Educational Standards
If you are a teacher needing to reference these materials to national content standards, here's a starting point.
The benchmark numbers in the table below are from the Society for Neuroscience’s Core Concepts[1] which are themselves cross-referenced with the National Research Council’s National Science Education Standards[2].
| Benchmark Number | Description |
|---|---|
| 1.b. | Each neuron communicates with many other neurons to form circuits and share information. |
| 1.c. | Proper nervous system function involves coordinated action of neurons in many brain regions. |
| 2.a. | Sensory stimuli are converted into electrical signals. |
| 2.b. | Action Potentials are electrical signals carried along neurons. |
| 2.d. | Electrical signals in muscles cause contraction and movement. |
| 2.g | All perceptions, thoughts, and behaviors result from combinations of signals among neurons. |
| 3.b | Sensory circuits (sight, touch, hearing, smell, taste) bring information to the nervous system, whereas motor circuits send information to muscles and glands. |
| 3.f. | The brain is organized to recognize sensations, initiate behaviors, and store and access memories that can last a lifetime. |
| 4.c. | Some injuries harm nerve cells, but the brain often recovers from stress, damage, or disease. |
| 4.d. | Continuously challenging the brain with physical and mental activity helps maintain its structure and function — “use it or lose it.” |
| 7.c. | Curiosity leads us to unexpected and surprising discoveries that can benefit humanity. |
| 8a. | Experiments on animals play a central role in providing insights about the human brain and in helping to make healthy lifestyle choices, prevent diseases, and find cures for disorders. |
| 8.c. | Neuroscience research has formed the basis for significant progress in treating a large number of disorders. |
Additional core concepts that are cross referenced with the National Science Education Standards can be found at the Society For Neuroscience's Brain Facts.