1. Teen Brains Argument Mini-Unit
PowerPoint adapted by Amy Vujaklija and Jean Wolph from materials developed by Beth Rimer, Ohio Writing Project, for the National Writing Project i3 College Ready Writers Program, funded by the Department of Education.

2. Teen Brain:
What do each of these words mean?
Journal 1 Study the image. What is the claim this image is making about teen brains?   What is your response to this image?   What do you think about this image as a representation of teenage brains or of how teens live their lives?

3. Journal 1, continued: Re-read what you’ve written
Journal 1, continued: Re-read what you’ve written. Then add “For example, . . .” and refer to either the image or personal examples.
Teen Brain

4. Sample Student Response, Grade 9
The picture is claiming that teen brains are very impulsive and that most of the decisions and thoughts teens make are under these main categories. I believe a lot of that is true and that they eventually grow out of it. For example, when a teen gets money the first thing they do is go out and spend it. It's an impulsive decision.
Who would like to share their journal entry aloud?

5. Journal 2: Create a 2-column chart in your notebook
Journal 2: Create a 2-column chart in your notebook. Then watch the video. Jot down facts you hear in Column 1.
Teenage Brain Video (We will watch/write 2 times.)
I Say
They Say

6. Sample Student Response
I say:
It says:
During childhood, the brain makes billions more connections than we can use.
Well used connections are strengthen, and seldom used ones die off.
Teen brains work differently than adult brains.
Teen brains use the amygdala. Adult brains use the frontal cortex instead.
Frontal cortex is where planning, reason, and moral decisions reside.

7. What are some of the key facts that we heard?
Let’s capture key ideas on an anchor chart.
Add information that others share to your own chart (Column 1).
Afterward, add your reactions in Column 2.

8. Sample Student Response
I say:
When does a person switch from using the amygdala to the frontal cortex? This definitely explains the process of maturity, in a more scientific way. How can I keep my connections from dying off? Maybe I need to practice piano more now, and do more math.
It says:
During childhood, the brain makes billions more connections than we can use.
Well used connections are strengthened, and seldom used ones die off.
Teen brains work differently than adult brains.
Teen brains use the amygdala. Adult brains use the frontal cortex instead.
Frontal cortex is where planning, reason, and moral decisions reside.

9. Journal 3: Add to your journal writing
Journal 3: Add to your journal writing. Use your “They Say / I Say Chart to add a paragraph or more to your writing about the Teen Brain. Use sentence starters like these:
“As Dr. Turgulen-Todd says, “
“The video “The Amazing Brain” explains …”
“ According to …”
“Supporting my example, …”
“Just as the video shows …”
“Although the researcher says …”
“While the video explains …”
When you agree
When you disagree

10. Partner Check!
Did you each use the agree/disagree sentence starters to talk about evidence from the video?
Switch papers and read what your partner has written. Underline those starters.

11. Sample Student Response
According to the diagram of the teen brain, most of the decisions teens make are impulsive ones. I agree with this, but I don't necessarily think that's because of their age. Although the video says most teens use their amygdala to make decisions while adults use the frontal cortex, I don't agree with this. What about the adults that still haven't matured and act like they are teenagers?

12. Journal 4: Watch the video: http://www. cnn
Journal 4: Watch the video: Then write what you are now thinking or wondering about teen brains.

13. Journal 5: Watch the video: http://www. cnn. com/video/data/2
Journal 5: Watch the video: Read what you have written so far. Then write what you are now thinking or wondering about teen brains.

14. Journal 6 As you read the article, highlight new information about the teen brain.
“The Teenage Brain” by Amanda Leigh Mascarelli / October 17, Be ready to share ideas you underlined.
Later, this will help us quote the text!

15. Journal 7: What’s your claim?
Today, you’ll make a claim about teenage brains and the connection between the brain and behavior or choices. FIRST: Re-read everything you have written about teen brains. NEXT: We’ll learn about claims.

16. CLAIM: A position that can be argued
How does a claim differ from a fact?
Key Characteristics
Identifies the writer’s stance (where he/she
STANDS on the issue)
Is specific
Shows the direction of your thinking
May use an “umbrella” term that relates to the major points you’ll make
Doesn’t “give away” all of your evidence
Avoids terms such as “I think” or “I feel”
A claim is an OPINION.

17. Tacos are a healthier choice than hamburgers.
3 Major
Types of CLAIMS
Sample Key Words
Example
FACT
(writer is trying to prove something is true)
IS or IS NOT
ARE or ARE NOT
Fast Food is unhealthy.
VALUE
(requires writer to share or establish criteria)
BETTER/BEST,
MORE/LESS,
WORSE/WORST
--IER or IEST words
Tacos are a healthier choice than hamburgers.
POLICY
(writer is trying to change the way things are)
SHOULD/SHOULD NOT
Schools should serve healthier foods.

18. No! This is a fact from the article.
Are These Good Claims?
Because teen brains are impulsive, we should provide teens with courses on decision-making.
Teen brains are impulsive.
No! This is a fact from the article.
Yes! This USES a fact from the article to suggest an action.

19. What claims could we make?
We’ll try these claim starters:
Because the research on teen brains says _____, we should (or should not) _____.
Although the research on teen brains says _____, we should (or should not) _____.
We’ll test our claims and revise, if needed:
Test to make sure that each one is a CLAIM (takes a position).
Test to make sure we aren’t just stating a fact or research finding from the article.
Check the list to make sure there are options for a variety of opinions.

