The Jungle Socratic Seminar
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:
1. What are the moral and ethical conclusions of the central conflict in Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle?
2. Moshin Hamid argues that fiction is “an inherently political act.” He wrote, “Fiction can say publicly what might otherwise appear
unsayable.” Likewise, George Eliot wrote that “in making clear to ourselves what is best and noblest in art, we are making clear to
ourselves what is best and noblest in morals; in learning how to estimate the artistic products of a particular age, . . . we are widening
our sympathy and deepening the basis of our tolerance and charity.” To what extent are these statements true in The Jungle? How are
the morals and ethics of a society both reflected in and altered by fiction?
There are three steps to preparing for a successful Socratic Seminar:
I. Questions
Keeping in mind our essential question, please prepare 4 questions for the Socratic Seminar at DOK levels 3 or 4. Avoid speculative
(“what if?”) or closed-ended questions that could be easily answered with a yes/no or questions that can cleared up definitively and
directly from the text. You do not need to respond to these questions. You need to label the questions or you will not receive credit!
You must write actual questions or you will not receive credit!
Your 5 DOK questions will come from the debate “Does Fiction Have the Power to Sway Politics?”
OTHER PLACES TO HELP YOU:
“Uppie Redux” (touches upon Upton Sinclair’s influence, his ethics & morals….I’d read this!!)
“Ethics vs. Morals”
II. Research Recap
Read “Does Fiction Have the Power to Sway Politics,” and complete the following based on your knowledge and understanding of the
text.
Complete the following for the article:
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5 DOK questions related back to the article (step one; above)
A brief summary
A connection between the article and the background information you were given on The Jungle
Two more elements of your choice from the “Responding to the Text” handout (label them)
**Please keep each item in the research recap separate!**
CITATION FOR THE ARTICLE
You will submit your questions and your research recap to turnitin.com by 7:30 am on Thursday, March 12th, 2015. Please plan ahead.
I am not responsible for last-minute computer failure—have a back-up! Late work will receive a zero.
III. The Seminar
On the day of the seminar, bring your copy of the article you read, your questions and your notes (which should include the Research
Recap).
There are two ways to earn points:
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Posing an intelligent, higher level question to the group
Specifically responding to a question posed by your peers
**Your responses should reference the text or your notes
Research Recap & Questions – 20 points
Socratic Seminar participation – 20 points