Curated OER
Mobius Strips
High schoolers discuss the scientific method and construct their own Mobius Strips. They examine their Mobius Strip, and write observations and a hypothesis on how many strips of paper they have when they cut the strip in half length-wise.
Curated OER
Losing Face or Saving Face?
Students examine the recent partial face transplant in Ameiens, France and the ensuing public debate on extreme plastic surgery. They participate in a fishbowl discussion on the ethics and implications of future face transplants.
Curated OER
Press-ing Freedom
Students consider how free speech applies to journalistic practices in light of a legal case involving two reporters. They participate in a fishbowl discussion about journalism codes of ethics and write response papers.
Curated OER
Do Ask? Do Tell?
Learners explore debates regarding gay rights following the Supreme Court's Lawrence v. Texas decision. They participate in a fishbowl discussion, exploring questions on marriage, adoption, custody, employment, and military service.
Curated OER
Bootleg Bytes
Learners conduct background research to explore the positions of different groups involved in the digital piracy debate, then participate in a fishbowl discussion that seeks to find a consensus on the issue.
Facing History and Ourselves
Literature Circles: Preparing for Literature Circles through a Fishbowl Discussion
Students examine the attributes of productive conversations. For this fishbowl discussion lesson, students observe a modeled discussion of a literature circle. Students watch a discussion of "The Bear That Wasn't" and note how...
Curated OER
Feeding the World
Students participate in a Socratic discussion about world hunger. In this world hunger instructional activity, students review the Socratic discussion method and use it to discuss an initiative to reduce world hunger. Students answer...
Curated OER
Critical Analysis of Evolution
Tenth graders discuss anomalies in nature and science. They discuss times that anomalies led to the collection of data that explained the phenomena and contributed to changing scientific understandings. Students work in groups to...
Curated OER
Measuring Where We Sit In The Universe
Students investigate scientific measurement. They use a variety of scales to do the job and communicate the results correctly. The teacher uses socratic questioning throughout the lesson checking for comprehension. Students measure some...
Orange County Department of Education
Integrity and "Thank You, M'am"
Ninth graders explore the definition of integrity through a class discussion. They provide positive/negative examples from the story and their own experiences. Students determine character traits by analyzing the dialogue in a short...
Curated OER
Annotated Example of Socratic Questioning: Climate: Global Warming
Students compare and discuss short-term and longer-term global temperature data. They evaluate data from three sets of graphs and then participate in a structured whole class Socratic discussion on the possible causes of climate change.
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Oceans Socratic Questioning
Students participate in a whole class discussion of ocean-floor structures and plate tectonics. They respond to prompts in a structured sequence that lead them to conclusions about the role of plate tectonics in the creation of sea-floor...
Curated OER
Solar System Socratic Questions
Students reflect on and discuss theories of how the solar system was formed. They respond to prompts in a structured sequence to relate the formation of the solar system and the age of the Earth.
Curated OER
Annotated, Detailed Example of Socratic Questioning
Students identify and define the main components of the hydrosphere and the ways in which they interact with one another. They explore how changes in Earth's surface materials affect components of the hydrosphere and evaluate the effect...
Curated OER
Time and Earth History Socratic Questions
Students develop a sense of geologic ("deep") time and the ways in which Earth scientists construct the geologic time scale. They study he major events that shaped Earth, including the origin and evolution of its lithosphere, atmosphere,...
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Biosphere Socratic Questions
Students examine the origin of life on Earth and its evolution through geologic time by participating in a whole class discussion. They respond to prompts that lead them to conclusions about the interactions among the biosphere and the...
Curated OER
Are Nanobacteria Alive: Sample Socratic Questions
Students comprehend the definition and uniqueness of life and its complexities. They examine what characteristics constitute a living organism. Students recognize the extent of the role nanobacteria play in the movement and molding of...
Curated OER
Inquiring Minds
Students participate in a "fishbowl" discussion to address the notions of government and intelligence accountability for the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States. They write letters to the President of the United...
Curated OER
A Faith of Their Own
Students examine various topics related to womens' roles in Syria's Islamic revival. After reading and discussing an article on the subject, they participate in a fishbowl discussion and write an essay about traditions in their own lives.
Curated OER
The Western Migration: Socratic Seminar
Students explore the different experiences of the African-American migration to the West in an open-ended dialogue discussing the quote, the narrative, and the ultimate results of the western migration.
Curated OER
From Different Angles
Students participate in Socratic seminar discussing a person's right to refuse to say the Pledge of Allegiance.
Curated OER
Evaluating the "Save the Indian" Reforms
Students explore the policies of the "Save the Indian" reforms. Working in groups, they review the motives, methods, and effects of the "Save the Indian" campaign of the late 19th century. Through discussion and writing, they form an...
Curated OER
The Western Migration Lesson Plan: Socratic Seminar
Students participate in a Socratic Seminar and explore Western Migration.
Curated OER
Integrating Critical Thinking Skills Into the Classroom
Students receive an overview of critical thinking techniques. They break into small groups and practice reasoning through questions, identifying, presenting and justifying their answers.