Embedded Files
Literature of Science 3: The Brain Cary Honig email: caryh@school-one.org
Welcome to the Literature of Science 3 google site. Hopefully, having an overview of what we will do and roughly when will make the class easier. This also allows me to make the suggested but not required readings available in a context that might make them more attractive. All of the assignments and due dates are available here, so I won't be making any extra copies for you. If you lose something or are absent, just about everything you need (other than the book and the play) are available here, and they're probably available online as well.
Students can take this class for English or science credit. The workload for English and history students is the same in this class. The syllabus linked immediately below provides the details of what we're reading and writing this trimester. Unless you're absent, the main home reading is from the book The Brain. If you're absent, you have to make up what we did in class that day.
Every student taking this class must read and sign the source policy and abide by it. Failure to do so will lead to no credit in the class. I am not interested in what anyone at wikipedia, Sparknotes or Harvard thinks about this material. I am interested in what YOU think. You must think for yourself in this class. If you don't want to do that and perhaps occasionally struggle, don't take the class. You are always welcome to come discuss your ideas with me before writing if you are worried you are off track. I won't tell you what to write or think, but I am happy to ask you questions that might help you to focus or reorient. This is NOT a research class; it is a thinking, reading and writing class. Please respect that and trust that I respect ideas that may be flawed but original far more than ideas that are on more solid ground but that aren't yours. If you want to improve your reading, thinking and writing skills significantly this trimester (or want to earn credit), do not cheat, which is what looking for help online or elsewhere amounts to when I tell you not to do so.
For a guide to proper citation within text and bibliography (works cited), go to
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/section/2/
Links under the weekly schedule are to note sheets we will use in class as well as to articles that are sometimes recommended but not required to add to your knowledge about what we are discussing in class.
Essays are due every other week and always on Wednesdays at class time. I will try to get first drafts back to you on Thursdays). Revisions should be done soon after being returned but MUST be completed by the following Thursday unless an earlier date is specified at the end of the trimester. That gives you a full week to write and revise except for the first essay, and even then, you will have a week or most of week from when you sign up for the class and get the assignment. Most essays need revision until I approve them as complete, which means you must address both mechanical and content issues I indicate on your drafts or you will be revising multiple times. You must always hand in the previous draft with my comments along with revisions.
Reading assignments are always due on Mondays by class time. You are welcome to read ahead and hand in your work ahead of time. This could lead to a relaxing end of the trimester or more time to work on other things then.
Therefore, you can expect a writing assignment to be due every Wednesday (either a draft or a revision) and a reading assignment due every Tuesday until late in the trimester.
Late work slows down the class for everyone, so don't do your work late. This class asks you to do a reading assignment and a writing assignment each week. That's not overwhelming unless you leave them until the night before they're due, and even then, it's doable if not pleasant. You should be spreading your work over much of the week to make it easy. Please don't offer excuses. On the fourth late assignment (and each class day an assignment is late counts as a late assignment), you will receive an extra essay. The first three should cover any excuse you might have or create. Should a student reach an eighth late assignment, s/he will not receive credit in this class regardless of the quality of the work. Should there be a truly valid excuse like a death or serious illness in the family, have your parent contact me beforehand so that we can work out a schedule.
Reading questions are always due by class time on Monday.
Essays and grammar sheets are due by class time on Wednesday. I won't collect grammar sheets, but you will need to do at least one of the sentences, and you won't know which as I'll do them randomly.
Week 1: We will begin by discussing the difference between the mind and the brain and then the parts of the human brain, using the reading students will complete for the first day of class. We will then discuss how our brains are different from even the animals who are most similar to ours.
Grammar:
In Class Materials:
Class rules: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WdfRbbvDFnFnIVh0DUperJCHLH0nOQrBM6fKVaBIWyM/edit
A great reminder timeline about what it would be helpful to remember about human evolution for our purposes this week: https://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence/human-evolution-interactive-timeline
The Thinker class discussion notes
Consciousness: The Mind Messing With The Mind article
The Mind Messing With The Mind questions and vocabulary
A really helpful page about human brains vs. our ancestors' brains and chimps' brains: http://humanorigins.si.edu/human-characteristics/brains
Brain diagrams: Very helpful brain charts20
Good basic interactive brain map: https://www.cbc.ca/news2/interactives/brain/
HW
This first essay requires that you have completed the two Thinker reading sheets from that chapter by Monday, March 17's class. That is homework for the first day. You can begin as soon as you sign up for the class (if not sooner). Please proof read the essay draft before handing this to me. It is due by Wednesday, March 19 by class time, and I won't read it and will count it as late if it doesn't have quotes and notes in the body paragraphs.
