1.  Focus:                          Journal: If Jesus Christ were to return to earth today, would he be accepted any
                                          differently than he was 2000 years ago?  If so, why so, if not, why not? 

2.  Objective:                   To resolve three to five basic questions on ìThe Grand Inquisitorî (Day One) and
                                          three basic questions on ìEvil and the Final Harmonyî (Day Two) and to develop
                                          the habit of  independent and critical thinking.

3.  Purpose:                     To increase our mutual understanding (comprehension) and, as  a result, our 
                                          enjoyment of the story.

4.  Input:                         Before each seminar, begin with a factual quiz to check that to check that everyone 
                                         has done the readings.   (Rule 1: No one may participate who has not read the
                                         selection). Those with 60% are in the inner circle; those with less are in the outer 
                                         circle.

5.  Modeling,                   During discussion the co-leaders model the four rules of 
checking, and                 discussion, check for understanding by asking follow-up 
guided practice:             questions for clarification, substantiation, consistency, relevance, 
                                         implication, resolution, and to get more opinion.

                                         Guided practice is the discussion.

6.  Closure:                     Oral or written resolution Essay Exam (two options) 
 

NOTE:  During Socratic Seminar day(s), in a full ninety-minute period, four pairs of student co-leaders each lead a fifteen-minute discussion of the reading.  It is important that the teacher approves the student co-leader questions before discussion to avoid wasting time on questions that are not clear, are factual, or evaluative.  During the remaining time the teacher leads a demonstration discussion (modeling) of one of his or her basic questions on the reading of the lesson. 

Source:                            Dostoevsky, The Grand Inquisitor.  Continuum, New York, 
                                                       New York 1997. 
                                         Tr. Constance Garnett and The Brothers Karamazov.  Barnes & Noble Books, 
                                                        New York, 1995.. (Book V, Chapter 5, ìThe Grand Inquisitorî pp. 
                                                        227-243). Translated by Constance Garnett.  ìEvil and the Final 
                                                        Harmonyî (Book V, Chapter 4, ìRebellionî pp. 222-226).

Text:          http://www.webster.edu/~corbetre/philosophy/existentialism/dostoevsky/grand.html

Research:                       Great Books Index: http://books.mirror.org/gb.home.html

                                         Dostoevsky Research Station: www.kiosek.com/dostoevsky/

*NOTE:  The text of both stories is in the Appendix of this Lesson Plan.