Teacher's Guide for CALLIOPE: Socrates

The questions below can be used as written, simply answered in complete sentences, or easily transformed into longer essay (ELA) style questions, or even research topics. In any case, have the students support their answers with details from the text or use critical thinking skills to create a thorough and interesting answer. Consider the level of your students when deciding how to use the questions. The questions for each lesson can be found under the article's title below.

"Is Anyone Wiser than Socrates?" p. 4-7

1. In questioning the politicians, poets, and those claiming to be wise, what conclusion did Socrates reach?
2. What did Socrates come to understand that the oracle truly meant?
3. Why would Socrates' questions about wisdom prove fatal for him?

Match the word on the left with its correct definition on the right.

_____1. chasm	a. predictions of the future under the influence of divine guidance.
_____2. prophecies	b. fracture in earth's crust, accompanied by a displacement of rock masses.
_____3. pythia	c. a deep crack in the earth's surface.
_____4. fault	d. appointed woman who made known Apollo's views.

"Who was Socrates?" p. 8-11

1. Where does everything we know about both Jesus of Nazareth and Socrates come to us from?
2. List four facts about Socrates.
3. Plato, Aristotle, Xenophon, and Aristophnes are the four main sources by which we have learned about Socrates. Briefly describe the angle that each one wrote from.
4. Who wrote "Clouds" and why is it so important for our understanding of Socrates?
5. Make a chart showing the differences between Sophists and Socrates.
6. Explain the similarities of Plato's and Xenophon's information about Socrates. Also explain the problem with this information.

"Justice First" p. 13-16
Read the article and fill in the blanks with the correct answers.

1. While his loyalty to the cause of ______________ and _______________ sometimes made Socrates unpopular, it has also kept his memory alive for centuries.



2. Socrates' most dangerous enemies were called the _______________ _______________.



3. The Thirty Tyrants believed that power should not be held by the people, but by ___________________.



4. With the help of the victorious Spartan general, _____________________, the tyrants quickly took charge of the city.



5. One of the most powerful of the Thirty was a man named, ______________________, one of Socrates' most devoted listeners.



6. Critias knew that Socrates was a loyal and ________________ citizen.



7. When tyrants ordered Socrates to arrest an innocent person, he _________________ them.



8. Public ______________________ to the Tyrants grew and their rule was soon overthrown.



9. Because many of the Tyrants had attended Socrates' daily discussions, many people considered him __________________ by association.



10. What mattered most to Socrates was to learn how to separate right from wrong and justice from injustice, and to live life accordingly. By those standards, his life can only be considered a _______________________.

"What is Good" p. 20-23

1. Explain Socrates' approach when questioning people about 'goodness'.
2. Why do you think some people were uneasy with Socrates' probing?
3. On what basis was Socrates arrested?
4. Describe Socrates' defense at the trial and how the jury reacted.
5. What was the decided punishment for Socrates?
6. Why didn't Socrates take the opportunity to escape? Give your thoughts about his decision.
7. Why did Socrates believe that the 'unexamined life is not worth living'?

"New Rules for School" p. 31-33
Mark each statement True or False. If false, provide the correction needed to make the statement true.

1. _____ In the 5th century B.C., Athens was in a time of great stagnation.
2. _____ In the centuries before the Persian Wars, Athenian children were taught at home, with their parents providing most of the instruction.
3. _____ Girls received a broader education that boys.
4. _____ Good behavior was especially emphasized, since it was considered the mark of a good citizen.
5. _____ By the mid-450s music was added as an important subject in a boy's course of study.
6. _____ As teenagers, boys also were trained in the culinary arts.
7. _____ As the years of the 5th century B.C. passed, parents remained the primary educators of their children.
8. _____ The Sophists were very successful in establishing schools.
9. _____ The Sophists placed special emphasis on rhetoric, the art of public speaking and debate.
10. _____ Socrates agreed that virtue could be taught, especially in exchange for money.

"The Shining Light" p. 36-38

Match the term on the left with its correct definition on the right.

______1. Golden Age	a. the city of Athens' chief public official
_____2. Pericles	b. talented sculptor who created the statue of Athena Parthenos
_____3. Acropolis	c. a spectacular time in civilization during the 5th century B.C. in Athens
_____4. Propylaia	d. the elegant entrance to the Acropolis
_____5. Pheidias	e. the highest, most sacred part of Athens
_____6. Herodotus	f. vicious conflict between Athens and Sparta
_____7. Peloponnesian War	g. the father of History

"The Light Dims" p. 40

Explain how fear and insecurity broke the Golden Age Spirit.

Extension: Write an essay about another time in history, or a situation in your own life when fear and insecurity caused a downward spiral.

"A New Museum for the Acropolis" p. 42-44

1. The ___________________ is one of the world's best known ancient sites.
   1. Greek Sophists
   2. Athenian Acropolis
   3. Golden Athena
2. To protect the exceptionally fine architectural sculptures from environmental damage, they were:
   1. coated in gold
   2. covered with a waxy substance
   3. relocated to museums
3. What is so special about the new structure being built to house artifacts from the Acropolis?
   1. it will be located in the United States
   2. it will allow all the finds form the Acropolis to be housed in one museum
   3. an appointment must be made to visit
4. On the second level there will be a collection of sculptures and bas-reliefs, as well as:
   1. many other objects that were once offerings to the Gods
   2. typically prepared Greek meals
   3. military artifacts
5. Visitors will be able to gaze upon magnificent sculptures while at the same time looking at the _____________________ through the glass walls of the gallery.
   1. Acropolis
   2. Thirty Tyrants
   3. Parthenon

"Is Anyone Wiser"

1. C
2. A
3. D
4. B

"Justice First"

1. truth, justice
2. Thirty Tyrants
3. oligarchs
4. Leonidas
5. Critias
6. patriotic
7. ignored
8. opposition
9. guilty
10. triumph

"New Rules"

1. F, change
2. True
3. F, Boys than girls
4. True
5. True
6. F, sports
7. F, professional educators
8. True
9. True
10. True

"Shining Light"

1. C
2. A
3. E
4. D
5. B
6. G
7. F

"A New Museum"

1. B
2. C
3. B
4. A
5. C

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Updated: 11/21/09 07:48 am
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