Socratic Seminar Worksheets | Socratic Seminar Handout

Socratic Seminar Worksheets | Socratic Seminar Handout 

Socratic seminars are a form of analytical inquiry in the form of discussions/dialogue between students, based on asking answering inductive and deductive questions to stimulate critical thinking and to illuminate ideas and deepen understanding of texts. It is a dialectical method, often involving a focused discussion with key open-ended questions about a text read by all participants in which students ask questions to "investigate/debate" different points of view; one participant may lead another to discover new perspectives and ideas, thus strengthening the inquirer's own point and knowledge.


Socratic seminars start with essential questions that are open-ended. Essential questions help students bring attention, focus, and analytical thought too great ideas through the thorough examination of ideas using Socratic inquiry. Essential questions build critical thinking because they are unanswerable without the ability to use logic, background understanding, discernment, and judgment.

Socratic Seminar Handout

[PDF]AVID Socratic Seminar
Participants in a Socratic Seminar respond to one another with respect by carefully listening ... seminar Preparation Worksheet, and Socratic Seminar Questions.

[PDF]Teacher and Student Guide
Date of Socratic Seminar: ______. Instructions: When preparing for a Socratic Seminar, write questions using these sentence frames to stimulate your thinking ...

[PDF]Socratic Seminar Participant Form
the door on seminar day! Socratic Seminar Participant Form. Preparation. Focus Questions and Annotations. Write 3 level two or three questions about the text(s) ...

[PDF]SOCRATIC SEMINAR: A TEACHER RESOURCE PACKET
THE TEXT Socratic Seminar texts are chosen for their richness in ideas, issues ... THE LEADER In aSocratic Seminar, the leader plays a dual role as leader and ...

[PDF]TeacherSupportHandouts - Bvsd
Socratic Seminars and Standards. Socratic seminars align with the Common Core State Standards for. English/Language Arts and Literacy in History/Social ...

[PDF]Socratic Seminar - nwabr

The purpose of a Socratic Seminar is to achieve a deeper understanding about ... In a Socratic Seminar, the participants carry the burden of responsibility for the.

[PDF]Socratic Seminar Self-Reflection
Socratic Seminar Self-Reflection. One goal of seminars is to understand the ideas and thoughts of others through asking questions and listening to answers.

[PDF]Socratic Seminar
1. Have Text, Socratic Seminar Preparation Worksheet, and Socratic Seminar Questions '.Worksheet out on your desk. 2. If in the inner circle, you will participate ...

[PDF]AVID Socratic Seminar - Waiakea High School
Successful Socratic Seminars are dependent upon groups of students developing skills ... Socratic Seminar is a necessary element in every AVID program, and ...

2nd-3rd Grade Reading Level
The Ants and the Grasshopper
A Better Community
The Big Game
The Boy Who Cried "Wolf!"
Changing Our Street (realistic fiction)
Community Meeting
Community Meeting
Community Progress
The First Flag
Flying
How the Firefly Got Its Light
Letter to Grandmother
Little Pink Riding Hood English / Spanish
The Little Red Hen
Making Progress
Mama's Happy Christmas
More Trees
My Community
My First Baseball Game
My Job
My New Brother
My Sister, the Soldier
My Summer
The New Family
Our Lemons
Prairie Farmers
Potawatomi Prairie
See Our Progress
Spring is Coming
The Turtle and the Rabbit
The Turtle and the Ducks
Why Did Mamma Change Her Mind?The Ants and the Grasshopper
A Better Community
The Big Game
The Boy Who Cried "Wolf!"
Changing Our Street (realistic fiction)
Community Meeting
Community Meeting
Community Progress
The First Flag
Flying
How the Firefly Got Its Light
Letter to Grandmother
Little Pink Riding Hood English / Spanish
The Little Red Hen
Making Progress
Mama's Happy Christmas
More Trees
My Community
My First Baseball Game
My Job
My New Brother
My Sister, the Soldier
My Summer
The New Family
Our Lemons
Prairie Farmers
Potawatomi Prairie
See Our Progress
Spring is Coming
The Turtle and the Rabbit
The Turtle and the Ducks
Why Did Mamma Change Her Mind?

