The Summer Assignment
Part I (Before you read the book)
* Read the political cartoon - The First Amendment? D’oh!
* Read “Between the lines” and “Talking points”. Answer questions 1 – 3 under “Talking
points”. Answer the questions on the handout provided and use complete sentences.
* Complete question handouts featuring “Bill of Rights” and “School Rules”.
Part II
* Read the book Nothing But The Truth by Avi
You can obtain a copy of the book from the library or you can purchase a copy of the
book at Mrs. Figs’ Bookworm in Camarillo. The Bookworm will give all students a
discount on the book. Call 805 – 482 -1384 to check on book availability.
* Maintain a dialectical journal. (See instructions)
Part III (After you read the book)
* Answer the “Bill of Rights” and “School Rules” questions based on your reading.
* Read informational sheet about the Socratic Seminar. You will be expected to use your
summer reading assignment components during our first Socratic Seminar of the year.
* Find one political cartoon or current news article that you think relates to the subject of
the book. Think about the questions posed for Socratic Seminar. Perhaps you can search
for an article about the First Amendment in action. Or perhaps you can search for an
article about truth. What about hoaxes that people perpetrate to gain media attention at
the expense of others? Be prepared to share your selection the first week of school during
Socratic Seminar. Make notes on the article or cartoon based on the questions posed for
the Seminar.
Any questions? Need help on any component of the assignment? Check out my password
protected blog for tips and discussions related to the assignment. You can find the blog
on my website by clicking on the Nothing But The Truth tab. Email me for the password
at ckavon@me.com.
Part I - Talking Points
1) Name the five members of the Simpson family.
2) List all five freedoms covered by the First Amendment. If you cannot - use the clues in
the cartoon and make a guess.
3) Why do you think people know more about a cartoon family than the U.S.
Constitution?
Part I – Bill of Rights
Amendment I
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the
free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of
the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of
grievances.
* What does this amendment mean to you?
* This constitutional right does not grant unlimited rights. Do you believe there are limits
to freedom of speech? If so, what are the limits?
Part I – School Rules
Every school functions under an established set of rules and regulations. Every year,
these rules are set forth in a school handbook. Teachers and students are expected to
know these rules and abide by them on campus.
*How and why are these rules made?
*How do they control student behavior?
* Think of some rules that exist and discuss their purpose.
* How are the rules enforced?
* Do all the rules make sense to you?
* Do you have the right to choose which rules you will obey and which you will disobey?
* What are the consequences of not knowing the rules or choosing to disregard the rules?
* What would it be like if there were no rules?
Part II – Dialectical Journals
In 8th grade, there is an emphasis on developing as a reader. Reading will enhance
your vocabulary, influence you as a writer and assist you in interpreting the world around
you. The dialectical journal is an assignment that helps you think about what you read
and why you think the way you do. There are really no right or wrong answers – but there
are answers that are too short or underdeveloped. Your answers should be reflective and
thoughtful – indicators that you have read the book and thought about what you read in a
meaningful way.
The Dialectical Journal is a simple t-chart:
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As you read, choose passages that stand out to you and record them in the lefthand column of a t-chart. Always include the page numbers.
In the right column, write your response to the text. Your responses may include
ideas/insights, questions, reflections, and comments.
You must complete a minimum of 15 Dialectical Journal Entries. There are
only 19 chapters in the book, so a good goal would be one entry per chapter.
Focus on passages that identify character traits, actions and specific quotes by
characters that you think are related to the overall theme of the book. Read the
Socratic Seminar informational pages before you start so you have an idea of
what to record in your Dialectical Journal.
Sample Dialectical Journal Entry for Nothing But The Truth by Avi
Passages from the text
Page
Numbers
From the diary of Philip
Page 4
Malloy... people can’t have
their own minds about
anything!!! Talk about a
free country!!! And the stuff
we have to read!
Comments & Questions
(Why do I find this quotation interesting or
important?)
What does he mean by “own minds” and “free
country”? Is he disagreeing with the teacher
and then saying he should have the right to
disagree? Is there a limit to the definition of
free? By law, students are required to attend
school until a certain age. I think that implies
that children need to be taught and have not
fully developed the capacity to make full and
informed decisions until a certain age. Just
what age is that? Who decides what age? Are
Philip’s journal entries an indication of his
attitude and what issues may be addressed in
this book? What would happen if there weren’t
certain rules and standards in place?
Part III
Bill of Rights
Amendment I
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the
free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of
the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of
grievances.
