Seasons Greetings!

Further considerations for your argument essay

Aim: How do we introduce and outline our argument essay?

Quick Write:  Should Ethan Couch have gotten jail time? Why do you think this topic is important?

Although the question for your argument essay might seem simple, it is not. This has nothing to do with the facts and evidence in the news story beyond whether you think Ethan Couch should have gone to jail or not. You should support your opinion on this question with scientific facts, evidence, and studies about the teenage brain that you learned from the articles and video we discussed in class and any other research you have conducted independently.

We've read a couple good examples of argument essays. "A Brain Too Young for Good Judgement" offers the perfect model. It gives just enough context (background information) on the legal case so that we can form opinions. Then it goes on to support the claim that the shooter was too young to exercise good judgment, using scientific facts and evidence. It also dismisses a very subtle counterclaim in the concluding paragraph. Can you find it?

You might use this model for your intro if you are stuck.

Four innocent people in Texas are dead as the result of a drunken joy-ride, but the 16-year old driver behind the wheel of the car will not serve one single day in jail. People may be outraged that Ethan Couch's attorneys successfully argued that he was the victim of his family's wealth because he was raised in an environment too rich to be bothered with teaching him the consequences of reckless actions. Still, rich or poor, the teenage brain is different from the adult brain. Whether it's different enough to avoid jail time for such a horrendous action is another question. Based on what I've learned from my readings and research, I believe Ethan Couch (should have/ should not have) received jail time for the killings.

Use this interactive persuasion map to help you complete your outline. It's also a page on this blog. Note: The persuasion map does not provide an option for counterclaims. You'll have to add that paragraph yourself.

Guidelines

Write a short (750 words) essay in which you:

•  Explain what's at stake. Why is this question important? (Today's Quick Write)
•  Develop and state your own position.
•  Defend your position with a range of different types of evidence, facts, and information from the    articles and video we discussed in class.
•  Include any other research that you may have conducted independently.
•  ADDRESS AND RESPOND TO COUNTERCLAIMS TO YOUR POSITION.
•  Draw your own conclusions.

Here is the rubric by which it will be graded. You will be expected to complete final drafts, including peer editing, by Friday. The essay should be uploaded to Google Drive and linked to your blog. Essays also should be emailed to msbecker4@gmail.com

Argument Essay Challenge

Aim: How do we evaluate which position to take in an argument?

Quick Write: How do you personally exercise endogenous control?

Congratulations, Brainiacs! You are ready to take on the next challenge in this course.
Your mission is to write an argument essay based on this article and video:
"Teen Who Killed 4 Avoids Jail"

Question: Do you believe Ethan Couch should have gone to jail for his crime?

Take a position and support it with evidence from the facts and studies about the developing teenage brain that we discussed in class. 

Guidelines

Write a short (750 words) essay in which you:

•  Explain what's at stake. Why is this question important?
•  Develop and state your own position.
•  Defend your position with a range of different types of evidence, facts, and information from the    articles and video we discussed in class.
•  Include any other research that you may have conducted independently.
•  ADDRESS AND RESPOND TO COUNTERCLAIMS TO YOUR POSITION.
•  Draw your own conclusions.

Here is the rubric by which it will be graded. You will be expected to complete final drafts, including peer editing, by Friday. The essay should be uploaded to Google Drive and linked to your blog. Essays also should be emailed to msbecker4@gmail.com

                        

The Teen Brain, Hard at Work (Addendum)

Aim: How do we evaluate claims and counterclaims to form our own opinions?

Not-So-Quick Write: Read this article and then give one claim why criminal charges should be filed and one counterclaim why criminal charges should NOT be filed. Base your claim and counterclaim on what you learned from reading "The Teen Brain, Hard at Work."

Are you primarily exogenous or endogenous?

"A Girl in Her Room"

Aim: How do we take a position in the prefrontal cortex debate?

Quick Write: Be honest. How hard do you work to control your impulses?

Most of us probably agree that there are differences in the brains of teens and adults. Knowing these differences, to what degree should adults hold teens accountable for their impulsive behavior? In order to evaluate this question and formulate an opinion, let's look closer at those differences.

Remember Vocabulary.com? You will need it today. Look up the following words if you don't already know them. As you read today's article, you may need to look up more and add them to your personal dictionary.

Vocabulary 

Cognitive

Stimuli

Prefrontal cortex

Reflexive

Impulse
Executive 

Step 1: Read "The Teen Brain Hard at Work" , identifying Beatriz Luna's major claim and the facts and studies that are used to support this claim. Identify Robert Epstein's counterclaim to this and the facts and studies he uses to argue against Luna's claim.

