Bonus opportunity: Design a neuron

This is an optional assigment.

It is due no later than 8AM Wednesday, May 13.
It is worth up to 20 points, depending on ability to follow directions and demonstration of creativity.

Create a three dimensional model of a neuron. (No drawings, paintings, etc.)
Your model must clearly show the dendrite and the axon with Nodes of Ranvier.
Your model must be able to hang and keep its shape. (No droopy neurons!)
When placed in proximity of another created neuron, it should be simple to visualize the synapse between the two neurons

• Color is expected.
• Minimum size measurements: 24" long and 18" tall.
  (These are minimums; your neuron can't be smaller than this! Because of this size, parts of the neuron should be identifable at a distance.)
• Durability is expected.
  (If it falls apart during grading or hanging, that isn't good!)
• Use materials from around your house.
  (Think: Trash to treasure!)
• No mounting (on posterboard, foam board, wood, etc.)
  This is just a "free" neuron.
• Provide a hanging mechanism to use to display your creation.
  (Remember, no droopy neurons!)

Simply correctly building a neuron with its component parts, following the guidelines, will be worth 10 of the possible points.
The other 10 points are creativity points. These will be earned by those projects that make me say WOW when I see it. These are totally subjective points. You may earn up to ten points for creativity. (You will have the opportunity to tell me why your project should WOW me!)

With your model, you must submit a typed paper (one page limit) with the following information:

• Name 
• Hour
• Materials used to create your neuron ["I used item 1, item 2, and item 3."]
• Key - telling me what representes each of the parts of your neuron [This can be a bulleted list or a chart.]
• Paragraph (4-6 sentences; each sentence at least 12 words) to persuade me in regards to creativity - What did you do that was so creative?
  The following are examples of "not persuasive" statements; these are general expectations and are not appropriate for this paragraph: I spent a lot of time. I shopped at Michaels or Hobby Lobby. I tried really hard. I used a glue gun.)
  If you cannot write about what you did to earn the ten creativity points, do not expect to earn the ten creativity points.

You do not need to put your name on your model. Based on the materials and the key, I should be able to tell which is yours.

Remember: The goal is to creatively create a neuron that can hang, that shows the parts of the neuron, and that can synapse with another neuron.