the SensePhones to investigate the consequences ofdamage to different components of the sensory system. Havedifferent groups simulate "damage" to receptors, sensoryneurons or the brain by cutting or otherwise modifying thecorresponding component of the SensePhone (i.e., receptorcups, string or brain cup) and testing whether a message canbe sent.

Individuals who are deprived of a particular sense (vision,hearing, etc.) often learn to rely more on informationobtainable through other senses. Common examples includethe use of vision by deaf persons to "read" lips andunderstand spoken language, or the use of touch in thefingertips by blind persons to "read" Braille texts. Suchindividuals usually are able to live rewarding and productivelives by substituting input from one sense with that fromanother sense. Can you think of other examples of sensesubstitution?

BEST COPY AVAILABLE

BrainLink(4,1997, WOW] Publications

i31

Sensory LossSensory loss can occur as a resultof disease or damage to any ofthe parts of the sensory system,as described below.

Sensory receptors (in the eye,ear, skin, etc.). Damage tosensory receptors can takeplace in small increments overtime, or can result from asudden catastrophe. Hearingloss from repeated exposure toloud noise is an example of theeffect of gradual injury tosensory receptors. Severe blowsto the eye or ear can causepermanent blindness ordeafness by harmini one-or

' more of the delicate Parts.1Extremely loud noises also cancause immediate andirreversible hearing loss.

Sensory neurons. Whenthesneurons that carry sensoryinformation to the braindegenerate or are severed, nosignal will reach the appropriatearea of the brain, even if thesensory receptor remains intact.Multiple sclerosis is an exampleof a disease that can lead to lossof the sense of touch and/orvision through the gradualbreakdown of the myelin sheath

.1.protecting some sensoryneurons. In the case of hearing,

..`damage to the nerves betweenear and the brain viill result

in deafness.

Brain. Sensory loss as a resultof brain damage depends on the:,region of the brain that isaffected. Specific injury to avery small area of the cerebrumcan impact only one sense.However, swelling and othersecondary consequences oftenlead to ill effects in many ,areasof the brain.

5. Can You Hear Me?Sensory Signals

How Loud ils TOO Loud?

Ringing or a full feeling in the ear signals that you are being exposed to noise thatcould be harmful. When this happens, let your ears rest in a quiet place!

Remember, loud noises are dangerous! Sounds in the DANGER ZONE can causehearing loss if exposure continues for too long a time. Sounds at 140 decibels or highercan even cause instant damage to hearing.

DANGER ZONE

Sound is measured in units called decibels (db).See how different types of sound compare.

Sound Units (db)

5. Can You Hear Me?Sensory Signals

.106050

40

30

firecrackers, jet engine, gun shot

rock concert

headphones, car stereo

snowmobile, subway train

city traffic, lawn mower, motorcycle

alarm clock, hair dryer, factoryrestaurant, vacuum cleanernormal conversationaverage home, refrigeratorprincipal's officesoft whisper, quiet library

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13 2 BrainLinkC11997, WOW! Publications

Tactile Tests

BRAINLINK BACKGROUND (for the teacher)

We often speak of the five senses: vision, hearing, taste,smell and touch. However, the tactile sense, traditionally called"touch," actually encompasses a large group of more or lessseparate senses. These include pressure, vibration, warmth, cold,heat and pain, detected in the skin and deeper tissues.

The number of different kinds of receptors, or "sensors,"present in the skin and the ways in which different dimensionsof touch or feeling are detected by those receptors are notcompletely known. We do know that pressure receptors at thebase of each hair detect minute movements that correspond tocontact, or being touched. Other specialized receptors registertemperature. Pain is detected by free nerve endings.

The perception of different feelings is not distributed equallyin the skin. For example, in any given area, there usually aremore points that are sensitive to pain than there are points thatare sensitive to pressure or to temperature. In addition, someareas of the body have more sensory receptors of a particularkind than others. For example, there are more pressure-sensitive

Free nerveending (pain)

Touch receptor

Temperature \receptors

Cross Section of Skin(Note: Characteristics of skin without hair and skin with hairare combined for purposes of illustration.)

BrainLink@1997. WOW! Publications

ACTIVITY 6

CONCEPTS tThe ability to discriminatebetween objects by using thesense of touch varies ondifferent parts of the body.

OVERVIEWStudents explore the sense oftouch by comparing skin-.sensitivities on the upper armand fingertips.

;

SCIENCE & MATH SKILLSObserving, comparing,,drawing concluiloni

TIMEPreparation: 15 minutesClass: 30 minutes

MATERIALS12 paper lunch bap.pairs of similar materialt-thatcan be discriminate'dbY..'touch (different grits Ofsandpaper, washer and acoin, rabbit or synthetic furand cotton balls or fluff,smooth and rough fabric,smooth and roughcardboard, newsprint andcopier paper, aluminum foil.and waxed paper:etc:).

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6. Tactile TestsSensory Signals

receptors on the tip of the tongue and on the fingertips thananywhere else in the body.

This exploration allows students to compare the relativesensitivity of skin on different parts of their bodies (upper armand fingertips). By trying to feel the difference between twosimilar objects having slightly dissimilar textures, studentsdiscover that some areas are more sensitive than others. This isbecause there are more sensory receptors for touch in someplaces than in others.

LINKS

This activity may be taught along with the followingcomponents of the Sensory Signals unit:

The Cookie Crumbles chapters:Making Sense?Feeling for Clues (see science box on page 23)

Explorations:Cover activityGray Matters (page 2)Careers for NeuroExplorers (page 7)

SET-UP

Prior to class, place similar pairs of objects in numberedbrown paper lunch bags. (Suggestions for pairs of objects arelisted in materials.) You will need one bag for each two students.

Conduct this activity with students working in pairs.

PROCEDURE

1. Distribute one of the bags you have prepared to each pair ofstudents. Have one student in each pair close his/her eyes.Ask the remaining student to remove the objects from thebag and gently rub them, one at at time, on the upper arm ofthe student with closed eyes. Can he or she feel anydifference between the two objects?

2. Then have the teams test the same two objects on thefingertips of the students with closed eyes. Are they able tofeel a difference this time? Ask them to describe the twothings they felt.

3. Rotate the bags among groups, have the students trade jobsand repeat the process as time allows.

6. Tactile TestsSensory Signals

Try This!Many of the sensations thatwe feel consist of blends ofinformation from differentkinds of receptors in the skin.For example, the feeling ofwetness is generated by thesimultaneous stimulation ofreceptors for cold andpressure.

