Tara Cassens Socratic Seminar Lesson Plan Topic: Counter-Culture, Protests, and the Vietnam War (will be part of their unit on the Cold War) Length: Class: IB 20 th Century Topics Background: The Vietnam War was the first widely televised war, making it a constant presence in the American media. Americans, for the first time, could witness the havoc and atrocities of war from their living rooms where they were forced to confront the realities of what was going on in Vietnam. The 1960s saw an increase in organized protests of the war, which inspired the rise of a powerful counterculture movement. Protests and the counterculture movement changed the ways that people viewed their place in society, their responsibilities as citizens, and the authority of the government. Instructional Model: This lesson uses the Socratic seminar and fishbowl discussion instructional models. The fishbowl discussion model allows for students to engage with the topic of discussion as well as model and learn the skills and attitudes necessary for discussion. The students are divided into two groups and take turns discussing and observing discussion. The fishbowl model has one group discuss the topic, while the other group observes the discussion. The groups then swap places, allowing students to take on the other role. This means that my large IB class will be separated into smaller groups, encouraging more participation from group members, and will give students an opportunity to speak, share their ideas, and also observe and take notes. Instead of having the students meet with a partner and discuss between rounds, I will have them meet at the end of the lesson to share ideas on their seminar texts and their views on how the discussion worked. The Socratic seminar model is will work well in combination with the fishbowl, as it focuses on the content side of the discussion. A Socratic seminar requires students to reference a text as their source and delve into and critically think about the material. I think that these models of discussion suit this lesson because it will allow students to share multiple perspectives on the texts and the information they have learned in class. These songs represent the variety of ideas and creative expression that was present in the music scene of the 1960s and discussion is uniquely suited to exploring a variety of ideas. These discussions will enable students to interact with the counterculture, society, and politics of the Vietnam War, while also teaching them how to effectively engage in discussion. Objectives: Students will be able to explain the impact of the Vietnam War on Americans at home (VUS.13b). Students will analyze the texts and how they represent the counterculture movement s opposition to the Vietnam War (VUS.13b).
Students will engage in effective discussion, sharing their ideas and listening to others respectfully. Assessments: I will check the entrance ticket for completion at the beginning of class. This will also be collected at the end of class to compare the quality of their ideas and observations with the notes that they took on the discussion; I want to try to gage the learning that occurred during the seminar. I will collect notes that students took on the other group s discussion and their notes on their discussion with a partner from the other group in which they compared/contrasted the two texts. Students will be assessed on their participation (speaking and active listening/taking notes) and the quality of their contributions. I do not want to give them a grade for this, as it is their first seminar; instead I want to provide them with a rubric as a point of reference for future improvement. o The rubric for this assessment is provided later in this document. Content and Instructional Strategies: Text: These texts are important because they are cultural products that were extremely popular in the 1960s Anti-war, counterculture movement. Unlike newspaper articles or official government documents, these songs reveal a deeply personal message from the musicians who wrote and performed them. This message connected with the ideas and imaginations of a generation of young people opposed to the war in Vietnam. These texts reveal the different emotions and images of the anti-war movement in the United States. Using song lyrics as a text is something my students have not encountered before and it will be a challenge for them to apply their analysis skills to a completely different type of source material, which is an added value. Whip-Around Question: What was your favorite line in the song? Why? (this should already be answered on their ticket) Opening Question: What were some of the important messages you found in the song? How do the lyrics reveal those messages? What do you think the song is trying to say? Core Questions: How do you think this song relates to its context? What is the attitude or tone of the song? What makes you think that? How does the tone enhance the song s message? Without knowing much about the singer, why do you think they wrote this song? What can you infer from the text? What are they trying to say? What is the song responding to? Why do you think this song is (or is not) political? Potential Follow-up Questions: Where is that in the text? Why does the author reference that? What makes you think that? Where are you drawing that from?
