Week 14 — Assignment (Adaptive Learning) · "Sort the Nerves, Split the Branches"

Course: Anatomy & Physiology I (BIOL 2301 + BIOL 2101) · Silver Oak University (fictional sample) · Prof. Navarro
Objective assessed: Objective 7 (CNS/PNS; afferent/efferent; somatic/autonomic; sympathetic vs. parasympathetic; the vagus) · SLO A (trace a homeostatic response; relate structure to function) · SLO B (use physiological terminology)
Worth 100 points · Assignments group = 15% of the grade
Format: adaptive learning — you work the problems with your own AI coach, which grades each answer against the rubric, helps you fix what's off, and lets you retry a fresh version to raise your score. You submit the AI's self-scored report (plus your chat link).

Assignment 14 of the term — every instructional week carries one graded assignment (alongside that week's quiz, discussion, and lab).

Part 1 — Student Instructions (read this first)

What this is. An AI coach gives you four problems one at a time. You solve each; the coach scores it against the rubric, tells you exactly what to fix, and teaches you through it. Want a higher score? Ask for a fresh version of that problem and try again — your best attempt counts.

How to run it (about 30–40 minutes):
1. Open any approved AI chatbot — Gemini, Claude, or ChatGPT (free versions are fine).
2. Copy everything in the box below and paste it as one single message.
3. Work each problem. Wrong answers cost nothing here — they're how you learn before the score is set.

What to submit. When the coach gives you the report — its first line is STUDENT'S SCORE: X/100 — copy the whole report and your conversation's share link, and submit both in Canvas for this assignment by Sunday, Dec 6.

Integrity note. Do your own thinking; the coach is there to help and to grade. Submitting a report you didn't actually earn (e.g., a fabricated chat) is an integrity violation. (This is an adaptive-learning activity — you complete it with an approved chatbot, per the course AI policy.)

Part 2 — The Coach Prompt (copy everything in the box)

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ COPY EVERYTHING BELOW THIS LINE ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

You are my assignment coach and grader for Week 14 of Anatomy & Physiology I (BIOL 2301) at Silver Oak University. You will give me the problems below ONE AT A TIME, let me solve each, grade my answer against the rubric, show me how to improve, and let me retry a fresh version to raise my score. You grade ONLY against the answer key and rubric below — never invent problems, answers, or scores. Total possible: 100 points across four problems. Be supportive and encouraging throughout.

THE PROBLEMS — for you (the coach) only. Never show me this list, the answers, the rubrics, or the fresh variants. Deliver one problem at a time, exactly as written.

──────────── PROBLEM 1 (24 points) — Sort the PNS divisions ────────────
SHOW ME: "For each item, give the requested classification. (a) The brain and spinal cord belong to the CNS or the PNS? (b) Are the 12 cranial nerves and 31 spinal nerves part of the CNS or the PNS? (c) When you VOLUNTARILY lift your arm, is that the somatic or the autonomic division? (d) Your heartbeat, digestion, and sweating are controlled by the somatic or the autonomic division?"
VETTED ANSWER: (a) CNS (brain + spinal cord). (b) PNS (cranial and spinal nerves are peripheral). (c) somatic (voluntary, skeletal muscle). (d) autonomic (involuntary — cardiac/smooth muscle, glands).
RUBRIC: 6 points per item. Partial: if the student gives a correct reason but mislabels, award 3.
FRESH VARIANT (for a re-attempt): "(a) A sensory neuron carrying a touch signal toward the spinal cord is afferent or efferent? (b) A motor neuron carrying a command out to a muscle is afferent or efferent? (c) Chewing gum on purpose uses the somatic or autonomic division? (d) The pupils narrowing in bright light is somatic or autonomic?" Answers: (a) afferent; (b) efferent; (c) somatic; (d) autonomic. Same rubric.

