APES 2010
Food Inc. -Socratic Seminar Questions
Read the following questions before viewing the film Food Inc. As you watch, take notes so that you
will be prepared to participate in our seminar. You won’t know which question your group will discuss,
so prepare answers for all questions. You may want to do some outside research to better prepare you
for the seminar. Good preparation involves understanding the various perspective associated with each
question.
I will grade you on how much you participate, the quality of your preparation, and the depth of your
comments during the seminar.
1. Do animals have the right to a certain quality of life?
2. Who’s responsible for keeping our food safe?
3. When deciding what to eat, how much should we consider the workers who pick, process and
transport it?
4. Should companies be able to own the DNA contained in plant seeds?
5. Should a company have the power to decide what information to give consumers about the food it
produces?
Socratic Seminar Guidelines
• Make sure your comments are appropriate and respectful. You can attack ideas, but don’t attack people.
• Stick to the topic currently being discussed. (Take notes on ideas you want to come address later.)
• Talk to each other, not to the teacher.
• Speak up so that everyone can hear you.
• Listen carefully to others’ comments.
• Try to add on to or make a link with something someone else has said.
• Encourage others to join in the discussion.
• Say “pass” if you want time to think before contributing.
• Refer to the film when possible, citing examples from it or drawing connections to it.