Neuron

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/neuron

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?Neuron (or nerve cell)
2. What is the primary location?Central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) and peripheral nervous system
3. How do neurons send messages?Neurons send messages by first making an electrical spark called an action potential that travels down the axon. When it reaches the end, it releases chemicals called neurotransmitters into the tiny gap between neurons, which can wake up or calm the next neuron.
4. Why are neurons important for our brain?Neurons are the building blocks of the brain’s huge network, about 86 billion of them. This network lets us see, remember, feel, decide, and move.

Action Potential: A rapid, transient electrical signal that travels along the axon of a neuron.
Synaptic Plasticity: The ability of synapses to strengthen or weaken over time, crucial for learning and memory.
Neurogenesis: The process by which new neurons are generated from neural stem cells.