20. Sample “Teen Brain” Claims:
Because the research on teen brains shows teens are impulsive and emotional, we should raise the driving age to 18.
Because teen brain research shows it’s hard for teens to resist rewards, we should use more rewards to change classroom behavior .
Because brain research shows that we lose connections that we don’t use, schools should provide more opportunities for students to learn foreign language in elementary school.
Because teens’ brains make them rebellious, teachers should involve teens in making school rules.
Although teen brain research shows teens act on instinct instead of logic, we need to give them room to make mistakes and learn from them.

21. Brainstorm a List of Teen Brain Claims:
Because the research on teen brains shows teens are impulsive and emotional, we should __________________________.
Because teen brain research shows it’s hard for teens to resist rewards, we should/shouldn’t_______________________________.
Because brain research shows that we lose connections that we don’t use, we should/shouldn’t _______________________.
Because teens’ brains make them rebellious, we should/shouldn’t ________________.
Although teen brain research shows teens act on instinct instead of logic, we should/shouldn’t ______________.

22. Ramp it up! Fill in these claim templates with OTHER research from the article or video: Because the research on teen brains says _____, we should (or should not) _____. Although the research on teen brains says _____, we should (or should not) _____.

23. Journal 8: Class List of Teen Brain Claims
(Type in the claims that meet our criteria.)

24. Choose a claim that interests you from the class list.
Start writing at the end of your last entry on teen brains.
Then introduce your claim. Explain your thinking so that we understand your opinion about teen brains.

25. Sample Student Response #1
According to scientists, the teen brain is slower than an adult brain. That's why they say that all teens make bad decisions. In my opinion I think that what the scientists say does not apply to every teen. There are teens that know how to speak for themselves and make good decisions and stay out of trouble. There are other teens whose attitudes and decisions do apply to what scientists say.
Celebration: The writer has formed an opinion after reading the 3 texts.
Area for growth: Remove “In my opinion” and “I think.” Just state your claim. Try to use the claim starter:
Although the research says teen brains are slower than adult brains, we should not assume that this applies to every teen.

26. Sample Student Response #2
Teenage years are a time for experimenting and testing the limits. It’s the time in our lives where we can make mistakes and learn from them. Even though brain studies now show that teen brains tend to be impulsive and emotional, we should not change the rules and laws relating to teens just to protect us from negative consequences. To do that would eliminate important opportunities for us to try our wings. Celebration: The writer has formed an opinion after reading the 3 texts. Next Steps: Make a more specific reference to the research behind this (such as a quote, a scientist’s name, etc.) The idea about experimenting and testing limits came from the article. To use it without attribution is PLAGIARISM.

27. Journal 9: Use your Student Planner to find evidence that will support your claim.
Claim: Write your claim here..
Source: Put the title, author, and publication information here.
Evidence
Connection
Outcome
List RELEVANT facts or quotes from the article here. Select only the underlined “new facts” that will help you prove your claim.
Explain your thinking in selecting this evidence. How does the fact relate to your claim? How does it apply to what you are trying to prove?
Help us understand what might happen if we do as you are suggesting.

28. Journal 10: DRAFTING. Take the ideas in each row of your Planner into a Paragraph.
Introduce the Source and Piece of Evidence.
Connect the evidence to the claim:
Describe the context or situation—what the evidence made you think about.
Explain the relevance of the evidence to this situation—why the evidence applies to this new situation.
Imagine the potential result or outcome—how things might be different.
Write a concluding paragraph that leaves readers with something to think about

29. Check your writing Did you use sentence starters that help you show where information came from? That show how you are using the information?
“As Ms Mascarelli says, “
“The article “Teen Brains” in Science News explains …”
“ According to the scientist [name] ”
“Although the article about teen brains in Science News says …”
“While the scientist [name] explains …”
“In addition …”
“Corroborating …”

30. Journal 11: Read what you have written so far
Journal 11: Read what you have written so far. What Key Words or Phrases might you want to provide definitions of for your reader?

31. Sample Student Response
(Circled words that need to be defined.)
Sample Student Response
The teenage brain seems to be a more complex system than adult brain. Their hormones and chemical balances go off the walls during that period of time. I mean even the tiniest thing can cause us to lose our flipping minds and freak out. For an example the chemical dopamine is released when something good happens to a teenager like finding money or getting a compliment these chemicals can make us feel amazing but other ones that are released can make us dreadful and down right disgusted with our self. Our bodies are affected by emotions but are controlled by chemicals that's why some things affect some people differently than others. You can't be a very emotional person if you're gonna join the military which also means your brain can't release too much of a chemical that releases sadness or irrational thoughts. And I agree with the article but our brains aren't affected by emotions they are affected situations. The situations cause the emotions or the spikes in certain chemicals such as dopamine. But people often forget that our emotions are real but they are purely chemical and they tend to misunderstand how the brain and body usually works. So maybe if people were to understand their brains and body more maybe they can control themselves more. Granted you can't change the chemicals balances by turning a faucet hose but you can THINK about a situation.

32. Key Words (another student sample)
-adolescence is a transitional stage of physical and psychology development that begins at the onset of puberty, usually between ages 11 and 13, and ends with adulthood
-prefrontal cortex: the front portion of the brain, just behind the forehead, which controls executive functions in the brain.
Next, the writer would insert these into the draft.

33. Journal 12:
Develop a concluding paragraph that leaves your reader thinking or that makes clear what you want readers to do, think, or believe.

34. Journal 13:
Read through your draft. Does it flow? Are there things you need to add or take out? Paragraphs you want to switch around?
Make changes. Then save this revised draft in your folder. In a later unit, you may decide to develop this piece further or to select another draft to turn into a published piece.