1. Lesson 28: Prepare for a Socratic seminar
About this lesson
Students prepare for a Socratic seminar by comparing and contrasting the myths of Prometheus and Pandora, excerpts from Frankenstein, and “Flowers for Algernon.”

2. We compared how the structure of “Flowers for Algernon” and Frankenstein contributed to the development of a shared theme.
Let’s Review!
Teaching Notes
Suggested Pacing: ~1 minute
Directions:
Briefly review the previous learning.

3. Prepare for a Socratic seminar.
Today we will:
Compare the myths of Prometheus and Pandora, Frankenstein, and “Flowers for Algernon.”
Prepare for a Socratic seminar.
Let’s Prepare!
Teaching Notes
Suggested Pacing: ~1 minute
Directions:
Read the slide.
Briefly explain how this lesson prepares students for another lesson and/or the end-of-unit assessments.
Throughout the lesson, compare students’ responses and work to the student look-fors. Determine the students who need additional support with reading, understanding, or expressing their understanding of complex, grade-level texts. During this lesson or before the next lesson, support those students individually or in a small group using the Additional Supports for Diverse Learners.

4. “The Story of Prometheus” from Old Greek Stories by James Baldwin
You will need:
“The Story of Prometheus” from Old Greek Stories by James Baldwin
The excerpts from Chapters 4 and 13 of Frankenstein; or, the Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley
“Flowers for Algernon” by Daniel Keyes
Your reading log
The evidence chart
Let’s Prepare!
Teaching Notes
Suggested Pacing: ~ 5 minutes
Directions:
Distribute the texts.
Access and distribute the evidence chart handout.
Ask students to locate their reading log.

5. Does Keyes draw from traditional stories to tell a hopeful story or a cautionary tale?
Let’s Discuss!
Teaching Notes
Suggested Pacing: ~ 6 minutes
Directions:
Say to students: “In the next lesson, we are going to conduct a Socratic seminar to answer the question on this slide. As we read and engage in our tasks today, consider how the information you are gathering helps you in answering this question. Before we continue reading this lesson, let’s create a quick list of questions we have related to this question. What are some things you need to know?”
On chart paper or on a whiteboard, write the questions students have about the question on the slide.
During the rest of the lesson, encourage students to review the questions and evaluate their understanding as they prepare for the Socratic seminar.
Possible Supports During the Lesson:
If students are having trouble coming up with questions similar to the Student Look-Fors:
As a class, define one or more of the phrases in the question.
“draw from”: to borrow from or take parts of something when making something new
“traditional stories”: typically very old stories that are passed down through generations; many people have heard a version of the story and may not have ever read the story
“cautionary tale”: a story told to teach people what they shouldn’t do
Ask: “What do you need to know to answer the question?”
Prompt students to orally dictate a list of what they will need to know to be able to answer the question on the slide (e.g., “I need to know what a traditional story is.”) Write the list of ideas as statements. Then prompt the students to turn those statements into questions. As needed, model how to turn a statement into a question.
Student Look-Fors:
Possible questions that students may pose:
What traditional stories are similar to “Flowers for Algernon”?
What makes a story hopeful?
What makes a story a cautionary tale?
What happens in “Flowers for Algernon” that is positive?
What happens in “Flowers for Algernon” that is negative?

