Autonomic nervous system

High school (ages 12+)
Human Body

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/autonomic-nervous-system

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the functional division?A subdivision of the nervous system controlling involuntary internal functions
2. What is the primary branches?Sympathetic (mobilization, stress response) and Parasympathetic (conservation, rest, digestion)
3. How does the sympathetic nervous system help us when we feel scared?It speeds up our heart, makes our breathing faster, and gives us more energy to run or fight.
4. Why does the parasympathetic nervous system slow our heart after we play?It helps our body relax, so the heart slows down, digestion starts, and we feel calm.

Homeostasis: The maintenance of a stable internal physiological environment despite external changes.
Neurotransmitter: Chemical messengers that transmit signals across a synapse between neurons.
Hypothalamus: A small region of the brain that controls many vital autonomic functions.