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.