Narrative Profundity

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Narrative Profundity

• OR.. what the heck is that?

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Profundity is

• a theoretical construct (developed by Sargent,
  Huus and Anderson- 1970) intended to direct
  thinking at the HS level to identify a theme or
  themes of a story.
• The Profundity Scale is used in Michigan to
  implement MDE LA GLCEs assessing complex,
  enduring understandings.

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Two Profundity Scales

• are explicit teaching tools to develop deep
  thinking in
• Narrative readings
• Expository readings (a distinct skill in Content
  reading)

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Narrative Scale

• The Narrative Profundity scale is a heuristic
  stairway to thinking developed to deepen and
  expand thinking. Each step builds upon the prior
  step.

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1. Physical Plane

• The reader visualizes the setting and
  characters.(VISUALIZE)
• The reader identify the turning point or
  resolution to the problem. (DETERMINES
  IMPORTANCE)
• The reader summarizes the actions of the
  characters. What did they physically do?
  (SUMMARIZE)

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2. Mental Plane

• The reader asks the question of WHY did the
  characters do what they did? (QUESTIONING)
• To be able to answer this, the reader is again
  DETERMINING IMPORTANCE of the actions, MAKING
  CONNECTIONS to other actions, and INFERRING about
  character actions.

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3. Moral Plane

• The readers compare how the actions of the
  characters fit their beliefs and morals. Was
  what the character did right or wrong?
• Comprehension strategies used at this plane
  INFERRING, MAKING CONNECTIONS, SYNTHESIZING

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4. Psychological Plane

• The reader wonders How does the character
  benefit from his/her actions?
• In looking at the benefits, the reader is using
  DETERMINING IMPORTANCE and MAKING CONNECTIONS

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5. Philosophical Plane

• The reader connects all the prior thinking into a
  package looking at the lessons learned and
  universal truths. What lesson was this story
  teaching? (QUESTIONING)
• Is the lesson learned the one the author
  intended? (INFERRING) What was the most
  important lesson the characters learned?
  (DETERMINING IMPORTANCE)

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Why bother with Profundity?

• It is an explicit series of strategies to take
  students from simple to abstract.
• It starts by reducing complicated things to
  simple principles.
• It allows for the realization that 2 different
  ideas can share attributes.
• It transforms thinking into themes and universal
  truths.

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• The lessons learned, theme, or universal truth
  is generative and can be used to change your
  world view, make connections to your life, and to
  solve problems.
• Elaine Weber, Barbara Nelson, Jeff Beal 2002