Prep: 10 mins | Activity: 15-20 mins
Use this short, engaging activity to introduce students to reflexes and reactions, the nervous system, or learning theory. Students work in pairs on 2 different sorting tasks and time their successive attempts. Data can be analyzed by an individual student, student pairs, or at the class level, depending on the time available. If the class size is very large, 3 to 4 students can be selected as test subjects to complete the sorting tasks.
What factors affect reaction time?
Developing and Using Models
LS1.A: Structure and Function
Systems and System Models
Ensure that students understand and adhere to safety practices. Know and follow all federal, state, and local regulations as well as school district guidelines for the disposal of laboratory wastes. Students should not eat, drink, or chew gum in the lab and should wash their hands after entering and before exiting the lab.
Place a deck of cards and timer at each student station. If not using timers, ensure each pair of students has access to a smartphone or classroom clock.
Sort 1/Student 1—Color
Sort 2/Student 2—Suit
Describe, step-by-step, the reaction process necessary to sort the deck of cards by color.
First, your eyes must see the card. The message that the card is red or black must then be sent by the optic nerve to the brain. The thalamus within the diencephalon of your brain then processes the information, allowing you to discriminate separate colors, and sends a message back to your arm muscles, telling them to move. Your muscles then contract and relax, and you sort the cards by color.
Describe, step-by-step, the reaction process necessary to sort the deck of cards by suit.
The process is the same as above, but there are 4 pieces of information to be interpreted. Color discrimination may take place first and then shape discrimination allows for sorting into 4 piles.
Based on the steps listed above, which reaction was more complex? Does the time data support your answer? Explain why or why not.
Sorting by suit is more complex. It should take more time to sort into 4 piles because 4 different shapes must be interpreted by the brain.
*Next Generation Science Standards® is a registered trademark of Achieve. Neither Achieve nor the lead states and partners that developed the Next Generation Science Standards were involved in the production of, and do not endorse, these products.
Sign up for free resources delivered to your inbox!