Living Systems Investigation 4, Part 3 – Instinct and Learning

Central Nervous System What are the parts of the human central nervous system? How do the parts work together as a system to perform the functions that maintain life? Living Systems, 4.3: Instinct and Learning Step 1

Central Nervous System The central nervous system functions at the center of all human activities. Some of our activities are learned behaviors, like walking or running. Other activities we perform without even thinking about them, such as pulling a hand away after touching a hot object. Actions that we perform without thinking or planning fall into two categories: reflex and instinct. Living Systems, 4.3: Instinct and Learning Step 1

Focus Question What behaviors are instinctive, and what behaviors are learned? Living Systems, 4.3: Instinct and Learning Step 2

Animal Behavior and Communication Watch for examples of instinctive behavior and communication in the video. Living Systems, 4.3: Instinct and Learning Step 3

Sense-Making Discussion Living Systems, 4.3: Instinct and Learning Step 4

Animal Behavior and Communication How do dogs learn to wag their tails when they are "happy"? Who teaches kittens to chase strings and other small toys? What instinctive behaviors do sea turtles engage in that help them survive? How do bees, ants, and termites learn how to build their complex communities? What are three instinctive behaviors that some animals exhibit to deal with harsh environmental conditions? Living Systems, 4.3: Instinct and Learning Step 4

Inherited Traits Instinctive behaviors are a result of information inherited from parents. We can refer to this information passed on from parents as inherited traits. Living Systems, 4.3: Instinct and Learning Step 5

Vocabulary Review learned behavior something an animal needs to be taught and practice reflex an involuntary response to a stimulus where sensory neurons send messages directly to motor neurons; an instantaneous response usually in cases of danger or pain instinct a behavior or action that is not learned but an inherited ability or trait. Animals are born with instinctive behaviors. inherited trait information passed from generation to generation through DNA Living Systems, 4.3: Instinct and Learning Step 6

Focus Question What behaviors are instinctive, and what behaviors are learned? Living Systems, 4.3: Instinct and Learning Step 7

Monarch Migration Living Systems, 4.3: Instinct and Learning Steps 9–11

View the videos Living Systems, 4.3: Instinct and Learning Step 12

What behaviors are instinctive, and what behaviors are learned? Wrap-Up/Warm-Up What behaviors are instinctive, and what behaviors are learned? Pair up with a partner to share your answer to the focus question; discuss several examples of instinctive behavior. Living Systems, 4.3: Instinct and Learning Step 13

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