Students investigate how much control people have over their emotions by tracing how thoughts, choices, and behaviors influence brain activity and chemical responses in the body. Through firsthand observation, expert interviews with local doctors and therapists, and evidence-based modeling, they build and revise explanations that connect the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, amygdala, dopamine, and serotonin to real emotional and physical changes. The work culminates in a public interactive expo where teams teach others what they learned and support a clear claim about emotional control with scientific evidence and personal or observed examples.

Students will explain, with evidence, how thoughts, choices, and environmental triggers interact with the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, amygdala, and chemicals like dopamine and serotonin to shape emotional and physical responses. They will collect, organize, and interpret observations from the petting zoo launch, expert conversations with doctors and therapists, and class investigations to build and revise a cause-and-effect model of emotional change. Students will communicate a clear claim about how much control people have over emotions through CER writing, discussion, and an interactive expo station designed for authentic audiences. They will also strengthen self-directed learning, collaboration, and reflection by using feedback to improve their concept maps, presentations, and understanding of their own emotional patterns.

Students will create field notes and quick-sketch observation records from the petting zoo launch, CER responses about how brain structures and chemicals influence emotions, and two draft versions of a before-and-after concept map or visual model annotated with a personal or observed example. In teams, they will also develop interview questions, summary notes, and revised claims about emotional control based on feedback from local doctors and therapists. The culminating product is an interactive station for the Mind in Motion Expo that teaches visitors how thoughts, choices, brain activity, and chemicals connect to emotions through demonstrations, visuals, and audience participation. Each team will also produce a brief final reflection claim supported by project evidence and one expert insight.

Begin with the petting zoo field experience, where students use a simple observation tool to track their thoughts, body sensations, choices, and emotional shifts before, during, and after interacting with animals and the environment. Back in class, teams compare patterns they noticed and build an initial model linking experience to the amygdala, hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, and possible dopamine or serotonin responses. Then introduce the driving question by asking students to make a first claim about how much control people have over emotions, using evidence from the trip. Invite a local doctor or therapist to respond to students’ early claims and questions to set up the inquiry for the rest of the project.

Host a Mind in Motion Expo where student teams lead interactive stations for classmates, caregivers, local doctors, and therapists. Each station should include a hands-on demonstration, the team’s annotated before-and-after concept map, and a short explanation of how the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, amygdala, dopamine, and serotonin connect thoughts and choices to emotional and physical changes. Include a visitor feedback tool with prompts such as “What did you learn about emotional control?” and “What question do you still have?” so students can practice communication and reflection. Close the event with brief student claim statements that answer the essential question using one project example and one insight from a community expert.