Name: ______Date:______Period:______
Partner Name:______
Socratic Seminar Outer Circle Questions
Directions: Please answer four out of five of the questions!
- What questions did your partner ask or moves did your partner make in order to make sure everyone was participating in the discussion equally? What did they do to make sure the discussion did not stay stuck on the same topic?
- Describe a time when your partner used evidence from Romeo and Juliet to support their point. What point did they make? What evidence did they give? Explain how their evidence supported their argument.
- Was there a point in the discussion when you wished that you could have joined the conversation? Describe what was being discussed. What would you have added?
- What points did your partner make that you agree with? Why do you agree?
- What points did your partner make that you disagree with? Why do you disagree?
Romeo and JulietInner Circle Starter Questions
- Romeo and Juliet was written 500 years ago. Evaluate: do you think that the ideas in Romeo and Juliet are still relevant to our lives? How can we apply the ideas found in Romeo and Juliet to our own lives?
- Romeo and Juliet’s death is clearly very tragic. Evaluate who is to blame for the death? How should those who are responsible be punished? Why should they receive that type of punishment?
- Why didn’t Juliet tell her parents about her relationship with Romeo? Evaluate her decision to keep their relationship secret. Do you think she made the right decision?
- Why do you think that Capulet reacted so strongly when Juliet refused to marry Paris. Do you think he reacted in an appropriate manner? Why or why not?
- There are many different expressions of love in the play (between the Nurse and Juliet, The Capulets and Juliet, between Romeo and Mercutio, between Romeo and Juliet…). Which love do you think is the most powerful and why?
Romeo and JulietInner Circle Starter Questions
- Romeo and Juliet was written 500 years ago. Evaluate: do you think that the ideas in Romeo and Juliet are still relevant to our lives? How can we apply the ideas found in Romeo and Juliet to our own lives?
- The prologue describes Romeo and Juliet as “star-crossed” lovers. This means that Romeo and Juliet were fated to face disaster before they were even born. Do you agree that they were fated to face disaster? Why or why not?
- Romeo and Juliet is often described as the most famous love story in history. Why do you think it is given this praise? Do you think that it deserves the title? Why or why not?
- Does love make someone a better person or does it make us more selfish? How does love affect us? Explain.
- Both Romeo and Juliet are very young but they both are forced to make some very big decisions. Do you believe that Romeo is more mature than Juliet? Is Juliet
You will be graded on:
Communication of Personal Opinions
Suggesting new ideas in the discussion
Support your ideas with evidence from the book
Engagement in Discussions
Participate at least two-three times while in the middle circle
Agreeing and disagreeing in a respectful manner
Asking questions of your classmates
Invite others into the discussion who have not yet participated
Preparation
Answering all questions from “Inner Circle” questions completely and thoughtfully
Citing evidence from the text in your responses
Outside Circle Feedback and Behavior
Listening quietly and attentively to the inner circle
Answering all outer circle questions completely
Notes:
You will be graded on:
Communication of Personal Opinions
Suggesting new ideas in the discussion
Support your ideas with evidence from the book
Engagement in Discussions
Participate at least two-three times while in the middle circle
Agreeing and disagreeing in a respectful manner
Asking questions of your classmates
Invite others into the discussion who have not yet participated
Preparation
Answering all questions from “Inner Circle” questions completely and thoughtfully
Citing evidence from the text in your responses
Outside Circle Feedback and Behavior
Listening quietly and attentively to the inner circle
Answering all outer circle questions completely
Notes:
You will be graded on:
Communication of Personal Opinions
Suggesting new ideas in the discussion
Support your ideas with evidence from the book
Engagement in Discussions
Participate at least two-three times while in the middle circle
Agreeing and disagreeing in a respectful manner
Asking questions of your classmates
Invite others into the discussion who have not yet participated
Preparation
Answering all questions from “Inner Circle” questions completely and thoughtfully
Citing evidence from the text in your responses
Outside Circle Feedback and Behavior
Listening quietly and attentively to the inner circle
Answering all outer circle questions completely
Notes: