Hypothalamus

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/hypothalamus

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 scientific name?Hypothalamus
2. What is the location?Basal part of the diencephalon, inferior to the thalamus
3. What is the hypothalamus and where is it located?The hypothalamus is a tiny part of the brain that sits at the base of the diencephalon, just below the thalamus. It is part of the forebrain and helps control many body functions.
4. How does the hypothalamus keep our body temperature steady?It works like a thermostat, sensing the blood temperature. When it gets too hot it triggers sweating, and when it gets too cold it triggers shivering to keep the body around 37 degrees Celsius.

Homeostasis: The maintenance of a stable internal physiological environment despite external changes.
Neurohormones: Hormones produced by nerve cells, typically in the hypothalamus, that regulate pituitary function.
Hypothalamic-Pituitary Axis: The functional relationship between the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland, controlling many endocrine functions.