Make a Neuron

Materials

• Pictures or photographs of example neurons (have different types of neurons, examples of synapses, labeled diagrams)
• Small beads
• Pipe cleaners
• Other art materials
• Heavy duty paper
• Glue
• Tape
• Markers

Prep before activity 

• Review information about the neuron
• The Neuron
• Action Potential
• Synapse Structure – skip to chemical synapse

Instructions

• Using the example pictures, have participants create their own model of a neuron using the given materials
• Guide participant’s creations by telling what the different parts are and what they do

Discussion Points

• The brain is made up of billions of individual nerve cells (neurons)
• There are different types of neurons: unipolar, bipolar, multipolar, pyramidal cells, Purkinje cells
• Neurons can be different shapes and sizes
• Some neurons excite (turn on) other neurons, some inhibit (turn off)
• A neuron has 4 basic parts: the dendrites, the cell body (also called the "soma"), the axon and the axon terminal