Lesson Plan: The Autonomic Nervous System Biology
This lesson plan includes the objectives, prerequisites, and exclusions of the lesson teaching students how to describe the structure and function of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems.
Objectives
Students will be able to
- state the origin of nerve fibers of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems in the spinal cord and brain,
- recall that the purpose of the autonomic nervous system is to regulate involuntary or subconscious activities,
- state that the autonomic nervous system is divided into the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems,
- compare and contrast the effects of the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems on the human body, including effects on heart rate, blood glucose, enzyme secretion, adrenalin production, and respiratory rate.
Prerequisites
Students should already be familiar with
- the fact that humans can respond quickly to stimuli,
- the fact that some reactions and processes in humans are controlled unconsciously.
Exclusions
Students will not cover
- damage to the nervous system,
- action potentials.