Socratic Seminar

assignment

For each question provide the following:
1) Claim
2) Text Evidence with page number
3) Commentary
4) What difference does it make?

Directions: Choose 10 questions to answer. Each answer must contain: claim (opinion), text evidence with page number, and commentary. Each of your answers need to be labeled in the following format.
O:
E:
C:
W: (if you choose to do this one)

Use white space between each label (O, E, C, W).

Why is the title Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry?
Compare and contrast Uncle Hammer and David Logan.
TJ said, "Friends gotta trust each other, Stacy, ‘cause ain't nothin’ like a true friend." Did TJ live by his own words? If so, how? If not, why not?
Who is responsible for TJ's downfall?
Why didn't Lillian Jean understand why Cassie punched her?
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry has been called, "A story of the survival of the human spirit." Explain why/how this statement is true.
What was Jeremy's purpose as a character?
Suppose the story had been written from Little Man's point of view. How would that have changed our perception of the events?
Do things like those that happened to Cassie and her family in the story still happen today?
Do you think peoples prejudices can or will ever be overcome? Explain why or why not.
Where is the climax of the story? Justify your answer.
What is TJ's biggest flaw as a character?
Who was the most evil character in the novel? Why?
Is TJ an inherently bad character? Or is he corrupted by the influences of others?
Is Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry a realistic story? Why or why not?
A major theme in the novel is coming of age. How does Stacey change from beginning to end?
What is Big Ma’s purpose as a character in Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry?
How does prejudice affect Americans today?
How can people be prejudiced against a group of people without even realizing it? And what ways are the Logans themselves also prejudice?
Define respect. Who is the most respected character?
Besides racism, what do you believe is one of the major themes in the novel? Why?
By referring to incidents in the story, prove that one theme in this story is: “The human spirit is unconquerable and refuses to be enslaved.”
Stories in which young people are the heroes are usually called “coming of age” stories. They are usually one of two types: loss of innocence or rite of passage: State what kind of coming of age story you think this is. Why?
Comment on the relationship that the last paragraph of this story has to a major theme in this novel.
This story says a great deal about values, both good and bad. Pick an individual and state what he/she values.
In what ways can the pearl-handled pistol be considered a symbol?

Talk to each other
Refer to evidence from the text to support your ideas.
Ask questions if you do not understand what someone has said, or you can paraphrase what another student has said for clarification (“I think you said this; is that right?”).
You do not need to raise your hand to speak, but please pay attention to your “airtime”—how much you have spoken in relation to other students.
Don’t interrupt.
Don’t “put down” the ideas of another student. Without judging the student you disagree with, state your alternate interpretation or ask a follow-up question to help probe or clarify an idea.

How to format answers

State your claim
Provide text evidence

3. Provide commentary

Additional Help

State your claim
1. Be sure to restate the question within your claim.
Provide text evidence
1. Text evidence must include pages numbers and be a direct quotation with quotation marks.
Provide commentary
1. Re-explain the evidence
2. Provide the significance of the evidence
3. Connect back to your claim

Question to help you write complex commentary

1. How could you RE-EXPLAIN the evidence?
2. What is ESPECIALLY important about the evidence?
3. How does the evidence PROVE the claim?
4. What NEW point can you make about the claim using THIS evidence?
5. What does THIS evidence reveal about your claim that the other evidence does not?

Purpose
The purpose of a Socratic Seminar is to achieve a deeper understanding about the ideas and values in a text. In the Seminar, participants systematically question and examine issues and principles related to a particular content, and articulate different points-of-view. The group conversation assists participants in constructing meaning through disciplined analysis, interpretation, listening, and participation.

Background
In a Socratic Seminar, the participants carry the burden of responsibility for the quality of the discussion. Good discussions occur when participants study the text closely in advance, listen actively, share their ideas and questions in response to the ideas and questions of others, and search for evidence in the text to support their ideas. The discussion is not about right answers; it is not a debate. Students are encouraged to think out loud and to exchange ideas openly while examining ideas in a rigorous, thoughtful, manner

• Sample questions to serve as the key question or interpret the text:
What is the main idea or underlying value in the text?
What is the author’s purpose or perspective?
What does (a particular phrase) mean? What might be a good title for the text?
What is the most important word/sentence/paragraph?

• Sample questions to move the discussion along:
Who has a different perspective?
Who has not yet had a chance to speak?
Where do you find evidence for that in the text? Can you clarify what you mean by that?
How does that relate to what (someone else) said?
Is there something in the text that is unclear to you?
Has anyone changed their mind?

• Sample questions to bring the discussion back to students in closing:
How do the ideas in the text relate to our lives?
What do they mean for us personally?
Why is this material important? Is it right that….?
Do you agree with the author?

• Sample debriefing questions:
Do you feel like you understand the text at a deeper level?
How was the process for us?
Did we adhere to our norms?
Did you achieve your goals to participate?
What was one thing you noticed about the seminar?