PHINEAS GAGE: A GRUESOME BUT TRUE STORY ABOUT BRAIN SCIENCE Journaling Bellwork

MONDAY, APRIL 21  Phineas was not expecting his brain injury to occur, just like other people don’t ask for injuries or tragedies in their lives. When these bad situations occur, we wonder what to do or how to react. Reflect on this and write a short response to the question:  How do you get through hard times?

TUESDAY, APRIL 22  Author John Fleischman writes, “this is what I think: Phineas Gage was lucky. His accident was terrible. It changed him into someone else, and yet Phineas figured out how to live as that new person for eleven years.” Reflect on this and write a short response to the question:  Was Phineas lucky or unlucky?

FRIDAY, APRIL 25  Write about a time when someone close to you had a serious accident or illness. How did you feel? How did you get through it? (If this has never happened to you, imagine how you would feel if it did.)

FRIDAY, APRIL 25  How does narration point of view impact a story?  Consider how Phineas Gage: A Gruesome but True Story about Brain Science would be different if Phineas himself told the account.

POSSIBLE RESPONSE  Fleischman's third person point of view greatly impacts the way Phineas' story is told. It would be much different if it were written as historical fiction, from Phineas' point of view. For example, looking back on the past, Fleischman is able to write about past and current understandings of neuroscience. He wouldn’t be able to write about what neuroscientists currently know if he were writing from the past.

MONDAY, APRIL 28 TH  After Phineas’ brain injury, his personality remained altered forever. He had a hard time interacting with people and making decisions. Now that you have read about Phineas’ struggle, how has this changed your understanding of people with brain injuries or personality disorders?

TUESDAY, MAY 6  What are some questions that you are still curious about involving the case of Phineas Gage? These can be questions that are still unknown to even brain science researchers and the author!

WEDNESDAY, MAY 7  We have discussed in the question, “How do you get through hard times?” and Phineas Gage is a great example of a person who has been confronted with that question. Now consider, how have you seen others handle hard times?

THURSDAY, MAY 8  How much of a role do you believe “the power of positive thinking” plays into a major struggle, like a brain injury? Explain yourself, and consider using examples to support your claim.

FRIDAY, MAY 9 TH  What is the author’s purpose (reason for writing) of Phineas Gage: A Gruesome but True Story about Brain Science?

POSSIBLE RESPONSE  Phineas Gage is a type of non-fiction that has the purpose of informing readers of Phineas’ story and the science of the brain, but it is also written in a way to entertain the reader.