CEP Lesson Plan Form

Teacher: Thomas Gilbert Date: 04/19/2018

School: Rocky Mountain High School Grade Level: Junior/Senior Content Area: Social Studies – Asian Humanities

Title: Siddhartha Socratic Seminar Lesson #: 2 of 2

Lesson Idea/Topic and
Rational/Relevance:
Students will already be familiar with and nearly finished reading Siddhartha by Herman Hesse, in
the middle of an Asian Humanities course that is studying Hinduism and Buddhism. The students,
having completed all but the final chapter of the book, will participate in a Socratic Seminar
discussing the contents, themes, and philosophies present in the text within the larger context of
the Asian Humanities class, Eastern religions and philosophies, and the students’ own lives and
experiences.

Student Profile:
The students in 2nd hour Asian Humanities are bright, eclectic, and insightful students, although
somewhat reserved as a class. They are primarily juniors and seniors, with 18 juniors, 10 seniors,
and 2 sophomores, for a total of 30 students. Of they 30, 12 are male and 18 females. There are 4
GT students in the class, and 2 students have 504 educational plans that primarily concern academic
assistance and flexibility in seating, reading, and writing.

Content Standard(s) addressed by this lesson: (Write Content Standards directly from the standard)

1.1: Use the historical method of inquiry to ask questions, evaluate primary and secondary sources, critically analyze and interpret data, and develop
interpretations defended by evidence

1.2: The key concepts of continuity and change, cause and effect, complexity, unity and diversity over time

1.3: The significance of ideas as power forces throughout history

Understandings: (Big Ideas)

Siddhartha is a book that contains myriad connections, comparisons, allegories, and references to Eastern religion, history, culture, and philosophy.
Through historical analysis, interpretation, and critical thinking, a fictional or literary work can be valuable to the study of history and culture.
Primary and secondary sources both lend themselves to interpretation, and this interpretation is both on the part of the author and the reader.

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Inquiry Questions: (Essential questions relating knowledge at end of the unit of instruction, select applicable questions from standard)

How do historical thinkers use primary and secondary sources to formulate historical arguments?
Which ideas provide the greatest insight to understanding a culture or nation’s history?
How has music, art, and literature reflected powerful ideas throughout history?
How have philosophical and religious traditions affected the development of regions, cultures, and nations?
How does the fictional Siddhartha in the text compare to the religious/historical figure Siddhartha Gautama, or Buddha?

Evidence Outcomes: (Learning Targets)

Every student will be able to: discuss the book Siddhartha in a Socratic Seminar, drawing connections from the text to their prior knowledge and personal
experiences and sharing their insights with their peers in a comfortable, respectful environment.

I can: analyze a secondary or fictionalized source for historical content, relevance, and context and vocalize my interpretation and viewpoints in an academic
setting.

This means: I can develop and express my own viewpoints of a text or history, but I can also listen to, respect, and appreciate the viewpoints, insights, and
interpretations of others and use those to analyze my own thinking and responses.

List of Assessments: (Write the number of the learning targets associated with each assessment)

1) Entry Ticket: Students are expected to have prepared a summary of the assigned reading and question(s) they’ve written while reading Siddhartha.
These will serve as entry tickets for the Socratic Seminar and will ensure that students have done the assigned reading and are ready for the discussion.
They also provide students with a basis for questions/comments in the discussion.

2) Socratic Seminar: Student responses will be marked and noted, with each student being expected to participate at least two (2) times throughout the
discussion. The comments, insights, and responses from students will serve as a formative assessment of their knowledge, understandings, and
interpretation of the text, particularly within the larger contexts of the class, Hinduism, and Buddhism.

3) Initial Question & Reflection: The students will be asked to write at least one additional question for the seminar on a sheet of paper before we begin.
This will serve as something for them to reference if they feel they are at a loss for words or the discussion has hit a low point. These will be kept by the
students during the discussion, and afterwards I will ask them the write a brief reflection on the Socratic Seminar and/or the text, simply providing me
with more data concerning students’ grasps, understandings, and questions regarding Siddhartha and the units on Hinduism and Buddhism.

