Socratic Seminar “The unexamined life is not worth living.”

SOCRATIC SEMINAR Not a teacher led class discussion Based on Socrates’ method of questioning, dialogues Questions are the driving force in thinking. Participants carry the burden of responsibility for the quality of the seminar. Participants listen actively and respond with more discussion and questions.

1) READ THE ASSIGNED READING!!!!

2) WRITE QUESTIONS Write 3 lower level or close-ended questions over the text. Close-ended questions are questions that have correct answers. Write 7 higher level or open-ended questions over the text. Open-ended questions have no real “right” answer. Use Bloom’s Taxonomy to write questions for our seminar. Use the entire chapter for your questions.

Bloom’s Taxonomy In 1956, Benjamin Bloom headed a group of educational psychologists who developed a classification of levels of intellectual behavior important in learning. Bloom found that over 95 % of the test questions students encounter require them to think only at the lowest possible level...the recall of information. Bloom identified six levels within the cognitive domain, from the simple recall or recognition of facts, as the lowest level, through increasingly more complex and abstract mental levels, to the highest order which is classified as evaluation.

Knowledge collectdescribeidentifylist showenumeratetabulatedefine labelnameretellmatch statequotereadtell recordreproducecopy select Examples: dates, events, places, vocabulary, key ideas, parts of diagram, 5Ws

Comprehension associatecomparedistinguish extendinterpret predict differentiatecontrastdescribe discussestimategroup orderciteconvert summarizeexplaintrace paraphraserestate Examples: find meaning, transfer, interpret facts, infer cause & consequence, examples

Application applyclassifychangeillustrate demonstratecalculate completesolve modifyshowexperimentrelate discoveractadministerarticulate chartcollectcomputeconstruct determinedevelopestablishprepare producereportteachtransferuse Examples: use information in new situations, solve problems

Analysis analyzearrangeconnectdivideinfer separateclassifycomparecontrast explainselectorderbreakdown correlatediagramdiscriminatefocus illustrateinferoutlineprioritize subdividepoint out Examples: recognize and explain patterns and meaning, see parts and wholes

Synthesis combinecomposegeneralizemodify Inventplan substitutecreate designintegrate rearrange formulate adaptrewriteanticipatespeculate devisecompileexpresscollaborate Facilitatereinforcestructuresubstitute validateintervenenegotiatereorganize Examples: discuss "what if" situations, create new ideas, predict and draw conclusions

Evaluation assesscomparedecidediscriminate measureranktestconvince concludeexplaingradejudge appraisecriticizesupportsummarize defendpersuadejustifyreframe Examples: make recommendations, assess value and make choices, critique ideas

Let me show you… From Chapter 5: Early Society in East Asia Knowledge= Who was the founder of the Xia Dynasty? Comprehension= Explain why the Huang He river is called the Yellow river. Application= How are city walls an example of our theme of human interaction with the environment? Analysis= Create a diagram for the dynastic cycle. Synthesis= By 403 B.C.E., the Zhou dynasty had fallen into the Period of the Warring States. What solution would you suggest for this predicament? Evaluation= What is the most important achievement of the Shang and Zhou dynasties?

3)DISCUSS We will sit in a circle, create a panel, or have a fishbowl. You will be the participants; I will observe. We will start with close-ended questions first then move on to the open-ended, more conversational questions. Build upon or add to someone else’s answer, don’t just repeat what they said.

RUBRIC You will be graded on your participation and preparation. Please see the rubric for grading the Socratic Seminar on my website.

RULES: In the seminar we… criticize ideas, but not people. give opinions, and give clear reasons for them. give examples when possible. ask questions about what we read, hear, or see for clarification. remain focused on the text. are willing to change our opinions with the addition of more information. speak freely – there is no need to raise hands, but be polite and don’t interrupt other people have a responsibility to participate.