Nervous System Lesson 2: The Make · Nervous System Lesson 2: The Make Educator’s Lesson Plan...

Nervous System Lesson 2: The Make Educator’s Lesson Plan

Objective In Th e Make, students will:

1. Explore a series of stations that demonstrate the nervous system in action. 2. Utilize their Vocabulary Mind Map to explain what happens at each station. 3. Construct a visual model that shows the nervous system response from start to finish.

Optional Extension: Construct a 3-D dynamic model representing how a signal travels through the

nervous system.

Time Required: 150 minutes

Materials Required

These four stations will accommodate 16 students. For 17-32 students, you’ll need two sets

of station materials.

Station 1: Pupil Dilation

● Lab Station #1: STUDENT CARD

● Room (or outdoors) with bright light; *Please Note: Penlight flashlights can also be

used for indoor classroom use in order to elicit a

stronger pupil dilation response

● Timer or clock with second hand

Station 2: Blink Test


Station 3: Drop the Ruler - Visual


● Ruler (centimeters)

● Timer

Note: Lab Station TEACHER and STUDENT cards

can be found in the Appendix below.

Station 4: Drop the Ruler - Auditory


● Ruler (centimeters)

● Timer

● Blindfold (optional)

Other Supplies

● Student Guide Planning Organizer (1 per

person)

● White paper

● Colored pencils/markers

●

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Safety Considerations Science & Engineering Practices

If using penlight flashlights for Pupil Dilation test (Station 1), light should not be flashed into student eyes for more than 3 seconds/trial to avoid eye sensitivity. Students should take care when clapping for the Blink Test (Station 2).

● Developing and using models

● Analyzing and interpreting data

Educator Background

The purpose of this unit is for students to understand that the signals get sent through various parts

of the nervous system in order for an action to occur. Though most signals travel through the brain,

certain signals go to and from the spinal cord only, never reaching the brain. Actions that your brain

doesn't have to think about are referred to as “reflex actions”. Reflex actions occur when an

immediate response is needed, such as pulling your hand away from a hot flame. To avoid a burn,

sensory neurons transmit a “hot” message to the spinal cord, and a “pull back hand” response

message is carried on neurons that control muscle movement.

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Inquiry Scale

Level 1: most teacher-driven (recommended for grades 4-5)

Conduct the lab stations as class-wide demos, breaking into think-pair-shares for the discussion

questions and flowchart sections of the Student Guide Planning Organizer. Lead the diagram process

as a class-wide discussion, drawing parts, making connections, and briefly discussing annotations.

Final drafts of the nervous system pathway flowchart will be done in groups.

Level 2 (recommended for grades 5-6)

Lab stations and the corresponding sections of the Student Guide Planning Organizer are completed in

small groups. Once all lab stations are complete, lead a class-wide discussion that reviews the

discussion question portions of the Student Guide Planning Organizer. Also, lead the diagram process

as a class-wide discussion, drawing parts, making connections, and briefly discussing annotations.

Final drafts of the nervous system pathway flowchart will be done in groups.

Level 3: (recommended for grades 6-7)

Lab stations and the corresponding sections of the Student Guide Planning Organizer are completed in

small groups. Once all lab stations are complete, as a class, briefly review the discussion questions for

each station. Have students plan their diagrams in groups, drawing parts and making connections, but

bring them back for a class-wide discussion to briefly discuss these diagrams. Final drafts of the

nervous system pathway flowchart will be done in groups.

Level 4: most student-driven (recommended for grades 7-8)

Students will independently complete all aspects of The Make process, including completing all lab

stations and corresponding sections of the Student Guide Planning Organizer in small groups.

Students will also complete the diagram portion of the Student Guide Planning Organizer and final

draft of the nervous system pathway flowchart in small groups.

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Agenda

I. Show PowerPoint to introduce The Make Activity (10-15 minutes)

The PowerPoint will review essential concepts learned in The Solve and provide context for the

students’ upcoming Make challenge.

PowerPoint Slide Guide

Slide 2: Why do we need to sense the world around us?

