B Day - Generating Questions and Discussion

Task: For this protocol your group will be generating questions about your text that you will then
use within a discussion of your choice.
Step One: Focusing topics
Week 1: What is the most reliable indicators that a genocide may be about to occur?
Week 2: Is it realistic to think that all genocides can be prevented or suppressed?
Week 3: Can one reasonably talk about seeking "justice" in cases of genocide?
Step Two: Generating Questions (30 min)
For this step your goal is to create questions that will help you discuss the information you have
been reading. For each week, you have to focus your question on the topics above and the
information youve read.
Produce Your Questions
Four essential rules for producing your own questions:
Ask as many questions as you can.
Do not stop to discuss, judge, or answer the questions.
Write down every question exactly as it is stated.
Change any statement into a question.
Prioritize the Questions
As a group choose your three most important probing questions that can be used during
your group discussion.
Next Steps
Take 15 minutes to gather evidence that will help to answer these questions. These
quotes should be listed on a piece of paper so that you can reference them during the
discussion.
Step Three: Discussion (30 min)
Week 1 & 2- In groups
Week 3- Whole class
For this step please go through the attached discussion protocol.
Step Four: Takeaways (10 min)
Answer the probing questions posed in the discussion, as well as the Driving Question for the
week.

Synthesize
(Connect!)
Explain
connections
between info
from multiple
sources and
combine to

Integrating

Applying

Developing

Emerging

I can explain relationships

between important information
from multiple sources.

I can explain relationships

between important information
from multiple sources.

I can combine this information to

create an accurate unified idea
that shows how all the info fits

I can combine this information

to create a basic, accurate,
unified idea that shows how all

I can explain
relationships
between important
information but I
need to create a
unified idea that
shows how all this

I can identify important

information from
multiple sources
relating to one topic
but I need to explain
the relationships
between information.

create unified
idea.

together but also shows the

complexity of the topic.

this information works together

and what it all means.

information works
together.

Socratic Seminar
The goal of a Socratic seminar is to help one another understand the ideas, issues, and
values reflected in a specific text. The class is responsible for facilitating a discussion
around ideas in the text rather than asserting opinions. Through a process of listening,
making meaning, and finding common ground our goal is to work toward shared
understanding rather than trying to prove a particular argument.
Before the seminar:
1. Make sure you understand your purpose for reading.
2. Interact with the text so you read it closely. Make annotations and/or take notes
while reading.
3. Extend beyond the text by writing at least three open-ended/probing, higher
level questions that have no single right answer and will encourage discussion. Areas to
consider for questions:
- Ask Why? about the authors choices in the text, about an individual's
motivation, about a situation described in the text, etc.
- Ask about viewpoint or perspectives
- Examine the title, tone of the text, or connect to current issues, theme, etc.
- Ask about importance: So what? What does it matter that what does it
mean that?
During the seminar:
1. Be prepared to participate and ask probing questions. The quality of the seminar is
diminished when participants speak without preparation.
2. Show respect for differing ideas, thoughts, and values.
3. Allow each speaker enough time to begin and finish his or her thoughts-dont
interrupt.
4. Involve others in the discussion, and ask others to elaborate on their response instead
of dominating the conversation.
5. Build on what others say: ask question to probe deeper, clarify, paraphrase and add,
synthesize a variety of different views in your own summary. Examples:
- Ask questions to probe deeper: Kim makes me think of another point: why
would the author include
- Clarify: I think what Stephanie is trying to say is or Im not sure I understand
what you are saying, Jeff. What is
- Paraphrase and add: I think I heard Jason say is that I agree with him and
also think
- Synthesize: Based on the ideas from Time, Mary, and Maya, it seems like we all
think that the author is

6. Participate openly and keep your mind open to new ideas and possibilities.
7. Refer to the text often, and give evidence and examples to support your response.

Socratic Seminar Notes

Questions:
Could Bosnian Genocide have been prevented?
What could the U.N have done to prevent this genocide, or help
suppress it?
If Yugoslavia didnt break up and states did not become
independent, would this genocide have happened?
If there was a strong Bosnian Muslim leader or strong military,
would this genocide have been prevented?
If Serbia had the sea, would they have targeted Bosnia?

They Say(record the main points here)

No, the genocide wouldnt have
happened. The only reason Serbians
wanted have Bosnia because they were
scared that they were going to become
independent. (A.L)
Yugoslavia not breaking up would have
prevented the genocide because
Yugoslavia had connected states and
Serbia could have shared with Bosnia but
if independence is gained then Serbia
cant get anything from Bosnia. (M.R)
The genocide would have still occurred
because Serbias greed, and the urge to
have more land. More land means more
power. (N.C)
I dont think they could have stopped the
genocide from occurring because it was
too big. The serbians would have fought
back, they cant completely resolve it
either way but they can suppress it a little
and help the victims. (M.R)
The U.N couldnt really done much

I Say(record your opinion on what has

been said. Did you think about this too? Is
this a new idea to you? is there something
you would like to add?)
I think if there was a treaty then there
would have not been a genocide because
both countries would have come to a
compromise. They would have decided
and shared some parts of the land, and
there would be no bloodshed. I also
believe that if Yugoslavia broke up it would
have prevented genocide/not prevented
because in the discussion Maria really
persuaded me when she made points
about how Yugoslavia was connected and
how they could just share but when its
broken up and states become
independent it becomes a problem.
I think the U.N should have encouraged a
treaty earlier in the genocide to prevent
many of the deaths. I really dont believe
the U.N could have stopped this genocide
all together because its very hard to stop
a genocide with strong military forces and
Serbia did have them. If they fought back

because they wouldnt do a lot because

its not their country and they dont want
to put themselves out there too much
because itll affect them negatively in the
future. (N.C)

war would have broken out and it would

have been much messier.

The U.N could have brought more men,

they could have slowed the genocide
down and help as many people as they
can and take them to refugee camps.
There wouldnt have been genocide, it
would have been a war and there would
have been many casualties. (N.C)

A military could protect their people, a

leader would encourage people to fight.

War would have broke out but the death

toll would have been a little less.

My Take Aways....
(Based on all of your notes above, how can you answer this weeks question? How does
this relate to the DQ?)
This weeks question relates to the DQ because when figuring out how genocide can be prevented or
suppressed you have to be aware of how genocides occur. To find a solution, you need to know the problem.
For example, we talked about if Yugoslavia didnt break up maybe the bosnian genocide would have been
prevented. Yugoslavia breaking up could have been a cause as to why the Bosnian genocide occurred, and
it connects directly to the DQ. We answered this weeks question by talking about if there was actually an
authority/strong military leader, would the genocide have occurred? By not having a strong military, you
cannot protect your people or your country. Without a strong leader theres no influence on the people to fight
for themselves and their country. People need an authority to keep chaos from happening and also keep the
hope and spirit in the people of the country. We discussed how if Bosnia had a strong leader/military the
genocide could have been prevented but there would still be war, and casualties but it wouldnt have been as
severe as the Bosnian genocide itself. This connects back to the DQ because a weak country could be the
reason why a genocide occurs because if a country is weak, another imperialistic country who wants more
power would target them and take over. Another thing we discussed in this socratic seminar is what could the
U.N have done to help prevent or suppress the bosnian genocide. We talked about how if the U.N stepped in
before all the chaos begun, they could have helped formed a treaty agreement between Bosnia and Serbia
so the entire genocide could be prevented.This could also connect back to the DQ because genocides can
continue to occur because of the lack of international help. Overall, our entire discussion directly connects to
driving question which is, why do genocides occur? When discussing ways to prevent/suppress something,
typically the reasons why a genocide occur are mentioned.

Synthesiz
e
(Connect!
)
Explain
connection
s between
info from
multiple
sources
and
combine to
create
unified
idea.

Integrating

Applying

Developing

Emerging

I can explain relationships

between important
information from multiple
sources.

I can explain relationships

between important
information from multiple
sources.

I can combine this

information to create an
accurate unified idea that
shows how all the info fits
together but also shows
the complexity of the topic.

I can combine this

information to create a
basic, accurate, unified idea
that shows how all this
information works together
and what it all means.

I can explain
relationships
between
important
information but
I need to create
a unified idea
that shows how
all this
information
works together.

I can identify
important
information
from multiple
sources
relating to one
topic but I
need to
explain the
relationships
between
information.