Lesson 1

Lesson:  Brief Intro/History/Timeline Lesson

Objectives:
    1.  Students will communicate through e-mail with another student at least 5 times in the next two weeks.
    2.  Students will share which philosopher they would have liked to study under most .
    3.  Students will present informative letters
    4.  Students will demonstrate their understanding of the e-mail process by composing, editing (spell check), and sending a letter without the teacher's assistance.

Materials:
    Find Fellow Philosophers  
    Computer with internet/E-mail access

 Procedures:
    1.  Discuss ways that you can communicate with others
    2.  Project description:

                                    ~Find Fellow Philosophers
                                    ~Discuss Expectations
                                    ~Explain that they will be reading and writing their views on the ancient Greek philosophers

                                       and they will have the opportunity to discuss their work with their internet/ fellow philosopher.
    3.  Write rough draft or introduction letter
    4.  Type edited letter
    5.  Cut and paste to e-mail
    6.  Send and wait for response
    7.  Begin research on philosopher biographies
    8.  Use Internet to find at least two stories
    9.  When fellow philosopher responds, students should answer their questions and begin sharing  information
    10.  Continue to read and write letters until this unit is over

 

Assessment:
    -Communicate at least 5 times with internet pal
    -Share at least 2 readings or writings
    -Spelling, punctuation and grammar
    -Demonstrate e-mail process

 Follow up Comments:

This activity can be expanded outside of the classroom.  Students with computers can communicate with their internet pals on a daily basis.  For more information: Internet Pen Pals
 http://www.epistemelinks.com/Main/PhilosopherTimeline.aspx  

http://www.wadsworth.com/philosophy_d/special_features/timeline/timeline.html

Lesson 2

Lesson: Data Base Lesson Plan (which are you most like)

 

Objectives:
    1.  Students will be able to log information into the database
    2.  Students will be able to analyze, organize and retrieve data
    3.  Students will draw conclusions about the research
    4.  Students will provides a good knowledge base from which to write their opinion of the philosopher they will choose.

    5.  Students will compare and contrast characteristics of their own thinking with the philosopher of their choice.
 

Materials:
    Internet
    Printer
    Microsoft Word

    Microsoft Access

 Procedures:
    1.  Students select a Philosopher they would like to research: Socrates, Plato or Aristotle
    2.  Students log on to the internet and begin researching the Philosopher they chose
    3.  Students will data/research on philosopher and what they thought: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page (use as start page

                to promote searching skills and basic internet literacy)
    4.  Students will log information into the data base using Microsoft Access
    4.  Students draw their conclusions about the research
    5.  Students write their accounts in a small paragraph on Microsoft Word

    6.  Ask them to collaboratively (small groups) to write down the differences and similarities that they see
    7.  Discuss their favorite type and why
    8.  Then explain the differences between what they think and the philosopher of their choice

    9.  They will then write (in groups) their own myth or folk tale and share them with the class.

 Assessment:
    -assignment completed
    -spelling, grammar
    -differences/ similarities
    -collaboratively working

    -small paragraph written on Microsoft Word

 Modifications:
Students can be grouped into pairs rather than small groups to limit distractions.

Lesson 3

Lesson: Thinking Like A Philosopher

 

Objectives:
Students will be able to:
    1.  Demonstrate all of the elements of a persuasive argument
    2.  Think in reverse
    3.  Identify which arguments of others in class are complete, imaginative/critical, interesting and incorporate the known facts.

 Materials:
    Microsoft Word
    paper/pencil
    fellow philosopher

 Procedure:
    1.  Explain to students what "The Socratic Method" is and provide simple rubric to follow.
    2.  Some students are given the phrase "Ten hours of homework is unfair because..." Others are given the body of a possible argument

            against ten hours of homework and still others are given a conclusion.
    3.  They then take the information they have and compose a short story between two characters arguing (using the Socratic Method) around the parts that they received.
    4.  They write a rough draft
    5.  Then they type their short story using Microsoft Word
    6.  Then they will cut and paste their story to their fellow philosopher's e-mail.
    7.  They will receive feedback and then are asked to share their completed story with the class.

 Assessment:
    -completes assignment
    -story has an introduction, body, climax and conclusion
    -spell check, grammar
    -logical, makes sense (following the Socratic Method) and other English Language conventions
    -receives feedback from fellow philosopher

 Helpful Links: http://www.soci.niu.edu/~phildept/Dye/method.html & http://virtualology.com/rhetoricaltheory/socraticmethod.net/

Lesson 4

Lesson: What Would You Have Voted? (Socrates death)

 

Objectives:
    1.  Use their creativity
    2.  Students will consult their fellow philosophers and ask for feedback
    3.  Students will write an argument for or against Socrates being punished for “corrupting the youth.”
    4. Use of Microsoft Word

 Materials:
    Computer with Microsoft Word
    Student research on Trial of Socrates

    Excerpt from the Crito from Plato
 

Procedures:
    1.  Begin by reading an excerpt from the Crito from Plato
    2.  Ask the students if they agree that Socrates should be punished for the crime of “corrupting the youth.”
                    What would they have done differently?
                    If they had been best friends with Socrates, and had to decide his fate would he have wanted them to be objective? 