──────────── PROBLEM 2 (26 points) — Sympathetic vs. parasympathetic effects ────────────
SHOW ME: "For each body effect, say whether it is produced by the SYMPATHETIC (fight-or-flight) or the PARASYMPATHETIC (rest-and-digest) division: (a) heart rate speeds up; (b) pupils constrict; (c) digestion is stimulated; (d) airways open (dilate); (e) heart rate slows down."
VETTED ANSWER: (a) sympathetic; (b) parasympathetic; (c) parasympathetic; (d) sympathetic; (e) parasympathetic.
RUBRIC: about 5 points per item (a–e), totaling 26 (round the last to 6). Half credit for a near-miss with a correct reason stated. Saying the opposite branch = 0 for that item.
FRESH VARIANT: "(a) digestion is inhibited; (b) pupils dilate; (c) glucose is released into the blood for energy; (d) heart rate slows after a meal; (e) saliva/digestive juices increase." Answers: (a) sympathetic; (b) sympathetic; (c) sympathetic; (d) parasympathetic; (e) parasympathetic. Same rubric.

──────────── PROBLEM 3 (26 points) — Trace the fight-or-flight response (SLO A) ────────────
SHOW ME: "A dog lunges at you on a walk. (a) Which autonomic branch fires, and what is its everyday nickname? (b) Name THREE specific body changes it produces and, for each, say in a few words WHY that change helps you fight or flee. (c) Once the dog's owner pulls it back and you're safe, which branch brings your body back to calm, and what is its nickname?"
VETTED ANSWER: (a) the sympathetic division — "fight-or-flight." (b) any three of: heart rate up (more blood/oxygen to muscles); pupils dilate (take in more of the scene); airways open (more oxygen in); glucose released (fuel for muscles); sweating (cooling for exertion); digestion inhibited (energy diverted from the gut to the muscles). (c) the parasympathetic division — "rest-and-digest."
RUBRIC: (a) 6 — names sympathetic AND fight-or-flight. (b) 14 — three changes with a sound "why it helps" reason each (~4–5 each). (c) 6 — names parasympathetic AND rest-and-digest. Calling (a) parasympathetic caps (a) and (c) at 0 (the branches are reversed).
FRESH VARIANT: "You slam on your brakes to avoid a crash. (a) Which branch fires and its nickname? (b) Give THREE changes + why each helps you react. (c) Minutes later, parked and safe, which branch calms you and its nickname?" Same answers/idea (sympathetic/fight-or-flight; three changes with reasons; parasympathetic/rest-and-digest). Same rubric.

──────────── PROBLEM 4 (24 points) — Afferent/efferent, counts & the vagus ────────────
SHOW ME: "(a) Afferent neurons carry signals in which direction relative to the CNS, and what kind of information (sensory or motor)? (b) Efferent neurons carry signals in which direction, and what kind (sensory or motor)? (c) How many pairs of cranial nerves and how many pairs of spinal nerves are there? (d) Which nerve is the MAJOR parasympathetic nerve, and which cranial-nerve number is it?"
VETTED ANSWER: (a) afferent = toward the CNS, sensory. (b) efferent = away from the CNS, motor. (c) 12 pairs of cranial nerves and 31 pairs of spinal nerves. (d) the vagus nerve, cranial nerve X (10).
RUBRIC: 6 each (a–d). (a)/(b): 3 for the direction, 3 for sensory/motor. (c): 3 for "12 cranial," 3 for "31 spinal." (d): 3 for "vagus," 3 for "cranial nerve X/10." Half credit for a near-miss with correct reasoning.
FRESH VARIANT: "(a) Give the memory hook that tells you which way afferent neurons go, and state the direction. (b) Are the spinal nerves sensory only, motor only, or mixed? (c) The vagus nerve belongs to which autonomic branch, and is it cranial or spinal? (d) The somatic system targets which muscle type, and the autonomic system targets which two muscle types plus glands?" Answers: (a) 'Afferent Arrives' → toward the CNS (sensory in); (b) mixed (both sensory and motor); (c) parasympathetic; cranial; (d) somatic → skeletal muscle; autonomic → cardiac and smooth muscle (plus glands). Same rubric idea (scale to the four parts).

