SOCRATIC SEMINAR - We have finished reading the book, The Wave, by Todd Strasser. On Friday, May
18th, we will have a class discussion called a Socratic Seminar.
Why is it called a Socratic Seminar? It is named after Socrates, a famous philosopher, who used
discourse to help his students learn. By adding thought-provoking questions that made his students
think they discovered answers by discussing the topic.
What is Discourse? Discussion or conversation in which the purpose is to explore a topic.
DISCOURSE
DEBATE
Goal is to explore a topic
Goal is to convince others
Evidence is presented to support your own claim /
opinion
Evidence is presented to prove others wrong
Others help you find out new things
Others are you opposition
Emotions like anger and hurt feelings are avoided
Emotions like anger or hurt feelings are likely to
happen.
In order to prepare for our class discussion, you will need to:
 Read the novel.
 Choose five questions below and identify textual support for each of the questions.
 Use sticky notes to mark pages and passages that support your top five questions.
o You are required to have a minimum of 3 sticky notes per question.
o Indicate the question # on the sticky for each support found in the book.
 Complete the discussion points for three of those questions. Be sure to include page references in
your discussion points.
o Each student will be expected to participate in two of the discussions in class.
o You will be required to provide a minimum of two quality comments per question.
*** Bring your book and your notes to class (You will not be able to return to your locker.)
1. Have you ever felt peer pressure to behave in a way that was contrary to you nature? Did you act
correctly or should you have acted differently? What examples of peer pressure are found in the
novel?
2. Based on your knowledge of history and the reading of this novel, do you think the Holocaust, or
event of that magnitude, could ever happen again?
3. Was the wave experiment a success? If so, why was it a success?
4. Can you identify with any of the characters in this book, or with their experiences? If so, which
ones? If not, why not?
5. The Wave was published in 1981 before everyone had a smart phone and before – gasp! – the
Internet was a household (and on-the-go) necessity. How might The Wave look if it were set in the
twenty-first century?
6. Would you have joined The Wave? Why or why not? What did you learn from The Wave?
7. Strasser chose to write the novel from third person omniscient point of view. Was this the best
viewpoint for the novel?
8. Look up the word ‘hero’ or write your own definition. Could any of the characters in the novel be
considered a hero?
9. The main theme of the novel is the appeal of fascism: what makes individuals want to become a
part of a community that places an authoritarian state above all other concerns? In what ways are
compromises and excuses made, what do freedoms do the students lose when they agree to these
rules? What do they gain?
10. Did the teacher act appropriately throughout the novel? His intent was to use the activity to
illustrate a time in history. Did he take it too far or let it go on too long? If so why? What do you
think the teacher learned from the experience?
Discussion Points:
Question
#
List any notes / comments you have related to the question. Be sure to also include page
references that support your comments and opinions.