Do you often go to bed and wake up around the same time? Does your stomach begin to growl at the same time before eating lunch? This pattern is known as a circadian rhythm. Watch a video that explains the physiological phenomenon and how it was discovered.

Concepts

the brain, neurons, the cerebral cortex, sleep

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Additional Tags

science

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Instructional Ideas

• Instruct class members to watch the video and take the quiz outside of school, saving class time for discussion and further research
• Have learners keep track of their sleep and wake times for a week to notice any patterns in their circadian rhythms, and classify themselves as early risers or late sleepers
• Instruct learning groups to research factors that disrupt circadian rhythms and the effects of disrupting the cycle

Classroom Considerations

• Best suited for individuals in a biology class

Pros

• Comes with discussion questions, a quiz to check for understanding, and links for further research
• Makes for interesting individual discoveries

Cons

• None