1. Think-pair-share

2. Students share out answers

Answer: Use the picture on the slide to emphasize that we need to sense the world around us in order

to understand our surroundings.

Slide 3: We sense and respond to our environment every day!

1. Think-pair-share: What is your body responding to right now?


3. Optional follow-up question: What are some senses that we use to respond to our

environment?

Answer (to question 3. above): Sight, smell, taste, touch, hearing.

Slide 4: Which body system enables us to sense and respond to the world around us?

1. Think-pair-share

2. Call on one pair of students to share

Answer: Our nervous system!

Slide 5: What type of cells is the nervous system made up of?

1. Think-pair-share


Answer: Nerve cells

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Nerve cells make up all parts of the nervous system.

In the Comic Mystery, we saw nerve cells in many places.

1. We saw sensory neurons — nerve cells that sense external stimuli

2. We saw nerve cells that passed along the message through the nervous system

3. Nerve cells also make up the spinal cord and brain

Slide 7: Think back to the Comic Mystery. What is the function of the spinal cord and the brain?


Answer: The brain processes incoming signals and decides what to do with them. Signals travel in and

out of the brain through the spinal cord.

Slide 8: The Nervous System Pathway

1. We know from The Solve that all these types of neurons (nerve cells) are connected together

in order to transmit signals throughout your body. In what order does this pathway go?

2. Use the diagram on the slide to review the pathway as a class.

3. Students share out pieces of the pathway until the whole pathway is complete

Answer: A sensory neuron is a type of nerve cell that takes in stimulus information from the outside

world. Nerve cells carry the message to the brain. The brain decides what to do with the information.

This response message is then carried out through the spinal cord and nerve cells until it reaches nerve

cells that control action.

Optional: Ask students to explain this pathway using a specific example, like seeing a ball being

thrown at you.

Slide 9: Your Make Challenge

1. Today you will experiment with the nervous system in action through a series of stations,

utilizing your Vocabulary Mind Map to help you explain what is happening with each station.

2. Once complete, draw a visual model that shows the nervous system pathway.

Slides 10: 1. Steps to The Make

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II. Make Activity (130 minutes)

As guided by the organizer, students will:

1. Reflect on the way a signal traveled through the nervous system

in the Comic Mystery.

2. Explore lab stations that experiment with the nervous system:

a. Make observations or collect data.

b. Answer discussion questions.

c. Create a Nervous System pathway flowchart of the

nervous system components involved for each station.

3. Construct a final, colored, visual model that depicts the nervous

system pathway of one of the four stations using key vocabulary,

annotations, and arrows to connect parts. Please refer to example below:

III. Exit Ticket (10 minutes)

Students complete the exit ticket that summarizes their understanding of The Make and connects

students to the upcoming Engineering challenge.

Note: In collaborative classrooms, this serves as the individual accountability in an otherwise group

project.

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Exit Ticket Answer Key

1. Stations 1 and 2 involved testing the eye and the nervous system pathways involved with making the eye pupil

dilate or creating an eye blink response. Do you think that the spinal cord was involved in the nervous system

pathways of stations 1 and 2? Explain. Answer: In Stations 1 and 2, the spinal cord is not involved. The sensory neurons in the eye bring the signal directly to

the brain for interpretation since the brain is located directly behind the eye. The brain sends a signal back to the

muscles in the pupil of the eye creating the pupil dilation response or to the muscles of the eyelids creating the blink

response in order to protect the eye.

2. In Station 3, there was a delay between the moment the Test Subject saw the ruler and the moment they caught it.

How could you explain this delay?

Answer: It takes time for a signal to travel from sensory neurons to the brain and back out to the motor neurons. This

is what causes the delay.

3. In Stations 3 and 4, which response was faster: visual or auditory? Why do you think this is the case?

Answer: Though the cause of the time difference will be above students’ knowledge, the goal of this question is to

encourage different predictions. Any answer that gets at the idea that visual information takes longer to process is

correct. In simple terms, there a lot more steps to convert light to bioelectrical signals that can travel through the

nervous system. Auditory signals require only one or two steps, so they are generally fast.

