Neurons and the main parts of the brain
Grade 9 Science Worksheet - Building Confidence

Circle the best answer.
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Neuron drawing (model, not to scale): one neuron, with four parts marked W to Z. branching extensions that receive messages from other neurons; holds the nucleus and the other organelles of the neuron; a long, tube-like fiber that carries the impulse away from the cell body; an insulating wrap around part of fiber Y that speeds the impulse.
Ari reads a neuron drawing. The job column says part Y is a long, tube-like fiber that carries the impulse away from the cell body. What is part Y?
- The axon
- The myelin sheath
- The dendrites
- The cell body
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Neuron drawing (model, not to scale): one neuron, with four parts marked W to Z. Part | letter | job: ? | W | branching extensions that receive messages from other neurons; cell body | X | holds the nucleus and the other organelles of the neuron; axon | Y | a long, tube-like fiber that carries the impulse away from the cell body; axon terminals | Z | endings at the far end of the fiber that release chemicals onto the next cell.
Bo reads the neuron drawing. The job column says part W has branches that receive messages from other neurons. What is part W?
Neuron drawing (model, not to scale): one neuron, with four parts marked W to Z. Part | letter | job: ? | W | branching extensions that receive messages from other neurons; cell body | X | holds the nucleus and the other organelles of the neuron; axon | Y | a long, tube-like fiber that carries the impulse away from the cell body; axon terminals | Z | endings at the far end of the fiber that release chemicals onto the next cell. Neuron drawing (model, not to scale): one neuron, with four parts marked W to Z. Part | letter | job: ? | W | branching extensions that receive messages from other neurons; cell body | X | holds the nucleus and the other organelles of the neuron; axon | Y | a long, tube-like fiber that carries the impulse away from the cell body; axon terminals | Z | endings at the far end of the fiber that release chemicals onto the next cell. W X Y Z - The axon
- The cell body
- The dendrites
- The axon terminals
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holds the nucleus and the other organelles of the neuron; an insulating wrap around part of fiber Y that speeds the impulse; a long, tube-like fiber that carries the impulse away from the cell body; endings at the far end of the fiber that release chemicals onto the next cell.
Esme studies another neuron. The job column says part Z sits at the far end and releases chemicals onto the next cell. What is part Z?
Neuron drawing (model, not to scale): one neuron, with four parts marked W to Z. Part | letter | job: cell body | W | holds the nucleus and the other organelles of the neuron; myelin sheath | X | an insulating wrap around part of fiber Y that speeds the impulse; axon | Y | a long, tube-like fiber that carries the impulse away from the cell body; ? | Z | endings at the far end of the fiber that release chemicals onto the next cell. Neuron drawing (model, not to scale): one neuron, with four parts marked W to Z. Part | letter | job: cell body | W | holds the nucleus and the other organelles of the neuron; myelin sheath | X | an insulating wrap around part of fiber Y that speeds the impulse; axon | Y | a long, tube-like fiber that carries the impulse away from the cell body; ? | Z | endings at the far end of the fiber that release chemicals onto the next cell. W X Y Z cell body myelin sheath axon - The dendrites
- The myelin sheath
- The axon terminals
- The axon
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Brain drawing (model, not to scale): a side view of the brain, with the spinal cord leaving below and four parts marked W to Z. Part | letter | job: cerebrum | W | the large, folded top part; handles thinking, the senses and planned movement; cerebellum | X | the small ridged part at the back, under the top part; helps with balance and coordination; ? | Y | the stalk that links the brain to the spinal cord; helps keep breathing and heart rate going; spinal cord | Z | a long column of nerve tissue in the backbone that passes messages between the brain and the body.
Kira reads the brain drawing. The job column says part Y is the stalk that links the brain to the spinal cord and helps keep breathing going. What is part Y?
Brain drawing (model, not to scale): a side view of the brain, with the spinal cord leaving below and four parts marked W to Z. Part | letter | job: cerebrum | W | the large, folded top part; handles thinking, the senses and planned movement; cerebellum | X | the small ridged part at the back, under the top part; helps with balance and coordination; ? | Y | the stalk that links the brain to the spinal cord; helps keep breathing and heart rate going; spinal cord | Z | a long column of nerve tissue in the backbone that passes messages between the brain and the body. Brain drawing (model, not to scale): a side view of the brain, with the spinal cord leaving below and four parts marked W to Z. Part | letter | job: cerebrum | W | the large, folded top part; handles thinking, the senses and planned movement; cerebellum | X | the small ridged part at the back, under the top part; helps with balance and coordination; ? | Y | the stalk that links the brain to the spinal cord; helps keep breathing and heart rate going; spinal cord | Z | a long column of nerve tissue in the backbone that passes messages between the brain and the body. cerebrum W cerebellum X ? Y spinal cord Z - The cerebellum
- The brainstem
- The spinal cord
- The cerebrum
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branching extensions that receive messages from other neurons; holds the nucleus and the other organelles of the neuron; a long, tube-like fiber that carries the impulse away from the cell body; endings at the far end of the fiber that release chemicals onto the next cell.
