Step 1: Choose an article
For Socratic Seminar, we will debate 2 current event articles in class for 15 minutes each. You will have to compose 2 thought-provoking discussion questions (using the question stems below) per article and bring those in with you the day of the seminar.
Follow these guidelines when choosing an article:
1. Choose a current event article that has been published online in the last 30 days; if it is earlier than one month ago today, it is no longer current.
2. Stay away from articles about marijuana or abortion; those two topics have been debated for so long that there isn't much left to talk about.
3. Choose an article that the vast majority of your class will be able to discuss; if it is something that only appeals to you, the debate will crash & burn.
4. Choose an article that has many different discussion points and can be discussed from multiple points of view; if there is only one overwhelming majority opinion, it is not a good article. (i.e. Boston Marathon Bombing--nobody would argue that was a good thing to happen.)
5. Find articles on websites of reliable news outlets. Do NOT go to any website like www.debate.org; it must be an article with context, not simply people's opinions. Below are some sample websites:
Step 2: Summarizing the debatability
Article Summary:
When you have found and read a debatable article, you will write a short summary of the article. In order to ensure that your article is debatable, you should also include a short summary that highlights WHAT IS DEBATABLE about your topic. Include evidence from your article to support your ideas. These summaries are turned in to be assessed, and they will factor into your grade.
Please type your responses. MLA format is expected.
Step 3: Generating questions for debate
Below you will find a variety of sentence starters for your Socratic styled questions; use them at you see fit.
Socratic Seminar Question Stems:
As you prepare your questions for the Socratic Seminar, consider using these question stems to help you develop critical thinking questions instead of just comprehension questions.
Clarification
• I'm not sure I understand (character, action, event, description, purpose).
• Tell me more about (character, action, event).
Cause and Effect
• Why do you think (event, reaction) happened?
• How could (event, reaction) have been prevented?
• Do you think (event, reaction) would happen that way again? Why?
• What are some reasons (character) (action)?
• Based on the information in the story, predict what will most likely happen if (character) (action).
• What will (character) do now that (event)?
Compare / Contrast
• How are (character) and (character) alike? Different?
• What is (event) similar to in our own time?
• How does this (incident) remind you of (current event)?
Benefits / Burdens
• What are some of the reasons (character’s decision, reaction) wouldn't (would) be a good idea?
• Based on the information in the story, what inference/ assumption can you make about (event/theme/character)?
Point of View / Perspective
• How might (character) have felt during (event)?
• What do you think (character) was thinking during (event)?
• How does (character) feel about (character/event, etc)?
• How did (character’s experience) influence (character’s development, event)?
Structure / Function
• What was the goal when (character) (action)?
• What were (character)’s choices of how to (respond to a situation)?
• What do you think of (character)’s approach to (problem, situation)?
• What better choices could (character) have made concerning (problem, situation)?
• How does (character’s action or trait) contribute to the conflict in the story?
• What is the author’s purpose for including (character, event, detail)?
Different Situation
• Can you describe a situation in which (character’s action) would be acceptable/unacceptable?
• Suppose (event) had happened differently. How would that change the outcome of (event)?
Evaluate
• The author of the story states "_______ ." Do you agree with his/her statement?
• What is wrong with (character’s) reasoning concerning (character, situation, event)?
• Does (character’s) treatment of (other character/s) seem fair?
• What conclusion can the reader draw about (character/event, etc)?
Support Questions/Responses
• Can you give us an example of . . .?
• Where in the story . . .?
• What would be a good reason for . . .?
• What is some evidence for . . .?
• I saw it a slightly different way . . .
• That’s a good point. What about . . .?
• I disagree a little. To me, . . .
1. Familiarize yourself with the terms liberal / conservative
2. After having a working understanding of how the words liberal and or conservative are used in the media, read through and take notes on how the media will sometimes bias a reader toward a topic.
3. With knowledge of bias will work, begin looking for your article.
Pizzagate!
Homework Due Monday, September 18th
Bring a printed out copy of your article to class!
AND
Write a short summary of the article. You should include a short summary of the article, the overall topic and then highlights of WHAT IS DEBATABLE about your topic. Include evidence from your article to support your ideas. These summaries are turned in to be assessed, and they will factor into your grade.
