On Friday, 5PA students explored an exciting method that we will use for our class conversations this year. Socratic Seminar was familiar to some but new to many in our classroom. Socratic Seminar:
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5PA began by exploring the Keys to Quality Conversations that will guide our participation during seminar. These will be reviewed at the beginning of each seminar. We also viewed this video of Socratic Seminar in action and reflected upon the positive elements of the conversation and made recommendations for improving their conversation the next time they meet. At the conclusion of class, we discussed the text below in a Socratic dialogue as a whole class. We discussed our observations, questions, and wonderings about the text.
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As we were wrapping up class, we were reminded of an interesting result of a Seminar: we will often end with more questions and wonderings than when we started! One question we really wanted an answer to: Where is the setting of this Text? Some speculated underwater or in a dessert. We also wondered, is the water traveling up or down? Who are those people? What are your thoughts? We're looking forward to an exciting year of using Socratic Seminar to inspire our imaginations, inquiry, and thoughtfulness as critical thinkers, readers, and writers! |