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Lesson 14

We will engage in a student-led Socratic Seminar in which we discuss how the Mirabal sisters are portrayed as revolutionaries.

Lesson Goals

Reading and Knowledge

  • Summarize: How well do I express an accurate understanding of the central ideas of texts?
  • Attend to Details: How well do I recognize and interpret language and sentence structures to deepen my understanding of texts?
  • Analyze Relationships: How well do I recognize and interpret important relationships among key details and ideas (characters, setting, tone, point of view, structure, development, etc.) within a text?
  • Evaluate Effects: How well do I evaluate the effects of literary devices and rhetoric in texts?

Speaking and Listening

  • Form Claims: How well do I develop and clearly communicate meaningful and defensible claims that represent valid, evidence-based analysis?
  • Listen: How well do I pay attention to and acknowledge others while thoughtfully considering their ideas?
  • Remain Open: How well do I change my ideas or perspective based on new, credible information and experiences?

Texts

Core

  • Tradebook
    • In the Time of the Butterflies, Julia Alvarez, Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, 2010

Materials

Tools

Reference Guides

Editable Google Docs

Activity 1: Read – Write

We will review the section 4 diagnostic.

Review the expectations of the Section 4 Diagnostic Checklist and respond to the following question:

  1. What will I need to do to succeed on the Section Diagnostic?

Activity 2: Read – Write

We will prepare for the Socratic Seminar by reading the epilogue of In the Time of the Butterflies.

Step 1

Review the epilogue. Underline the word, phrase, or sentence in the epilogue that resonates with you the most.

Then, write two to three open-ended discussion questions in your Learning Log that you would like to discuss during the Socratic Seminar.

Step 2

On your Discussion Tool, write down the discussion question:

  1. How are the Mirabal sisters portrayed as revolutionaries In the Time of the Butterflies?

Think about the following questions as you create claims and evidence in the During the Discussion section of the Discussion Tool:

  1. From the feminist lens, how does Alvarez create women who are revolutionaries?

  2. From the biographical lens, how is Alvarez’s personal life reflected in a story about revolutionaries?

  3. From the historical lens, are the sisters revolutionaries according to the historical events of this time?

  4. From the Marxist lens, would the sisters’ relationship with the Trujillo regime be considered revolutionary?

Spend a few minutes jotting down your notes and thoughts before you begin.

Step 3

Review your Vocabulary Journal. Identify a significant word or words that you would like to use in your response to the Section Diagnostic.

Activity 3: Discuss

We will engage in a Socratic Seminar as a class.

Begin your seminar by sharing the most important word, phrase, or sentence from the epilogue in In the Time of the Butterflies. Do not explain your rationale for your choice.

Continue your Socratic Seminar by starting with the main discussion questions:

  1. How does Julia Alvarez create revolutionary characters in In the Time of the Butterflies?

Throughout the seminar, do the following:

  • ask your discussion questions to keep the conversation going

  • use evidence from the text to support your responses

  • use a discussion strategy to keep the conversation going

  • jot down notes and new ideas on your Discussion Tool

Activity 4: Write

We will reflect on the Socratic Seminar.

At the end of the seminar, reflect on how your understanding has developed as a result of the discussion. Add your reflection to your Discussion Tool.

Activity 5: Write – Discuss

We will reflect on our work and assess how prepared we are for the Culminating Task.

Step 1

Choose at least three of the questions below and respond to them in your Learning Log:

  1. How well did you take necessary action to prepare for the task?

  2. What went well for you during the completion of this task?

  3. What did you struggle with during the completion of this task? How did you push through that struggle?

  4. How well did you actively focus your attention during this independent task?

  5. How well did you develop and use an effective and efficient process to maintain workflow during this task?

  6. What would you do differently during the next Section Diagnostic?

Review your Culminating Task Progress Tracker. Think about all you have learned and done during this section of the unit. Evaluate your skills and knowledge to determine how prepared you are for the Culminating Task.

Step 2

Review the Central Question of the unit:

What makes a revolutionary?

Use the following questions to guide a discussion with a partner or small group:

  1. What new knowledge do you have in relation to the Central Question?

  2. What are you still curious about in relation to the Central Question?

  3. What is the relationship between the question and the texts you have read so far? How do the texts shed light on the question? How does the question help you understand the texts?

  4. How has your response to the question evolved, deepened, or changed?

In your Learning Log, write your response to Question 3. You will return to this response in later lessons to examine how your understanding of the Central Question has evolved.