Milo reads a labeled neuron drawing. Which job belongs to part Z, the axon terminals?
Neuron drawing (model, not to scale): one neuron, with four parts marked W to Z. Part | letter | job: dendrites | W | branching extensions that receive messages from other neurons; cell body | X | holds the nucleus and the other organelles of the neuron; axon | Y | a long, tube-like fiber that carries the impulse away from the cell body; axon terminals | Z | endings at the far end of the fiber that release chemicals onto the next cell. Neuron drawing (model, not to scale): one neuron, with four parts marked W to Z. Part | letter | job: dendrites | W | branching extensions that receive messages from other neurons; cell body | X | holds the nucleus and the other organelles of the neuron; axon | Y | a long, tube-like fiber that carries the impulse away from the cell body; axon terminals | Z | endings at the far end of the fiber that release chemicals onto the next cell. dendrites W cell body X axon Y axon terminals Z - It wraps the fiber to speed the impulse
- It releases chemicals onto the next cell
- It holds the nucleus of the neuron
- It receives messages from other neurons
Brain drawing (model, not to scale): a side view of the brain, with the spinal cord leaving below and four parts marked W to Z. Part | letter | job: cerebrum | W | the large, folded top part; handles thinking, the senses and planned movement; cerebellum | X | the small ridged part at the back, under the top part; helps with balance and coordination; brainstem | Y | the stalk that links the brain to the spinal cord; helps keep breathing and heart rate going; spinal cord | Z | a long column of nerve tissue in the backbone that passes messages between the brain and the body. Brain drawing (model, not to scale): a side view of the brain, with the spinal cord leaving below and four parts marked W to Z. Part | letter | job: cerebrum | W | the large, folded top part; handles thinking, the senses and planned movement; cerebellum | X | the small ridged part at the back, under the top part; helps with balance and coordination; brainstem | Y | the stalk that links the brain to the spinal cord; helps keep breathing and heart rate going; spinal cord | Z | a long column of nerve tissue in the backbone that passes messages between the brain and the body. W X Y Z Noah reads a labeled brain drawing. Which job belongs to part X, the cerebellum?
- It helps with balance and coordination
- It keeps breathing and heart rate going
- It does the thinking and stores memories
- It links the brain to the spinal cord
Pia reads the labeled brain drawing. Which job belongs to part Y, the brainstem?
Use the picture in question 6.
- It helps with balance on a bike
- It stores memories and plans thoughts
- It helps keep breathing and heart rate going
- It plans the movement of the fingers
Signal path in one neuron (model, not to scale). Ren traces a signal through one neuron. Which part goes in the blank box?
Signal path in one neuron (model, not to scale). Boxes in order: dendrites, a blank box, axon, axon terminals. An arrow joins each box to the next, and the signal runs along the arrows. Signal path in one neuron (model, not to scale). Boxes in order: dendrites, a blank box, axon, axon terminals. An arrow joins each box to the next, and the signal runs along the arrows. dendrites axon axon terminals - The myelin sheath
- The cell body
- The axon terminals
- The next neuron
“(model, not to scale). Boxes in order:” Tala brushes a hand against a prickly pinecone, and the hand pulls away. Which neuron goes in the blank box?
Reflex path (model, not to scale). Boxes in order: receptor in the skin of the hand, a blank box, interneuron in the spinal cord, motor neuron, muscle in the arm. An arrow joins each box to the next. Reflex path (model, not to scale). Boxes in order: receptor in the skin of the hand, a blank box, interneuron in the spinal cord, motor neuron, muscle in the arm. An arrow joins each box to the next. Reflex path receptor in the skin of the hand interneuron in the spinal cord motor neuron muscle in the arm - A muscle fiber
- A glial cell
- A motor neuron
- A sensory neuron
Zee watches the reflex path after a hand pulls away from a pinecone. Which neuron carries the message out from the spinal cord to the muscle?
Reflex path (model, not to scale). Boxes in order: receptor in the skin of the hand, sensory neuron, interneuron in the spinal cord, a blank box, muscle in the arm. An arrow joins each box to the next. Reflex path (model, not to scale). Boxes in order: receptor in the skin of the hand, sensory neuron, interneuron in the spinal cord, a blank box, muscle in the arm. An arrow joins each box to the next. Reflex path (model, not to scale) receptor in the skin of the hand sensory neuron interneuron in the spinal cord muscle in the arm - A motor neuron
- A glial cell
- A sensory neuron
- A receptor