In 4th Grade Science, Mrs. Colucci and Barone’s class explored how the brain responds to a stimulus through a hands-on reaction time experiment. Students worked with partners to catch a falling ruler and recorded the centimeter mark where it was caught. This simple activity helped demonstrate how quickly the brain processes visual information and sends signals to the muscles to react.
As the ruler dropped, students experienced firsthand how their eyes detected the movement, their brain processed the information, and their hand responded — all in a fraction of a second! The distance the ruler fell showed how fast their reaction time was, turning an exciting challenge into a meaningful scientific investigation.
Beyond learning about the nervous system, students also demonstrated our PORG qualities of Character and Collaboration. They showed integrity and honesty when recording their results and shared responsibility while working with their partners. It was a wonderful example of teamwork, scientific thinking, and positive character in action!