The Thinker questions 1 (2025)
Week 2: We will be continuing our exploration of what Descartes called "the mind/body" problem. We know where the brain is, but where/what is the mind? We will also watch the first video in the PBS series The Brain titled What Is Reality?
Classwork
Consciousness Isn't a Mystery article
Consciousness Isn't a Mystery vocab and questions
Is Geometry a Language That Only Humans Know? 22
HW
This week's reading assignment is a chapter titled The Search For Mind, which is linked below. There are questions linked here that must be answered for Monday's (March 24) class. This article follows up but is somewhat simpler than the articles we will read in class this week and the one for next week. All three will be important for essay 2 next week. Your revision of essay one is due by class time on Wednesday, March 25. See me well before then if you need help with any aspect of the revision. You need to fix everything I discuss or note on your first draft, and revisions must come back to me typed along WITH THE MARKED UP DRAFTS.
The Search For Mind questions and vocab 25
Week 3: We will likely still be dealing with our reading about what the mind is this week. Grammar: Commas with initial words and comma review
Classwork
Really sad story about babies deprived of human contact and how they developed 20
Video about parts of the brain; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdJ5eq6iNPA&list=PLcn78bpI6cB6BndEebuUcG_JUQw31m3fX&index=5
Should Human Life Be Optimized 25 25
Should Human Life Be Optimized? questionsa 25
HW
Your homework this week is reading the first part of a chapter of The Mind called Development, which explains how each person's brain develops over time and shows why heredity is only one factor things like intelligence in an adult. You will also do a draft of essay 2 by Wednesday, April 2, and that's not an April's Fool joke!
Here's the link for the reading homework called Development, which is due by class time on Monday, March 31:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ULqHXCjPB1vIw_n7amNSDxbNZCGjN4jz/view?usp=sharing
This week's and next week's homework questions about Development
Essay 2 25
Week 4: We will finish up for now with the brain/mind problem and move on to brain development, which will lead up to essay 3.
Classwork:
Grammar:
comma rule review grammar sheet
More fun Neuron video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDpydfpEads&feature=emb_rel_end
HW:
Your reading for this week is the second half of the Development chapter (the second sheet in last week's link) and it's due by Monday, April 7 by class time. Your revision of essay 2 is due by class time on Wednesday, April 9.
Week 5: We will continue to discuss brain development and what affects it, and we'll prepare to transition to discuss how various substances affect our brains, which is our next topic.
Classwork:
The Brain Is Not Primarily For Thinking '21
The Brain Is Not Primarily For Thinking questions
Synapse animation and explanation: Synapse animation and explanation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcU9W9AOfic
More fun Synapse video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdhzNYJH7eA
Brain Development video: https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=brain+development+video&docid=608053204182241125&mid=5E9DEC37D9D2FDD5E1F95E9DEC37D9D2FDD5E1F9&view=detail&FORM=VIRE
Quick video about right brain vs. left brain: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-1of9umUsE
Right brain vs. Left brain article
Right vs. left brain in-class questions
Right vs. left brain self quiz
Video about pyschological attachment styles and catshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CuIYD-zTEDc,
HW:
Your reading this week is a chapter about Addiction and the brain called Addiction from the same book we have been reading (The Mind by Restak).
This week's reading is the first half of the chapter on Addiction. Your draft of essay 3 is due by class time on Wednesday, April 16.
Addiction chapter vocab and HW questions for next two weeks
Week 6: When we finish discussing brain development, we will discuss what we learned about the effects of various substances on the brain and why some are addictive and what this means. This will be biology, not preaching.
Classwork
Initial Addiction and the brain notes
Good short and simple videos (first 2) about addiction and the nervous system: https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Brain+Chemistry+and+Addiction&&view=detail&mid=5BACDB601523C74B7FE65BACDB601523C74B7FE6&&FORM=VRDGAR&ru=%2Fvideos%2Fsearch%3Fq%3DBrain%2BChemistry%2Band%2BAddiction%26FORM%3DVDMHRS
Notes for 2 short addiction videos above
Ritalin article in class questions
Another short and simple video about addiction and the nervous system: https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=The+Human+Brain+and+Addiction&&view=detail&mid=F5FE909776CE998F3632F5FE909776CE998F3632&&FORM=VRDGAR&ru=%2Fvideos%2Fsearch%3Fq%3DThe%2BHuman%2BBrain%2Band%2BAddiction%26FORM%3DVDMHRS
Video with one view about alcohol and brain cells: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30HVRzxUlis (Remember that our reading discussed the loss of frontal cortical tissue from alcohol consumption.)