2nd-3rd Grade Reading Level
After the Chicago Fire sequence and summarize
American Explorers evaluate information, summarize, and identify and support a main idea
Animal Studies infer and support the main idea of a passage
Block Clubs infer and support the main idea of a passage
The Captain's Job infer and support the main idea of a passage
Chicago Changes identify and support the main idea in nonfiction texts
Chicago Fire sequence events, infer motive, and write about nonfiction
Chicago Legacy: Burnham's Plan locate and use information to analyze a situation, write about a topic English / Spanish
Chicago Legacy, DuSable's Choices and Changes locate and use information to analyze a situation, then write about it English / Spanish
Chicago's First Leader infer and support the main idea of a passage
The First Flyers infer and support the main idea of a passage
George Washington Carver
Grant Park write an extended response about a nonfiction reading
Gwendolyn Brooks, An African American Poet
Learn about Ghana infer and support the main idea of a passage
Letter to the Mayor evaluate information, summarize, and identify and support a main idea
Native American Life--Potawatomi Profile
Native American Life--Potawatomi Profile with Multiple Choice Questions and Activities
Natural Gas: An Energy Resource infer and support the main idea of a passage
A New Park evaluate information, summarize, and identify and support a main idea
Pigeon Creek infer and support the main idea of a passage
Pioneer Families infer and support the main idea of a passage
Prairie Ecology analyze information in a nonfiction text
Prairie Ecology with Multiple Choice Questions and Activities
Read to Learn about Symbols, Maps, and Art evaluate information, summarize, and identify and support a main idea
Saving Your Family's Energy Dollar infer and support the main idea of a passage
Settlement infer and support the main idea of a passage
Staying in Phoenix summarize a passage
Transportation Changes infer and support the main idea of a passage

4th Grade Reading Level Passages
The Astronaut's Diary
The Challenge
Changing Transportation Routes
The Different Bird
The Election
The Food Change
The Gift
The Hero
The History Mystery
I Like Plants
The Lion and the Spider
The Little Red Hen
Letter from Chicago
Lincoln's Choice
The Missing Money
My Community
My Cousin's Lesson
My Father's Miracle
My New President
My Painting
The New Student
A New Day Realistic Fiction about the Election of Barack Obama and Civil Rights
Pigeon Express
Potawatomi Prairie
Prairie Farmers
The Prairie Project
A Proud Flight The story of Icarus
The Quarterback
Summer
The Technology Trip
The Train
Traveling with Lewis and Clark
Why Did Mamma Change Her Mind?

Grade Level Nonfiction Passages
4th Grade Reading Level
Traveling West evaluate information, summarize, and identify and support a main idea
What is a Fable? evaluate information, summarize, and identify and support a main idea
Working at the Hospital evaluate information, summarize, and identify and support a main idea
Breaking the Food Chain infer and support the main idea of a passage
Chicago Changer, Jane Addams infer and support the main idea of a passage
Chicago High Schools evaluate information, summarize, and identify and support a main idea
Chicago Legacy: Burnham's Plan locate and use information to analyze a situation, write about a topic English / Spanish
Chicago Legacy, DuSable's Choices and Changes locate and use information to analyze a situation, then write about it English / Spanish
City Government infer and support the main idea of a passage
The Early Chicago Environment and People classify information and summarize a nonfiction topic
Learn about Egypt infer and support the main idea of a passage
The Football Team identify the main idea
A Garden in Lawndale evaluate information, summarize, and identify and support a main idea (4th grade reading level)
Gwendolyn Brooks, An African American Poet
Illinois Pioneers and Prairies infer while reading a history
Learning about the Solar System identify the main idea of a passage, write an extended response about a nonfiction passage
Natural Gas: An Energy Resource infer and support the main idea of a passage
Penguins
Pilsen, A Community Changes identify causes and effects
Plants and Places infer and support the main idea of a passage
Prairie Changes identify an author's purpose, write an extended response
Prairie Changing the Ecosystem with Multiple Choice Questions analyze information in a nonfiction text
Seasons on the Prairie infer and support the main idea of a passage
Seasons on the Prairie with Multiple Choice Questions
Settlement infer and support the main idea of a passage
Settlement with Multiple Choice Questions
Space Food infer and support the main idea of a passage
Staying in Phoenix infer and support the main idea of a passage
Today's Telephone infer and support the main idea of a passage
Transportation Workers evaluate information, summarize, and identify and support a main idea
What is a Fable? evaluate information, summarize, and identify and support a main idea
Working at the Television Station evaluate information, summarize, and identify and support a main idea
Working at the Hospital evaluate information, summarize, and identify and support a main idea
The Working Tools of Insects infer and support the main idea of a passage


