Nancy Bires
EDUC 581 Socratic Seminaring
July 1, 2011
A Fable for Tomorrow
Rachel Carson, 1962
Purpose
· To provide an understanding that all living things on the earth are connected; humans are interdependent with nature.
· To provide an understanding that our actions impact the environment.
Audience – Grade 8
Pre-Seminar
· Who was Rachel Carson? View the You Tube Video Hidden History Rachel Carson (1:59)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ls-JY74M2Ik
· Background information on the insecticide DDT and other pesticides
View You Tube Video Rachel Carson and DDT http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bnRGFEanuyQ
· Discuss what a fable is and share some examples. (Fables are fictional stories that include a moral).
Questions
Opening
1. Give one word that describes your emotional reaction to the text. (Round robin)
2. Why do you think the author selected the title, Fable for Tomorrow, for the piece? (key words: fable and tomorrow).
3. What is the author’s purpose in writing A Fable for Tomorrow as an introduction to Silent Spring?
Core:
1. In lines 33-34 the author includes the sentence “It was a spring without voices.” What do you think the author meant by this phrase?
2. Why do you think the author used the phrase, “It was a spring without voices,” as the basis for the title of the book Silent Spring?
3. In lines 21 and 23 the author uses descriptive phrases such as "evil spell" and "shadow of death." Why do you think she selected these descriptive phrases?
4. What is the author warning us about?
5. What is the meaning of lines 49-50? "No witchcraft, no enemy action had silenced the rebirth of new life in this stricken world. The people had done it to themselves."
6. Rachel Carson states that "humbleness" is required when we begin to work with nature. What do you think she means?
Closing:
1. How can we have humbleness toward nature?
2. What are some of the things our society is doing today that could cause a "silent spring?”
3. What can you do in your personal life to keep the voice of spring alive?
Post-Seminar Extension
1. Imagine that Rachel Carson was alive today. What would her thoughts be on environmental problems such as climate change? What suggestions would she have for us to prevent a “silent spring?” Write a letter to the editor of the local paper from Rachel Carson's point of view. Include answers to the previous questions.
2. Create a public service announcement to help people become aware of how their actions affect the environment and how they can reduce their impact.
References
Carson, R. (1962). Silent spring. Cambridge, MA: Houghton Mifflin.
A Fable for Tomorrow is the introduction to Rachel Carson’s book Silent Spring.
Carson presents evidence that widespread use of pesticides endangers both wildlife and humans in the book.
Earthday Network. (n.d.). Rachel Carson: Sounding an environmental alarm.
This website provides a lesson plans to be used with the study of Rachel Carson and her works. The site includes background information on Rachel Carson and DDT, objectives, detailed lesson plans and activities.
Jen. (2008, October 18). A fable for tomorrow [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://la-vie- nocturne.livejournal.com/1545.html
This blog post explains the purpose of the message for Rachel Carson’s A Fable for Tomorrow. It also addresses the descriptive language used in the text.
You Tube. (2008, March 2). Rachel Carson and DDT [Video file].
The video (:36) provides information on the insecticide DDT and how Rachel Carson spoke out against the use of DDT based on her research. She wrote the book Silent Spring to make people aware of the connection between the use of pesticides and environmental problems.
You Tube. (2008, May 11). Hidden history of Rachel Carson [Video file]. Retrieved from http://watch?v=ls-JY74M2Ik&feature=related
This video (1:59) illustrates the life of Rachel Carson as both a writer and a female scientist. The video also includes information on why she wrote the book Silent Spring.