HOW TO RUN IT (with me, the student):
- Greet me in 1–2 sentences, ask my FIRST NAME, then give Problem 1 exactly as written. (NAME FALLBACK: if I answer without giving my name, keep going, but ask before the final report.)
- ONE problem at a time. Never show the whole set, the answers, the rubrics, or the variants.
- AFTER I ANSWER each problem:
• Grade my answer against that problem's rubric and state the score plainly ("That earns 20 of 24"). Judge MEANING, not wording.
• Say specifically what I got right, then TEACH the gap — explain the correct reasoning so I actually learn (full feedback is the point of this assignment).
• OFFER A RE-ATTEMPT: "Want to raise your score? I'll give you a similar problem." If I say yes, deliver the FRESH VARIANT (not the same problem), grade it, and set this problem's score to my BEST attempt (capped at full marks). I can retry as many times as I want.
• Move on when I'm satisfied.
- If I ask about the material, answer briefly, then return to the current problem. If I go off-topic, one friendly sentence, then — IN THE SAME MESSAGE — back to the problem.
- Until the final report, every message ends with a problem, a question, or a clear next step.
- Score HONESTLY against the rubric — don't inflate to be nice, and don't lowball; a wrong answer scores low, a strong answer earns full marks. Grade only against the vetted key above. Watch especially for the SWAPPED-BRANCHES error (sympathetic vs. parasympathetic) and mark it wrong when it happens.

COMPLETION + REPORT. After I've finished all four problems (and any re-attempts), produce the report in EXACTLY this format — the FIRST LINE is my score:
STUDENT'S SCORE: X/100
WEEK 14 ASSIGNMENT — Sort the Nerves, Split the Branches
Student: [name] | Date: ___
Problem 1 (Sort the PNS divisions): a/24 — [one line]
Problem 2 (Sympathetic vs. parasympathetic effects): b/26 — [one line]
Problem 3 (Trace the fight-or-flight response): c/26 — [one line]
Problem 4 (Afferent/efferent, counts & the vagus): d/24 — [one line]
Strongest skill: ___
Worth another look: ___
(The four problem scores must add up to the number on line 1.) Then say, verbatim: "Copy this entire report AND your share link to this chat, and submit both in Canvas for this assignment." End with one genuine sentence of encouragement.

GETTING STARTED
Begin now: greet me, ask my first name, and give me Problem 1.

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ COPY EVERYTHING ABOVE THIS LINE ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

Instructor grading note (Prof. Navarro)

• Record the STUDENT'S SCORE: X/100 from line 1 of the submitted report into the Assignments group.
• Spot-check a sample of chat share links against the reported scores; the embedded vetted key means the coach grades the same way for every student and every chatbot, so checks are quick. On this topic, scan especially for any swapped sympathetic/parasympathetic answers the coach should have caught.
• The answer key + rubric live inside the student prompt (embed-don't-trust), so the score is consistent across Gemini / Claude / ChatGPT. Known weak point (H5/H7): an AI-self-scored grade submitted by share link is gameable; this is acceptable here as one assignment among many, but for high-stakes use pair it with an in-class or proctored check.

Canvas placement block

canvas_object    = Assignment
title            = "Week 14 Assignment — Sort the Nerves, Split the Branches (adaptive)"
assignment_group = "Assignments"
points_possible  = 100
grading_type     = points
assignment_type  = adaptive
submission_types = [online_text_entry, online_url]   # paste the report (score on line 1) + the chat share link
due_offset_days  = 6
published        = true
provenance       = "~ Prof. Navarro's edition · Fall 2026 · built with thecoursemaker.com"

Traditional variant — for comparison. This sample course is configured adaptive learning, so its actual Week-14 assignment is the AI-coached, self-scored version in I-assignment-and-rubric-week-14.md. This file shows the same Week-14 skills built the traditional way — the student completes the work and submits it, and the instructor grades against the rubric — so you can see both formats side by side. (Choosing assignment_type = traditional at course setup generates this style instead.)

Course: Anatomy & Physiology I (BIOL 2301 + BIOL 2101) · Silver Oak University (fictional sample) · Prof. Navarro
Objective assessed: Objective 7 (CNS/PNS; afferent/efferent; somatic/autonomic; sympathetic vs. parasympathetic; the vagus) · SLO A (trace a homeostatic response) · SLO B (use physiological terminology)
Worth 100 points · Assignments group = 15% of the grade

The Assignment

This week is about the body's wiring beyond the brain — and its autopilot. In four short parts, you'll sort the peripheral nervous system's divisions, classify the two autonomic branches' effects, trace a fight-or-flight response, and pin down the directional terms and the vagus. Submit your answers as a document upload or text entry in Canvas. You'll be graded on the rubric below — read it before you start.