5th Grade Reading Level
Barack Obama Makes History
The Cloud
Columbus and the Egg historical fiction
The Difficult Journey
The Elves and the Shoemaker
Flying
The Gulls of Salt Lake
I Like Plants
Making Progress
Mama's Happy Christmas
More Trees
Mousie
My Job
My New Brother
Nature's Violet Children
Potawatomi Prairie
Soldier's Letter
The Technology Trip
Training for the Presidency


Grade Level Nonfiction Passages
5th Grade Reading Level
American Explorers infer and support the main idea of a passage
Animal Studies infer and support the main idea of a passage
Better Living in Chicago: Jane Addams restate a situation presented in text; write to communicate about a situation (5th grade reading level)
Chicago Changes infer and support the main idea of a passage
Chicago Fire infer and support the main idea of a passage
Chicago Legacy: Burnham's Plan locate and use information to analyze a situation, write about a topic English / Spanish
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. I can infer the author's purpose
Election Choices infer and support the main idea of a passage
From Many Places evaluate information, summarize, and identify and support a main idea
Learn about Ethiopia infer and support the main idea of a passage )
George Washington Carver
Gwendolyn Brooks, An African American Poet
How Did People Solve a Problem?
How Have Students Made Community Progress? analyze a problem and solution in a text, identify and support the main idea
Penguins
Prairie Keepers analyze information in a nonfiction text
Prairie Keepers with Multiple Choice Questions and Activities
Public Transportation evaluate information, summarize, and identify and support a main idea
Read to Learn about City Systems evaluate information, summarize, and identify and support a main idea
Read to Learn about Elections evaluate information, summarize, and identify and support a main idea
The Recycle Center evaluate information, summarize, and identify and support a main idea
Reversing the Chicago River identify cause-effect relations and infer predictions
Seasons on the Prairie analyze information in a nonfiction text
Seasons on the Prairie with Multiple Choice Questions and Activities
Settlement infer and support the main idea of a passage
Settlement with Multiple Choice Questions
Valley Forge infer and support the main idea of a passage
Who Am I sequence events, infer motive, and write about nonfiction

6th Grade Reading Level
City Mouse--a Fable
Community Progress realistic fiction about a mural
The Elves and the Shoemaker
The First Flag
A Good Student realistic fiction about starting high school
A Great Digger--A North American Fable
His First Dollar historical fiction about Abraham Lincoln
Letter to Grandmother
The Lost Dog
Potawatomi Prairie
See Our Progress
Sir Gobble

Grade Level Nonfiction Passages
6th Grade Reading Level
Before Chicago infer and support the main idea of a passage
Chicago's First Leader infer and support the main idea of a passage
The Early Chicago Environment and People classify information and summarize a nonfiction topic
Election Choices infer and support the main idea of a passage
Gwendolyn Brooks, An African American Poet
Inferential Questions: Harold Washington's Acceptance Speech
Labor Day Address--Barack Obama Speech infer and support the main idea of a passage
Learn about Zambia infer and support the main idea of a passage
Nutrition Lesson evaluate information, summarize, and identify and support a main idea
Plants and Food infer and support the main idea of a passage
Prairie Ecology evaluate information, summarize, and identify and support a main idea
Prairie Ecology with Multiple Choice Questions and Activities
Settlement analyze information in a nonfiction text
Settlement with Multiple Choice Questions and Activities
Seasons on the Prairie infer and support the main idea of a passage
Seasons on the Prairie with Multiple Choice Questions and Activities
Traveling West infer and support the main idea of a passage

7th Grade Reading Level
Barack Obama Makes History
Columbus and the Egg historical fiction about an event showing Columbus as a smart person
A Good Student realistic fiction about starting high school
I Like Plants
John's Bright Idea
Making a Difference
My First Baseball Game
My Summer
Potawatomi Prairie
The Red Apples
Gwendolyn Brooks, An African American Poet


