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Lesson 7

We will read an excerpt from “Why I Write” and craft open-ended questions to prepare for the Section 4 Diagnostic.

Lesson Goals

  • Can I use connections among details, elements, and effects to make logical deductions about Orwell’s perspective, purpose, and meaning in “Why I Write"?

  • Can I recognize points of connection between 1984 and “Why I Write” to make logical, objective comparisons?

Texts

Core

  • Unit Reader
    • “Why I Write,” George Orwell, The Orwell Foundation, 1946
  • Tradebook
    • 1984, George Orwell, Signet Classics, 1949

Materials

Tools

Question Sets

Editable Google Docs

Activity 1: Read

We will read George Orwell’s essay, “Why I Write.”

Independently read George Orwell’s essay, "Why I Write." Respond to the following questions in your Learning Log:

  1. What are the motives, according to Orwell, that drive authors to write?

  2. What does Orwell state are his motives for writing?

  3. What effect, if any, does reading this text have on your understanding of 1984?

Activity 2: Discuss

We will craft three open-ended, thought-provoking questions for the Section Diagnostic Socratic Seminar.

Step 1

Read the Section 4 Diagnostic Checklist.

You might be wondering what a Socratic Seminar is and why we conduct them.

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.

Step 2

Consider the novel 1984, as well as the informational texts you have read in this unit. Write three open-ended, thought-provoking questions. Reference the following examples of strong question frames:

  1. What do you think about _____? What evidence from the text supports your belief?

  2. What is the relationship between _____ and _____?

  3. What do the texts say about _____?

  4. What about this perspective do you agree or disagree with?

  5. What significance is this to _____? If _____ is true, then _____?

Below are questions to avoid:

  • questions that are too vague (these invoke uncertainty in other group members)

  • questions that are too general (these do not ensure understanding)

  • yes-or-no questions (these do not elicit discussion)

Write down your questions in your Learning Log.

Step 3

Review your Vocabulary Journal. Identify a significant word or words that you would like to use during the Socratic Seminar.