To convince yourself of this,cover your finger with clearplastic and then place it incold water. It will feel wet!

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134BrainLink

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4. Use these class discoveries along with the information inBRAINLINK BACKGROUND to lead a discussion aboutdifferences in skin sensitivity among body areas. Helpstudents understand by asking questions such as, Could youtell whether objects were the same or different with yourfingers? With your arm? From which area of the body doyou think the brain gets more sensory information? In whicharea are there more sensory receptors? Why do you think thehands are more sensitive?

BRAIN JOGGING

Here are more ideas for you and your students to explore.

Try taping "whiskers" (straws, pipe cleaners, etc.) onto yourcheeks. Imagine that you are a cat or other animal thatnavigates in the dark. Would your "whiskers" help youjudge the nearness of objects or the size of openings? Howcould you find out? Do you think the hairs on your bodyimprove your sense of touch?

Why do you think it is important for our skin to containsensory receptors for heat, cold and pain in addition to thosefor simple "touch" (contact, pressure)? Do you supposethere are more receptors in the skin for pressure or for pain?

Brain Link(01997, WOW! Publications

133

Try creating long whiskers such asthose of a cat..

6. Tactile TestsSensory Signals

Get the Point?BRAINLINK BACKGROUND (for the teacher)

The area of skin from which a sensory receptor receivesinformation is called its receptive field. In a part of the bodywith more receptors or nerve endings, the receptive fields aresmaller because the receptors are closer together. For instance,there are many more sensory receptors in our fingertips than inthe upper arm or leg. As a result, the receptive fields are smalleron the fingers than on the arm. You might make the analogythat there are "more dots per square inch" in the skin on ourfingertips than in the skin on the upper arm. This makes itpossible for the fingers to make finer discriminations of textureor minute objects than the upper arm.

This activity will allow students to experience and quantifythe approximate sizes of receptive fields on their fingers, palmsand upper arms.

LINKS

This activity may be taught along with the followingcomponents of the Sensory Signals unit:

The Cookie Crumbles chapters:Sensing DangerThe Better to Hear You WithAlso see science box on page 23

Explorations:Cover activityGray Matters (page 2)

SET-UP

To conduct this activity, divide the class into pairs ofstudents.

PROCEDURE

1. Help each team create a testing tool by attaching two paperclips to a thin ruler as shown. One paper clip is taped inplace and remains fixed. The other is moved along the rulerto create different distances between the points for testing.Each time the distance is set, the tips must be tapped on aflat surface to make them even.

2. Give each pair a Get The Point? data sheet. Diagrams at thetop of the sheet illustrate points on the body to be tested(fingertip, palm of hand and forearm) and the amount of tipseparation for each trial. Space is provided on thelheet forboth students to record their results.

7. Get the Point? BEST COPY AVAILABLESensory Signals -"V

ACTIVITY 7

CONCEPTSSensations in the skin aredetected by specialreceptors.Each receptor in the skinreceives information from anarea known as its receptivefield.Some parts of the body havemore receptors in the skinthan others.

OVERVIEWStudents experiment todiscover differences in thesizes of "touch" receptiVe fieldsin their inner arms, palriis andfingertips.

SCIENCE & MATH SKILLSPredicting, measuring,,,gathering data, anddrawing conclusions

TIMEPreparation: 10 minutesClass: 45 minutes

MATERIALSrulers (one per group)

'paper dips (two per group)tapecopies of "Get the PoInt?"-or.page 32 (one per groirP)',i,--

?-5,1

opened paperdip

tape

10 11 12 13 14

136

Two-point testing tool

BrainLink01997, WOW! Publications

3. Each team should test all three points shown on the handand arm at all four tip separation distances. For each test:

One student looks away and closes his/her eyes.

The other student sets the distance between the paperclips as shown on the Get The Point? sheet and gentlytouches the first student at the indicated touch point.NOTE: It is important that both paper clip ends touchthe skin at the same time and with the same pressure.

The first student, whose eyes are closed, says "one" or"two" depending on whether he/she felt one or twopoints. Tell students they will not always be able to feeltwo points.

The other student writes a "1" or a "2" in theappropriate column on the Get The Point? data sheet. Ifthe student being tested is not sure, the answer should berecorded as "1."

4. After the tests have been completed based on one student'sresponses, the experiment should be repeated with theother student.

5. Summarize data for the whole class by tallying studentobservations on the board. Have students compare resultsfor the three test points. Conduct a discussion aboutdifferences in skin sensitivities among body areas. Helpstudents to understand by asking questions such as, How farapart did the points have to be before they felt like twopoints on your arm? On your palm? On your fingertip?Were there differences between you and your partner? Werethere large differences in the class? Which of these threeparts of your body must have the highest density of touchreceptors? Which has the lowest density of touch receptors?Do you think that you can estimate the sizes of the receptivefields on your fingers, palm and upper arm?

BRAIN JOGGING

Here is another idea for you and your students to explore.

Do you think that you have many or few sensory receptorsin your nose? ears? back? thigh? scalp? sole of foot?elbow? knee? Try the two-point test on these or other partsof your body, if you wish. Why do you think it might beadvantageous to have more receptors in one area thananother?

BrainLink01997, WOW! Publications

137

Nerve endings andcorrespondingreceptive fields

Nerve endings andcorrespondingreceptive fields

Comparison of receptive fields for touchin the finger and forearm.

Ainaziri-gWe feel only one preskiepoint (even though the ,,.testing tool has two)ii.r.henboth points fall withiti-ige.:same receptive field'

Encourage students.to keepan open mind as theyexperience this remarkable;phenomenon.

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7. Get the Point?Sensory Signals

Get the Point?

TEST POINTS TIP SEPARATION

5 mm10 mm15 mm20 mm

How many pointsdo you feel?

TIP SEPARATION

5 mm1 or 2?

10 mm1 or 2?

15 mm1 or 2?

20 mm1 or 2?

1. FINGER TIPName . . .

Name

2. PALMName

Name

3. INNER ARMName -

Name

7. Get the Point?Sensory Signals 13S BrainLink

@1997, WOW! Publications

11,1

My Sensory StripBRAINLINK BACKGROUND (for the teacher)

A special part of the cerebrum, known as the sensorycortex, receives input only from the skin senses. This area liesright behind the motor cortex (see drawing on page 4). The sizeof the cerebral area that receives information from each regionof the body depends upon how many sensory receptors theparticular body area contains. In other words, areas of the bodywith many sensory receptors (like the fingers and lips) havemuch larger areas of cerebrum devoted to them than areas ofthe body with fewer receptors (like the legs).

