The 7th-grade English class has been busy studying the brain and how it works. They read a series about a man named Phineas Gage. He was a railroad worker in the 1800s who survived a serious brain injury. One day, an explosion sent a heavy iron rod through his skull, damaging the front part of his brain. Amazingly, he lived, but his personality changed. Before the accident, he was responsible and friendly, but afterward, he became rude and had trouble controlling his emotions. Scientists studied his injury to learn how the brain affects personality and behavior. His story helped people understand that different parts of the brain have different jobs.
As we were reading the series, we made paper brain caps to help us understand the different parts of the brain and their functions. Once the Phneas Gage series was finished, we learned about how the brain affects teens and their decision-making. The 7th graders had some great discussion points, relating them to their own day-to-day lives.
We have now moved on to Edgar Allan Poe. They read parts of The Tell-Tale Heart and once they finished, they got into 2 groups and debated if the man in Tell-Tale Heart was legally sane or insane according to the M’Naghten Rule. This led to a lot of discussion about the brain from previous texts as well.
The brain is a complex and powerful organ that shapes thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. Phineas Gage’s accident revealed how brain injuries can alter personality, while Edgar Allan Poe’s The Tell-Tale Heart explores the impact of guilt and paranoia on the mind. Similarly, teenage brains, still developing, are influenced by emotions and impulse control, highlighting the brain’s constant evolution. The 7th-grade class has had a great time studying all the different aspects of the brain.