What makes something “cringe”?
Please be prepared to share your ideas, with all your materials ready for class, by the time the timer goes off.
Free Response Question:
Learning Targets
How might these chemicals show up in your life?
Explain how advanced brains helped early hunter gatherers survive their environment.
Describe the characteristics of Paleolithic society, including the significance of:
Quick Recap: Our brains are designed to interact with environment very similar to that of early paleolithic humans. Our instincts might not always be on point for the world we live in, which means its a good idea to understand how and why our brain functions like it does.
Peace
(Oxytocin)
Connects us to our community.
(Endorphins)
Dulls pain in the body and mind so we can keep going.
(Glutamate)
Helps us to find patterns and draw conclusions.
(GABA)
Determines something that could be threatening is safe.
(Dopamine)
Lets us be excited, even if things might not work out.
(Serotonin)
Communicates the environment is safe and supportive.
Connecting
Numbing
Exciting
Assuming
Ignoring
Offense | Defense | Goalies |
How do these chemicals work?
In your groups, determine which chemical is guiding the behavior and how this behaviour could impact the chances of survival.
Assuming (Glutamate)
Round One: Most people who hike over the mountain never come back, and so the village determines there is a monster that lives on the other side of the mountain.
Peace
(Serotonin)
Round Two: When you are upset, you like to listen to the ocean or a river. The sound of running water has a way of making you feel like everything is going to be okay.
Ignoring
(GABA)
Round Three: It's late at night and it sounds like there might be a predator right outside your door. You get scared for a second, but then you remember you are safe inside your hut, and so you stop worrying and go back to sleep.
Quick Check!
How does this last situation connect to the following learning target?
Describe the characteristics of Paleolithic society, including the significance of:
It's late at night and it sounds like there might be a predator right outside your door. You get scared for a second, but then you remember you are safe inside your hut, and so you stop worrying and go back to sleep.
Exciting
(Dopamine)
Round Four: Your village has a bad harvest and is running out of food. Thankfully, some people love the rush of climbing really tall trees, even though they could get hurt if they fall. They are able to feed people with the fruit at the top of the tree.
Assuming (Glutamate)
Round Five: Whenever you eat something bitter, you get sick. You decide to stop eating things that taste bitter.
Ignoring
(GABA)
Round Six: One of your friends has learned to master fire and has started making stews. He throws in a ton of plants that have made you sick in the past, but somehow doesn’t get sick. You ask him if the stew is bitter, and he says no, so you give it a try.
Assuming
(Glutamate)
Round Seven: People have gotten hurt climbing trees, and so they have given up on getting the fruit at the top. You notice hunters can catch far away animals with spears, and so you try throwing spears at the fruit.
Quick Check!
How do the last three situations connect to the following learning target?
Describe the characteristics of Paleolithic society, including the significance of:
Numbing (Endorphins)
Round Eight: Several members of your village got scratches and bruises the last time they went hunting. They didn’t feel it at the time, because they were so focused on bringing home food.
Connecting (Oxytocin)
Round Nine: You get in a fight with your parents and decide to make your own shelter in the forest. You decide to go back because you feel lonely and miss gathering together around the fire. Good thing, you later learn there were wolves nearby.
Exciting
(Dopamine)
Round Ten: Blackberries are your grandmother’s favorite. You know they are out of season, but you just have to check for them anyway. You know how happy she’d be if you could find them.
Numbing
(Endorphins)
Round Eleven: Your cousin got dumped by his girlfriend and now all he wants to do is lift heavy things like tree trunks. Your mom says, “he’s trying to put his pain in a muscle,” when you think he should be trying to make things right.
Ignoring
(GABA)
Round Twelve: You know better than to interact with wolves, but this wolf pup keeps following you around. You decide to take care of it because its mother hasn’t shown up for days and it seems to like you. Maybe it can protect you when it is grown.
Wrap up!
Congratulations hunters and gatherers! You survived.
Explain how you think brain chemicals supported one of the major characteristics of Paleolithic society. You can choose fire, shelter, or tools.
What makes something “cringe”?
Reflection Time: How has your answer changed from the things you have learned today? Is there anything you think we need to reconsider as a community?
Think-Pair-Share