Literature Improves Thinking
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Are you uncomfortable with ambiguity? It’s a common condition, but a highly problematic one. The compulsion to quell that unease can inspire snap judgments, rigid thinking, and bad decision-making.
Fortunately, new research suggests a simple antidote for this affliction: Read more literary fiction.
A trio of University of Toronto scholars, led by psychologist Maja Djikic, report that people who have just read a short story have less need for what psychologists call “cognitive closure.” Compared with peers who have just read an essay, they expressed more comfort with disorder and uncertainty—attitudes that allow for both sophisticated thinking and greater creativity.
“Exposure to literature,” the researchers write in the Creativity Research Journal, “may offer a (way for people) to become more likely to open their minds.”
Djikic and her colleagues describe an experiment featuring 100 University of Toronto students. After arriving at the lab and providing some personal information, the students read either one of eight short stories or one of eight essays. The fictional stories were by authors including Wallace Stegner, Jean Stafford, and Paul Bowles; the non-fiction essays were by equally illustrious writers such as George Bernard Shaw and Stephen Jay Gould.
Afterwards, each participant filled out a survey measuring their emotional need for certainty and stability. They expressed their agreement or disagreement with such statements as “I don’t like situations that are uncertain” and “I dislike questions that can be answered in many different ways.” Continue reading
Exam Week (May 22–25)
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IB Freshmen: Exam Study Guide, Tone Words, Transitions & Commentary, Verbs for Analysis, Literary Analysis Essay Outline, Literary Analysis Essay Rubric, MLA Template, Theme Log / Macbeth: (Pre-)Notes, “Reading Shakespeare” Packet, E-text, Audioplay / Things Fall Apart: E-text, Audiotext, (Pre-)Notes
Diploma Support: Semester Grade Chart, Final Exam Schedule, Say Something Anonymous Reporting System / Extended Essays: EBSCO Host, Gale Databases, MLA Template, MLA Sample Paper, Cat. 1 (28/34), Cat. 1 (30/34), Cat. 2 (34/34), Cat. 3 (33/34), EE Rubric
Week 4:9 (May 15–19)
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AP Language: One-page Outline, Tone Words, Weaving & Citing, Transitions & Commentary, Analytical Verbs, Professional Email Writing, Résumé Verbs, Résumé Writing
IB Freshmen: Exam Study Guide, Thesis Frame, One-page Outline, Tone Words, Analytical Verbs, Weaving & Citing, Transitions & Commentary, Theme Log / Macbeth: Outline Rubric, Essay Rubric, (Pre-)Notes, “Reading Shakespeare” Packet, E-text, Audioplay, Choice-Emphasis Tracker / Things Fall Apart: E-text, Audiotext, (Pre-)Notes
Diploma Support: Semester Grade Chart, Final Exam Schedule, 5th Period Rotations, Semester 2 Calendar, Say Something Anonymous Reporting System / Extended Essays: EBSCO Host, Gale Databases, MLA Template, MLA Sample Paper, Cat. 1 (28/34), Cat. 1 (30/34), Cat. 2 (34/34), Cat. 3 (33/34), EE Rubric
Week 4:8 (May 8–12)
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AP Language: Exam Study Guide, Thesis Frames, Essay Set, One-page Outline, “Wheel of Feels”, Weaving & Citing, Transitions & Commentary, Analytical Verbs, Audience Breakdown, Professional Email Writing / Rhetorical Analysis: Rubric, RA Outline, SPACE-CAT, Rhetorical Terms, Body Guidelines / Argument: Rubric, Types of Evidence, Topic Generator / Synthesis: Rubric
IB Freshmen: Literary Analysis Thesis Frame, Outline & Outline Rubric, Essay Rubric, MLA Template, Analytical Verbs, Theme Log, Tone Words, Macbeth (Interactive) E-text, Macbeth (Plain) E-text, Macbeth Audioplay, Choice-Emphasis Tracker, Exam Study Guide
Diploma Support: Semester Grade Chart, Final Exam Schedule, 5th Period Rotations, Semester 2 Calendar, Say Something Anonymous Reporting System / Extended Essays: EBSCO Host, Gale Databases, MLA Template, MLA Sample Paper, Cat. 1 (28/34), Cat. 1 (30/34), Cat. 2 (34/34), Cat. 3 (33/34), EE Rubric
Week 4:7 (May 1–5)
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AP Language: 2nd period on Monday, One-page Outline, MLA Template, “Wheel of Feels”, Weaving & Citing, Transitions & Commentary, Verbs for Analysis, Audience Breakdown, Thesis Frames / Rhetorical Analysis: Rubric, RA Outline, SPACE-CAT, Rhetorical Terms, Body Guidelines / Argument: Rubric, Types of Evidence, Topic Generator / Synthesis: Rubric, Censorship & Minors
IB Freshmen: 2nd period on Monday, Discussion Question Stems, Tone Words, Literary Analysis Essay Outline, Subordinating Conjunctions, Colormarking Guide, MLA Template, Theme Log, Macbeth (Interactive) E-text, Macbeth (Plain) E-text, Macbeth Audioplay, Choice-Emphasis Tracker, Theme-Tracing Task / Performance Responsibilities: B3–4, C3–4, B6–7, C6–7
