Our Mission

Sowing the Seeds of Neuroscience seeks to increase student interest and understanding of neuroscience through simple, safe lab investigations using plants and herbs.

Neuroscience News

Chimp eating a fruit

Animals use medicinal plants
Learn More

Secrets of Plants

Chinchona bark


Each month we will feature a story about interesting plants.
Click here to learn about the history of Quinine and malaria

Home

The Neuroseeds Project

The Sowing the Seeds of Neuroscience project is a partnership between neuroscience researchers, teachers and students. We are developing and testing new hands-on laboratory activities for middle school students about neuroscience and medicinal plants.  Here are some questions you can explore in this website and through the lab activities that we will be developing over the next few years.

Lesson Plans



The first release of the Neuroseeds Lesson Plans is now available! Click here to see the 8 new lessons. Teachers who complete the summer teacher training workshop are also eligible to borrow the Neuroseeds Supply Kits.



Workshops and Camp

Applications are now being accepted for the 2014 Summer Teacher Workshop August 4-8
Read about the Workshop.

Applications are now closed for the 2014 Bloomin' Brains summer camp July 21-25
Read about the Camp.

Think about it

Can chemicals in plants we eat affect nerve transmission and the nervous system?

  • Learn what happens in the space between nerves where they connect.
  • Some plants may enhance nervous system function while others damage it.


What medicines come from plants?

  • Many of the most common drugs such as aspirin were originally produced from plants. Learn More
  • The fantastic diversity of plant chemicals inspires drug research and synthetic drugs


How are useful chemicals extracted from plants?

  • Plant substances can be separated by using their physical properties. Learn More




How were medicinal plants discovered?

  • Many useful medicines have been discovered by people from other cultures and throughout history
  • People have always used the scientific method even without modern scientific knowledge


About Our Team

Sowing the Seeds of Neuroscience is a team of neuroscientists, researchers, and educators at the University of Washington.

Click here to learn more about the team

Contact Info

Main Project Email  nseeds@uw.edu

Project Fax  (206) 543-1066
 
Donate
 
Help support the Sowing the Seeds of Neuroscience program.
 

Neuroscience in your classroom
Are you already learning about neuroscience in your school? Drop us an email to tell us what you are doing. 

Click here to tell us what's happening in your school.
 
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The Sowing the Seeds of Neuroscience program is supported by an NIH Blueprint for Neuroscience Research award and administered by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (Grant number R25DA033011