JC Socratic Seminar

Below are some of the materials for our upcoming "Julius Caesar" Socratic Seminar.

The packet below is the info packet. This is mostly the same as the info packet for our "Anthem" Socratic Seminar with just a few minor changes.



Next is the resource packet. This has question stems, thematic subjects, and question categories you can use to help come up with different questions. This is a RESOURCE packet; you do NOT have to write on it.



Finally, we have our prep packet. This was printed on bright orange paper and it is a part of the final seminar grade (it'll be worth about 20% of the overall grade).



On Friday, May 18th, students were asked to finish the entire first page of this packet. That includes the conversational questions and the analysis questions. Both types of questions can consist of level 2 and level 3 questions; the difference is that conversational questions may not have answers that can be supported using the text and analysis questions have answers that MUST be supported or demonstrated using the text.

For example:

Why does Shakespeare portray the Romans as stupid and easily persuaded? 
While this question may not have an ANSWER that relates to the text, I can demonstrate where it happens in the text and then infer the reason why.

Is Portia or Calpurnia more persuasive when speaking to their respective husbands?
The answer to this will depend on your personal feelings and interpretation, but I would use the text itself to support my answer. I would cite a quote from either Portia or Calpurnia and explain how they effectively use the rhetorical appeals (ethos, pathos, logos).

Was Brutus ready to kill Caesar BEFORE he received the fake letters, or did the letters finally persuade him?
Here, I might have a personal interpretation, but I MUST use the text to support myself. I can't just speculate; the answer is somewhere in the play.

The rest of the pages involve materials that won't be available to students until Monday, so students should come to class on Monday with the first page of this packet completed.

Be sure to refer to act, scene, and line numbers frequently. If you ask a question during the seminar, it may be possible other people will not remember exactly what you are referring to and might require  you to point out where it is in the play. If you can't do that, you lose the opportunity to earn credit by fostering productive discussion.

Assassination Triplet Video

Below is the video version of the assassination of Julius Caesar for those students who are completing the assassination triplet optional assignment. Try and observe how this version differs or is similar to the Plutarch and Shakespeare versions.

Past Powerpoints - April 16 to May 7

Since some of you have been requesting the powerpoints from days past and the warm ups, here they are below. If you were notified you were given a 0 for a warm-up due to off-task behavior during class, you may not earn credit for it by completing it at a later date. All other warm-ups missed due to absences or being out of class may be completed for credit at a later date as long as they are turned in by the assigned due date.

"Julius Caesar" Analytical Paragraph Notes and Handouts

On Friday, we began an analytical paragraph over a prompt relating to "Julius Caesar." One main reason we are composing this paragraph now is to begin to transition away from STAAR prep and into English 3 prep. Students in English 3 will be composing literary analysis essays which differ in a few major ways from persuasive and expository essays. Our analytical paragraph is meant to be a practice to prepare English 2 students for the additional rigor of English 3 and literary analysis.

We began by reviewing the notes from the first page of the document below, then proceeding to completing the notes on the second page together.



Here, you can see the notes each class took. Find your class if you were absent and be sure to copy these notes when you return to class.



First, we drafted out what we knew about superstitions and omens and how we see them throughout the first half of the play. Based on our brainstorming, we selected an idea and began writing our analytical paragraph beneath. On Monday, we will complete this paragraph, annotate it based on the different parts, and then students will complete their OWN paragraph using the prompt and document below.



For students who may require additional help or graphic organizers, you can use the document below. It is not required for students to use these handouts, but it may be beneficial for students having difficulty getting started.

"Julius Caesar" Quote Hunt #2

Here is our second quote hunt for "Julius Caesar." It is due Wednesday, May 16th and Thursday, May 17th.

"Julius Caesar" Test Resources

Our test over Act 1 and Act 2, Scene 1 of Julius Caesar is on Wednesday, April 25th and Thursday, April 26th. If you are looking for a last-minute study resource, I would be sure to check out the links below. 

LitCharts provides the following content that you may find useful based on what will be on the test:

• A summary and modern day translation of the entire play
• Descriptions and profiles of all major characters
• Important quotes, who said them, and what they mean

Cliffnotes offers an overall summary of the text, along with:

• Character descriptions
• Quizzes
• Explanations of important quotes

Sparknotes contains most of the resources listed above as well, but also has:

• Quizzes over each individual scene

Don't forget that your quote hunt is meant to be a study guide/review for the test. Some questions and quotes from this assignment will likely appear on the test too! If you complete that assignment and review your notes, you should do fine. 

"Julius Caesar" Scene Questions and Quote Hunt #1

Below are a couple of handouts we will be using during our reading of "Julius Caesar." The first one, which was given out on purple paper, are plot-based comprehensions questions, similar to the questions you may see on the upcoming quiz over the background and Act I on Monday, April 23rd. We are answering these questions together DURING reading. If you are out, I would talk with a classmate and get responses from them during the warm up or during work time.



Next is Quote Hunt #1. This will be due on block day of next week when we take our first quiz over the first half of the play. This is a formative grade and is very similar to the quote hunts we completed when we read "Antigone." This is a GREAT review for the test as many of these questions will also show up on the test itself.