Muscle Movement & Sense of Touch – Activity and Worksheets (NGSS MS-LS1-8)

“

Most of our students are probably familiar with the 5 senses, including the sense of touch. But, if you’re like me, you may have struggled with helping them delve deeper into the complex system of stimuli and response that is part of the NGSS MS-LS1-8 standard. Well, not any more!

In this lesson, students will use a familiar game to explore the ways in which our bodies gather and synthesize information from the sensory receptors in our skin through the sense of touch. They will also explore how sensory receptors work together, sending messages to the brain which can respond through movement. This complex system of stimulus and response is known as the kinesthetic sense.

This lesson begins with a science exploration activity built around a familiar game. Students will conduct the activity with 3 variations, collecting data throughout. Class data will be collected and shared on a teacher slide (available in PowerPoint and Digital formats) before students complete reflection questions.

Following the exploration activity, the lesson continues with a reading passage, teacher led slides, and a check-for-understanding 2-question assessment at the end of the lesson.

Students will investigate the question: How does the brain use the sense of touch and other information to make decisions about muscle and body movement?

Recommended Age Group: middle school, grades 6-8

Included Materials:
➜ Student worksheets and teacher instructions for exploration activity
➜ Easy-to-Use Teacher Slides for data collection discussion
➜ Reading passage with 3 formats available for differentiation (a standard PDF, an interactive “note-taking” style, and a digital version available through Google Slides)
➜ Teacher presentation slides on the touch, movement, and physical cues (both PowerPoint and digital formats included)
➜ Touch, Movement, and Physical Cues student worksheet
➜ Check-for-understanding assessment questions for end of lesson check-in, 3 versions of the questions included to allow for differentiation (all 3 versions are available in PDF and Google Slides format)
➜ Teaching Guide

This lesson is part of a focus on the NGSS standard MS-LS1-8 (Gather and Synthesize information that sensory receptors respond to stimuli by sending messages to the brain for immediate behavior or storage as memories). The standard is covered fully in the unit bundle… check it out here!

Related Products

• How the Ear Works (NGSS MS-LS1-8)

• Learning Styles Questionnaire for Students (NGSS MS-LS1-8)

• Nervous System Middle School Lesson (NGSS MS-LS1-8)

• Parts of the Eye (NGSS MS-LS1-8)

Want the inside track to all my latest products and ideas for the classroom? Be sure to follow me on TpT or on Pinterest and check out my website!

Did you know? Your feedback is greatly appreciated AND it earns you TpT credit towards future purchases!

“