The Hungry Teacher Socratic Seminar Reading Units Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions for The Hungry Teacher Fifth-Eighth Grade Reading Units

Seven years ago as I was teaching fifth grade I began making Socratic Seminar Reading Units with some of my and my students’ favorite novels. Since then I have taught middle school ELA to 6th, 7th, and 8th grade. With that I have made units for those same grades. They have undergone HUGE updates and I have since had a chance to answer all the questions that are asked, plus provide answers for what type of updates have occurred (aesthetic, content and digital!)

What Should I Be Reading While We Do the Literature Unit?

Whatever you want! You could use a different read aloud novel that’s not in the units, picture books, or even short films online. Wonder has been added as a “bonus” unit, so that could be your read aloud for this unit.
The literature unit is meant to be the foundation for all the novel studies/reading units. You are using these to expose students to all the literature terms, while having them make their interactive notebooks examples.
These notebooks kind of become like their own textbooks that they can reference the rest of the year.

What Should I Be Reading While We Do the Nonfiction Unit?

Whatever you want! I have since added links to nonfiction articles for many of the lessons.
The answer keys have also been updated to use the nonfiction article or stories.
These notebooks kind of become like their own textbooks that they can reference the rest of the year.

When Do I Ask the Socratic Seminar Guiding Questions?

I ask the guiding question before we start reading that day. It’s
essentially to “guide” their thinking. I keep it displayed while I’m reading so they don’t keep asking, “What was the question again?” The students then do a really quick write (3-5 minutes) after the read aloud to answer the question.

When Do I Ask the Socratic Seminar Interpretive Questions?

After the Socratic Seminar (students use their quick write from the Guiding Question to help them have a discussion with their classmates during the Seminar). While students are doing the Socratic Seminar you are writing discussions notes (more on that later) on the whiteboard. Then when you ask the interpretive questions, they use the notes to write the answer to their interpretive question.

When Do You Ask the Hook Questions? Do You Have Students Respond?

I ask the question before we start reading (verbally) just to get them “hooked” on the chapter(s). Sometimes I don’t ask it. I don’t make them write anything.

Do You Have Assessments for the Socratic Seminar Questions?

I think when teachers ask this, they are looking for a comprehension/summative assessment for the novels. These are simply not those kind of units. From a teaching philosophy standpoint, the novels are used as the tool that helps students dig deeper into literature and informational reading standards, plus the writing standards. The students have to understand and comprehend the novel in order to be able to discuss and write the reading responses. The rubrics are the assessments.

What is the Difference Between the Socratic Seminar Curriculum Bundles and the Growing Bundles?

The growing bundle only has the novel reading units. It does contain all my 5th grade reading units (14 of them) or my 6th grade reading units (10 of them). Anytime I make a new reading unit, it will be added to the growing bundle.
The 6th grade curriculum and the separate 5th grade curriculum both have 10 pre-selected reading units (all genres) but also 40 lessons to teach literature terms and informational terms as well. Some people get the growing bundle (to have more options for reading units) and then purchase the literature and informational units separately! The curriculum does not get additional units added (it does get updates though!)
If you are looking for your reading lessons and materials done for the year, then the curriculum. If you want more flexibility, get the growing bundle and then get the informational and literature units later if you need them.