Grade Level Nonfiction Passages
7th Grade Reading Level
Honest Abe infer and support the main idea of a passage
Inaugural Address by John F. Kennedy evaluate information, summarize, and identify and support a main idea
Labor Day Address--Barack Obama Speech infer and support the main idea of a passage
Learn about Kenya infer and support the main idea of a passage
Learning about the Solar System infer and support the main idea of a passage
Pilsen--A Community Changes identify causes and effects
Prairie Keepers infer and support the main idea of a passage
Prairie Keepers with Multiple Choice Questions and Activities
Settlement infer and support the main idea of a passage
Settlement with Multiple Choice Questions and Activities
Today's Telephone infer and support the main idea of a passage


8th-10th Grade Reading Level
The Difficult Journey
The Gulls of Salt Lake
Lexington
My Job
My New President
My Sister, the Soldier
Potawatomi Prairie
See Our Progress
Training for the Presidency

Grade Level Nonfiction Passages
8th-10th Grade Reading Level
An African Heritage in Chicago identify and support the main idea in a nonfiction passage
Bold Plans, Big Dreams, City Progress identify and support the theme of a text
Changing the Ecosystem infer and support the main idea of a passage
Changing the Ecosystem with Multiple Choice Questions and Activities
Chicago is a City of Possibilities: Deval Patrick, Leader for Chicago analyze a text and write an extended response based on it
Deval Patrick's Acceptance Speech infer and support the main idea of a passage
George Washington Carver
Gwendolyn Brooks, An African American Poet
Honest Abe infer and support the main idea of a passage
Inaugural Address by John F. Kennedy evaluate information, summarize, and identify and support a main idea
Inferential Questions: Harold Washington's Acceptance Speech
Labor Day Address--Barack Obama Speech infer and support the main idea of a passage
Learn about Physical Therapists evaluate information, summarize, and identify and support a main idea
Learn about South Africa evaluate information, summarize, and identify and support a main idea
Maintaining Cultural Continuity infer and support the main idea of a passage
New Leadership analyze a speech
Settlement infer and support the main idea of a passage
Settlement with Multiple Choice Questions and Activities
Transportation Changes infer and support the main idea of a passage
What is Your Own Big Plan? (Barack Obama speech) analyze a text and respond to the issues it presents, write an extended response to a persuasive text
What Values Have Shaped Chicago? identify the main idea of a passage
Why is Community Service Important? identify the main idea and supporting information
Chicago High Schools infer predictions
Chicago Legacy: DuSable's Choices and Changes infer and support the main idea of a passage
Deval Patrick's Acceptance Speech infer and support the main idea of a passage
Harold Washington's Acceptance Speech
Frederick Douglass Speech on Women's Suffrage
John F. Kennedy's Remarks in the Rudolph Wilde Platz, Berlin
Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address
President Barack Obama's Speech to Students
President Franklin D. Roosevelt's First Inaugural Address

Teacher Created: Read the passage below and have students participate in a Socratic seminar.

Lost Episode of Star Wars: Clown Wars

“Virus-Carrying Space Simians Subdue Earth”

"We have met the enemy and he is us."

It all started when our pedantic Jedi Master, Sean, woke up in a Galactic Republic detention cell for teaching Padawans’ to boycott the Galactic Republics never-ending testing policies. It was the third time it had happened that month. Feeling very angered, Sean flicked a hungry Womp Rat that was chewing on his boots, thinking it would stop chewing and go away!  A few moments later, he realized that his favorite double lightsaber was missing from his belt!  Immediately he sent a text message to his top Padawan Henny and asked, ‘who was the last Pada’ with my lightsaber?’ Fernando? Sean had known Fernando for 1.357e+8 seconds (many Earth years), the majority of which were fruitful ones.  Fernando was unique. He was an intelligent Padawan though sometimes a little... loquacious. Sean called him anyway seeking answers, for the situation was urgent.