6. Review “The Story of Prometheus” by James Baldwin.
Make sure you are familiar with the characters, the events, and the themes of the both myths.
Let’s Discuss!
Teaching Notes
Suggested Pacing: ~ 8 minutes
Directions:
Divide the class into groups of 3-4 using an established classroom routine.
Purposefully group together students with similar levels of language proficiency.
Establish norms for the group work and explain that students will be held accountable for their learning during the Socratic seminar, as they will be expected to use evidence from the texts they’ve read during the unit in their discussion.
Direct groups to review “The Story of Prometheus” from earlier in the unit to remind themselves of the characters, events, and themes.
Prompt them to locate notes and handouts from earlier in the unit to help them in their review.
As students work together, prompt them to use the conversation stems.
Possible Supports During the Lesson:
If students are learning English as a new language, allow groups to collaborate in their home language.
If students are not sharing ideas similar to the Student Look-Fors:
Ask: “Who are the main characters in each section of the myths?”
Ask: “How does Prometheus interact with humans? Why does he want to help them?”
Ask: “What are the consequences of Prometheus’ actions?”
Ask: “What does Pandora do and what happens as a result?”
Ask: “Think about Fanny Girden’s allusion in the progress report from April 30. What was she alluding to? How are Pandora’s actions similar to Eve’s actions in the Biblical creation story?”
Ask: “What do the myths say about knowledge or the gods and humans or how the world works?”
Student Look-Fors
Students should summarize “The Story of Prometheus” in their groups, focusing on the characters, events, and themes.
Prometheus lives on Earth and tries to improve the lives of humans and make them more civilized. Prometheus wants to help the humans who are suffering under the rule of a tyrannical god, Jupiter
“He went out amongst men to live with them and help them.”
“It was not long until they learned to cook their food and so to eat like men instead of like beasts. They began at once to leave off their wild and savage habits; and instead of lurking in the dark places of the world, they came out into the open air and the bright sunlight, and were glad because life had been given to them.”
“Not a spark will I give,” said Jupiter. “No, indeed! Why, if men had fire they might become strong and wise like ourselves, and after a while they would drive us out of our kingdom. Let them shiver with cold, and let them live like the beasts. It is best for them to be poor and ignorant, so that we Mighty Ones may thrive and be happy.”
Pandora, like Eve in the Biblical creation story, is given as a gift, but in the myth, Pandora is a punishment for humans. Jupiter wants to keep them dumb and uncivilized so he will have all the power. He fears what will happen if humans gain knowledge.
“Then the others came in their turn, each with a gift for the marvelous creature. One gave her beauty; and another a pleasant voice; and another good manners; and another a kind heart; and another skill in many arts; and, lastly, some one gave her curiosity. Then they called her Pandora, which means the all-gifted, because she had received gifts from them all.”
“He made up his mind to distress mankind first; and he thought of a plan for doing it in a very strange, roundabout way.”
Pandora is warned not to open the golden casket, but she is tempted by curiosity and jealousy. Similarly, Eve is told not to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, but she is tempted by a snake. Both Pandora and Eve break the rules, and in doing so, bring into the knowledge of pain into the world.
“She had brought with her a golden casket, which Jupiter had given her at parting, and which he had told her held many precious things; but wise Athena, the queen of the air, had warned her never, never to open it, nor look at the things inside.”
“The more she thought about the golden casket, the more curious she was to see what was in it; and every day she took it down from its shelf and felt of the lid, and tried to peer inside of it without opening it.”
“She opened the lid a very little, just to peep inside. All at once there was a whirring, rustling sound, and before she could shut it down again, out flew ten thousand strange creatures with death-like faces and gaunt and dreadful forms, such as nobody in all the world had ever seen. They fluttered for a little while about the room, and then flew away to find dwelling-places wherever there were homes of men. They were diseases and cares; for up to that time mankind had not had any kind of sickness, nor felt any troubles of mind, nor worried about what the morrow might bring forth.”
Themes of “The Story of Prometheus” are: knowledge plays a role in bettering the human condition, humans have a desire to explain the world and how it got that way, and trying to gain access to that which is forbidden leads to negative consequences.

