Who do you think this man is? Socratic Seminar Who do you think this man is?

What is the purpose of a Socratic Seminar? A way to understand information from an article through discussing with classmates. Socrates believed “you should question things to determine if they are valid.”

How do you start? Everyone gets an article to read Number paragraphs in text Read article and mark the text (important words and ideas) Develop questions in the margins

For Classic Style Socratic Seminar Sit in one circle with copy of article Whip Around-each student shares 1 question Leader decides which question to start with Students discuss answers, referencing the text and paragraph #. Final Whip Around-Each student adds a closing thought.

How do we discuss opinions without it becoming a debate? Respect each other. Disagree with the statement but not the person Until it is sufficiently answered. If it is silent someone should jump in with another question. How long should a question be discussed before moving on?

What if questions are only answered with opinions and not facts? How do we use the text during the seminar? During the seminar you refer to the text. Number the paragraphs so you can say “in paragraph 1…” Refer to the text as well as stating your opinion. Use the text to back up your point. What if questions are only answered with opinions and not facts?

Watch a Socratic Seminar from Walker Middle School http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pGVR6ZF_2M

EXIT CARD 3 Norms for Socratic Seminar you saw in the video text 2 Observations from the video 1 Question you still have