Activity 3A: Sleepy Reactions

This activity is all about helping students make the connection between sleep and response time. This lesson also cleverly sneaks in some science and math, but the students may not notice since they are having fun! This simple setup groups students according to the average amount of sleep they have had over the past three days. They will measure their reaction time and collect data.  After analyzing the class data, students will create their own conclusions about how the amount of sleep can affect reaction time. Students will discuss their conclusions and begin to craft a personal understanding of how important sleep is to their daily functioning and to their overall health. And all the time, they will be applying science! Shhh! Don’t spoil the surprise!