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Lesson 9

We will participate in a Socratic Seminar about Chapter 12.

Lesson Goals

  • Can I make connections among details to determine the meaning of In the Time of the Butterflies?

  • Can I develop and clearly communicate meaningful and defensible claims about Chapter 12 in In the Time of the Butterflies?

  • Can I use reasoning and evidence to support and elaborate ideas and claims about In the Time of the Butterflies?

  • Can I pay attention to and acknowledge others while thoughtfully considering their ideas?

  • Can I use language to effectively communicate when discussing In the Time of the Butterflies?

Texts

Core

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

Materials

Tools

Reference Guides

Question Sets

Editable Google Docs

Activity 1: Discuss

We will review the norms for a Socratic Seminar and begin preparation to have an effective seminar.

A Socratic Seminar is a student-led dialogue in which participants use open-ended questions to gain a deeper and more robust understanding of the ideas and values in a text or the connections across multiple texts. The purpose of a seminar is not to argue for a particular view or interpretation, but to ask questions, posit your own thinking, listen to others’ responses, and expand your views of the texts and topics. Each participant’s voice is equal, and there are no experts.

Different perspectives and analyses of the texts are critical: they help all participants see multiple sides of complex ideas, issues, and topics, expanding everyone’s understanding. During a seminar, it is important to pose questions that elicit discussion, not a simple right-or-wrong or yes-or-no answer.

As such, it is critical that questions in a Socratic Seminar are open-ended (they elicit multiple perspectives), thought-provoking (they challenge you to evaluate text and synthesize your ideas), and clear (they are easily understandable).

With your classmates, create norms for a Socratic Seminar.

Activity 2: Write

We will prepare to engage in a Socratic Seminar as a class by analyzing the mirabal sisters’ actions through the feminist, marxist, and historical critical lenses.

A successful Socratic Seminar requires you to have read the text closely, reviewed your notes and annotations, and prepared to articulate your ideas clearly. The expectation is that everyone participates in the discussion. We engage in the discussion through a series of discussion strategies:

  • posing meaningful questions that propel the conversation

  • asking clarifying questions

  • respectfully challenging perspectives

  • building on the ideas of others with additional evidence or ideas

  • Synthesizing your peers’ ideas

On your Discussion Tool, write the following discussion question:

  1. Should the sisters have apologized to Trujillo?

During the seminar, you will discuss this question from the feminist, marxist, and historical lenses.

Before you begin, jot down your initial claims and evidence in the During the Discussion section of the Discussion Tool.

Activity 3: Discuss

We will engage in a Socratic Seminar.

Begin your seminar by identifying the most important word, phrase, or sentence in Chapter 12 of In the Time of the Butterflies. Share your word, phrase, or sentence with your group. Do not explain the rationale for your choice.

Continue your seminar by discussing the following question:

  1. Should the sisters have apologized to Trujillo?

Consider and discuss this question from the feminist, marxist, and historical lenses. Use evidence from the text to support your responses.

Activity 4: Write

We will reflect on the Socratic Seminar.

At the end of the seminar, reflect on your understanding in your Discussion Tool.