Diploma Support: Semester Grade Chart, Final Exam Schedule, 5th Period Rotations, Semester 2 Calendar, Say Something Anonymous Reporting System / Extended Essays: EBSCO Host, Gale Databases, MLA Template, MLA Sample Paper, Cat. 1 (28/34), Cat. 1 (30/34), Cat. 2 (34/34), Cat. 3 (33/34), EE Rubric
Week 4:6 (Apr. 24–28)
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AP Language: One-page Outline, MLA Template, “Wheel of Feels”, Weaving & Citing, Transitions & Commentary, Verbs for Analysis, Thesis Frames / Rhetorical Analysis: Rubric, RA Outline, SPACE-CAT, Rhetorical Terms, Body Guidelines / Argument: Rubric, Types of Evidence, Topic Generator, Audience Breakdown / Synthesis: Rubric, Censorship & Minors
IB Freshmen: Discussion Question Stems, Tone Words, Literary Analysis Essay Outline, Subordinating Conjunctions, Colormarking Guide, MLA Template, Theme Log, Macbeth (Interactive) E-text, Macbeth (Plain) E-text, Macbeth Audioplay, Choice/Emphasis Tracker, Theme-Tracing Task / Performance Responsibilities: B3–4, C3–4, B6–7, C6–7
Diploma Support: Semester Grade Chart, Final Exam Schedule, 5th Period Rotations, Semester 2 Calendar, Say Something Anonymous Reporting System / Extended Essays: EBSCO Host, Gale Databases, MLA Template, MLA Sample Paper, Cat. 1 28/34, Cat. 1 30/34, Cat. 2 34/34, Cat. 3 33/34, EE Rubric
Week 4:5 (Apr. 17–21)
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AP Language: Passages to SPACE-CAT (for 4:4), One-page Outline, MLA Template, “Wheel of Feels” (for tone & mood), Weaving & Citing, Transitions & Commentary, Verbs for Analysis, Thesis Frames / Rhetorical Analysis: Passage for 4:3, Rubric, RA Outline, SPACE-CAT, Rhetorical Terms, Body Guidelines / Argument: Rubric, Types of Evidence, Random Topic Generator, Audience Breakdown / Synthesis: Rubric / Watchmen: E-text, (Pre-)Notes, Literary Terms, Padlet
IB Freshmen: Tone Words, LA Essay Outline, Subordinating Conjunctions, Colormarking Guide, MLA Template, Theme Log, Macbeth (Interactive) E-text, Macbeth (Plain) E-text, Macbeth Audioplay, Choice/Emphasis Tracker (for Film Adaptations), Theme-Tracing Task / Performance Responsibilities: B3–4, C3–4, B6–7, C6–7
Diploma Support: Semester Grade Chart, Final Exam Schedule, 5th Period Rotations, Semester 2 Calendar, Say Something Anonymous Reporting System / Extended Essays: EBSCO Host, Gale Databases, MLA Template, MLA Sample Paper, Cat. 1 28/34, Cat. 1 30/34, Cat. 2 34/34, Cat. 3 33/34, EE Rubric
Week 4:4 (Apr. 10–14)
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AP Language: Passages to SPACE-CAT (for 4:4), One-page Outline, MLA Template, “Wheel of Feels” (for tone & mood), Weaving & Citing, Transitions & Commentary, Verbs for Analysis, Thesis Frames / Rhetorical Analysis: Passage for 4:3, Rubric, RA Outline, SPACE-CAT, Rhetorical Terms, Body Guidelines / Argument: Rubric, Types of Evidence, Random Topic Generator, Audience Breakdown / Synthesis: Rubric / Watchmen: E-text, (Pre-)Notes, Literary Terms, Symbol Sketches, Discussion Padlet
IB Freshmen: “Wheel of Feels”, One-page Outline, Subordinating Conjunctions, Colormarking Guide, Figurative Language, MLA Template, Theme Log, Macbeth (Interactive) E-text, Macbeth (Plain) E-text, Macbeth Audioplay, Macbeth (Pre-)Notes, “Reading Shakespeare”, Choice/Emphasis Tracker (for Film Adaptations) / Performance Responsibilities: B3–4, C3–4, B6–7, C6–7
Diploma Support: Semester Grade Chart, 5th Period Rotations, Semester 2 Calendar, Say Something Anonymous Reporting System / Extended Essays: EBSCO Host, Gale Databases, MLA Template, MLA Sample Paper, Cat. 1 28/34, Cat. 1 30/34, Cat. 2 34/34, Cat. 3 33/34, EE Rubric
Week 4:3 (Apr. 3–6)
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AP Language: One-page Outline, MLA Template, “Wheel of Feels” (for tone & mood), Weaving & Citing, Transitions & Commentary, Verbs for Analysis / Rhetorical Analysis: Passage for 4:3, Rubric, RA Outline, SPACE-CAT, Rhetorical Terms, Body Guidelines / Argument: Rubric, Types of Evidence, Random Topic Generator, Audience Breakdown / Synthesis: Rubric / Watchmen: E-text, (Pre-)Notes, Literary Terms, Symbol Sketches
IB Freshmen: “Wheel of Feels”, One-page Outline, Subordinating Conjunctions, Colormarking Guide, Figurative Language, MLA Template, Theme Log, Macbeth (Interactive) E-text, Macbeth (Plain) E-text, Macbeth Audioplay, Macbeth (Pre-)Notes, “Reading Shakespeare”, Soliloquy Breakdown / Performance Responsibilities: B3–4, C3–4, B6–7, C6–7
Diploma Support: Semester Grade Chart, 5th Period Rotations, Semester 2 Calendar, Say Something Anonymous Reporting System / Extended Essays: EBSCO Host, Gale Databases, MLA Template, MLA Sample Paper, Cat. 1 28/34, Cat. 1 30/34, Cat. 2 34/34, Cat. 3 33/34, EE Rubric