Name: __________________________________ Block: ______

African Literature Mastery Work #2: Theme Analysis Essay & Socratic Seminar for Things Fall Apart

In addition to writing a theme analysis essay, the second part of your Mastery Work assignment for Things Fall
Apart is a Socratic Seminar. Your score will be based on your participation in the Socratic Seminar, as well as a
packet of work to complete before the seminar (use the checklist below for further details on the packet).

What is a Socratic Seminar?

A Socratic Seminar is a group discussion where students help one another understand the ideas, issues, and
values reflected in a text. Students are responsible for facilitating their group discussion around the ideas in
the text; they shouldn’t use the discussion to assert their opinions or prove an argument. It is a discussion,
NOT a debate! The goal is to more deeply understand what the author was trying to express in the text.

Guidelines for Socratic seminar:

 Talk to each other, not just to the discussion leader.
 Come prepared. Bring notes and info that are relevant to the discussion.
 Participate, participate, participate!
 Refer to evidence from the text to support your ideas.
 Try to comment on someone else's previous statement before you give yours.
 Keep discussion alive by asking open-ended, thought-provoking questions.
 You do not need to raise your hand to speak, but please pay attention to your “airtime”—how much
you have spoken in relation to other students. You want to use your speaking time fairly (contribute
but do not control).
 Ask questions if you do not understand what someone has said, or you can paraphrase what another
student has said for clarification (“I think you said this; is that right?”).
 Don’t interrupt.
 Don’t “put down” the ideas of another student. Without judging the student you disagree with, state
your alternate interpretation or ask a follow-up question to help probe or clarify an idea.

CHECKLIST

To get full credit for the Socratic Seminar, you will need to submit the following:

 A close-reading passage selected from the novel that relates to your theme topic
 Annotated articles (two will be distributed to you)
 Theme Tracker for your topic (should be COMPLETED, front and back!)
 A well thought-out response to the pre-seminar discussion question: Considering the reputation of TFA
over the past 60 years, why do you feel this novel is such an important part of World Literature? Why
should one read this novel?
 A set of 3-5 open-ended questions to facilitate discussion
RUBRIC:

4 3 2 1
Close Reading - A thoughtfully chosen - A well-chosen passage - A poorly chosen - A poorly chosen or
Passage passage that reflects that reflects the theme passage that is not inaccurate passage that
the theme topic. topic. clearly related to the is not related to the
- All aspects of close - All aspects of close theme topic. theme topic.
reading followed with reading followed with - Work is partially - Work is mostly
detail and detail. incomplete or lacks incomplete or is
thoughtfulness. - Shows some evidence detail. inaccurate.
- Shows evidence of of time and effort. - Shows a lack of effort. - Shows lack of effort
time and effort. and disregard for the
task.
Article - Annotations thorough, - Annotations - Annotations partial, - Annotations confused,
Annotations insightful and acceptable, literal, and incomplete or very inaccurate and
consistent. consistent. inconsistent. inconsistent.
- Ample margin/text - Sufficient margin/text - Some/Few - Very few margin/text
notes with many notes that show margin/text notes show notes that show
connections made understand of the text. confusion, lacks effort. confusion and/or
beyond the text. severe lack of effort.
Theme - Fully completed with - Fully completed with - Incomplete and/or - Mostly incomplete,
Tracker detailed analysis. sufficient analysis insufficient or weak may be missing
- Citations all correct. - May be a minor issue analysis. analysis.
with a citation. -Several or consistent - No or almost no
errors with citations. correct citations.
Pre-Seminar - Response is - Response is sufficient - Response is weak, - Response is confused,
Reflection thoughtful, insightful and clear. and/or partially weak, or incomplete.
and nuanced. - All aspects of the incomplete. - Shows lack of effort
- All aspects of the question addressed. - Shows a clear lack of and disregard for the
question addressed - Shows some evidence time and effort. task.
with detail. of time and effort.
- Shows evidence of
time and effort.
Discussion - Thoughtful, open- - Open-ended - Closed-ended - Closed-ended
Questions ended questions that questions that promote questions that do not questions that do not
promote discussion. discussion. promote discussion. promote discussion.
- All questions have a - May be one weak - One or more weak - All or nearly all
clear purpose. question. questions. questions weak.
Participation - Active, balanced - Active participation. - Weak participation; is - Very weak
in Seminar participation. May need to speak a bit too quiet or too participation; barely or
- Consistently referring more or a bit less. aggressive. never speaks.
back to the text(s). - Refers back to the - Rarely refers back to - Does not refer back to
- Clearly shows effort text(s) often. the text(s). the text(s).
and preparedness. - Shows effort and - Lack of effort and - Clearly unprepared
- Encourages others to preparedness. preparedness. and/or unable or
engage and minds their - At times encourages - Does not encourage unwilling to show
own "air time" others. others. effort.
- A strong contributor - A good contributor. - A weak contributor. - A very weak
contributor.

RUBRIC SCORE: __________/4  _________/100

1. Where does that idea come from in the text?
2. What does this word or phrase mean?
3. Can you say that in another way?
4. Is this what you mean to say...?
5. What do you think the author is trying to say?
6. What else could that mean?
7. Who was the audience for this text? How does that shape our interpretation of these words?
8. Who was the author of this text? What do we know about him/her? How does that shape our
understanding of these words?