   Fernando assured him that most North America man-eating kittens purr before attacking and eating, yet South American man-eating kittens usually indiscriminately meow before attacking and eating. Many scientists used to believe kittens licked your hand or face because they wanted you to pet them, wanted some lovies or a meaty treat, but they found out they are really slow man-eaters! WHAT! What???? Sean had no idea what Fernando was talking about; Fernando was only concerned with diverting the conversation away from the lightsaber and distracting Sean with mindless banter.  Why was Fernando trying to distract Sean and evade the topic with his bizarre hyperbole?  Because he had snuck out of class (borrowed without asking) with Sean's prized lightsaber during one more lecture on Socratic Philosophy, being positive, cooperative learning, taking the best path and coming to Padawan school with a purpose. The lightsaber was an amazing and beguiling double lightsaber... that his master won from a Sith lord named Darkmall or something like that. How could he resist playing with a Sith double lightsaber even a converted one?

   It didn't take long before Sean got Fernando back to the subject at hand: his lightsaber and did Fernando know anything about its disappearance? Fernando turned lightsaber red. Reluctantly, Fernando invited his Jedi master over to his new condo next to Yodas old place in the swamp. He asks him to stop off on his way and pick up some bananas, thinking that would buy him some time. Fernando thought the jig is up, ‘assuring his master they'd find the lightsaber’? Sean grabbed his utility belt and disembarked immediately from the detention center without a trace or Jedi mind tricks. Fernando realized that he was in deep bandini or as Jar Jar always said, ‘You-sa in big doo-doo dis time!’ He had to find a place to hide the lightsaber and quick until he could hide it back at school on Monday and act confused. He figured that if Sean used his Jedi mind tricks to get out of the detention cell, he had less than a few minutes before Sean would get there. Fernando hoped Sean’s Millennium Falcon would breaks down on the way over as it often did, if so he may just pull this off?  Fernando thought for a moment, he would be in exceedingly less deep bandini if he could….

   Before he could come up with any reasonable ideas, Fernando was interrupted by a horde of teenage Sith wookiees that were lured by the smell of the double lightsabers Midi-chlorians or kittens? Fernando grimaced; 'Not again', he thought. Feeling exasperated that these walking carpets would not stop bothering him, he quickly reached for his man-eating kittens and violently scratched every last one of them. Apparently this was an adequate deterrent; the discouraged critters began to scurry back toward the swamp, laughing with displeasure. He exhaled with relief.  That's when he heard the Falcon rolling up.  It was Master Jedi Sean!

   As he looked for a parking spot, his Jedi senses of premonition told him  things aren't adding up. He had had to make an unscheduled stop at the Egg Roll Palace to pick up a 12-pack of ramen noodles for his Top performing Padawans and bananas for Fernando’s kitten, so he knew he was running late yet his spidey senses were tingling, yes tingling.  With a nifty leap, Sean was out of the Falcon and headed with a purpose toward Fernando's front door.  Meanwhile inside, Fernando was panicking.  Not thinking, he tossed the lightsaber into a kitty liter box and then slid the box behind his purple hippopotamus lamp. Fernando was not pleased but at least the lightsaber was concealed.  The doorbell rang.

   'Come in,' Fernando timidly said.  With a Jedi force push, Sean opened the door.  'Sorry for being late, but I was being chased by some oafish miscreant Sith wookiees in a rented star cruiser,' he embellished.  'its fine, not hearing a word he said,' Fernando assured him. ‘Take a seat in the living room and I will make your favorite green tea’. Sean took a seat excruciatingly close to where Fernando had just hidden the double lightsaber behind the purple hippopotamus lamp. Fernando shuddered trying unsuccessfully to hide his nervousness.  'Uhh, can I get you anything while the tea is brewing?' he blurted.  But Sean was distracted by his spidey senses. Sean Replied, ‘Happy as a banana full monkey’, Fernando noticed a determined look on Sean's face. Sean slowly opened his mouth to speak.

   '...What's that smell?'

   Fernando felt a stabbing pain in his ear when Sean asked this.  In a moment of disbelief, he realized that he had hidden the lightsaber right by his oscillating fan. 'Wh-what?  I don't smell anything..!'  A lie.  A Midi-chlorians -smelling Jedi look started to form on Sean's face. He turned to notice a kitty liter box that seemed clearly out of place. Fernando again trying to distract his master pointed across the room 'Th-th-those are my grandma's blasters from when she used to hunt Indonesian Nerfcats.  She, uh...dropped 'em by here earlier'. Sean nodded with fake acknowledgement...then, before Fernando could react, Sean deftly leaped toward the kitty litter box and dug in.  The lightsaber was plainly in view amongst the cat bandini.

