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.