4. Why do you think the response time in stations 3 and 4 became shorter over time?

Answer: You can speed up nerve transmission with practice. Educator Note: If student response time did not become

shorter over time, that’s okay. It’s likely their response time will decrease after more trials.

5. Brainstorm: what do you think would happen if there was a problem with each of the following parts of the

nervous system?

a. Sensory neurons

Answer: Your nervous system would be unable to gather any information from the outside

environment, thus causing a loss in some type of sensation (Ex: inability to smell).

b. Brain

Answer: Depending upon where the damage occurred, you might not be able to receive, organize, and

distribute information. For example, you could lose the ability to process information for decision making, the

ability to control and coordinate muscle movements, or the ability to interpret sensory information.

c. Spinal cord

Answer: Messages might not be able to travel to the brain or to nerve cells impacting specific muscle control

in the body.

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The Make Assessment: Project Grade and Rubric Score Sheet - Nervous System

Project Submitted by ________________________________________

Nervous System The Make Checklist: Content Concepts and Practices

❏ Lab stations are completed accurately

❏ Observations are detailed

❏ Data tables reflect accurate data collection

❏ Answers to discussion questions reflect an understanding of the relationship between stimulus

and response

❏ Station flowcharts of nervous system pathways accurately depict all of the following parts of the Nervous

System pathway in words and/or visuals:

❏ Brain, sensory neuron, signal, spinal cord, stimulus, response

❏ Parts are in the correct order and connected with arrows

❏ Annotations explain how a signal travels through the nervous system

❏ Final Nervous System Station Diagram is well-organized, neat, in color and includes:

❏ Title (Eyeblink Response, Pupil Dilation, etc.)

❏ Drawing of the Stimulus

❏ Drawing of part(s) of the body involved with Nervous System Pathway

❏ Sensory Neurons and direction of signal

❏ Drawing of Brain and/or Spinal Cord

❏ Arrows showing direction of message from brain/spinal cord to muscle

❏ Muscle Response

❏ Relevant annotations throughout diagram.

Science & Engineering Practices Rubric

Emerging (1) Developing (2) Proficient (3) Advanced (4)

Analyzing and Interpreting Data

Constructs data tables or graphs that do not display all data. Analyzes data with major misconceptions or omissions.

Constructs data tables or graphs that display all data, but which do not analyze relationships. Analyzes data with minor misconceptions.

Constructs data tables or graphs that display all data and which make simple connections between variables. Analyzes data to provide evidence for a phenomena.

Constructs data tables or graphs that display all data and which make complex connections between variables. Analyzes data to provide evidence for a phenomena and acknowledges limitations.

Developing and Using Models

Drawings, diagrams, or visual models include major misconceptions or have missing parts. Explanation of the model is minimal or not present.

Drawings, diagrams, or visual models include minor misconceptions or have missing parts. Explanation of the model is minimal.

Drawings, diagrams, or visual models are complete, but contain a minor misconception. Explanation of the model is complete but lacking complexity.

Drawings, diagrams, or visual models have no misconceptions and contain all details. Explanation of the model is complete and complex.

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Teacher Comments:

Final Score: Final Grade:

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Appendix A: Station Cards

Station #1: TEACHER CARD: Pupil Dilation Provide at the Station: Room (or outdoors) with bright light, and timer (per group) or classroom clock with second hand. Note: A penlight flashlight can also be incorporated for classroom use to elicit a stronger pupil dilation response. For eye safety, this light should not be flashed into the eyes for more than 3 seconds/trial.

