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History, Civics & Social Studies · Grade 11

Biological Foundations and Limits of Models

How does the brain produce behavior, and how do we know? Learners trace how neurons communicate (action potentials and neurotransmitters), map the nervous system and major brain structures, and examine the evidence behind brain claims: famous case studies (Phineas Gage and Henry Molaison) and how retellings changed them, EEG and fMRI and their limits (including the multiple-comparisons problem), plasticity, and heritability as a population statistic. Throughout, they ask how all models simplify. No medical or clinical content is included.

  • 4 lessons
  • About 135 minutes
  • Biological foundations check: 9 questions
  • Ways to answer: fill in the blanks, choose an answer, highlight a text, match pairs, type a number and put in order
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What learners will discover

  • Explain how neurons communicate through action potentials and neurotransmitters.
  • Describe the divisions of the nervous system and the main functions of major brain structures, recognizing distributed processing.
  • Evaluate evidence from case studies and brain-imaging methods, including their limits.
  • Interpret plasticity and heritability correctly and explain why biological models simplify.

Lessons

  1. Neurons and communication 4 steps3 practiceabout 32 min
  2. The nervous system and the brain 4 steps3 practiceabout 33 min
  3. Evidence from cases and imaging 4 steps3 practiceabout 35 min
  4. Plasticity, heritability and models 5 steps4 practiceabout 35 min
  5. Biological foundations check 9 questions at the end

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