Does anyone agree or disagree with that idea? What does this remind you of in our lecture notes? Prep for seminar: Before the seminar I will make sure that elements of discussion have been described and taught to students. They do not possess many discussion skills at the moment, so it is something we will have to work on in the spring before this lesson. Required Skills that we will practice and discuss before lesson: Listening respectfully, and waiting to speak. Knowing how to reference the text during discussion. Building off of or responding to another student s ideas. Understanding that I am a facilitator, and that they will be doing the majority of the talking. o This means that students talk to one another, they do not raise their hands to speak, and they do not ask me for permission to speak. The class period before this lesson, I will give students copies of the song lyrics that they will be using, as well as the ticket to complete for homework. Half of the class will receive song #1, half will receive song #2. I will explain to students that they may not participate in this lesson if they have not completed their ticket. I will also encourage students to be thorough and thoughtful in their preparations, as the more prepared they are to discuss, the more interesting the discussion will be. Room arrangement: Our classroom has chairs with desktops attached to them, making it relatively easy to manipulate the room set-up. I will arrange the room into two concentric circles so that one of my groups will be the fishbowl discussion in the middle, and the other group will form a ring around them so that they may observe the discussion. When one discussion has concluded, I will simply have the students switch seats so that the outside group forms their own fishbowl discussion, and the discussion group moves to the outside. Procedures: First Discussion 1. As students come into class I will tell them that the group discussing song selection #1 will discuss first, so they should sit in the inner circle. Students with song selection #2 should sit in the outer ring. This will also be written on the board. Students will also be instructed to pick up a copy of the other song (the one that they did not prepare for) so that they can follow along with the other group s discussion. 2. I will review the rules and skills of discussion (as shown above). 3. I will explain how I want the outer ring of students to conduct their observations. They will take notes on the important ideas that come up in the discussion, how these ideas might differ from their own text, and how the discussion works as a whole. Things to consider: did the discussion feel like a conversation? Did it feel stilted and artificial? Did students respond to one another? Did the students overly rely on the teacher to facilitate? Did students seem to have interesting ideas and express them well? How many students spoke? Did they speak often? 4. I will play song selection #1. 5. I will conduct the whip-around question to get the students to warm-up and start thinking about the text.
6. I will pose the opening question, and then let the students start the discussion. 7. As necessary, I will redirect students and pose core or follow-up questions. 8. Once the discussion has started to wrap up, I will ask students if they have any final thoughts that they would like to share. Then I will ask students to exchange seats with someone from the outside ring and we will begin the second discussion. Second Discussion 1. I will remind students in the outer row that they are now the observers and must take notes on the discussion like the earlier group did. 2. I will play song selection #2. 3. I will conduct the whip-around question to get the students to warm-up and start thinking about the text. 4. I will pose the opening question, and then let the students start the discussion. 5. As necessary, I will redirect students and pose core or follow-up questions. 6. Once the discussion starts to wrap-up I will ask students to share any final thoughts they have on the text. Post-seminar and debrief 1. Students will move the desks back into the typical classroom arrangement. I will ask students to pair up with a student from the other group. 2. The pairs will compare and contrast the two texts based on the discussions that they took part in/observed. They will also share their views on the discussions, how they worked, and what might be improved for their next seminar. 3. The pairs will share their ideas with the class as we review and debrief our discussion. Differentiations: This lesson encourages participation from all students both in pairs and as a larger group. This way, students are able to participate verbally in different formats. Students, who are a bit shy and unused to the Socratic model, might feel more comfortable discussing their ideas with their partner in the wrap-up discussion. Students who excel at communicating verbally will be able to participate and explain their views using that strength. There is also an opportunity for students to research additional information on the song or the Vietnam period if they so choose. Adaptations: This lesson can be altered to help students with accommodations by helping them get a handle on the text prior to the discussion. Students who have trouble interpreting this kind of text can read over a summary of the text, or discuss the text with me before the lesson (after school perhaps) and we can work on filling out the ticket together. I do not think that level of accommodation will be necessary in this class, however. The students in this class with 504s have accommodations that specify extra time to complete written assignments this does not affect the ticket, which will be completed at home. I can, however, give students extra time to finish their notes and observations before switching over the two groups, so that students have enough time to complete the task. Resources: Lyric sheets and ticket copies prepared to be handed out the class prior to the seminar Additional copies of the lyrics for students to pick up (of the other discussion group s song)
Computer, speakers, and connector cords to play songs. Reflection: My main concern for this lesson is not the text or the students ability to analyze, but their discussion skills. I don t think that my teacher has done a seminar with them, and it is difficult to say whether any of my students have experience with one. I will try to teach these skills during my student teaching, but I am not sure if that will be enough. I am especially worried about the second section of this class, which already has problems with class participation. One student dominates discussion and raises his hand for every single question, while the rest of the class sits and watches. I hope that in a seminar situation especially as I am separating the students into two smaller groups more students will have the opportunity/want to participate. Having the groups go one at a time will also force overly talkative students to learn to listen and observe during discussion.
