Their Eyes Were Watching GodSocratic Seminar I

Chapters 1-6

Answers to these questions are due when you begin your Socratic Seminar. No Exceptions!

You must have textual evidence and back up your evidence for each question. The answers will be graded.

What We Will Do With the Questions: Socratic Seminar Pachecker Style

There are many ways to do a Socratic Seminar. Our way will fuse different methods together. Each of you will be partnered up and for round one, one of you will be the Pilot and the other will be the Co-Pilot.

  1. Pilot will have to debate with other Pilots for 15 minutes on question 1 or 2.
  2. During Half-Time: The Co-Pilot partner(s) will tell the Pilot what they need to do to gain their points. This advice will include pointers such as what the Pilot is doing well and what the Pilot needs to improve on (5 minutes).
  3. The Pilots in Round 1 will continue to debate on questions 3 or 4 for the next 15 minutes.
  4. At the end of the 35 minute round the partners will switch and the cycle will repeat.

Their Eyes Were Watching Godby Zora Neale Hurston

  1. Based on Chapters 1-5 and the first 20 minutes of the film:Compare the novel to its film adaptation. What aspects of the novel do you think the film handled well? What criticisms do you have of the film? (LAFS.1112.RL.3.7)

The following questions are based on Chapters 1-6:

  1. One of the universal themes of literature is the idea that children suffer because of the mistakes of an earlier generation. Examine the development of this theme in Their Eyes Were Watching God by analyzing the story that Nanny tells about her life (pages 14-20). Discuss Nanny’s interactions with white men and women. How did growing up in slavery impact her worldview? How has her past impacted her relationship with her daughter and granddaughter? CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.11-12.3
  2. Examine Hurston’s use of point of view. How does the way she structures the novel with the narrative frame of Janie telling her story to Pheoby impact the reader’s experience and help develop theme? How would the effect of the novel be different if it were written from a first-person point of view? CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.11-12.5
  3. Their Eyes Were Watching God has been criticized for what some viewed as a negative and stereotypical portrayal of African Americans. Examine Hurston’s choice to use vernacular English. Is there is any validity to criticisms of the novel’s use of language? CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.11-12.4

Rubric I Will Use During The Socratic Seminar

0 (F)
Student does not contribute to the discussion and is not attentive to the conversation.
- Did not speak or contribute to the discussion.
- Did not make eye contact with the speaker and/or engaged in other off-task behavior / 1 (D)
Student does not contribute to the discussion, but is attentive to the conversation.
- Did not speak or contribute to the discussion.
- Made eye contact with speaker
2 (C)
Student contributes only minimally to the discussion.
- Spoke at least one time
- Made eye contact with
speaker
- May have asked a question
- May have referred to text / 3 (B)
Student actively and repeatedly engaged in the discussion.
- Spoke at least two times
- Made eye contact with
speaker
- Asked at least one question
- Referred to text at least once / 4 (A)
Student actively engaged in discussion and acts to engage others.
- Spoke at least three times
- Made eye contact with
speaker
- Asked at least one question
- Referred to text at least once
- Engaged another student in
the discussion at least once.

Name______Date______Class and Period______

Socratic Seminar Preparation:

You will use the below responses to help guide your participation in the upcoming

Socratic Seminar. Be detailed and complete in your responses!

Describe the main issue or problem addressed in the articles for this Socratic Seminar: ______

Key Words or Phrases from the text:

______

With what do you agree? (Be specific):

______

With what do you disagree? (Be specific):

______

Write two text-based questions that you would like to bring to the discussion:

______

Why is this topic important?:

______

Socratic Seminar Participation Notes:

Seminar Topic- ______

Your Name- ______Your Partner- ______

Directions: Each time your partner does one of the following during the discussion, put a check in the box.

Speaks in the Discussion:

Looks at Person Who is Speaking:

Refers to the Texts:

Asks a Question:

Responds to Another Speaker:

Interupts Another Speaker or Engages in Side Conversation:

Chatter Box: Make note of comments or questions you would like to pose when you have an opportunity to speak.

After Discussion:What is the most interesting thing your partner said in the discussion? Explain.

______