Step 2: On your blog, answer the following questions in complete sentences. There is a graphic organizer under "Pages" to help you identify the claims and counterclaims.

1. What is Beatriz Luna's major claim?
2. What important studies and facts support her claim?
3. What is Robert Epstein's counterclaim?
4. What important studies and facts does he use to support his counterclaim?
5. How does Luna dismiss/disprove Epstein's counterclaim?

Step 3: Are you with Luna or Epstein? Take a position and support it in at least one well-organized paragraph.

Step 4: Are you primarily exogenous or endogenous? Explain in at least one well-organized paragraph.

Standards

• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.11-12.1 Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain.

• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.1 Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.

• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.1a Introduce precise, knowledgeable claim(s), establish the significance of the claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and create an organization that logically sequences claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.

• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.1b Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly and thoroughly, supplying the most relevant evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both in a manner that anticipates the audience’s knowledge level, concerns, values, and possible biases.

• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.1c Use words, phrases, and clauses as well as varied syntax to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships between claim(s) and reasons, between reasons and evidence, and between claim(s) and counterclaims.

• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.1d Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing.

• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.1e Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented.

Claims Vs Counterclaims

Aim: How do we identify claims and counterclaims?

Quick Write: What do you think is the best advice parents can give their children about drugs, alcohol, and other risky behaviors?

An argument is a reasoned, logical way of demonstrating that a writer's position, belief or conclusion is valid. In ELA, students make claims about the worth or meaning of a literary work, defending their interpretation/opinion with evidence from the text. The same holds true for non-fiction works except that students defend their positions with information from the text.

A CLAIM is an argument or opinion that is powerful, unique, and can be supported by evidence. This is another word for "thesis" or "controlling idea."

A COUNTERCLAIM is any opposing idea. (The prefix "counter" means against.) Just as the best athletes anticipate what their opposing teams will do (the best defense is a good offense), good debaters anticipate what the opposing side will say and disprove their claims before they even get a chance to make them. This is what is called dismissing or refuting a counterclaim.

Step 1: Read "For Teenagers, a Tweak on `Just Say No'", identifying claims that are made on the best ways to teach teenagers about the risks of drugs and alcohol. (It will be necessary to infer some of these claims.)

Step 2: Anticipate any counterclaims that might arise to the claims you identified.

Step 3: On your blog, answer this question in at least one well-organized paragraph: Should parents abandon the "just say no" slogan of the Reagan era? Argue your position with facts and then anticipate and dismiss any possible counterclaims someone might raise.

Standards

• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.1 Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.

• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.1a Introduce precise, knowledgeable claim(s), establish the significance of the claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and create an organization that logically sequences claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.

• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.1b Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly and thoroughly, supplying the most relevant evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both in a manner that anticipates the audience’s knowledge level, concerns, values, and possible biases.

• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.1c Use words, phrases, and clauses as well as varied syntax to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships between claim(s) and reasons, between reasons and evidence, and between claim(s) and counterclaims.

• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.1d Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing.

• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.1e Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented.

Happy Birthday, Oscar!

Aim: How do we create a rubric for assessing our performance in the Socratic seminar?

Do Now: Send Oscar happy birthday wishes on his blog. Then, review the Aim and step-by-step directions for 12/4/2013.

Today we'll create a rubric for assessing everyone's performance in the Socratic seminar. If you have no idea what is meant by "Socratic seminar," then you'll need to review the post for 12/4/2013.

Step 1: For structure, we will start with the Rubric for Blogs, which is a page here. As you will see, there are four basic criteria for all the rubrics:

• Learning Outcomes
• Ideas
• Writing Conventions
• Effort

Although there is a small writing piece to the day's activity, we'll need to change writing conventions to reflect the fact that most of this activity involves speaking AND listening.

Step 2: As we collaboratively create the rubric, think about what "exemplary" looks like for each of the four criteria. Refer to the standards below to understand the learning expectations for this activity.

Step 3: After the discussion you will be asked to evaluate your own performance based on the rubric we created, supporting your scores with specific and relevant evidence. 

Standards

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.11-12.2 Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) in order to make informed decisions and solve problems, evaluating the credibility and accuracy of each source and noting any discrepancies among the data.CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.11-12.3 Evaluate a speaker’s point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric, assessing the stance, premises, links among ideas, word choice, points of emphasis, and tone used.CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.6 Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products in response to ongoing feedback, including new arguments or information.

Preparing for a Socratic Seminar

Aim: How do we prepare for a Socratic Seminar?

Do Now: Complete your work from yesterday. Prepare to share out your answers to the last two questions.

The photo to the right is a sculpture of Socrates, the father of Greek philosophy. Socratic seminars are inspired by Socrates' belief in the power of questions to learn. In his view, questions are more important than facts and discussion is more productive than debate.

Step 1: Prepare for a Socratic Seminar based on this New York Times article about teenage decision-making.
Step 2: After you have read the article (and decoded some of the difficult vocabulary), write at least two open-ended questions for discussion. Remember: open-ended questions cannot be answered with one word. The best open-ended questions begin with "why" or "how." Why do you think this is so? ;-)

The guidelines for Socratic seminars are posted on this blog as a page.

Final Reflection: Post your open-ended questions for the Socratic seminar on your blog.

Standards
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.11-12.2 Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) in order to make informed decisions and solve problems, evaluating the credibility and accuracy of each source and noting any discrepancies among the data.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.11-12.3 Evaluate a speaker’s point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric, assessing the stance, premises, links among ideas, word choice, points of emphasis, and tone used.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.6 Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products in response to ongoing feedback, including new arguments or information.

Watch Your Head!

Sarah-Jayne Blakemore

Aim: How do we understand the mysterious workings of the teenage brain?

Do Now: Yesterday we introduced the essential questions for this new unit "The Teenage Brain: A Work in Progress." Write your own essential question for this unit. Post it on your blog.

For this assignment, we will watch a Ted Talk given by Sarah-Jayne Blakemore on "The mysterious workings of the adolescent brain." Who is Sarah-Jayne Blakemore and why should we listen to her?

As you watch the talk, take notes so that you can answer these questions afterwards:

• How does Ms. Blakemore define adolescence? How long does it last?
• What is the significance of the prefrontal cortex? Which section is this on the diagram we viewed yesterday? (See post for 12/2/13)
• What is synaptic pruning and what is the significance of the process?
• What is the social brain?
• Explain the design and results of the experiment in which adolescents were compared to adults in seeing things from another person's perspective.
• Describe the difference between the limbic system and the prefrontal cortex in teenagers and adults.
• Do you see your own adolescence as a problem or an opportunity? Explain.
• Make one suggestion you have for educators based on this Ted Talk.

Watch the Ted Talk video here.

Post your answers to the questions on your blog.

Standards

• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.11-12.2 Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) in order to make informed decisions and solve problems, evaluating the credibility and accuracy of each source and noting any discrepancies among the data.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.11-12.3 Evaluate a speaker’s point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric, assessing the stance, premises, links among ideas, word choice, points of emphasis, and tone used.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.6 Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products in response to ongoing feedback, including new arguments or information.

The Teenage Brain: A Work in Progress

Aim: How do we answer the essential questions and enduring understandings for Unit 2 on the Teenage Brain?                     Do Now: Do you think teenagers should have the same rights as adults? Post your thoughts (and of course explanations) on your blog. Welcome to Unit 2! In this unit, we will focus on the teenage brain as well as a psychological theory called mindset. What is your mindset about yourself? Do you think your academic achievement, personality, and IQ are set in stone? Study the diagram to the right. What do you think "executive processes" means? Keep the diagram handy and refer back to it as we read and learn about the teenage brain. As usual, we begin this unit with some enduring understandings and essential questions.      Enduring Understandings The human brain goes through distinct stages of development as it matures to adulthood. The teenage brain is at a unique point in development. Because of their brain development, teenagers sometimes struggle with decision-making. Essential Questions What makes teenagers different? How is decision-making connected to brain function? Should teenagers have the same rights as adults? Step 1: You already answered the third essential question for your Do Now. Rate your agreement or disagreement with the enduring understandings on a 1 to 5 scale where 1 means you strongly agree, 3 means you are neutral, and 5 means you strongly disagree. Step 2: Answer the remaining two essential questions as best you can at this point in time. This should all be posted on your blog. What's Due Final I-Search projects should be emailed to msbecker4@gmail.com. The paper should also be uploaded to Google Drive and linked on your blog. PSA with an important message regarding brain science. All blogs will be graded this week for the 2nd marking period participation grade. Make sure you have updated everything. Remember independent reading books???? It's time to think about what project you will complete. Don't save this for the last minute!!!!! Always check Engrade for your up-to-the-minute progress in this class. ·