Eye/Nervous System
The Eye Unit Explanation
The Eye unit is one of my favorite mini units to teach! We will learn about the parts of the eye and how those parts help us see. We will look at our convex lenses and how it refracts light onto the retina for vision. We will explore the different types of cells in the retina. We will experiment with our brain's involvement with our vision to help us react to situations or store information. This will all come together in an Eye Dissection. Very little homework will be given other than to learn the parts of the eyes (2 sets of Quizlet flashcards are linked below).
Movie: Pushing the Limits: Sight
Mini-labs to explore phenomena around our vision: optical illusions, blind spot, cones and rods, afterimages, lens demonstration for near nearsightedness and farsightedness and your brain's response time to visual, auditory and tactile stimulus.
Simulation: color vision
Pop Quiz: Pop quizzes are given to encourage students to keep up with the information given in class. This pop quiz will include the structure and function of 6 parts of the eye: Retina, Optic Nerve, Cornea, Lens, Iris and Pupil.
Quiz: Students will need to know the structures and the functions of those parts of the eye that we covered in class. The test will be done during or after the dissection.
Eye Dissection: students will explore a real eye (sheep). Time will be given to learn the external parts of the actual eye and a quiz will be given. Then we will dissect the front part of the eye and those parts (cornea, aqueous humor, iris, pupil, and lense) will be tested. Then finally the internal parts of the eye which will be cut, explored and tested.
Other helpful or interesting resources
Color blindness test from class
Vision simulator with different eye diseases.
Visual for Myopia (Nearsightedness).
This link is helpful if you know information (from the optometrist) about your eye.
Eyes of different animals (slide show at the bottom).
Pop quiz flashcards on Quizlet. Covers mainly the 6 structures from class and 3 electromagnetic waves.
While learning about the microscope we will be completing a quick unit on the eye. You will need to know the parts and functions of those parts of the eye. Emphasis will be placed on the optic nerve communicating with the brain.
Quizlet also has great diagrams to help you learn the parts of the eye. Remember you also need to know the functions of the structures of the eye (only the ones we learned in class on your notes diagram).
NGSS
MS-LS1-3. Use argument supported by evidence for how the body is a system of interacting subsystems composed of groups of cells. Assessment is limited to the circulatory, excretory, digestive, respiratory, muscular, and nervous systems.
MS-LS1-8. Gather and synthesize information that sensory receptors respond to stimuli by sending messages to the brain for immediate behavior or storage as memories.