Cervical Vertebrae

Angel Lee Gilbert              Douglass Middle Academy 
                               543 N. Waller
                               Chicago IL 60644
                               (312) 534-6176

Objectives:

      This lesson has been designed for 8th grade learners, but can be used for 
other levels.  This lesson was developed to show through the use of diagrams and
models the function of the cervical vertebrae and how easy it is to damage the 
cervical vertebrae.  Focus:  Christoper Reeve 

      Learners will:  determine how and why he was hurt.
                      why he needed his breathing supplemented.
                      explain why he could not breath.
                      demonstrate how he fell.
                      discuss if he is a paraplegic & recovery techniques.
                      create their own models.

Materials Needed:

                    rice cakes   = bones
                    marshmallows = discs
                    straws       = spine
                    thread       = nerves
                    (or twine)
                    needles      = used to thread the nerves

Procedure:

     1.  To soften the rice cakes for piercing by the straw, learners must drop 
several drops of water in the CENTER of the rice cakes.
     2.  When the rice cakes are soften IN THE CENTER, assemble by putting the 
straw through rice cake, marshmallow, rice cake, marshmallow, etc. until the 
desired number are lined up.
     3.  Thread needle with black or red thread, and "stitch" through 
marshmallow near the upper rice cake with a single thread.  Do this for each 
marshmallow. 

Strategy:

     To simulate Christopher Reeve's accident, learners will collapse the 
"vertebrae" by bringing hands together with force, keeping the "spine" between 
middle and ring fingers, close to the palms.

Performance Assessment:

      The outcome for each learner will determine how well they listened, worked
in cooperative learning groups, followed directions and therefore, successfully 
completed the objectives.  Each learner will read informational packet for 
discussion, participate in discussion (20%), produce one page report (50%), and 
construct their own cervical vertebrae section or sections (30%).