In this activity, students will construct a "headband" thatshows the relative sizes and approximate positions of the mainareas of the body represented on the sensory cortex. They willcompare the lengths of areas on the sensory cortexcorresponding to different parts of the body, and combine thatknowledge with information from the previous activity aboutthe sensitivity of the upper arm, palm and fingertips.

Lower up

Teeth. gums. and jaws

-- Tongue

k::abdonunal

1111 \.\V"f-i9 a -g

P. 0 1.5 e

J9C4' \

tower uP

Teeth. gums, and jaw

Tongue

Phaninx

Intra-abdominalMAP OF SKINSENSES INCEREBRUM

(Sensory Cortex)

Adapted with permission from Kandel, Schwartz & Jessell, Principles of Neural Science, Edition 3, Appleton & Lange, 1991.

LINKS

This activity may be taught along with the followingcomponents of the Sensory Signals unit:

The Cookie Crumbles chapters:Putting It All TogetherCaught in a WebBig Trouble

Explorations:Gray Matters (page 2)

BrainLink01997, WOW, Publications 33

ACTIVITY 8

CONCEPTSA special part of thecerebrumthe sensorycortexreceives input fromthe body surface.Areas of the body that areimportant for the sense oftouch have a largerrepresentation on thesensory cortex.

OVERVIEWStudents make a model of thesensory cortex that they canwear, and they investigatewhich parts of the b60.,_coirespond to the lar0st 'areason the sensory cortex. **

SCIENCE & MATH SKILLSPredicting, measuring: -'

interpreting data and drawingconclusions

TIME .

Preparation: 5 minutesClass: 45 minutes

MATERIALS.

copies of "Sensory Strip" onpage 35 (one per student)pipe cleiners (Onestudent)rulers divided intomillimetersscissors

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1:3J 8. My Sensory StripSensory Signals

SET-UP

Divide the class into small groups of 2-4 students to sharematerials. Each student will make a Sensory Strip.

PROCEDURE

1. Tell students that they are going to create a model of thesensory cortexthe part of the brain that receivesinformation about the sense of touch. If they already havecreated Motor Strips as described in the Brain Link MotorHighways unit, mention that the sensory cortex is similar tothe motor cortex. In fact, it sits directly behind the motorcortex across the top of the brain.

2. Have the materials managers pick up copies of the SensoryStrip page, pipe cleaners and clear tape or glue for allmembers of their groups.

3. Explain that the areas marked on the Sensory Strip representthe approximate lengths of sensory cortex dedicated toinformation from the skin on different parts of the body.Larger areas of the sensory cortex correspond to regions ofthe body that have more receptors per unit area. Relate thisinformation to the students' discovery about the sizes ofreceptive fields in the skin in Activity 7: Get the Point?.

4. Have students measure the lengths of areas in the SensoryCortex strip corresponding to the upper arm, palm (hand)and fingertips. Write the numbers on the board or make a bargraph to compare them. Ask, Which area is longer? Next,have them use their Get the Point data sheets. Ask, Whichpart had the smallest receptive fields (and, thus, the mostreceptors)? Which part had the largest receptive fields (fewestreceptors)? Relate this information to the measurements thatthey have made.

5. Let students make their strips by following the instructions onthe Sensory Strip page.

BRAIN JOGGING

Here is another idea for you and your students to explore.

Like humans, other mammals have more sensory receptors fortouch in certain parts of their bodies than in others. They alsohave correspondingly more cerebrum devoted to receiving inputfrom the areas with more sensors. Based on their lifestyles, try todeduce which body areas might occupy more of the sensorycortex in the following animals: rabbit, monkey, horse, cat.

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8. My Sensory StripSensory Signals

Sensory Strip

The mem metre. a men somarr..... um Pow me oi thebeam about *re memo war a set enheadphones, hes net remael and mumPop Priem pre at me mu. cortexrectme mbenumoo nun to. ream. toM.= mem of . bola.

I, me au uneor, con. otnur MauSeno dus mu ca. weaa Eraone ea so Pons miermanon InzeoMel pre of bode mom.d ut vos.Mama

I. Coo out the lame now. oo asne

leteded PmL Observe du M. as tee side of de

ante 1hp Mde our. tor each arta. other Pe oi am"...

6Iaeled sule peao Sun thetredpone bM side dmddtr pa.du sane.

3. 5.de rodande ...e. Ma pat eleana mode the loided

reemeMM ustl doe ma M. as theMeet and ght m mne.

5. bend rho sons Po a IL., lekeabeadlued oe .30.am end the nod

Cao fired about Muee par Maprem. naula *mu. tromf ]G. N. Mel Put mut tramrems odormaboo from rum !!! Inaarza tales more goer on the moonCOM. Wtry do pee Mok n se,

Oroin1.1.MOM..

Students will make Sensory Stripsthat demonstrate approximateregions of the brain where touchinformation is first processed fromdifferent parts of the body.

Animals also have more sensoryreceptors in some parts of theirbodies than in others.

1 4 Q BrainLink@1997, WOW! Publications

Sensory Strip

The sensory cortex is a thin strip ofnerve cells that sits across the top of thebrain about where you would wear a set ofheadphones. It lies just behind the motorcortex. Different parts of the sensory cortexreceive information from touch receptors indifferent areas of the body.

You can see where the sensory cortexof your brain is located by making aSensory Strip that you can wear. Each areaof the strip will sit about whereinformation from that part of the body isprocessed in your brain.

1. Cut out the large rectangle on this page.

2. Observe the labels on one side of thestrip. Write in the names for each areaon the other side of the strip, using thelabeled side as a guide. Start at themidpoint. Both sides should be exactlythe same.

3. Fold the rectangle along the dotted line.

4. Put a pipe cleaner inside the foldedrectangle, and close the edges of thesheet with glue or tape.

S. Bend the strip into a U-shape like aheadband or headphones, and try it on.

Can you find about where your brainreceives touch information from yourfingers? Can you find where your brainreceives information from your wrist? Whicharea takes up more space on the sensorycortex? Why do you think that this is so?

Brain LinkC01997, WOW! Publications

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,/4. .1..

i.

1.

leghip

I/ trunkhead/neck

N I upper armEN elbow

forearmwrist

II hand

fingers

eyeI faceupper lip

lower lip

jaw

tongue

throat

8. My Sensory StripSensory Signals

Use Your S rains,Create efrains

BRAINLINK BACKGROUND (for the teacher)

The basic concepts covered in this unit follow.

What are senses? Senses are our "windows to the world." Itis through our senses that our brains obtain informationabout what is going on inside and outside our bodies.

Why do we have senses? Senses evolved to take in theinformation needed for survival.

How do senses work? External information is gathered byspecialized receptors in the sense organs. Signals are thentranslated into a language that the entire nervous systemunderstands, and relayed to the brain via sensory neurons.Specialized parts of the cerebrum receive the signals. Otherareas process, integrate and interpret the sensory signals.

LINKS

This activity may be taught along with the followingcomponents of the Sensory Signals unit:

The Cookie Crumbles chapters:A Sensational EndingThe Sensible SolutionReview science boxes throughout storybook

Explorations:Gray Matters (page 2)Decade of the Brain (page 4)

SET-UP

The poem "Senses, Oh, Senses!" has been written by theBrainLink creators (with inspiration from Jack Prelutsky's poem"Homework, Oh, Homework!" in his book, The New Kid onthe Block). Many of the concepts that were taught in this seriesof activities on sensory systems are included in the poem.

Students may add to the verses on the following page orcreate their own poems. Each student's poetry may be added tohis/her portfolio of activities as an assessment measure.

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9. Use Your Brains, Create RefrainsSensory Signals

14 °

ACTIVITY 9

CONCEPTSConcepts presented inpreceding activities are"reviewed.

OVERVIEWStudents read a poem andcreate' their own verses ba-seon concepts presentedthroughout the unit.

SCIENCE & MATH SKILLSModeling, problem solVing andapplying prior knowledge,tonew situations

TIMEPreparation: 5 minutes.Class: 45 minutes

Overhead or copies"Senses! Oh, Senseir'bry.page 38.

Senses. Oh Senses

J

n),)

01107..1. c... I0.1.10111.11.Seamy Wirme.

BrainLink@1997, WOW1 Publications

PROCEDURE

1. Review the major concepts to which students were exposedin this unit as outlined in BRAINLINK BACKGROUND.

There are several options for this activity.

Distribute the entire poem to the students and then askthem to create their own verses, or

After reading the poem, let students write their ownsensory poems, or

Read a few of the verses to get them started, and thensuggest that they write verses of their own, or

Share the first few lines of each verse and have thestudents complete them with their own inspirations, or

Devise your own way to inspire the students to "Use YourBrains, Create Refrains."

BRAIN JOGGING

Here is another idea for you and your students to explore.

Can you imagine a sense that you don't have that youthink would be fun to have? Describe how you could useit. Design a sensory receptor for it, and show where itwould be. Describe how that sensory information wouldget to your brain, and where in your brain it would go.

Brain Link@1997, WOW] Publications

11; 39. Use Your Brains, Create Refrains

Sensory Signals

Senses, Oh SensesSenses! Oh, Senses!I need you. You're great.Without you I couldn'ttaste what I ate,or hear the homeworkmy teachers assign.Senses! Oh Senses!You're truly divine.

Smelling's a sensethat all of us use.Specialized neuronsgive brains all the cuesto odors that smell goodand those that do not,so we eat what smells yummyand throw out the rot.

Thanks to those neuronsthat signal my brain,it's easy to tellwhen I am in pain.My fingertips havesuch a keen sense of touch,I can feel and not fumble.I like that so much!

I think that my eyesgive the best clues of all.They show me what's out thereso I will not fallright into a holeor trip over a log,or miss reading the comicsor seeing my dog.

Senses! Oh, senses!Oh, what would I dowithout you to guide me?I'd have not a clueto what's going onin the world all about.My brain would be empty.I'd really miss out!

9. Use Your Brains, Create RefrainsSensory Signals

144 BrainLink@1997. WOW1 Publications

Glossaryauditory canal part of the ear that leads from the outside of the head to the eardrum

auditory cortex part of the cerebral cortex that receives information from the ears

axon tail-like branch of a neuron along which messages are transported in the nervous system

blind spot place in the back of the eye that contains no receptor cells and is the exit point for the optic nerve to thebrain

brain the control center of the nervous system, located within the skull and attached to the spinal cord; thecommand center of the body

central nervous system the part of the nervous system in vertebrates that consists of the brain and spinal cord

cerebellum part of the brain located directly above the brainstem that controls the sense of balance and helps themuscles work together for learning and coordination of rote movements

cerebral cortex the outermost component of the brain's cerebrum; controls our most advanced abilities, such asspeech and reasoning

cerebrum - the large rounded outer layer of the brain where thinking and learning occur, sensory input is received andvoluntary movement begins

cochlea coiled structure of the inner ear, which is filled with tiny hairs that convert information received as soundwaves by the eardrum into impulses that are sent along sensory neurons to hearing centers in the brain

cornea clear membrane covering the front of the eye

decibel a unit for measuring intensity, or loudness, of sound

dendrite- one of many tree-like branches extending from the body of a neuron on which signals are received

ear canal part of the ear that leads from the outside of the head to the eardrum

eardrum - a thin membrane, stretched tight inside the ear, which helps transmit sound waves to the inner part of the earinner ear the inside part of the ear that functions in balance and in converting pressure waves originating as sound

into nervous system signals

integration putting or bringing parts together to make a whole

iris - colored portion of the front of the eye; surrounds the pupil

lens - part of the eye that focuses light on the retina; any clear object with at least one curved surface that focuses light

middle ear a small cavity between the eardrum and the inner ear where three small bones pass sound waves along toinner ear

motor cortex the region of the cerebrum responsible for starting and controlling voluntary movement, located in anarrow strip across the top of the brain

motor neuron a type of nervous system cell, originating in the brain or spinal cord, that conducts signals to muscles,resulting in movement

multiple sclerosis nervous system disease in which the myelin sheath covering nerve fibers is broken downresultsin a gradual weakening of the muscles

nanometer unit of measurement equivalent to one billionth of a meter

nerve cell neuron; a cell of the nervous system that conducts a signal from one part of the body to another

nerve a bundle of nerve fibers and associated cells

nerve ending one of many tree-like branches extending from the body of a neuron on which signals are received;also called a dendrite

nervous system- the brain, spinal cord and network of nerves in the body

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BrainLink@1997, WOW! Publications -39

.1 A

GlossarySensory Signals

neuroscience a branch of science related to the study of the nervous system

olfactory cortex part of the cortex that receives information about smell from receptors inside the nose

optic nerve bundle of axons leading from the back of the eye to the visual cortex

pupil opening in the front of the eye where light enters

receptive field the area from which one sensory receptor cell receives information

receptor a cell or group of cells that receives stimuli from inside or outside the body

retina portion of the eye upon which light is focused; consists of specialized light-sensitive cells (rods and cones)

sensation an awareness of stimulation of any of the senses, such as sight, smell, touch, etc.

sense (1) a function of the body by which one is made aware of the world outside, as sight, hearing, touch, smell ortaste, or of conditions inside the body, as pain or hunger; (2) a feeling or awareness; (3) to become aware of

sense organ body part specialized to receive sensory information, such as the eye, ear, nose, tongue or skin

sensory cortex portion of the cerebrum dedicated to receiving information from the skin senses (touch), located justto the rear of the motor cortex

sensory neuron a type of nervous system cell that transmits impulses from a sense organ or receptor toward thecentral nervous system

sensory receptor a cell or group of cells that receives sensory information from inside or outside the body

sound wave- alternating bands of high and low pressure, detected as sound, produced when an object vibrates in air(or another medium, such as water)

stimulus an agent that influences the activity of sensory nerves

taste bud receptor units located on the tongue that are stimulated by chemicals and are responsible for providinginformation about taste to the brain

tissue many cells of the same kind, joined together to do a specific job

tympanic membrane eardrum; thin membrane in the ear canal that transmits sound waves to the inner part of the ear

visual cortex part of the cortex that receives information from the eyes

GlossarySensory Signals

146BrainLink

101997, WOW! Publications

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Brainlink® Activities

Developed by

Baylor College of Medicine

Houston, Texas

ISBN 1-888997-23-0J-1

JXW

THE REAPING LINKReading activities to use with

The NeuroExplorers in

A Case of Sensory Sleuthing

Brainlink® : Sensory Signals

The Reading Links have been created as ready-to-use reading and writingactivities that are directly related to BrainLink adventure stories. They arenot intended to represent a comprehensive reading program. The activitiesare related to reading objectives common to many curricula and covering arange of grade and ability levels. Teachers may wish to select from theseactivities those that are most appropriate for their own students.

Prepared byBaylor College of Medicine

Houston, Texas1997

148

THE READING LINK BrainLink

Word Meanings

Word Meanings

The Cookie Crumbles

Here are some words from The Cookie Crumbles that have more than one meaning. Look atthe meanings for each word, and then decide which meaning goes with the word in each of thesentences following. Write the number of the correct meaning next to the sentence.

roll1. to move forward on a surface by turning over and over2. to wrap around on itself; shape into a ball3. a continuous, rapid beating sound4. a list of names of the people in a group5. a small, round piece of baked bread-dough

To be sure that everyone was there, Shiloh called the roll.Isley I rolled all the way down the hill.This bakery doesn't make bread or rolls, only cookies.Lakeisha saves pieces of string and rolls them into a big ball.B.J.'s tapping on the table top sounded like the roll of a drum.

mint1. a plant whose leaves often are used to flavor foods2. a food or candy flavored with mint extract3. a place where coins are made4. unmarred; in perfect condition as if it were new

Shiloh carried a package of mints in her pocket.The baseball card was in mint condition!Max's mother grows mint in her garden.Kyle learned that United States mints are located in Philadelphia, PA; Denver, CO;San Francisco, CA; and West Point, NY.

THE READING LINK BrainLink

Word Meanings The Cookie Crumbles

Here are definitions of some words used in The Cookie Crumbles. Write a sentence usingeach word as it is defined. Your sentences should tell something about the story.

1. rehabilitation the process of restoring the ability to do something2. receptor (sensory) a cell or group of cells that receive stimuli from outside the body; a

sense organ3. sense to become aware of4. analysis close examination; breaking information into small parts and then putting

them together for better understandingS. vibration very rapid back-and-forth movement6. counterfeit to make a copy or imitation of something genuine

1.

2.

3

4

5.

6.

2 15lJ

THE READING LINKBrain Link

Word Meanings

The Cookie Crumbles Crossword Puzzle

ACROSS1. Sensory information is put together in theS. Shiloh is one of the Neuro-7. Body organ used in the sense of touch8. Lakeisha's last name11. What Kyle said when Is ley I hit him in the face

12. Children (slang)14. A sensation of extreme temperature15. When you use your visual sense, you16. I am; you18. A combination of sweet and bitter tastes21. Good friend; buddy23. Much; for example, a of fun25. Lakeisha played chess against her hand-held27. Body part used in the sense of smell

30. A single thing31. Cousin Connie's Company32. Cells of the same kind, joined for a specific job (plural)33. NeuroExplorer who holds club meetings in his basement35. Body organ used in the sense of sight.37. Part of the brain that is important for thinking

.38. To live; exist39. Where cookies are baked41. The senses of smell and often work together.

43. When the NeuroExplorers Josh's cookies,they discovered that the taste was odd.

46. The Brain's translator47. Consonants in the words "to go"49. Related to the sense of sight51. Form of a that is used before words beginning with a vowel52. A word The Brain uses for the sense of hearing54. Josh ran right into legs, and was caught.55. The color of Cousin Connie's hair

DOWN1. Method of cooking cookies2. Study and knowledge about the brain and nervous system

3. Either one the other4. To question6. Comic book word for the sound of a blow or explosion

9. Connie talked on the phone to the Josh Kavil.

10. When The Brain drew his diagram, he made a

large to show the location of each sensory organ.13. Mickey Mantle really knew how to swing a15. Dogs have a better sense of than we do.17. Sense organs are sensory19. We can taste sweet, sour, bitter and20. In a direction toward22. Yellow fruit that tastes sour24. Our fingers are useful for the sense of

26. Each one27. Negative reply28. Eyes, ears, nose, mouth and skin provide input.

29. Name of the NeuroExplorer twins

31

7

2

5

The Cookie Crumbles

.1------13-11111111111111

18

21 22

27 28

30

32

37

40

43 44

46

51

25

19

26

3t00 K I E

R

U

M

L39

5"47 48

39

52 53

33

23

29

34

20

35 36

46

49 50

54 55

24

31. Falls apart into little pieces34. To gain knowledge or skill36. To figure out where sounds are coming from,

it helps to be able to hear with both37. Touch information is received in the sensory

, across the top of the brain.38. Sport played by Mickey Mantle40. Josh had trouble with his right arm because

of on the left side of his brain.42. When they entered the old house, they found

themselves in darkness.44. A color lighter than brown45. To move quickly48. To show the way; lead49. The sense of is dependent upon the eyes.50. An old-fashioned way of saying "yes" (Pirates often said

it.)53. A, B, C,

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THE REAPING LINK BrainLinkThe Cookie CrumblesWord Meanings

Vocabulary Link for Super -Sleuths: Embedded Sentences

Sometimes we can figure out the meaning of new vocabulary by seeing how a word is used inthe context of the story. Find these words used by The Brain in The Cookie Crumbles, and see ifyou can tell what they mean. Use a dictionary or other resource to check the definitions.

prudent, p. 7endeavor, p. 7illicit, p. 30

consensus, p. 11alacrity, p. 27sleuthing, p. 34

Now complete the following "embedded sentences," using thesame words. Embedded sentences have two parts: 1) a dependent clausewith the vocabulary word surrounded by, or embedded within, other words; and 2) an indepen-dent clause that you will create, using your knowledge of what the vocabulary word means, tomake a sensible statement.

Example: Because the 1952 baseball card was in mint condition, Is ley I knew that it must beworth a lot of money.

1. As soon as the NeuroExplorers had reached a consensus about visiting Cousin Connie'sCookie Company,

2. Although The Brain usually was prudent about his activities,

3. Since Max was skillful in his constant endeavor to translate The Brain's words,

4. When their illicit entry of the Cookie Company was discovered,

5. Because of Josh's alacrity in scooting out the open door,

6. Although each team was successful in sleuthing for some clues,

THE REAPING LINK

Main IdeaSummary of a Selection

Main Idea

In the story, The Cookie Crumbles, there are ninemation about the brain and nervous system (pages 3,boxes on pages 3, 4, 6 and 8. Choose the sentence ininformation in the box (1st, 2nd, last, etc.) and write

BrainLinkThe Cookie Crumbles

yellow "science boxes," that provide infor-4, 6, 8, 17, 18, 19, 23, 26). Look at theeach one that states the main idea of theit on the line below.

Page 3: The main idea is in the sentence.

Page 4: The main idea is in the sentence.

Page 6: The main idea is in the sentence.

Page 8: The main idea is in the sentence.

Summary of a Selection

Re-read the chapter called "Everyone Needs a Brain" on pages 15-16. In this chapter, theNeuroExplorers figure out a complicated plan for solving a mystery. Describe their plan in 40words or less.

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Details/Supporting Ideas The Cookie Crumbles

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Si

Details/Supporting Ideas

Giving as many details as you can, describe the house in which Cousin Connie's CookieCompany is located.

Describe the woman who opened the door.

Which senses did the Isley twins use in Cousin Connie's kitchen?

What clues did the Isleys discover about the cookies? Name as many as you can.

THE READING LINK BrainLink

Recalling Sequence of Events The Cookie Crumbles

Recalling Sequence of Events

Read the chapters about the NeuroExplorers' search for clues on pages 17-27. Find the eventbelow that happened last. Write 4 next to it. Then number the order (1-3) in which the otherevents happened.

Lakeisha and B.J. stumbled upon paper, ink, and sheets of plastic.

The Brain and Max found out that there's probably another Josh Kavil.

The Is ley twins discovered ink, oil and bad-tasting cookies.

Josh and Kyle heard footstepsit was Charlie!

ao"

After you have read the whole story, number the order in which the following eventstook place.

Shiloh was grabbed while making a phone call.

Is ley I got excited about a Mickey Mantle rookie baseball card.

The NeuroExplorers explained that they had used their senses to find clues, andthat Shiloh's brain had put them all together.

Josh brought cookies to his first NeuroExplorers Club meeting.

The NeuroExplorers hurried to get out of a thunderstorm.

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THE-READING LINK Brain Link

;au se and Effect The Cookie Crumbles

Cause and Effect

When the NeuroExplorers approached the large woman to ask if her company could makethem some brain-shaped cookies, what was the result? What effect did that have on them?

Why did a baseball card in a box of cookies arouse suspicion? What did the NeuroExplorersdo as a result, and what was the ultimate effect of their actions?

THE READING LINK BrainLink

Comparing and Contrasting

Comparing and Contrasting

The Cookie Crumbles

Compare Shiloh, Josh, and The Brain. Write some of their characteristics in the circles. Writecharacteristics shared by two or all three of them in the sections that overlap. Are they morealike or more different from each other?

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THE READING LINK Brain Link

Inference/Generalization/Drawing Conclusions The Cookie Crumbles

Inference/Generalization/Drawing Conclusions

What inferences might be made when a 1952 baseball card looks and smells like new?, Listas many different possibilities as you can.

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What was the weather like when the NeuroExplorers arrived at the Cookie Company? Howmight it have affected their moods? Their feelings? Their reasoning? Their senses?

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nference/Generalization/Drawing Conclusions The Cookie Crumbles

Re-read "Dark Voices" on pages 12 and 13. Which of the following conclusions can bereached with the information given on those pages? Fill in the circle by each statement that youthink is correct.

O The Is ley twins are frightened in the darkness.O Connie hates kids.O Connie and Charlie are running a mail-order business.O In order to sell more cookies, they are trying to improve their baking techniques.O They have something to hide.O The NeuroExplorers couldn't hear the conversation.O Connie and Charlie know the NeuroExplorers are in the house.

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THE READING LINK BrainLink

Inference/Generalization/Drawing Conclusions

You Be The Judge

The Cookie Crumbles

Pretend that one of the characters from the book is on trial. This character may havecommitted a serious crime or may be accused of being mean, selfish, lazy, silly, etc. For instance,Is ley II might be accused of "not paying attention."

Choose a character, fill in his or her "crime," and write down all of the evidence you can find.

Note: Sometimes it's fun to use one of the good guys!

Name of the accused:

Crime:

Evidence:

1.

2.

3.

4.

VERDICT: Guilty

Not Guilty

(Your signature)

12

JUDGEMaster of Details, Fact-opinion,

Cause-effect, Inferences andConclusions

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THE READING LINK BrainLink

Related Writing: Think About What I Read The Cookie Crumbles

Related Writing: Thinking About What I Read

Make a Double Entry Journal: Choose a passage from this story that you find especiallyinteresting or wonder about, or, that reminds you of something else you have experienced. Copythe passage on the left side of your journal or notebook page. Then write your thoughts on theright-hand side. Journal entries can be done every day and then brought to discussion groups orshared with the whole class.

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Example

WHAT I READ WHAT I THINK

"THUNDER BOOMED IN THIS CHARACTER REMINDS

THE DISTANCE. THE EYES ME OF CARS. WHATSIT

SQUINTED AND PULLED FROM "A WRINKLE IN

AWAY, AS IF THEY TIME.' BECAUSE SHE WAS

WERE BEING ... STRANGE LOOKING AND

A LARGE WOMAN ECCENTRIC, SAYING SHE

LOOMED OVER THEM." WAS BLOWN OFF COURSE

BY A HURRICANE.

(THE COOKIE CRUMBLES

PG. 10) THIS WOMAN ...

Other ways to begin your journal thoughts might be:

a. This character reminds me of myself because . . .

b. I wonder what this means . . .

c. This scene reminds me of a similar scene in because . . .

d. I think this setting is important because . . .

e. I think the relationship between and is interesting because . .

f. This situation reminds me of a similar situation in my own life. It happened when . . .

g. Here's what I think will happen next . . .

h. I'm confused about . . .

i. A question I would like to ask these characters right now is . . .

j. This part is realistic/unrealistic because . . .

16113 9/11/97

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What do all of these have in common?

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Can you see the letters?Do you know what they mean?

Turn to page 2 and push these dots throughwith the tip of a pen. Feel them with yourfingers. Do you know what they mean?

Make these shapes with your hands. Look atthem. Do you know what they mean?

_Say a short "beep" for each dot and a

long "be-e-e-e-e-p" for the dash. Do youknow what the sounds mean?

Read Gray Matters on page 2 to find the answers.

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or nerve cells,

woillonrk togethereach time we feel.

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The pathway to thecerebrum for thesense of taste stillis unknown.

Push dots with pen to for cover activity

Could you figure, out that all the symbols onthe front page are ways to communicate theword "senses"? Even though you see the textand the sign language, you feel the braille dots,and you listen to the morse code, your brainhas the ability to decode each of the differentkinds of information as the same word, senses!

Why do we have senses? It is our senses thatlet us know what is going on inside and outsideour bodies. The information we get from oursenses helps us to stay safe and healthy. Whatwould it be like without senses? How hardwould it be to find food or shelter or protectourselves from danger? Even the ability to feelpain is important! Pain alerts the brain thatsomething is wrong.

What do senses have to do with your brain?Every moment, your brain is bombarded bysensory signals. It receives messages fromsensory receptors in your eyes, ears, nose,mouth, skin, and from inside your body. All themessages travel along neurons to the brain.Signals from each kind of sensory receptor goto different areas of the cerebrum.

So many messages come in to the brain allthe time, it is almost as if a thousand balls ofdifferent kinds were being thrown at your brainat once! Incredibly, your brain can sort out thesignals, knowing which ones to pay attention toand which to ignore. In an amazingly complexprocess, the brain combines information fromdifferent senses and memories of past experiencesto reach conclusions and begin actions.

The senses give the brain information frominside and outside the body. They are ourwindows to the world!

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IS ING BELIEVING?Most of the time the eyes andbrain work together to tell uswhat is around us. Sometimes,though, the brain can befooled or confused by what theeyes take in.

What do you see in the pictureat right? What you seedepends upon which part ofthe picture you look at! Do yousee the twin faces or do yousee a vase? You may noticethat you cannot focus on boththe faces and the vase at thesame time. The brain isselecting part of theinformation available to it inorder to make sense of whatyou are looking at! We do thisall the time without beingaware of it. This may be onereason why different peoplewill describe the same scene oroccurrence in very differentways.

RED BLUEGREEN YELLOW PINKRED BLUE GREENYELLOW RED 0 NGE

LUE GREEN YELLOWBLUE PURPLE PINK

YELLOW RED ORANGELAVENDER k LITEYELLOW RED BLACK

ORANGE GREEN

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Read the names of the colors. Is it easy or hard?Now try saying the colors instead of reading thewords. Do you find that you have to go slowlyin order to get the colors right? Seeing thewords, the brain expects the colors and namesto match. They do not match, so the brain hasto rethink and decide which information to useand which to ignore. Often we will be fooledand think we see something that is not present(or not see something that is) because of whatwe expect to see.

awaaasiiThe human eye has 125 million receptorsrods and cones which turn light intoelectrical signals.

4

Although we take glasses, contact lenses and hearing aids for granted now,they have been important inventions to improve our vision and hearing. Scientistsstill are discovering new ways to help people who have become deaf or blind byillness or accident. A tiny device called a cochlear (KOK-lee-er) implant can be

laced within the inner ear b a r eon. It I.tl stimulates th t I dp ace r e y su g . ec y neurons that

from the ear to the brain, sending messages about sound. Another technology mayhelp blind people with damage to their eyes or to the nerves connecting the eyes to the brain. Thissystem uses a television camera that is able to send signals directly to the visual center of the brain.

Use Your BrainPromote Your

Have you ever had your eyes checked by adoctor, or by the school nurse? How many linesof letters could you read? Having your eyeschecked regularly is very important forprotecting one of your most important senses,your vision.

How would you like to make an eye chart totest your own vision or that of your friends andfamily? Here are instructions for making thechart and using it.

EYE CHART1. Cut a sheet of poster board or paper

approximately 25 cm by 75 cm.2. Make 11 rows for letters on the chart. Draw

a line for the first row 12 cm from the topof the poster board. The other 10 rowsshould be drawn 6 cm apart. Number eachrow near the edge of the chart, starting atthe top.

3. Write the letters on each row in the sizeshown.

To use your eye chart, place it on the wall ateye level. Mark off a distance of 3 meters (10feet) away from the chart. This is where youshould stand when you use it. Cover one eye ata time and read the letters on the chart, startingat the top. Have a friend compare your answersto the letters on the chart. How did you do?Can one eye see the letters better than theother eye? If you are able to read all of the

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letters on line 8, your vision is about average.you wear glasses, test your eyesight with andwithout them.

Now you are ready to test friends andfamily. As an amateur eye doctor, have youdiscovered any vision problems? If you thinkyou have uncovered any, you may want tosuggest a visit to the school nurse or family

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We often use informationfrom just one sense to figure outwhat is going on around us.What happens when we use othersenses to explore the world? Trythese games to find out!

Focusing In!Sit outside with your eyes open and list all

the sounds you can hear. Now close your eyes.Can you hear any new sounds? Often you willfind that there are softer sounds you hadn'tnoticed before. Why do you think it is easier tohear faint sounds if you close your eyes?

Sit in a room you are very familiar with. Puton a blindfold. Walk around the room. Howwell can you remember where the furniture is?Practice until you feel comfortable gettingaround the room. Take the blindfold off andplace an unbreakable object on a table..With theblindfold on, walk around the room again andthen try to find the object. How hard was it tofind the object? What senses did you use as youlearned to walk around the room without yoursight?

Barn owls and bats both use sound to huntat night. Bats hunt by making sounds andlistening to the echoes made when the soundbounces off their prey. Barn owls hunt bylistening to the sounds made by smallanimals. By turning their heads, owls can usethe differences between sounds coming totheir ears to find prey even in total clth-kness.

Who's Talking?This is a good one to do with a few friends.

Put in earplugs. Have several people talk softlyor pretend to talk to you. Can you tell whoreally is making sounds and who is pretending?How might you be able to tell? What sense orsenses could you use? Can you figure out whatthey are saying by watching their lips or bytouching their throats?

Tasteless!You need a piece of peeled apple, a piece of

peeled, raw potato and a friend to do this one.Close your eyes and hold your nose, and haveyour friend place a piece of apple or potato inyour mouth. Can you tell which one it is? Now,try the other one. Once the second piece is inyour mouth, unplug your nose. Can you tellthem apart now? How do the senses of tasteand smell work together?

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PPall--B14II...continued from previous page

Unbalanced!Often we use a sense without really being

aware of it. Did you know that your brain usesvisual information as one of the ways to helpyou keep your balance? Check it out yourself.Balance on one foot with your eyes open. Howlong could you stay up? Now try it with youreyes closed. Most people find that they wigglearound a lot more and have a much harder timebalancing when their eyes are closed!

I r,Some birds are able to sense the

magnetic field of the earth, and use this

informationkto now exactiy

where theyare in the world!

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SHE FAR SIDE By GARY LARSON

"...And please let Mom, Dad, Rex, Ginger, Tucker,me and all the rest of the family see color."

THE NEURO SIDE

Have you ever watched a black and whitemovie? A dog's view of the world is just likethatshades of gray. But dogs have sharpersenses than we humans do when it comes tosmelling and hearing. Odors that we can'tdetect are easy for dogs to smell. They cansniff objects and tell which ones were touchedby a particular person. Dogs can hear soundsfar beyond the range of human ears.

Why do you think that humans can see colorand dogs can't? What other animals seecolor? Why do some animals have sharpersenses of smell or hearing than we do? Thinkabout it and check it out.

Careers for Neuro-Explorers:Nurse AnesthetistHave you or anyone you know ever had an oper-ation? Operations would be very painful if it werenot for special pain-killing medicines called anes-thetics (an-is-THET-icks). Normally, pain sensorsin your skin and throughout your body give yourbrain important signals that something is hurtingyou. Meet a person who is responsible for easingpain, a nurse anesthetist (uh-NES-thuh-tist).

Neuro,Explorer: Ismay Wilson, CRNACertified Registered Nurse AnesthetistThe Methodist HospitalHouston, Texas

Ms. Wilson, what do you do?

I give people in the hospital who are having anoperation special medication that stops the sig-nals from their pain sensors from getting to theirbrains. 1b8

What do youfind the mostfun or mostinteresting aboutyour work?

I use my nursing skills to the maximum; which Ifind to be satisfying. It is rewarding to know thatI am helping people to feel comfortable insteadof feeling pain, and I like working with lots of dif-ferent kinds of people.

What advice do you have for future nurseanesthetists?

You need to set your goal to become the bestpossible nurse. Getting good grades in scienceand mathematics also helps. You also have to bevery calm under pressure because you are part ofa team responsible for someone's life.

Some animals avoid being eaten by trickingtheir predators. They are able to hide by foolingthe predator's sense of vision. Many differentkinds of animals use camouflage. Imagine that youare a toad in the forest. What type of protectivecoloration would help you most to hide from yourpredators? Here is a fun game to try with somefriends or family members that illustrates howtoads are almost able to disappear from sight.

1. Make enough copies of the toad below bytracing it onto another piece of paper.

2. Look around and decide where you are goingto put your toad so that it blends into thebackground when colored.

3. Secretly color the toad with crayons and cut itout. When no one else is in the room, tapeyour toad onto a surface so it blends into thebackground.

4. Now, ask your partner to hunt forthe hiding toad.

Did you know that there is more thanone kind of eye in the animal kingdom?Insects have compound eyes that makeimages look like a mosaic of spots-somewhat like a needlepoint picture.

How successful was your toad at escaping thepredator? Did the toad fool the vision of thepredator with its camouflage? Can you think ofany other sensory tricks that prey might use toescape being eaten by predators?

Did you, know that boat captainsused to navi

gate in the fog by using echoes?They would

blow a short whistleand listen for the return-

ing echo. They could estimatedistances

and

even recognizedifferent

types of shorelinesby

the timing and soundof the echo that they

heard back. Now blind people are trained to

use the same strategyby making

sounds with

a cane or clicker and listeningfor the echoes.

"BrainUnk" is a registered service mark of, and "NeuroExplorers" is a trademark of, Baylor College ofMedicine. No part of this publication may be reproduced through any means, nor may it be stored in aretrieval system, transmitted or otherwise copied for public or private use without prior written permissionof the publisher.

Activities described here are intended for school-age children under direct supervision of adults. Thepublisher, Baylor College of Medicine and the authors cannot be responsible for accidents or injuries thatmay result from the conduct of the activities.

Development of Brainlink® materials was funded, in part, by the National Institutes of Health,Science Education Partnership Award grant number R25 RR09833. The opinions, findings andconclusions expressed in this publication are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect theviews of Baylor College of Medicine, the funding agency or the publisher.

01997 Revised Edition, by Baylor College of Medicine. All rights reserved. Printed in the UnitedStates of America. WOW Publications, Inc. (800-969-4996). ISBN 1-888997-27-3

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