* What does this amendment mean to you after reading the book? Any changes in your
understanding or interpretation?
* This constitutional right does not grant unlimited rights. Do you believe there are limits
to freedom of speech? If so, what are the limits? Do you think Philip thought there were
limits? How do you think Philip feels about the press?
Part III – School Rules
Every school functions under an established set of rules and regulations. Every year,
these rules are set forth in a school handbook. Teachers and students are expected to
know these rules and abide by them on campus.
* Think of some rules that existed in the book and discuss their purpose.
* How were the rules enforced?
* Did all the rules make sense to you? Why or why not?
* Does anybody have the right to choose which rules will be obeyed? Were there
different interpretations about a rule and how it should be obeyed?
* According to the book, what might the consequences be of not knowing the rules or
choosing to disregard the rules?
* Do you think this book could have had a different ending if one of the characters
acted/reacted differently at any time during the book? Which character do you think
could have changed the outcome of the story most significantly? Explain.
Part III
Socratic Seminar
"The Socratic method of teaching is based on Socrates' theory that it is more important to
enable students to think for themselves than to merely fill their heads with "right"
answers. Therefore, he regularly engaged his pupils in dialogues by responding to their
questions with questions, instead of answers. This process encourages divergent thinking
rather than convergent thinking" (Adams).
"Socratic questioning recognizes that questions, not answers, are the driving force in
thinking. Socratic seminars explore ideas, values, and issues drawn from readings or art
works chosen for their richness. They also provide a forum to expand participants'
familiarity with works drawn from many cultural sources. Leaders help participants to
make sense of a text and of their own thinking by asking questions about reasoning,
evidence, connections, examples, and other aspects of sound thinking. A good seminar is
more devoted to making meaning than to mastering information. Seminars strengthen
participants' learning by getting them actively engaged in rigorous critical thought.
Practical activities are always followed by periods of reflection and discussion about
what has been experienced. The goal here is to allow learners to create a community of
inquiry for the purpose of making meaning cooperatively" (Raider).
FAQ
What does Socratic mean? Socratic comes from the name Socrates (ca. 470-399 BC)
who was a classical Greek philosopher; he developed a Theory of Knowledge.
What is a Socratic Seminar? A Socratic Seminar is a method to try to understand
information by creating an in-class dialogue based on a specific text. The participants
seek deeper understanding of complex ideas through rigorously thoughtful dialogue,
rather than by memorizing bits of information or meeting arbitrary demands for
'coverage.'
What Do I Do?
1. Refer to the text when needed during the discussion. A seminar is not a test of
memory. You are not "learning a subject"; your goal is to understand the ideas, issues,
and values reflected in the text.
2. It's okay to "pass" when asked to contribute.
3. Do not participate if you are not prepared.
4. Do not stay confused; ask for clarification.
5. Talk to the participants, not just the leader.
6. Stick to the point currently under discussion; make notes about ideas you want to come
back to.
7. Don't raise hands; take turns speaking.
8. Listen carefully and respectfully.
9. Speak up so that everyone can hear you.
10. Talk to each other, not just to the teacher or the leader.
11. Discuss the ideas rather than each other's opinions.
12. You are responsible for the seminar, even if you don't know it or admit it.
How Do I Prepare?
Read the two questions found at the beginning of the book. What message do you
think the author wants to convey with those two questions? Think about the following: 1)
Is telling only part of the truth dishonest? 2) Are there situations in which unfairness to an
individual is justified? 3) Should a person always tell the truth even if the truth will hurt
others? 4) Does justice require more than the enforcement of rules? 5) Are there
circumstances when rules should be broken?
These are the initial questions we will pose at the beginning of Socratic Seminar
but questions often change and develop based on student interpretations. Don’t be afraid
to pose your own open-ended questions!
In order to prepare for our first Socratic Seminar:
1. Decide who you think is most “at fault” in the book.
2. List character traits this person has.
3. List actions this person took that led to the conflict and subsequent resolution.
4. List things this person said that led to the conflict and subsequent resolution.
5. Mark passages in your dialectical journal or in your copy of the book with post-its so
you can find them. You will need to prove your character was most at fault, and the best
way to do that is with quotes directly from the book.
6. Make some notes, including passages you want to discuss, questions you want to ask,
and things you want to say about the topic. Do this by reading through the questions you
answered before and after reading the book. Is there one question that really makes you
want to voice a strong opinion? Be prepared by writing down your ideas and then finding
some more supportive material to back up your opinion (the political cartoon or article).