Receptors Inquiry Activity Two-Point Discrimination Test and Worksheet

Unit: Structure, Function, and Information Processing

Topic: Sense of Touch

Do Now: Give an example of how the sense of touch is useful in everyday life.

Aim: Why are some parts of the body more sensitive to touch than others? Explain using
vocabulary.

Standards Performance:

NGSS Standard MS-LS1-8

Gather and synthesize information that sensory receptors respond to stimuli by sending messages
to the brain for immediate behavior or storage as memories.

Performance Objectives:

- Students will be able to produce a testable hypothesis on how our skin detects stimuli,
perform an experiment, and determine whether the hypothesis is supported by analyzing
data collected from the two-point discrimination test experiment.
- Students will be able to determine what parts of our skin are most sensitive to stimuli by
comparing receptive fields on different body parts.

Vocabulary:
Sensory Neuron- the nerve cells that are activated by sensory input from the environment.
Mechanoreceptors- Sensory receptors which respond to mechanical pressure (Stimuli).
Touch Receptive Field- the receptor area which when stimulated results in a response of a single
sensory neuron.
Receptors Inquiry Activity Two-Point Discrimination Test and Worksheet

Material List:
Paper clips
Rulers
Two-Point Discrimination Worksheet

Anticipatory Opening:
The teacher brings in three objects (Rubik’s Cube, Controller, Flashlight) without letting the
students know the identity of the objects. Three volunteer students line up at the front of the
board facing the class. The teacher asks each of them to close their eyes and stretch out their
hand. The teacher places one object in each of the students’ hands and asks them to identify their
objects while keeping their eyes closed.

Safety and Disposal:

● Do not use force when using pointed objects on the skin of others.
● Avoid using pointed objects on others face.
● Dispose of paper clips

Development of the Lesson:

Timing What the Teacher Does What the Students Do

Beginning of Lesson

2 min Ask a student to read the Do Now and instruct Students will answer the Do
the class to answer the question while teacher Now and share with class.
prepares materials.

5 min Perform the Anticipatory Opening and Participate in Anticipatory

instruct a student to read the Aim. Opening and read the Aim

Middle of Lesson
Receptors Inquiry Activity Two-Point Discrimination Test and Worksheet
6 min Introduce the topic and Model the Two-point
discrimination test. Emphasize that the
participants should look away and alternate
between one and two points for
unpredictability. (Ask students why this is
necessary)
15 min Instruct students to get into groups of 3 (or 4)
distribute materials (Worksheet, Paper Clips,
Ruler). Explain Activity and supervise
students. Answer any questions and provide
support during the experiment.
Middle of Lesson
10 min Support students, by asking questions, in
analyzing the Data. Introduce the new
vocabulary word (Receptive Fields) to help
students make sense of data.
End of Lesson
7 min Ask students to answer the aim, read the
homework and participate in summative
assessment.
Differentiated Instruction:
Listen to instructions and
participate in discussion.
Get into groups and listen to
instruction. Assign a role to each
group member (Recorder,
Participant, Experimenter). Work
with classmates to complete an
experiment. Ask questions if
necessary.
Students write their data on the
board and analyze it to create a
bar graph. Students analyze the
graph to make meaning of the
experiment using the vocabulary
introduced like receptive fields.
Answer the aim, read homework,
and participate in summative
assessment.
Receptors Inquiry Activity Two-Point Discrimination Test and Worksheet

NA

Homework:
Today we learned more on how the sense of touch works. Research why sensitivity to touch
aided in human evolution.

Summative Assessment:
Using a 20-sided die, the teacher will pick students to answer the following questions
● What is a receptive field?
● Based on the data, Is the sense of touch distributed equally to different parts of the body?
● How is it possible to stimulate two different receptors, but only perceive a single
stimulus?
● Can you differentiate between two types of Rubik Cubes touching your arm? Why not?
● Hypothesize the location of another less touch-sensitive part of the human body, apart
from the upper arm.
● Hypothesize the location of another highly touch-sensitive part of the human body, apart
from the fingertip.

Notes for Revision:

Worksheet- Two-point discrimination Experiment

Receptors Inquiry Activity Two-Point Discrimination Test and Worksheet

In this activity you will use paper clips to touch different body parts. Note: this class will only be
experimenting on arms, and hand areas for safety. The individuals being tested will say whether
they feel one point or two. You will continue decreasing the space between tips to deduce what is
the smallest distance in which your partners can discriminate between two points. The smaller
the distance the more sensitive the area.

Image 1. https://askabiologist.asu.edu/experiments/nerves

Image 2. https://askabiologist.asu.edu/experiments/nerves

Hypothesis

______________________________________________________________________________

Experiment
Receptors Inquiry Activity Two-Point Discrimination Test and Worksheet

Materials
Paper Clips
Ruler
Pencil and Paper

Safety rules
• Do not use force when using pointed objects on the skin of others.
• Avoid using pointed objects on others face
• Ask for consent before touching your partners
• Be aware of students with skin allergies

Procedure
Get all necessary materials before starting experiment and designate the participant (Test
Subject), experimenter, and recorder.

Step 1
Open and bend the paper clip into a U-shape as seen in Image 1 and Image 2. Spread the ends
and use the ruler to measure the distance between the tips. Adjust until they are exactly 4 cm
apart.

Step 2
The Experimenter will touch both ends of the paper clip to the fingertip of the Participant, BE
GENTLE. Make sure the “Test Subject” is looking away. If the Participant feels both tips
write a 2 in the first square of Table 1. If they only feel 1 paper clip end, write a 1.

Step 3
Repeat Step 2 on the Participant’s upper arm. The Recorder will write the data on appropriate
squares.

Step 4
Using the ruler, push the paper clip ends closer together ½ a centimeter (to 3.5) and repeat Step 2
and Step 3. Continue pushing the paper clip ends together by 0.5 cm, for each trial, until the ends
are touching, and all data is collected.

Results
Receptors Inquiry Activity Two-Point Discrimination Test and Worksheet

Distance between paperclip Fingertip Upper arm

ends
4 cm

3.5 cm

3 cm

2.5 cm

2 cm

1.5 cm

1 cm

0.5 cm

Ends Touching

Analysis and Conclusion

1. What was the independent variable for this experiment?

2. What was the dependent variable for this experiment?

3. What patterns do you see in the data?

4. What was the most and least sensitive body part, how does the data show this?

5. Was your hypothesis supported?