Please type in MLA format and bring A PRINTED OUT COPY TO CLASS
For Socratic Seminar, we will debate 2 current event articles in class for 15 minutes each. You will have to compose 2 thought-provoking discussion questions (using the question stems below) per article and bring those in with you the day of the seminar.
Follow these guidelines when choosing an article:
1. Choose a current event article that has been published online in the last 30 days; if it is earlier than one month ago today, it is no longer current.
2. Stay away from articles about marijuana or abortion; those two topics have been debated for so long that there isn't much left to talk about.
3. Choose an article that the vast majority of your class will be able to discuss; if it is something that only appeals to you, the debate will crash & burn.
4. Choose an article that has many different discussion points and can be discussed from multiple points of view; if there is only one overwhelming majority opinion, it is not a good article. (i.e. Boston Marathon Bombing--nobody would argue that was a good thing to happen.)
5. Find articles on websites of reliable news outlets. Do NOT go to any website like www.debate.org; it must be an article with context, not simply people's opinions. Below are some sample websites:
Step 2: Summarizing the debatability
Article Summary:
When you have found and read a debatable article, you will write a short summary of the article. In order to ensure that your article is debatable, you should also include a short summary that highlights WHAT IS DEBATABLE about your topic. Include evidence from your article to support your ideas. These summaries are turned in to be assessed, and they will factor into your grade.
Please type your responses. MLA format is expected.
Step 3: Generating questions for debate
Below you will find a variety of sentence starters for your Socratic styled questions; use them at you see fit.
Socratic Seminar Question Stems:
As you prepare your questions for the Socratic Seminar, consider using these question stems to help you develop critical thinking questions instead of just comprehension questions.
Clarification
• I'm not sure I understand (character, action, event, description, purpose).
• Tell me more about (character, action, event).
Cause and Effect
• Why do you think (event, reaction) happened?
• How could (event, reaction) have been prevented?
• Do you think (event, reaction) would happen that way again? Why?
• What are some reasons (character) (action)?
• Based on the information in the story, predict what will most likely happen if (character) (action).
• What will (character) do now that (event)?
Compare / Contrast
• How are (character) and (character) alike? Different?
• What is (event) similar to in our own time?
• How does this (incident) remind you of (current event)?
Benefits / Burdens
• What are some of the reasons (character’s decision, reaction) wouldn't (would) be a good idea?
• Based on the information in the story, what inference/ assumption can you make about (event/theme/character)?
Point of View / Perspective
• How might (character) have felt during (event)?
• What do you think (character) was thinking during (event)?
• How does (character) feel about (character/event, etc)?
• How did (character’s experience) influence (character’s development, event)?
Structure / Function
• What was the goal when (character) (action)?
• What were (character)’s choices of how to (respond to a situation)?
• What do you think of (character)’s approach to (problem, situation)?
• What better choices could (character) have made concerning (problem, situation)?
• How does (character’s action or trait) contribute to the conflict in the story?
• What is the author’s purpose for including (character, event, detail)?
Different Situation
• Can you describe a situation in which (character’s action) would be acceptable/unacceptable?
• Suppose (event) had happened differently. How would that change the outcome of (event)?
Evaluate
• The author of the story states "_______ ." Do you agree with his/her statement?
• What is wrong with (character’s) reasoning concerning (character, situation, event)?
• Does (character’s) treatment of (other character/s) seem fair?
• What conclusion can the reader draw about (character/event, etc)?
Support Questions/Responses
• Can you give us an example of . . .?
• Where in the story . . .?
• What would be a good reason for . . .?
• What is some evidence for . . .?
• I saw it a slightly different way . . .
• That’s a good point. What about . . .?
• I disagree a little. To me, . . .
1. Familiarize yourself with the terms liberal / conservative
2. After having a working understanding of how the words liberal and or conservative are used in the media, read through and take notes on how the media will sometimes bias a reader toward a topic.
3. With knowledge of bias will work, begin looking for your article.
Pizzagate!
Homework Due Monday, September 18th
Bring a printed out copy of your article to class!
AND
Write a short summary of the article. You should include a short summary of the article, the overall topic and then highlights of WHAT IS DEBATABLE about your topic. Include evidence from your article to support your ideas. These summaries are turned in to be assessed, and they will factor into your grade.
Please type in MLA format and bring A PRINTED OUT COPY TO CLASS