Station Activity: Working in teams, students compare the pupil size of the eye in a bright and dark environment. One student in each team is selected to cover his/her eyes for a timed period of 15 seconds in order to expose the eyes to a dark environment. Once 15 seconds have passed, the student uncovers his/her eyes. Teammates examine the student’s initial pupil size and then view how the pupil size changes in response to light. Students record results in the Station 1 section of the Student Guide Planning Organizer. Students repeat this procedure twice for each team member in order to compare results of pupil dilation and contraction. The Science In Depth: When light enters the eye, it passes through the pupil (the opening at the front of the eye) to the retina, which is a light sensitive layer on the back of the eye. The sensory neurons in the retina send a message to the brain (via the optic nerve), which then sends a signal to neurons that control muscle movement in the eye. The result of this reflex is a contraction or relaxation of the muscles in the iris (colored part of the eye) that control pupil size. When it is bright out, the pupil will appear small, as light can easily be detected and captured by the eye. When it is dark, the sensory neurons detect a decrease in available light, and the reflex arc causes the muscles in the iris to relax, thus increasing pupil size. An increase in pupil size occurs in an effort to allow the eye to capture more light, enhancing vision in a dark environment. Student Observations: Student observations may vary, but in general, the students’ pupils will be medium size before being covered. Immediately after the students have removed their hands from covering their eyes the pupils will be larger, but they will almost instantly return to small or medium size again. Discussion Questions and Answers

1. In this scenario, what is the stimulus and what is the response? The stimulus is the light. The response is the pupil getting smaller (pupil constriction).

2. What happened the size of the pupils after the eyes were covered for a while? Why do you think this occurred? (Hint: light is needed to see things around you.) The pupils were larger. When eyes are covered, your nerve cells detect less light. The brain will process the stimulus of less light, and send the response to open the pupils more to try and let in more light.

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Flowchart Answer: Light → sensory neurons in the eye send a message to the brain → brain coordinates message out for pupil to shrink (or contract) → signal gets sent through additional nerve cells to the eye → the pupil shrinks. Station #1: STUDENT CARD - Pupil Dilation

Procedure

1. The pupil is the black circle in the center of the eye. Team member 1 sits in a chair while the remaining team members observe team member 1’s initial pupil size.

2. Team member 1 closes his/her eyes while covering them up with their hands for 15 seconds.

3. After 15 seconds, team member 1 uncovers his/her eyes. Please note: If given a penlight flashlight for use in this test, flash the light into the test subject’s eye for 3 seconds.

4. All other team members observe the pupil size of team member 1. Did the pupil shrink in size or become larger?

5. Record your results in the data chart for Station 1 in your Student Guide Planning Organizer.

6. Repeat this procedure twice for each member in the team. Record your results.

Discussion Questions

Answer the discussion questions in your Student Guide Planning Organizer

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Station #2: TEACHER CARD: Blink Test Provide at the Station: Station Procedure Card Safety Note: This station involves a student clapping in front of another student’s eyes. Review classroom safety procedures before this station as needed to ensure students behave responsibly. Station Activity: Students explore the Blink Reflex in this activity. They will conduct several trials in order to compare the “natural” blink reflex with the “conscious thought” blink reflex, in which the test subject is intentionally trying not to blink. In the “natural reflex” section of this experiment, one student is selected as the test subject. He/she sits in a chair and looks straight ahead. Without announcing their movement to the test subject, the tester(s) move in front of the test subject and clap in front of his/her eyes, being careful not to touch the test subject. The data recorder studies the test subject in order to determine if a blink reflex occurred and records data in the Station 2 section of their Student Guide. This procedure is repeated three times on the test subject, with data being recorded for each trial. In part two of this activity, called “conscious thought”, the test subject once again sits in a chair looking straight ahead but is instructed to try not to blink. Once again the tester(s) randomly moves in front of the test subject and claps in front of his/her eyes, trying to elicit the blink reflex. The data recorder studies the test subject and records whether he/she blinked or not in the data table provided in the Student Guide. This test is repeated three times and after all trials student data is compared and analyzed. The Science In Depth: The Blink Reflex begins with sensory neurons in the eyes detecting a stimulus, which is the clap in this experiment. If done close enough to the eye, the clap produces a burst of air detected by the sensory neurons in the cornea (the transparent outermost layer of the eye). The sensory neurons in the eye transmit a message to the brain, which sends a message back through nerve cells that control movement to the muscle surrounding the eye known as the orbicularis oculi muscle. The result is a “blink” or movement of the eyelid to cover the eye. Test Subject Responses - Natural Reflex: Answers may vary, but in general, the observed student blinked (and jumped) when other team members clapped loudly in front of his/her face. Sometimes the test subject must have known the clap was coming because he/she didn’t blink or jump. Test Subject Responses - Conscious Thought: Answers may vary, but with conscious thought, the test subject may be able to resist blinking in these trials.