   Sean stared at Fernando for what must've been three minutes. Like a Padawan gone bad in a classroom with no Kagan, Fernando groped surreptitiously in Sean's direction, clearly desperate to stop Sean. Sean grabbed the lightsaber and walked to the front door.  It was locked. Fernando let out an evil Sith like chuckle. 'If only you hadn't been so protective of that thing, none of this would have happened, Sean,' he rebuked. Fernando always had a funny-smell about him, like old library books from his days in the Jolly Jedi Readers Society. Sean knew that reconciliation was not an option; he needed to escape before “Sith Fernando” did something crazy, like... start chucking dull pencils at him or something worse. As if it really mattered he gripped his lightsaber tightly and made a dash toward the window, diving headlong through the giant glass pane.

   Fernando looked on, blankly. 'What the ...?  That seemed excessive.  The other side door was clearly open, you know.' Silence from Sean just the sound of breaking glass. 'And to think, I replaced that window pane last week when Henny did the same thing...it never ends!' Suddenly he felt a tinge of concern for his Jedi Master Sean. 'Oh. No!  'Oh. No! You ..okay master?' Still silence. Fernando walked over to the broken window and looked down. Sean was gone.

   Sean was struggling to make his way through the swamp behind Fernando's place. Sean had severely hurt his hand and leg during the window jumping incident, and was starting to lose focus.  Just then a pack of teenage Sith wookiees suddenly appeared, having caught wind of the double lightsaber Midi-chlorians again.  One by one they jumped on top of Sean.  Already weakened from his injury, Sean yielded to the furious onslaught and collapsed in a pile of fur.  The last thing he saw before losing consciousness was a buzzing horde of Sith wookiees running off with his cherished lightsaber.

   But then Yoda swooped in with a troop of clown clones and retrieved Sean's lightsaber from the wookiee horde. Yoda, feeling bored, smote some wookiees  and shaved clean others for their bulling Sith ways. Then He got in His troop carrier and jetted away with the determination of a 6-legged Nerfcats running from a long-haired Nerfcat Herder. Sean jumped with joy when he saw this. His precious lightsaber was safe. It was a good thing, too, because in four minutes his favorite Discovery Channel program, Dual Survival, was going to come on (followed immediately by a documentary on the UR80 Virus outbreak in 2013 entitled '“Virus-Carrying Space Gerbils Subdue Earth”). Sean was overjoyed and elated. And so, everyone except DarthFernando and his hungry South American man-eating kittens lived blissfully happily, forever after.

• Socratic questions to build a deeper understanding of the text and to serve as the  key seminar questions to help interpret the text:

1.     What are the stages of plot in the story and do they move the story forward?

2.     How do the story elements of plot/conflict/characters/setting/theme work to make the story work?

3.     What are the key elements of the plot exposition and can they be improved?

4.     What are the key elements of the rising action/ subplots/ anecdotal stories and should they be improved?

5.     What are the key elements of the climax and can it be improved?

6.     What are the key elements of the falling action and should they be improved?

7. What are the key elements of the resolution/conclusion/obligatory scene and should they be improved?

8.     What is the main idea or underlying theme in the text?

9.     What is the author’s purpose or perspective?

10.                        What does (_____________) mean?

11.                        How does the figurative language help or detract from the text?

12.                        What might be an alternate title for the text?

13.                        What is the most important word/sentence/paragraph/idiom/ conclusion/inference/idea?

• Socratic questions to move the discussion along:

1.     Who has a different perspective on the plot/conflict/characters/  setting/theme?

2.     Who has not yet had a chance to speak?

3.     Where do you find evidence for _______that in the text?

4.     Can you clarify what you mean by ____________?

5.     How does that contrast to what _________________ said?

6.     Is there something in the text that is unclear to you?

7.     Has anyone changed their mind about the plot/conflict/characters/  setting/theme?

• Socratic questions to bring the discussion to a close:

1.     How do the themes in the text relate to our lives?

2.     What do they mean for you personally?

3.     Why is this theme/main idea important?

4.     Do you agree with the author’s theme/main idea?

• Socratic seminar wrap up (debriefing) questions:

1.     Do you understand the text at a deeper level?

2.     How was the Socratic seminar process for examining a text?

3.     What was one thing you liked or disliked about the Socratic seminar process?