7. Review “Flowers for Algernon.”
Make sure you are familiar with the characters, the events, and the themes.
In your reading log, compare and contrast the characters, events, structures, and themes of “The Story of Prometheus,” the excerpts from Frankenstein, and “Flowers for Algernon.”
Let’s Practice!
Teaching Notes
Suggested Pacing: ~ 14 minutes
Directions:
Follow your established routines for the reading log.
Direct groups to review “Flowers for Algernon” along with their notes and various handouts to remind themselves of the characters, events, and themes.
As students work together, prompt them to use the conversation stems.
Conclude the group work by asking students to work independently to compare and contrast the characters, events, structures, and themes of “The Story of Prometheus,” the excerpts from Frankenstein, and “Flowers for Algernon.”
Direct students to compare and contrast using the method of their choice. For example, they may use a series of Venn diagrams, a chart, bullets, or paragraphs.
Possible Supports During the Lesson:
As needed, have students work in pairs to compare and contrast the texts. If students are learning English as a new language, allow pairs to collaborate in their home language as they complete their notes in English.
Student Look-Fors
Students should compare and contrast the characters of all three texts.
Charlie is like the monster in that he is “created.” Charlie is also like Pandora. Pandora is told not to open the golden casket, but she is tempted by what might be inside. So, she opens it and releases knowledge of fear and evil into the world. Similarly, Charlie is tempted by wanting to be smart, so when he tries to gain knowledge which was not available to him naturally, he opens his mind to pain, sadness, and loneliness. For example, Joe and Frank make fun of him, Charlie realizes how inadequate he really felt when he wasn’t “smart,” and he is unable to connect to others due to his high level of intelligence: “This intelligence has driven a wedge between me and all the people I once knew and loved.”
Dr. Nemur and Dr. Strauss are “playing God” in “Flowers for Algernon” like Dr. Frankenstein in Frankenstein. Similarly, Prometheus takes matters into his own hands and defies the gods in the myths. He brings knowledge to humans who lack civility, like Dr. Frankenstein bestows life and knowledge on the monster. Pandora’s curiosity and jealousy to know what is in the golden casket results in unleashing pain and death on humankind. Similarly, Dr. Frankenstein’s curiosity and arrogance unleashes a monster in the world.
Miss Kinnian is a positive character and does all she can to help and protect Charlie. She isn’t sent to tempt Charlie, like Pandora. There isn’t a character in either of the other stories similar to Miss Kinnian.
Students should compare and contrast the events of all three texts.
At the beginning of the story, Charlie is happy and hardworking, and he tries to become smarter by working hard and attending night school.
Drs. Nemur and Strauss, Dr. Frankenstein, and Prometheus start out trying to help others and improve lives. However, as the doctors and Prometheus gain knowledge and power, things start going wrong: Drs. Nemur and Strauss start fighting, Dr. Frankenstein becomes obsessed and sick, and Prometheus is punished by the Jupiter.
As a result of going through with the surgery, Charlie gains knowledge. While he is thankful for what he learns, he also learns that others treated him poorly. Instead of making him happier, the experiment to increase his intelligence makes him a monster of sorts and isolates him from his friends and loved ones. He is driven out of his job, he can no longer communicate with Miss Kinnian, and he experiences intense loneliness. Like the monster in Frankenstein who repeatedly wonders “What was I?” Charlie doesn’t belong.
Charlie’s surgery is temporary. In the myths, the characters suffer and pass along the suffering to all mankind.
Miss Kinnian is not a companion given to Charlie (like Pandora in the myths), rather he earns her affections due to his personality and good character.
Students should compare and contrast the structures of all three texts.
The format of “Flowers for Algernon” is important. Since it is in journal format, we hear all the events from Charlie’s perspective. This introduces dramatic irony, which isn’t present in the myths or Frankenstein. Also, we are able to understand more of Charlie’s thoughts and motivations than we are able to understand Prometheus. Being from the point of view of Dr. Frankenstein and then the monster, we are able to understand their thoughts in Frankenstein, which is similar to “Flowers for Algernon.”
Students should compare and contrast the themes of all three texts.
“Flowers for Algernon,” like Frankenstein and the myths of Prometheus and Pandora, explore the role that knowledge plays in bettering the human condition. They also all explore the consequences of trying to gain access to that which is forbidden.
Prometheus wants to ensure that humans are happy and working together, but Jupiter, being fearful of losing power, ensures that won’t happen and unleashes Pandora’s box on humanity. As such, humans will always have a sense of hopelessness and sadness and isolation, which makes them long for being a part of something normal and happy. Charlie wants to be like everyone around him, so he has surgery, which, in a sense, opens his own Pandora’s box, leading him to not belong anywhere.
“Flowers for Algernon” also explores the treatment of others and relationships. The story illustrates the importance of kindness, which is not a major theme in the myths or Frankenstein. “Flowers for Algernon” also seems to value Charlie’s work ethic and motivation, as that is seen as a positive attribute and one which makes him a good candidate for the surgery. Dr. Frankenstein’s work in Frankenstein ruins him, rather than helps him, because it becomes an obsession. The myths do speak of the work Prometheus does to improve humans, but it also has negative consequences, as it leads Jupiter to send Pandora as punishment.

8. Develop a thesis statement.
Review your notes.
Develop a thesis statement.
Locate evidence which both supports and opposes your claim.
Does Keyes draw on traditional stories to tell a hopeful story or a cautionary tale?
Let’s Express our Understanding!
Teaching Notes
Suggested Pacing: ~ 12 minutes
Directions:
Direct students to review their notes on the three texts and develop a thesis statement in response to the Socratic seminar question.
Have them write their thesis statement on the top of their evidence chart and then locate evidence to support their claim.
Remind students to locate evidence that both supports and opposes their claim so they can acknowledge opposing claims during the seminar.
As needed, ask students to complete the evidence chart for homework.
Possible Supports During the Lesson:
As needed, prompt students to reference their notes from the unit for developing a thesis statement. Remind them that while thesis statements for an argument sometimes include a “because” statement, they do not have to include one.
Student Look-Fors:
Access the completed evidence chart handout.

9. In this lesson, you learned how the myths of Prometheus and Pandora, Frankenstein, and “Flowers for Algernon” have common characters, events, structures, and themes.
You also prepared for a Socratic seminar by collecting evidence from multiple texts.
Let’s Close!
Teaching Notes
Suggested Pacing: ~1 minute
Directions:
Read this slide.