        What would their verdict have been if they had to vote on Socrates’ fate?
    3.  Ask them to write down their ideas on a rough draft
    4.  Once they know what is expected from them (explain rubric) have them log on to Microsoft Word
    5.  They will begin writing their persuasive essay
    6.  Students will write an argument for or against Socrates being punished for “corrupting the youth”

 Assessment:
    -completed argument on Microsoft Word
    -use of spell check and grammar

 Helpful Site: http://pd.sparknotes.com/philosophy/crito/section1.html

Lesson 5

Lesson: Internet Lesson Plan (philosophy in the world)

 

Objectives:
    1.  Students will explore information posted on the topic through the internet.
    2.  Students will write their appreciation of what they have read.
    3.  Students will send their opinion about others' written appreciation through the e-mail ( their internet pal).

 Materials:
    Internet system on a computer
    Pencil
    Note
    Large screen projector

 Procedures:
    1.  Students explore the internet for at least 1 example of the philosophical concepts of either Socrates, Plato, or Aristotle present in modern culture

            looking for examples in movies, stories, news articles, news casts, TV shows, the daily comics, comic books, ect.:
    2.  Students choose one philosopher that interests them.
    3.  Students type the appreciation of what they had read to fellow philosopher in the classroom, using e-mail

 Assessment:
    -Students complete their research assignments from the internet
    -Students send their responses to their fellow philosopher
    -Students reply to their fellow philosophers’ composition

Lesson 6

Lesson:  Snail Mail

 

Objectives:
Students will be able to :
    1.  cut and paste successfully
    2.  e-mail without teacher's assistance
    3.  use spell check
    4.  Express their opinions and appreciate others'

 Materials
    Computer/e-mail access

 Procedure:
This lesson brings closure to the unit.  They are able to say good bye to their fellow philosopher, exchange addresses and discuss any last minute reflections. 

For students with computers, they can continue their relationship outside of class.
    1.  Ask the students to ask their fellow philosophers what they thought of their short stories, self-comparisons to a philosopher,

            and what they appreciate most about philosophy or the philosopher they liked most.
    2.  Ask students to give their fellow philosopher their favorite site or link.

Assessment:
    -This lesson brings closure- fellow philosophers response
    -list at least one site or link

References   http://www.epals.com/ -This site connects you to classrooms all over the world.  It explores e-mail. http://www.bpcweb.net/official/admissions/brochure.pdf -The Black Pine Circle School offers an insight into how they have managed to integrating philosophy into the curriculum through a Socratic Method approach (involves grades K-8) http://edsitement.neh.gov/view_lesson_plan.asp?id=291 – Although this is more geared towards 9th graders (as philosophy does not usually tend to be geared towards 6th graders) it is still offers interesting ideas for an applicable lesson plan http://www.epistemelinks.com/ -Offers the teacher and motivated students a wealth of various resources to philosophy related links.  Extremely good cite for all sorts of applications. http://lilt.ics.hawaii.edu/belvedere/index.html -This is a link that offers software that is geared to help support middle-school and high-school students learn critical inquiry skills for learning scenarios that they can apply in everyday life as well as in science.  Very interesting.  Even offers a resource for teachers and students.  Includes a framework of how to use it with MS Word along with a lesson plan for four 90min classes. http://www.utm.edu/research/iep/ -Specifically titled The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy.  http://www.ditext.com/runes/index.html -To accompany the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy here is also a pretty easy to read Dictionary of Philosophy for those students who wish to read further the actual text of other philosophers http://www.epistemelinks.com/Main/PhilosopherTimeline.aspx -Offers a visual and searchable time line that further provides links to more resources. http://www.criticalthinking.org/resources/TRK12-remodelled-lesson-6-9.shtml -Offers lesson plans for 6-9th graders to promote critical thinking. http://www.thomsonedu.com/thomsonedu/discipline.do?disciplinenumber=5 –Thomson Higher Education offers a pretty comprehensive resource for teachers to incorporate into their lesson plans.  Offers various links to interactive information such as http://www.wadsworth.com/philosophy_d/special_features/timeline/timeline.html#. http://virtualology.com/rhetoricaltheory/socraticmethod.net/ -Offers different resources for teaching, exploring, and employing The Socratic Method. http://www.soci.niu.edu/~phildept/Dye/method.html -Another link that provides a simple rubric for following The Socratic Method. http://pd.sparknotes.com/philosophy/crito/section1.html -A more easily digested overview of the discussion that takes place between Crito and Socrates in the Crito.

Unifying Theme: The theme for this unit is using technology (internet, Microsoft Word, email) to explore the most influential ancient Greek Philosophers, their philosophies, and their impact on Western Civilization today.  This unit is designed to promote critical and creative thinking skills through a meaningful and insightful Language Arts experience aimed at 6th grade students. The unit addresses the following Connecticut Curriculum Standards for K-12 English/Language Arts: