Eduvision
- 1 -
ur brain has many different parts that work
together. There are five parts, which are key players on the
brain team:
1. cerebrum (say: suh-ree-brum)
2. cerebellum (say: sair-uh-bell-um)
3. brain stem
4. pituitary gland (say: puh-too-uh-ter-ee gland)
5. hypothalamus (say: hy-po-thal-uh-mus)
O
The Biggest Part- The Cerebrum
The biggest part of the
brain is the cerebrum. The
cerebrum makes up 85% of the
brain's weight, and it's easy to
see why. The cerebrum is the
thinking part of the brain and it
controls our voluntary muscles-
the ones that move when we
want them to. So we can't dance
or play cricket - without our
cerebrum.
When we are thinking hard, we are using our
cerebrum. We need it to solve math problems, figure out a
video game, and draw a picture. Our memory live in the
cerebrum both short-term memory (what we ate for
dinner last night) and long-term memory (the name of that
roller-coaster we rode on two summers ago). The
cerebrum also helps us to think, like when we figure out
that we would better do our homework now because we
are going out for a movie.
The cerebrum has two halves, with one on either
side of the head. Some scientists think that the right half
helps you think about abstract things like music, colours,
and shapes. The left half is said to be more analytical,
helping us with math, logic, and speech. Scientists do
know for sure that the right half of the cerebrum controls
the left side of your body, and the left half controls the right
side.
Next up is the cerebellum. The cerebellum is at
the back of the brain, below the cerebrum. It's a lot smaller
than the cerebrum. But it's a very important part of the
brain. It controls balance, movement, and coordination
(how our muscles work together). Because of our
cerebellum, we can stand upright, keep our balance, and
move around.
The Cerebellum's Balancing Act
Think about a surfer
riding the waves on his
board. What does he need
most to stay balanced? The
best surfboard? The coolest
wets