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.

Knowledgecollect describe identify listshow enumerate tabulate definelabel name retell matchstate quote read tellrecord reproduce copy

select• Examples: dates, events, places, vocabulary, key

ideas, parts of diagram, 5Ws

Comprehensionassociate compare distinguishextend interpret predictdifferentiate contrast describediscuss estimate grouporder cite convertsummarize explain traceparaphrase restate

• Examples: find meaning, transfer, interpret facts, infer cause & consequence, examples

Applicationapplyclassifychangeillustratedemonstratecalculate complete solvemodify show experiment relatediscover act administer articulatechart collect compute constructdeterminedevelop establish prepareproduce report teach transfer use• Examples: use information in new situations,

solve problems

Analysisanalyze arrange connect divide inferseparate classify compare contrastexplain select order breakdowncorrelate diagram discriminate focusillustrate infer outline prioritizesubdivide point out• Examples: recognize and explain patterns

and meaning, see parts and wholes

Synthesiscombine compose generalize modifyInvent plan substitute createdesign integrate rearrange formulateadapt rewrite anticipate speculatedevise compile express collaborateFacilitate reinforce structure substitutevalidate intervene negotiate reorganize• Examples: discuss "what if" situations, create new ideas,

predict and draw conclusions

Evaluationassess compare decide discriminatemeasure rank test convinceconclude explain grade judgeappraise criticize support summarizedefend persuade justify reframe

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.