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Questions for Socratic Seminar:

- What is Siddhartha’s fascination, disdain, and quest for “the Self” about? What do you think is meant when Siddhartha says that teachers/masters cannot
teach “the Self”? What does he come to realize is the reason for this?
- “…I am Siddhartha, and about nothing do I know less than about myself, about Siddhartha.” (pp 32)
- Throughout the book, Siddhartha refers to “ordinary people” as children or childlike. What do you think he means by this?
- Do you think he feels superior? Do you see this as insulting, or condescending, or patronizing?
- “He always felt different and superior to others” (pp 63)
- How does Siddhartha’s view of others, and of himself, change and develop though out his life and journey?
- How do you interpret Siddhartha’s dream of Govinda on page 42? Do you think it is significant? What does it symbolize or foreshadow, to you?
- Who is the Ferryman, and why does he love the river “above everything”? What has he learned from the river? What do you think the river symbolizes?
- Why do you think Siddhartha was so ready and willing to change for Kamala? Why do you think he was so drawn to Kamala at that time?
- How does Siddhartha initially view his life and business with Kamaswami and amongst the people? Where did the value truly lie in his life?
- How does he view others and their lives at this point? Can he be seen as a sort of “tourist” of different lifestyles? Does this speak to his character?
- How do you view Siddhartha’s relationship with dice and gambling? Do you think it was truly “in disdain” of money? How did he change as a result?
- Why can’t Siddhartha love? Kamala? Do you think Vasudeva can love? Govinda? (Who are “ordinary people” to Siddhartha?)
- Explain Siddhartha’s dream of Kamala’s bird? (pp 67). How do you interpret it? How does it relate to the story, and how does it come up later? How have
Siddhartha’s dreams been informing his decisions?
- Did Siddhartha succeed in killing himself/ending his life by the river? (cycle of death and rebirth/reincarnation)
- How does Siddhartha’s relationship with himself/”the Self” develop and change over time? What kind of relationship do you think he has with himself?
- Is Siddhartha happy? What is his definition of happiness? How does he try to achieve this? What gets in his way? When do you think Siddhartha was
truly the happiest?
- For one who has forsaken, or no longer needs, teachers, Siddhartha thinks of Gautam quite a lot, and reflects on his lessons. Do you see any arrogance or
hypocrisy? What about his later latching on to Vasudeva? Could the river be seen as his teacher?
- What do you think the river symbolizes? What does it mean to Siddhartha? Vasudeva? Do they have similar experiences?
- Did Siddhartha do the right thing with his son? Should he have let him go, or taken him back sooner? What is his role as a father?
-What do you think Govinda’s role in the story is? What can you tell about him? Do you think he is significant? How are Govinda and Siddhartha similar or
different?
- How do you think the story will conclude? If you’ve read ahead, please do not give anything away.

- How does the fictional Siddhartha in the text compare to the religious/historical figure Siddhartha Gautama, or Buddha?
- What connections or parallels can be drawn to Hinduism and Buddhism from Siddhartha? What Buddhist or Hindu themes are present? How are they
interrelated or comingled within the text?
- What knowledge from this class can you see related or represented in the book Siddhartha?

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Planned Lesson Activities
Name and Purpose of Lesson
Co-Teaching
Will co-teaching models be utilized
in this lesson? Yes _X_ No ___
Approx. Time and Materials
Anticipatory Set
Procedures
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Siddhartha Socratic Seminar
Which model(s) will be used?
The class will be divided into two smaller, more manageable discussion groups. Ms. Barrier will take a
group of students, potentially those who did not complete the reading or the entry ticket to the
discussion, to a separate location to conduct the Socratic Seminar.
Why did you choose this model(s) and what are the teachers’ roles?
We selected this model of co-teaching for the Socratic Seminar so that the size of the discussion groups
would be smaller, increasing the motivation and need for students to participate in the conversation. This
will also facilitate more personalized, in-depth and individual discussion and focus the discussion, allowing
it to be completed in a shorter amount of time.
45 Minutes
Siddhartha by Herman Hesse (1922)
The strategy I intend to use is: Quick-write/The 4C’s (one question before discussion)
I am using this strategy here because: By having students individually write down questions, connections,
concerns, or concepts from the text prior to the discussion, it will ensure that each student has at least
one original idea or insight to offer throughout our Socratic Seminar.
The strategy I intend to use is: Socratic Seminar
I am using this strategy here because: The students have been reading Siddhartha by Herman Hesse and
are nearly finished with the text. It is a book rich in Hindu and Buddhist themes and imagery. The book is
incredibly fruitful for thought and discussion and a Socratic Seminar allows students the opportunity to
voice questions, connections, concerns, and opinions regarding the text. It can serve to synthesize
knowledge and understanding and focus student learning toward the larger themes addressed in the
class.
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Teacher Actions Student Actions Data Collected

Introduce topic and agenda of the
day. Circulate and collect students’
Entry Tickets for the Socratic
Seminar. Divide class into groups for
separate Seminars. (5 min)
Take seats, take out Siddhartha
and reading summaries and
questions (Entry Ticket).
Participate in light discussion
and conversation regarding the
text. Divide into groups. (5 min)
Entry Ticket summaries and
questions of the assigned
reading for the night before.
Students should have these
ready at the beginning of each
class period, with around 2
questions per chapter.

