A Great Philosopher. He was born in Athens in 469 BC He was not from a rich family His father was...

A Great PhilosopherA Great Philosopher

He was born in Athens in 469 BCHe was born in Athens in 469 BC He was not from a rich familyHe was not from a rich family His father was a stone carver and his His father was a stone carver and his

mother was a midwifemother was a midwife He was rumored to be He was rumored to be

UGLY!UGLY!

He was a pretty bad He was a pretty bad sculptor for a while sculptor for a while and THEN…and THEN…

He began to question He began to question the world around him.the world around him.

What is piety?• What is beauty?

• What is the right thing to do?

• What is wisdom?

He knew that these questions were hard to He knew that these questions were hard to answer, and he thought it would be better to answer, and he thought it would be better to have a lot of people discuss the answers have a lot of people discuss the answers together, so that they might come up with more together, so that they might come up with more ideas. ideas.

Piety (“dutiful conduct”), was known as Eusebia.

-how men and women interacted, -how a master should speak to a

slave, -how one addressed a seller in the

marketplace -how one conducted oneself toward

the gods.

So he began to go around Athens asking people he met these questions, "What is wisdom?" , "What is piety?", and so forth. Sometimes the people just said they were busy, but sometimes they would try to answer him.

?

try to teach them to think better by asking them more questions which showed them the problems in their logic.

Often this made people angry. Sometimes they even tried to beat him up!

Socrates soonSocrates soon

had a group had a group

of young men of young men

who who listenedlistened to him to him

and and learnedlearned from him from him

how to think.how to think.*Plato was one of these young men.

But in 399 BC, some of the Athenians got mad

at Socrates for what he was teaching the

young men. They charged him in court with

impiety (not respecting the gods) and corrupting the youth (teaching

young men bad things).

Socrates had a big trial in Socrates had a big trial in front of an Athenian jury. front of an Athenian jury.

He was convicted He was convicted

and sentenced to death. and sentenced to death.

He died - the guards gave him He died - the guards gave him

a cup of hemlock (a poisonous a cup of hemlock (a poisonous plant) to drink.plant) to drink.

Socrates believed that enabling students to think for themselves was more important than filling their heads with “right answers.”

In a Socratic Seminar, participants seek deeper understanding of complex ideas through rigorously thoughtful dialogue.

A Socratic Seminar fosters active learning as participants explore and evaluate the ideas, issues, and values in a particular text.

The purpose of the seminar

is to expand our ideas and deepen our thinking,

not to come to a particular conclusion or any conclusion at all.

Dialogue is... • collaborative• about

understanding • listening for

deeper meaning

• re-evaluating assumptions

• keeping an open mind

Debate is... • oppositional• about proving

others wrong• listening for

flaws• defending

assumptions• close-minded

Dialogue is... • about temporarily

suspending beliefs

• searching for strength or validity in all ideas

• about respecting all participants

• exploring different possibilities

• open-ended

Debate is... • about defending

beliefs• searching for

weaknesses in ideas

• about belittling or demeaning others

• having one right answer

• demands a conclusion

Objectives:To examine a textTo listen to new ideasTo explore ambiguities and multiple

meaningsTo make meaningful connections

between a text and the rest of life

Listen No one can speak while someone else is

speaking.

Build Speakers must try to build on what others say,

notdebate their views.

Refer to the Text Speakers must refer directly to the section of

the textfrom which their ideas come rather than making

general comments or observations.

RRespect Each Otherespect Each Other’’s Thoughts s Thoughts and Opinionsand Opinions

UUnderstand the text by nderstand the text by reading and discussing reading and discussing carefullycarefully

LListen carefullyisten carefully EEngage in the Conversationngage in the Conversation SSmile and have funmile and have fun

1. Round One (10-12 min.)

2. Pair Feedback (3-5 min.)

3. Round Two (10-12 min.) Inner and outer circles switch seats.

4. Last Word (5 min. to write, reflect then share)

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of

America and to the Republic for which it stands; one

nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and

justice for all

Comedian, Red Skeleton gives us a glimpse….

http://teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?

title=Red_Skelton___Pledge_of_Allegiance&video_id=138282