Sense and Response

how animals get information from its environment

• habitat

• function

• structure

• senses

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-8

An eagle on a tree branch sees an injured squirrel 50 meters away on the ground. The eagle then flies from the tree to prey on the injured squirrel. Which of the following best describes what happened with the eagle before it started to fly toward the squirrel?

• The sense received from the squirrel went directly to the eagle's eyes to its muscles.

• The eagle was born with the ability to prey on squirrels, so no brain activity was required.

• The eagle's brain recognized the squirrel as prey.

• The sight of the squirrel came only from the eagle's memory, which stimulated the muscles to move

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-8

An octopus uses its eyes to see a predator near it in the water. The octopus feels scared. It releases a colored liquid into the water. This allows the octopus to hide from the predator and get away. Which of these describes the octopus receiving information from its senses?

• The octopus is able to get away from the predator.

• The octopus releases a colored liquid into the water.

• The octopus uses its eyes to see a predator near it in the water.

• The octopus feels scared.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-8

William loves muffins. One day, when he came back from school, he found that the kitchen was filled with the smell of some fresh muffins that his mother had bought at a bakery. As soon as he smelled the muffins, his mouth began watering. Why did his mouth water?

• William’s brain sent a signal directly to his mouth, causing his mouth to water.

• William's nose sent a signal directly to his mouth to begin watering.

• William's nose sent a signal to his brain, which then sent a signal to his mouth that made it water.

• William’s brain sent a signal to his nose, which then sent a signal to his mouth to begin watering.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-8

A father bought a new singing toy for his baby girl. When a button was pressed on the toy, a song began to play and the baby smiled. What movement caused the baby’s behavior?

• The baby’s ears sent a message directly to her facial muscles, causing her to smile.

• The baby’s ears sent a message to her brain, which then sent a message to her facial muscles, causing her to smile.

• The baby’s eyes sent a message to her brain, which then sent a message to her facial muscles, causing her to smile.

• The baby’s eyes sent a message directly to her facial muscles, causing her to smile.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-8

A rabbit in a grassy field hears in the distance the rustling of vegetation. The rabbit then quickly runs into a rabbit hole. Which of the following best describes the reaction of the rabbit to the sound?

• The rabbit's muscles sense the sound which makes it run to safety.

• The rabbit hears the sound, the information goes directly to the rabbit's muscles, and it runs to safety.

• The rabbit hears the sound and learns that the sound represents danger at the same time.

• The rabbit hears the sound, and because of memory stored in the brain, it reacts by running to safety.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-8

Yellowjackets use their senses to find food, like rotting fruit. When looking for food, the yellowjacket flies around and uses its eyes to see how far away objects are. It flies close to an object and uses the antennae on its head to smell the object. If the object is a fruit, then it uses its legs to land and hold on to it. The yellowjacket uses its mouth to eat the fruit, then flies away. How does a yellowjacket use its senses to determine if an object is food?

• The yellowjacket uses its eyes to see an object to determine if it is a fruit.

• The yellowjacket uses its legs to feel an object to determine if it is a fruit.

• The yellowjacket uses its mouth to taste an object to determine if it is a fruit.

• The yellowjacket uses its antennae to sniff an object to determine if it is a fruit.

• All of the ABOVE.

Mature white-tailed deer smell each plant before eating it. When the deer are younger, they smell several plants and remember which ones had a bad taste. They choose to ignore those plants that taste bitter. As they grow older, they avoid certain plants because of a specific smell. What does this best demonstrate?

• Animals cannot sense information before they change their behavior.

• Animals do not need their brains to recognize a bad smell.

• Animals can sense information and store it as memories to guide behavior.

• Animals know what all plants taste like just after smelling them.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-8

Information about the world can be gained through the sense of touch. Which pathway correctly shows how touch information enters the body and is processed?

• skin -> brain -> nerve endings

• nerve endings -> skin -> brain

• skin -> nerve endings -> brain

• brain -> nerve endings -> skin

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-8

Jane and her friends went to the theater to watch a 3D movie. A character in the movie threw a ball, which appeared to move toward the audience. As soon as Jane saw this, she moved her head backward. What made her perform this action?

• The tightening of Jane’s eye muscles sent a signal to her neck muscles, telling them to move backward.

• Jane’s brain sent a signal to her eyes which sent a message to her neck muscles, telling them to move backwards.

• Jane’s eyes sent a signal directly to her neck muscles, which caused her head to move backward.

• Jane’s eyes sent a message to her brain, which then sent a message to her neck muscles that caused her head to move backward.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-8