Welcome to the Backyard Brains wiki page for scientists, teachers and amateurs alike. Below you will find all of our open source experiments, lesson plans and useful information. If you are an educator, you may be interested in what Educational Standards our lesson plans adhere too. Additionally, we list which specific standards are being met at the bottom of each lesson plan.
Our experiments have moved to their new home! Please see: backyardbrains.com/Experiments for all the latest experiments we are working on!
If you and have used the SpikerBox in your classroom and have invented a new experiment, we would like to work with you to make your experiment available to others.
We have also compiled the full lessons in one large pdf. Expect this draft to grow and improve over time.
The following articles are not experiments, but rather good information to know.
| Note | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ethical Issues Regarding Using Invertebrates in Education | We respond to commonly-raised questions regarding our work. You can use these as starting points in your classroom discussions on animal experiments. |
| 2 | Getting Your Recordings on a Computer for Analysis | Here we explain how to get your SpikerBox recordings on a computer so you can begin making data discoveries. |
| 3 | Cockroach Husbandry | We explain how to care for your cockroaches and crickets. |
| 4 | Louder SpikerBox | If you are doing a demo in a large classroom, here's how to make the spikes loud enough for everyone to hear. |
| 5 | DIY Smartphone Cable | If you have some spare parts and cables, you can make your own smartphone cable instead of buying it from us. |
| 6 | Two Channel Test | Ready to begin two channel experiments? Fancy! First you need to see if your laptop can record two analog channels. |
| 7 | Spikes Library | Would you like some sample recording files to play with? Here we begin our library of spikes from various creatures. |
| 8 | RoboRoach Surgery | A step-by-step description of how to install and demonstrate your RoboRoach Circuit |
| 9 | Cricket Leg Electrode Placement | With careful placement of your electrodes, you can get as good responses from a cricket as you can with a cockroach. |
| 10 | Recommended Gear | Whether you are giving a quick demo or a three day neurophysiology lab, here we tell you what you need. |
| 11 | Some Readings | If you are looking for some books to supplement our materials, we give you a growing list. |
Experiments, that for one reason or other, have flaws.
| Note | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Measuring Power Consumption in Neurons | Does the leg ever run out of ATP? Here's an advanced experiment to measure power consumption. |