Video about whether smart phones are engineered to get you addicted to them: https: www.bing.com/videos/search?q=The+Human+Brain+and+Addiction&ru=%2fvideos%2fsearch%3fq%3dThe%2bHuman%2bBrain%2band%2bAddiction%26FORM%3dVDMHRS&view=detail&mid=55F1C073DD51D396E4D755F1C073DD51D396E4D7&rvsmid=F5FE909776CE998F3632F5FE909776CE998F3632&FORM=VDQVAP
Examples of subliminal advertising
HW:
Your reading this week is the second sheet of questions about Addiction, which is linked under last week's homework (the same link as last week's questions). These questions are due on Monday, April 28 by class time. Your revision of essay 3 with the draft I wrote on is due by Wednesday's class, April 30.
Week 7: We will begin to discuss Depression and how the brain causes it and potential treatments and how they work. We will read the second half of the Depression article in class. (The first part is homework for May 2.)
Classwork:
Dopamine article for in class reading
vocab and in class questions for dopamine article
Malcolm Gladwell on Marijuana19
Allie's video about depression: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-a4y6tzkJdc
Allie's buddy's video about treating depression: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDmZlBdBItY
A more detailed video of a Ted Talk about depression and the brain: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwHFHV9Jfd8
HW:
You will be reading the first half of the Depression chapter for Monday, May 5. Essay 4 is about the addiction chapter you have completed, and it's due on Wednesday, May 7 by class time.
Depression chapter vocab and 2 weeks of questions
Week 8: We will be discussing depression's causes, effects and ways to alleviate it.
Classwork:
Links between teen depression and social media
In class questions for social media article
Great article appreciating the therapist who helped with serious depression 20
A Better Way to Zap the Brain '21
Allie's video on the brain science of anxiety: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wCbwpnIJsA
Allie's buddy's video about treating anxiety: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXH34vKo5Ds
HW:
At home, you will be reading the lntroduction and first chapter of The Disordered Mind by Eric Kandel. This will bring together a lot of what we have learned this trimester. The questions are due by Monday, May 12. The revision of essay 4 is due Wednesday, May 14, by class time.
The Disordered Mind 1 vocab and questions
Week 9: Assuming we have finished the play, we will discuss The Two and the end of the book. We will also look at some cases that will lead into our trial. We will go over some trial dos and don'ts based on last trimester's trial.
Classwork:
parallel structure grammar sheet
Allie's video about ADHD and brain science: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CniuZ0sQPeA
Allie's video about autism and brain science: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=275TqUelUX0
Marijuana's Affect on the Teen Brain article 19
Marijuana article vocab and questions
How to know whether you're addicted to pot 23
Discussion questions about social media and marijuana readings
HW:
Everyone has the questions for the 2nd part of The Disordered Mind due Monday, May 19, and the draft of essay 5 is due for everyone is due on Wednesday, May 21.
The Disordered Mind 2 vocab and questions
Week 10:
Classwork:
Online personality quiz to "know yourself": https://www.16personalities.com/free-personality-test
Finding Your Meaning of Life and how it helps happiness '21
Class notes for Disordered Mind first two readings
The Role of Cognitive Dissonance During the Pandemic
Questions for Motivation in class reading
Can Brain Science Help Us Change Habits?21
How can brain science help us study better? 23
Changing Your Mind Can Make You Less Anxious '21
Why Failure is Good For You and how to gain the courage for it '21
Your Flaws Are Probably More Attractive Than You Think '21
Brown Sleep Study article and question
Hypocognition and our overconfidence while using google 23
HW:
The reading homework from Carl Jung about the subconscious is due on on Monday, May 26. This is your final homework assignment if you don't owe the extra essay.. The revision of essay 5 is due on Wednesday, May 28.
Your extra essay, should you be foolish enough to have one, is due by Thursday, May 29 with the revision due by Wednesday, June 4 by class time. You will need to watch a video of about 55 minutes called The Teenage Brain. You can find it at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGaz_fHLHNU Notes to help guide watching and notetaking are linked below. There is no flexibility about these two dates if one plans to earn credit.
Teenage Brain video guided notes to help with extra essay
Week 11: We're devoting the end of the trimester in class to Carl Jung's ideas about the subconscious mind including dreams and mythology. Grammar: Split Infinitives and advanced usage
Classwork:
Final class notes about gender, sleep and decision making
Final Neuro Transmissions videos about using psychology to train a cat:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfsVw0ndFAQ
Really interesting one hour conference on brand new (2020) neuroscience technology from Tufts University: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FO-GOMmUNUw&feature=youtu.be
Sexual Differentiation of the Brain and Gender Identity text 18
Sexual Differentiation vocab and questions
Recommended:
Google Sites
Report abuse