In this unit, students will investigate how animals, including humans, use their internal and external structures to sense the world around them, process information, communicate information to others, and react accordingly. In the first focus question, students explore the senses, including how light travels when we see an object. They compare animal eyes and analyze how their structures support different survival needs. Students explore how the brain processes information through experiencing optical illusions and analyzing data from research into how birds can learn to avoid distasteful insects. Students will put what they have learned together to investigate how animals can communicate with each other using a variety of signals.