UPD8

Love on the brain

Learning objectives

· Students will know that certain parts of the brain are active in love
· Students will look at the brain as an organ and as a collection of cells that respire

Try the activity

• activity_love on the brain.pdf
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• teachers_love on the brain.doc
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You will need Acrobat Reader installed to open the activity sheets.

Curriculum link

· 7a cells – cells are grouped into tissues; tissues make up organs; specialized cells
· 8b respiration - aerobic respiration; oxygen and glucose are transported in the blood

Running the activity

Suggested time: 20 minutes

Possible starter:
Show page 1 - either projected or as an overhead transparency. This page shows the areas of the brain that are activated and deactivated by love. Ask students how they think scientists identified these areas.

Main activity:
Show page 2. This information sheet briefly describes the research process, the brain as an organ, respiration and MRI scanning. Then ask students to do the activity at the bottom of this page – to design a Valentine's card based on some of the information given.

Web links

News links

BBC Science

For a straightforward report of the research, see this website

Student British Medical Journal

This article is more detailed, and includes more background information about the research:

Discovery Channel - health

This website has flashing graphics showing the activated areas of the brain.

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