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Discussion Questions and Answers

1. In this scenario, what is the stimulus and what is the response? The clap is the stimulus. The blink is the response.

2. What happened when the tester(s) clapped near the test subject’s eyes? Why do you think this happened? (Hint: what do you think is the purpose of eyelids?) When clapping near the test subject’s eyes, the clap coming close to the face produced a stimulus that was detected by sensory neurons in the eye. The nerve cells in the eye sent a message to the brain. A response message was sent from the brain through more nerve cells to muscles around the eye, which caused the eye to blink, to prevent the eye from being damaged.

3. Did the test subject’s blink response change after multiple trials? Explain. Student results may vary. The blink response may not have occurred after a second or third trial due to the proximity of the clap to the eye, or due to the test subject getting better at consciously trying to resist blinking.

Flowchart Answer: Clap → sensory neuron in eye sends message to brain → brain coordinates back a response to protect the eye → the response message is sent through more nerve cells until it reaches the muscles around the eye → the muscles around the eye blink.

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Station #2: STUDENT CARD: Blink Test Procedure

Part 1: Natural Reflex: Random Surprise

1. Choose the following roles for each member in your group: Test Subject, Tester(s), and Data Recorder.

2. Have the Test Subject sit in a chair, looking straight ahead. Position the Tester(s) behind the Test Subject.

3. Without notice, have the Tester(s) move from behind the Test Subject and clap in front of the Test Subject’s eyes, avoiding direct contact .

4. The Data Recorder records the eyeblink reaction of the Test Subject, noting whether or not an eyeblink occurred.

5. Repeat this procedure 3 times in total. All team members record the eyeblink response each time in the data chart for Station 2 in your Student Guide Planning Organizer.

Part 2: Conscious Thought: Try not to Blink

1. Position the Test Subject in the chair once again, looking straight ahead. For this test, the Test Subject will try his/her best NOT to blink.

2. Without notice, have the Tester(s) move from behind the Test Subject and clap in front of the Test Subject’s eyes, avoiding direct contact .

3. The Data Recorder records the eyeblink reaction of the Test Subject, noting whether or not an eyeblink.

4. Repeat this procedure 3 times in total, recording the eyeblink response each time in the data chart for Station 2 in your Student Guide Planning Organizer.



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Station #3: TEACHER CARD: Drop the Ruler - Visual Provide at the Station: Centimeter ruler and timer (per team) Station Activity: Students explore reaction time to a visual stimulus in this ruler drop activity. In this activity, one student from each team serves the role of test subject who catches a ruler, one student serves the role of test administrator, and the remaining team members are data recorders. The test subject should sit with his/her dominant hand over the edge of the table, relaxed but ready to clench around a ruler. The test administrator positions the ruler at the top of the test subject’s unclenched fist, with the “zero line” positioned at the top of the fist. Without any auditory cues, the test administrator drops the ruler and the test subject must catch the ruler as fast as possible after seeing it released. The data recorder(s) note the “catch line” in the data table for the Station 3 section in the Student Guide. Five trials should be conducted in order to obtain accurate reaction time results for a visual stimulus. Please note: The catch line is the measure of centimeters in line with the top of the fist where it clenches the ruler in the catch. The Science In Depth: In this reaction time test, sensory receptors located in the eyes send information to the brain. Once this sensory information is processed by the brain, the brain transmits signals down through the spinal cord to neurons that control muscle movement to move muscles located in the hands and fingers, resulting in the ability to grab the ruler. Flowchart Answer: Ruler drops → sensory neurons in the eyes send signal to the brain → the brain decides the fist must clench → signal sent down the spine through nerve cells to the hand → the fist clenches. Discussion Questions and Answers

1. In this scenario, what is the stimulus and what is the response?

The stimulus is the movement of the ruler, which triggers sensory neurons in the eyes. The response is the fist clenching.

2. Do you think the brain is involved? Why?

The brain is involved because the test subject has to think about wanting to catch the ruler to make the fist close.

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Station #3: STUDENT CARD: Drop the Ruler - Visual

Procedure

1. Choose the following roles for each member in your group: Test Subject, Tester, and Data Recorder(s).

2. The Test Subject sits at a table with his/her dominant hand over the edge of the table, relaxed but ready to clench around a ruler.

3. The Tester holds the ruler so that the “zero line” is just at the top of the Test Subject’s unclenched fist. The Tester drops the ruler without talking.

4. As soon as the Tester drops the ruler, the Test Subject clenches his/her fist to try to catch the ruler as fast as possible.

5. The Data Recorder(s) record the “catch line” in the data table for Station 3 in your Student Guide. The catch line is the measure of centimeters in line with the top of the fist where it clenches the ruler in the catch.

6. Repeat the procedure five times in total.



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Station #4: TEACHER CARD: Drop the Ruler - Auditory Provide at the Station: Centimeter ruler (per team), eye protection for test subject (optional) Station Activity: Students explore reaction time to an auditory stimulus in this ruler drop activity. In order to complete this activity, one student from each team serves the role of test subject who catches a ruler, one student serves the role of test administrator, and the remaining team members are data recorders. In this activity, the test subject should sit with his/her eyes closed or covered by a blindfold and his/her dominant hand over the edge of the table, relaxed but ready to clench around a ruler. The test administrator positions the ruler at the top of the test subject’s unclenched fist, with the “zero line” positioned at the top of the fist. When ready, the test administrator says “catch” and drops the ruler at the same time. The test subject must catch the ruler as fast as possible following the command. For each trial, the data recorder(s) notes the “catch line” in the data table for the Station 4 section in the Student Guide Planning Organizer. Five trials should be conducted in order to obtain accurate reaction time results for this test. Please note: The catch line is the measure of centimeters in line with the top of the fist where it clenches the ruler in the catch. The Science In Depth: In this reaction time experiment, thousands of neurons interpret auditory impulses and work together to produce a conscious decision. In this test, vibrations produced by sound waves stimulate sensory neurons in the cochlea (chamber within the inner ear), sending messages along the auditory nerve to the brain. Once this sensory information is processed in the brain, the brain transmits signals down through the spinal cord to neurons that control muscle movement to move muscles located in the hands and fingers, resulting in the ability to grab the ruler. Discussion Questions and Answers

1. In this scenario, what is the stimulus and what is the response? The stimulus is the auditory command “catch”. The response is the fist clenching.

2. Do you think the brain is involved? Why? The brain is involved because the test subject has to think about wanting to catch the ruler to make the fist close.

Flowchart Answer: Hear the word “catch” → sensory neurons in the ears send signal to the brain → the brain decides the fist must clench → signal sent down the spine through nerve cells to the hand → the fist clenches.

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Station #4: STUDENT CARD: Drop the Ruler - Auditory Procedure

1. Choose the following roles for each member in your group: Test Subject, Tester, and Data Recorder(s).

2. The Test Subject sits at a table with his/her dominant hand over the edge of the table, relaxed but ready to clench around a ruler. The Test Subject should have his/her eyes closed or covered by a blindfold.

3. The Tester holds the ruler so that the “zero line” is just at the top of his/her unclenched fist. The Tester says “catch” and drops the ruler at the same time .

4. As soon as the Tester says “catch”, the Test Subject clenches his/her fist to try to catch the ruler as quickly as possible.

5. The Data Recorder(s) records the “catch line”* in the data table for Station 4 in your Student Guide. *The catch line is the measure of centimeters in line with the top of the fist where it clenches the ruler in the catch.

6. 7. Repeat the procedure five times in total.



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