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Socratic Seminar: The Giver

+Guidelines for Final Socratic Seminar on The Giver

Make sure that you open this presentation in Keynote so that you can view all of the text!

For our final discussion on this book, you will need to spend some time prepare critical ideas to share in our Socratic Seminar.

Paper or IPAD notes are acceptable. You will be turning in notes on paper or via googledrive.

Bullet points are fine, but make sure that they are adequate enough to guide and demonstrate your thinking

It will not be enough to simply talk; your ideas must add depth to the discussion!

Make sure that you come up with several ideas for each question so that way you will have something to share, even if somebody takes your first idea.

Remember: Thoughtful preparation now means effective participation (aka: success!) later.

+Socratic Seminar Questions: 1 & 2

1. The community in The Giver has attempted to be a Utopia. Did they succeed? Prove your answer. Do you think that it is ever possible for a Utopia to exist in our lives? Explain your thoughts on both of these ideas.

2. We have spent a lot of time discussing the idea of true emotions and connectedness with one another that were missing in this world. What do you think was MOST lacking in Jonas’ world? Prove your answer. If someone were to read about OUR world today, what emotion, ideal, or value would they find missing? Prove your answer.

+Socratic Seminar Questions: 3 & 4

3. We know that Lois Lowry ended the book ambiguously. What questions are left at the end of the book? What are your thoughts as to what is happening. What would be the point of doing this? Consider why she didn’t simply end the book with a concrete ending (and please do not say it was to make more money by allowing her to start a series!). What would be her message in doing this? Explain your ideas.

4. We have spent some time discussing “sameness,” “safety” and “convenience” and their priority over individual choice/freedom. What were the benefits this ideal brouth to their society? Which do you think has the higher value in OUR society? What evidence/examples do you have to support your thinking?