Anticipatory Set: Ask remaining
students to write one question,
connection, concern, or large
concept from the text. (5 min)
Anticipatory Set: Write down
one question from, connection
to, concern they have, or
noteworthy concept they find in
the text (5 min)
At least one
thought/insight/question for
the discussion – will be
collected at the end of the
lesson.

Ask students to help rearrange Rearrange classroom into circle

*Select a student who is eager to
participate to play the role of
recorder, and ensure they’re still
willing to participate in discussion
room. Set norms and expectations
for the Socratic Seminar: explain
participation, grading, rules, and
etiquette. Ask for one student
volunteer to tally/track participation
of other students*. (5 min)
of desks, take seats. Listen to
rules and expectations of
Socratic Seminar and note
expected behavior. One student:
volunteer to serve as recorder.
(5 min)

Socratic Seminar: I will oversee and
facilitate the Socratic Seminar in
class over Siddhartha. I will make
sure that the conversation stays
respectful, focused, intellectual, and
on-task. I will also make sure that no
one or few people are dominating
the conversation and all students
have a change to participate. I will
have questions prepared to
stimulate the conversation and
ensure certain points are addressed,
Socratic Seminar: Participate in Formative assessment through
the Socratic Seminar and student responses and input
contribute to the conversation. during the discussion.
Refer to previous questions and Qualitative and informal data
summaries if necessary. Listen to obtained through Socratic
the responses and insights of Seminar.
others, as well as their
questions. Respond to questions
and statements from others and
from the teacher(s). Practice
critical and analytical thinking to
explore the subject matter and

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but ideally this is the students’ time connections of the text. One
to discuss the text. (27 min) student helps tally student
participation. (27 min)

Closure: Ask students to write a brief
(3-5) sentence reflection on the
Socratic Seminar and Siddhartha.
This is a very free-form exercise, in
which I will simply ask students to
reflect (as Siddhartha did quite often
throughout the text) on their
interpretation, experience, and
relationship with ideas in the text.
This can be added to the
questions/thoughts written prior to
the discussion. (3 min)
Closure: Write a brief reflection
of the Socratic Seminar and/or
Siddhartha. Simply reflect and
write thoughts, ideas, and
connections to the text, and how
they have interpreted and
interacted with ideas and
concepts presented in the text.
This can be added to the
questions/thoughts written prior
to the discussion.
Brief (3-5 sentence) reflection
on the Socratic Seminar and
Siddhartha, drawing
connections and parallels to
prior knowledge, course
content, and personal
experiences.

Closure The strategy I intend to use is: Quick-Write/Reflection

I am using this strategy here because: The main character Siddhartha reflects on his relationships,
thoughts, knowledge, and experience almost constantly throughout the novel. Having students take time
to organize their thoughts and write a few sentences expressing them, or any further inquiries or insights,
can be extremely valuable for both the students and myself. This data will allow me see connections
students make between the course and the text and their lives and prior knowledge, but it will also serve
to organize and finalize the students’ thoughts before moving on.

Differentiation Content Process Product Environment

Modifications: Audio and Students still Students will The highest
online editions receive points not be graded standards of
of the books for attendance based on respect,
and submitting content of integrity,
are available
questions; contribution, kindness, and
for students. students who mainly the Lobo Way
Discussion have not read participation will be
questions can will join Ms. and thought, as maintained for
be repeated, Barrier and well as conduct the entirety of

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CEP Lesson Plan Form

rephrased, and given time to throughout the the discussion.

explained. read. discussion. Students can
switch seats in
the circle if
need be.
Extensions:

Assessment Entry Ticket: This is a nightly assignment that the students were first given by Ms. Barrier when they began
reading Siddhartha. It helps to keep students on-track and engaged with the reading. It will serve another
function during the Socratic Seminar as a qualification for participation and a starting point for the
conversation.

Socratic Seminar Responses: I am hoping that students engage in a civil, respectful, insightful discussion
over the Siddhartha. I hope that students will pick up on Buddhist and Hindu themes and concepts
throughout the text, and will apply prior knowledge and the knowledge gained in this course to their
analysis of the text. This will be the first discussion in quite some time, so it will be covering a significant
portion of the text (stopping before the final chapter). That being said, the discussion will likely concern
themes and main points of interest within the text, rather than serve as a summative response.

Reflection: I’m simply looking for a brief,3-5 sentence reflection on the text and the discussion that we
have just had. I am only asking students to think and write about Siddhartha in relation to the class and
their lives. It is primarily a practice in reflection that will help inform me of student’s engagement with the
course content and approach.

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