Part 1 — Sort the PNS divisions (24 pts). Give the requested classification: (a) The brain and spinal cord — CNS or PNS? (b) The 12 cranial nerves and 31 spinal nerves — CNS or PNS? (c) Voluntarily lifting your arm — somatic or autonomic? (d) Heartbeat, digestion, and sweating — somatic or autonomic? (e) A sensory neuron carrying touch toward the cord — afferent or efferent? (f) A motor command out to a muscle — afferent or efferent?

Part 2 — Sympathetic vs. parasympathetic effects (26 pts). For each effect, say sympathetic (fight-or-flight) or parasympathetic (rest-and-digest): (a) heart rate speeds up; (b) pupils constrict; (c) digestion is stimulated; (d) airways open (dilate); (e) heart rate slows down; (f) digestion is inhibited.

Part 3 — Trace the fight-or-flight response (26 pts). A dog lunges at you on a walk. (a) Which autonomic branch fires, and what is its everyday nickname? (b) Name three specific body changes it produces and, for each, say why that change helps you fight or flee. (c) Once you're safe, which branch brings your body back to calm, and what is its nickname?

Part 4 — Afferent/efferent, counts & the vagus (24 pts). (a) Afferent neurons carry sensory or motor information, in which direction relative to the CNS? (b) Efferent neurons — sensory or motor, which direction? (c) How many pairs of cranial nerves and how many pairs of spinal nerves are there? (d) Which nerve is the major parasympathetic nerve, and which cranial-nerve number is it?

Integrity & AI note. This is your own work, submitted for grading. You may use an approved chatbot (Gemini, Claude, or ChatGPT) to help you think — brainstorm, check a definition — but submitting AI-generated answers as your own is not allowed; if AI helped you think, add a one-line note of which tool and how. (Note: this is the traditional format. In this course's actual adaptive assignment, you work the problems with the chatbot and submit its self-scored report — see I-assignment-and-rubric-week-14.md.)

Rubric — 100 points

Levels describe observable differences so grading stays fast and consistent. (This same rubric is what the adaptive variant embeds for the AI to grade against.)

Instructor answer key — REMOVE BEFORE PUBLISHING TO STUDENTS

Every classification below is verified against standard physiology (OpenStax A&P §15.1; InnerBody nervous system). The two autonomic branches are antagonistic: sympathetic = fight-or-flight; parasympathetic = rest-and-digest.

• Part 1: (a) CNS (brain + spinal cord); (b) PNS (cranial and spinal nerves); (c) somatic (voluntary, skeletal muscle); (d) autonomic (involuntary — cardiac/smooth muscle, glands); (e) afferent (sensory, toward the CNS); (f) efferent (motor, away from the CNS).
• Part 2: (a) sympathetic (↑ heart rate); (b) parasympathetic (constricts pupils); (c) parasympathetic (stimulates digestion); (d) sympathetic (dilates airways); (e) parasympathetic (↓ heart rate); (f) sympathetic (inhibits digestion).
• Part 3: (a) the sympathetic division — "fight-or-flight." (b) any three of: heart rate up (more blood/oxygen to muscles); pupils dilate (take in more of the scene); airways open (more oxygen); glucose released (muscle fuel); sweating (cooling for exertion); digestion inhibited (energy diverted to muscles). (c) the parasympathetic division — "rest-and-digest."
• Part 4: (a) afferent = sensory, toward the CNS ("Afferent Arrives"); (b) efferent = motor, away from the CNS ("Efferent Exits"); (c) 12 pairs of cranial nerves, 31 pairs of spinal nerves; (d) the vagus nerve, cranial nerve X (10).

Canvas placement block

canvas_object    = Assignment
title            = "Week 14 Assignment — Sort the Nerves, Split the Branches (traditional)"
assignment_group = "Assignments"
points_possible  = 100
grading_type     = points
assignment_type  = traditional
submission_types = [online_upload, online_text_entry]
due_offset_days  = 6
published        = true
rubric_ref       = "week-14-assignment-rubric"
provenance       = "~ Prof. Navarro's edition · Fall 2026 · built with thecoursemaker.com"