Whenever you see, hear, and feel — and whenever you think, move, and even breathe — your brain buzzes with the activity of neurons.
Neurons are tiny cells that are the building blocks of the nervous system . They come in many shapes and sizes. Some stretch from the spinal cord all the way to the toes and can be more than 3 feet (1 meter) long!
Neurons send messages from different parts of your body to your brain , all around your brain, and from your brain out to the muscles in your body.
They can send more than 100 signals a second, at speeds up to 400 kilometers (250 miles) an hour. That's four times faster than a moving car on the highway!
Find out more about your nervous system by creating a life-sized drawing.
What You'll Need
Sidewalk Art
As another option, use chalk to draw your nervous system on the sidewalk.
What to Do
Cut a sheet of paper that is longer than the height of your friend. (Or, tape sheets of paper together.)
Place the paper on a hard, smooth floor. Have your friend lay down in the middle of the paper.
Use a black marker to draw an outline of your friend's body.
Next, draw the different parts of the nervous system. Then, label them. Use the Explore Your Nervous System (PDF) as a reference.
Hang the drawing on a wall or inside your closet door to show off your nerves!
Did you know?