Mini Lesson |Socratic Seminar

Socratic Seminar

Today's mini-lesson will cover
- parts and expectations of a Socratic Seminar
- how to ask good questions
- how to talk in an academic conversation

BASICS OF A SOCRATIC SEMINAR seminar?

• A formal STUDENT-LED discussion based on texts/sources.

• EVERYONE reaches a deeper understanding of the complex topic.

• Think deep, ask high-level questions.

• Respects different perspectives without interrupting

• There are two circles

  • ○ The inner circle has an academic conversation

    ○ The outer circle tracks the conversation and gives feedback

TO SUCCEED,

• Respond to your peers: agree, disagree, add on, ask a question.

• Refer back to the text when talking—provide source and evidence.

• Make connections: text-to-self, text-to-text, and text-to-world

• Track the conversation and provide feedback.

Drag and Drop

To succeed in a socratic seminar, we need to...

1. Respond to your peers: ​

Placeholder

.

2. Refer back ​

Placeholder

when talking—​

Placeholder

.

3. ​

Placeholder

: text-to-self, text-to-text, and text-to-world

4. Track the conversation and ​

Placeholder

.

Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

agree, disagree, add on, ask a question

to the text

provide source and evidence

provide feedback

Make connections

Argue

to yourself

Labelling

Here are the five steps of the socratic seminar. Four labels are missing. Drag and drop the the correct label into the blank yellow spaces.

Drag labels to their correct position on the image

Reflect

Halftime

Discuss the first essential question

BEFORE

Labelling

BEFORE THE SOCRATIC SEMINAR, WE NEED GATHER OUR THOUGHTS. The image is a sample of what the BEFORE looks like. Drag and drop the words in the correct spot.

Drag labels to their correct position on the image

1. 1. Should we ban suspensions?

3. 3. Restorative justice or transformative

Directions

2. 2. How effective are suspensions?

BEFORE:

• ​Avoid questions with yes/no answers

• Ask questions that make people think and probe their brain

• There is no one clear, correct, or simple answer.

• Higher than memorizing facts or repeating details and information.

• It’s about what you do with the information—making connections, analyzing, predicting, inferring, judging, imagining

​How to ask higher-level questions

​We need prepare some questions

Here's what higher-level questions usually begin with!

Multiple Select

What words do higher-level questions begin with? Choose all that apply.

• Why

• When

• How will...be impacted if...

• Which is more important: _ or _

• What would the world be like if….

The goals of
the outer circle

This is where you track the whole conversation.

This is the rubric to grade your player.

​THIS IS WHAT THE INNER CIRCLE DOES

These are the talk moves you can use!

​THIS IS WHAT THE FACILITATOR DOES

Categorize

Options (11)

Track your player’s participation

Listen and record key ideas of the WHOLE conversation

Give feedback to the speaker

Respond to my peers in a loud and clear voice

Listen and follow the discussion

Refer back to the text

Lift every voice:  Make sure everyone gets a chance to speak.

Keep it flowing: Deeply explore people’s ideas by using talk moves

Encourage participants to refer to text

Step away and let the students lead

Clarify directions if they don't understand

Organize these options into the right categories

Coach (observers)

Players (speakers)

Faciliators

Teachers

​THE LAST STEP OF THE SOCRATIC SEMINAR

Multiple Select

The last step of the socratic seminar is to...

(choose all that apply)

• Reflect and give a glow and grow

• Give a shout-out for an insight!

• Sigh because it's finally done.

• The coach gives feedback to their player during half time.