Seminar Ticket This ticket must be completed in order to participate in the seminar. You should listen to a version of the song as well as read the lyrics sheet carefully while preparing this ticket. Assigned Song Name: Performing Artist: When was this song first released or performed? What do you know about that period from your prior knowledge and lecture notes? Who do you think is the intended audience for this song? Listen to the song. What does it sound like? How would you describe the style of the song, and/or the emotion behind it? Does this match the lyrics of the song? What is the tone or attitude expressed in the lyrics? Pick out the lyric that you find most powerful in the song and write it below. Why did you select this line? Why does it stand out to you?
Song Selection #1 Please annotate, highlight, take notes, and complete the accompanying worksheet in preparation for our seminar discussion. The Sad & Silent Song of a Soldier Phil Ochs 1 5 10 And the flag draped coffins are a sailin' home And the waves are watching as the engine drones As the ship draws near, hear the bugle moan The sad and silent song of a soldier With a hero's greeting we will welcome him, With hero's speeches we will honor him, With a hero's ending we will bury him, And comfort his family with a telegram, We regret to inform you we have lost a man, But we gave him the highest medal of the land, Now a moment of silence for the broken man, While the president proudly crows "we'll never bend," And cheers their replacements marching off again, And the flag draped coffins are a sailin' home, And the waves are a watchin' as the engines drone, As the ship draws near, hear the bugle moan The sad and silent song of a soldier. 30 35 15 20 We know what an awful price he had to pay, But the enemy was contained for another day, We trained him well, but he would have wanted it that way, Oh, the weary wounded they wait by his side, Wondering why they hadn't also died, The picture of victory on its pride, And the flag is at half mast wet with foreign rain, Ignored by the stranger he had helped to train, To him it was his duty to them again, 25 At Arlington he's lowered down without a pause, And his native land welcomes him with open jaws, And the tombstone reads such a noble cause,
Song Selection #2 Please annotate, highlight, take notes, and complete the accompanying worksheet in preparation for our seminar discussion. I feel like I m Fixin to Die Rag Country Joe and The Fish 5 10 Well, come on all of you, big strong men, Uncle Sam needs your help again. He's got himself in a terrible jam Way down yonder in Vietnam So put down your books and pick up a gun, We're gonna have a whole lotta fun. And it's one, two, three, What are we fighting for? Don't ask me, I don't give a damn, Next stop is Vietnam; And it's five, six, seven, Open up the pearly gates, Well there ain't no time to wonder why, Whoopee! We're all gonna die. And it's one, two, three, What are we fighting for? Don't ask me, I don't give a damn, Next stop is Vietnam; And it's five, six, seven, Open up the pearly gates, Well there ain't no time to wonder why Whoopee! we're all gonna die. Come on mothers throughout the land, Pack your boys off to Vietnam. Come on fathers, and don't hesitate To send 35 40 45 15 20 Come on Wall Street, don't be slow, Why man, this is war au-go-go There's plenty good money to be made By supplying the Army with the tools of its trade, But just hope and pray that if they drop the bomb, They drop it on the Viet Cong. 25 And it's one, two, three, What are we fighting for? Don't ask me, I don't give a damn, Next stop is Vietnam. And it's five, six, seven, Open up the pearly gates, Well there ain't no time to wonder why Whoopee! We're all gonna die. 30 Well, come on generals, let's move fast; Your big chance has come at last. Now you can go out and get those reds 'Cause the only good commie is the one that's dead And you know that peace can only be won When we've blown 'em all to kingdom come.
Participation Rubric Student Name: Class period This rubric highlights some key discussion skills that we will continue to work on. This is not a grade, but is a way for you to keep track of your progress and areas that you need to work on. (No mention) (Integrated into your discussion) Building on other student ideas Using information from the text Using information from the readings/lecture notes/previous classes Additional Comments: