Guiding Questions



Social Issues Socratic Seminars and Action Plan

Guiding Questions:

What do you think are the most important social issues that impact the world and our community? Why are people, maybe you, passionate about social issues? How can social issues that are worldwide be addressed in our community? What actions can you take to get involved in an issue?

From the list below rank your top three choices:

1. ____________________________________________

2. ____________________________________________

3. ____________________________________________

1. Abortion

2. Affirmative action

3. AIDS

4. Alcohol & drinking

5. Animal rights

6. Binge drinking

7. Capital punishment

8. Censorship

9. Child labor

10. Children's rights

11. Civil rights

12. Creation science vs. evolution

13. Drugs & drug abuse

14. Drunk driving

15. Environmental protection

16. Famine

17. Flag burning

18. Gangs

19. Gender issues

20. Genetic engineering

21. Global warming

22. Government vs. religion

23. Gun control

24. Homelessness

25. Homosexuality

26. Human Rights

27. Immigration

28. Legalization of marijuana

29. Nuclear proliferation

30. Organ & body donation

31. Pledge of Allegiance

32. Poverty

33. Prayer in schools

34. Racial profiling

35. Same sex marriage

36. Sweatshops

37. Terrorism

38. Tobacco

39. Violence

40. Violence in schools

41. Welfare

42. World population

43. Other approved topic

Find a partner in class who shares the same interests as you. You will be working together for the majority of this assignment. Picking your best friend may not be the best choice. Pick someone who is hard working, cares about their quality of work, can balance out you strengths and weaknesses and whom you can trust to pull their own weight.

Starting point for Research:

Use the Social Issues Link from Ms. Burton’s homepage to start to gather information on your topic. You will need to get familiar with your topic before proceeding. Take notes and challenge yourself to think critically. Respond to these questions as you begin your research: What preconceived ideas do I have on the topic? What bias might I be bringing to my research? Is my previous experience going to keep me from being open to new ideas I may discover? 50 points for background notes due end of the period May 8

• 1 recent (within the past 2 months) appropriate newspaper/journal article on the topic. This article will be the foundation for a Socratic Seminar, in which you will be the moderator. If your topic has support and oppose sides, choose an article that includes pro and con arguments and examples. Copy and paste the text of the article into a Word document. Include all of the publication information- title, author, date of publication, source of publication and link to publication. Articles must be saved in the 2nd period Burton World History 12-13 folder on the K Drive. Ms. Burton will make copies of the articles for everyone in the class. 50 points for current, appropriate article submitted correctly and on time Due May 9

• Pilot/Co-pilot Socratic Seminars: 1 per day, starting on Monday, May 13. You will randomly be given a Socratic seminar date on Tuesday, May 7. You are responsible for composing a list of 6 discussion questions for the Socratic Seminar, questions should be thought provoking and open ended in order to generate critical thinking and deep discussion. The first 15 minutes of class will be devoted to reading the article and preparing for the Seminar by all students. Participation is mandatory during the Socratic Seminar and you will be switching off with your co-pilot multiple times during each seminar. 20 points per day for participation in Socratic Seminar. (300 total)

• Using the guiding questions as your foundation, compose a 3-4 page Essay. Include the key components of your topic, the discussion generated through the Socratic Seminar, your personal commentary on the issue, and how the issue can be addressed in our community. You will be writing your essay on the day of the final on Monday, June 3. Scored papers will be returned on Thursday, June 6. 200 points this is the last thing you will do for the year.

|5/6 |5/7 |5/8 |5/9 |5/10 |

|Introduction of Final Project |Socratic Seminar |Work day in library |Locate and format article in the|Free Speech Friday |

|What is Socratic Seminar? |Topic: Assisted Suicide |Research your topic; take in |K Drive. Work with your partner | |

| |Leaders: Ms. Burton |depth notes on the pros, cons |to develop 6 questions that you | |

| | |and general information on your |will use in your Socratic | |

| | |topic. |Seminar. | |

|5/13 |5/14 |5/15 |5/16 |5/17 |

|Socratic Seminar |Socratic Seminar |Socratic Seminar |Socratic Seminar |Socratic Seminar |

|Topic______________ |Topic______________ |Topic______________ |Topic______________ |Topic______________ |

|Leaders __________________ |Leaders __________________ |Leaders __________________ |Leaders __________________ |Leaders __________________ |

|__________________ |__________________ |__________________ |__________________ |__________________ |

|5/20 |5/21 |5/22 |5/23 |5/24 |

|Socratic Seminar |Socratic Seminar |Socratic Seminar |Socratic Seminar |Socratic Seminar |

|Topic______________ |Topic_____________ |Topic______________ |Topic______________ |Topic______________ |

|Leaders |Leaders __________________ |Leaders __________________ |Leaders __________________ |Leaders __________________ |

|________________________________|__________________ |__________________ |__________________ |__________________ |

|____ | | | | |

|5/27 |5/28 |5/29 |5/30 |5/31 |

|Memorial Day |Socratic Seminar |Socratic Seminar |Socratic Seminar |Socratic Seminar |

|No School |Topic______________ |Topic______________ |Topic______________ |Topic______________ |

| |Leaders __________________ |Leaders __________________ |Leaders __________________ |Leaders __________________ |

| |__________________ |__________________ |__________________ |__________________ |

|6/3 |6/4 |6/5 |6/6 |6/7 |

|Finals Day | | |Last Day of school |First Day of Summer |

|3-4 page essay on your topic. |3-4 period finals |6-7 period finals | | |

|Bring in your French Revolution | | | | |

|Flag | | | | |

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Name _________________________________________

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