Names: PT No.
2
Grade & Section: Date:
NERVOUS JINGLE
Objective: Identify the importance of the nervous system.
Procedure:
Make a jingle about the parts, functions, and importance of the nervous system. Use
the rubric below as your guide in accomplishing this task.
TITLE:____________________________________________
In the tune of: ______________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
The Nervous System
Your nervous system connects all your body parts and transmits signals from
one part toanother. It is a system of cells, tissues, and organs that regulates the
body’s responses to internal and external stimuli. Each part of the nervous system
has a specific role as it functionsas an important part of a system.
Major Divisions and Parts of the Nervous System
A. Central Nervous System (CNS) – The CNS serves as the main processing
center forthe entire nervous system. It consists of two main components,
namely the:
1. Brain – This is an organ located within the skull that functions as
organizer and distributor of information for the body. It has three main
parts:
• Cerebrum – large, upper part of the brain that controls activity and
thought.
• Cerebellum – the part under the cerebrum that controls posture,
balance, andcoordination.
• Brain Stem – the part that connects the brain to the spinal cord
and controls automatic functions such as breathing, digestion,
heart rate, and blood pressure.
2. Spinal Cord – This serves as a channel for signals between the brain
and the restof the body, and controls simple musculoskeletal reflexes
without input from the brain.
B. Peripheral Nervous System (PNS) – The PNS connects the central
nervous systemto the organs and limbs. It has two main divisions:
1. Somatic Nervous System – This system is associated with the
voluntary controlof body movements and has two main parts:
• Spinal Nerves – the nerves that carry motor and sensory signals
• Cranial Nerves – the nerve fibers that carry information into
and out of thebrain stem
2. Autonomic Nervous System – This system is associated with the
involuntarycontrol of body movements and has two subdivisions:
• Sympathetic - it is activated when the body is in a dynamic role or
stress. (e.g.,increased heart rate and breathing, dilation of pupil,
sweating, etc.)
• Parasympathetic - it maintains body functions and restores the
body to normalor relaxed mode.
The Nerve Cell
The basic unit of the nervous system is the nerve cell. Nerve cells are called
neurons.
There are billions of neurons in the body. Some exist alone. Others are joined together to
form organs like the brain and spinal cord. Control of Body Processes through the
Nervous System
There are twelve to fourteen billion of neurons in one part of the brain alone. A
neuron hasa cell body containing the nucleus. Projecting out from the cell body
are root-like structures. These are the dendrites and axons. Dendrites carry
impulses towards the cell body. A cell may have as many as 200 dendrites carrying
impulses toward the cell body. A single dendritecan be over one meter long. Axons
carry impulses away from the cell body. Axons pass impulses to the dendrites of
other neurons or cell body of muscle cells. Axons can be grouped together into
cable-like bundles called nerves.
The Nerve Impulse
Neurons are cells with the special ability to carry signals or impulses. Thoughts,
emotions,learning, and many body functions are carried by nerve impulses in the
neurons. A nerve impulse is a combination of an electrical charge and a chemical
reaction. A nerve impulse is not a flow of electricity, but an electrochemical signal
moving along a neuron. Imagine that you have a board with a row of switches.
Quickly click each switch in the row on and off. Thiswill give you an idea of how a
nerve impulse travels along a neuron.
A nerve impulse cannot jump from one neuron to another. When a nerve
impulse comes to the end of an axon, it produces the chemical, called
neurotransmitter, to be released. The chemical crosses the space between
neurons called synapse and stimulates the nerve impulse to start in the next
dendrite.
The nervous system is assisted by five sense organs - the eyes, ears, nose,
tongue, andskin. These sense organs are constantly receiving information from
the environment and sending messages to the brain. These senses aid in the
survival of human beings.
A stimulus (plural: stimuli) is any factor in the environment that may trigger a nerve
impulse. A response is a reaction to a stimulus. A stimulus is received by the body and a
response is made. An organism must be able to respond to a stimulus in order to
survive. Messages do not travel in both directions along the same neuron. Only the axon
of the neuronreleases neurotransmitters that cross the space between neurons. Reaction
time is the lengthof time between application of a stimulus and detection of a response.
