Socratic Seminar: End of the Cold War
Seminar Preparation:
In order to participate in the Socratic Seminar and receive a grade, each student must:
1) Read the excerpt from “Hastening an End to the Cold War” and the excerpted text of Reagan’s speech “Remarks at Brandenburg Gate.”
2) Fill out the “Socratic Seminar Entrance Ticket” worksheet
3) Bring the completed worksheet and questions to class.
*If a student does not bring their entrance ticket worksheet to class, they will not participate actively in the discussion. Instead, they will sit just outside of the seminar circle and take notes on what they learn from the discussion. They will turn these notes in to me for partial credit of what they would have received for completing the entrance ticket.
Assessment
Informal (graded as participation points):
- Student participation in seminar and “playing their card” to speak
- Student responses during seminar debriefing as a class
Formal (graded like a quiz/test):
- Socratic Seminar Entrance Ticket worksheet
- Socratic Seminar Exit Ticket writing response
Helpful Information to Consider
Essential Seminar Questions
· What was President Reagan’s goal in making this speech?
· What is Reagan’s attitude toward the Soviet’s in the speech?
· What caused the end of the Cold War?
· Who or what should be credited for the “victory of the West” in the Cold War? To what extent does the presidency of Ronald Reagan deserve credit for the victory?
· Is it accurate to conclude that the U.S. “won” the Cold War?
“Stock” questions in case you get stuck:
- Does anyone else have something they would like to add?
- Does anyone have a different opinion?
- Does anyone disagree with that comment?
- Can you clarify that comment?
- Does anyone have a question about ______’s comment?
- Did anyone notice something else about that ______(line, point, etc.)?