Paideia Seminar Lesson Plan
Text: The Blind Men and the Elephant by John Godfrey Saxe
Grade/Subject: Upper Elem/ELA
Ideas, Values: Collaboration, Perspective/Point of View, Experience, Truth
Date of Origin: 2/28/2015
Pre-Seminar Content
Launch Activity:
Engage students in a classroom discussion about the meaning of the terms point of view and perspective. Make notes about what factors might have an effect on someone’s point of view.
Inspectional Read:
Distribute the text and ask participants to anticipate what they expect this reading to be like. How is it organized? How is it similar and different to other texts they know? Have them label the stanzas 1-8. Read the poem aloud. Ask participants to underline words with which they are unfamiliar.
Background Information:
According to most sources, this ancient parable probably originated in India or China approximately 2000 years ago. There are Jainist, Buddhist, Hindu, and African versions of this tale in addition to the well-known poem by American poet and satirist John Godfrey Saxe (1816-1887).
Vocabulary:
Provide
definitions for
Context/Rare
Words, including: Indostan, spake, quoth, marvel. Ask students for words they identified as unfamiliar, and provide meanings; have them annotate the definitions in the margins of the text for clarity when reading. Consider including: inclined, satisfy, sturdy, approached, boldly, eager, wondrous, resembles, grope, exceeding
Also note content literacy words including parable, point of view, and perspective.
Analytical Read:
Have participants read the poem again silently and circle the one word in each stanza that they see (or sense) most vividly. Divide the class into six groups and to each, assign one stanza from stanza 2 to stanza 7. Ask each group to illustrate what the stanza showed.
Read the poem aloud again in groups of seven—a narrator and six “men.” (You may have the “men” highlight the quoted text they will read for dramatic effect beforehand.)
Pre-Seminar Process:
Define and State the purpose for the seminar.
“A Paideia seminar is a collaborative, intellectual dialogue about a text, facilitated with open ended questions.
“The main purpose of seminar is to arrive at a fuller understanding of the textual ideas and values, of ourselves, and of each other.
Describe the responsibilities of facilitator and participants.
“I am primarily responsible for asking challenging, open-ended questions, and I will take a variety of notes to keep up with the talk turns and flow of ideas. I will help move the discussion along in a productive direction by asking follow-up questions based on my notes.
“I am asking you to think, listen and speak candidly about your thoughts, reactions and ideas. You can help each other do this by using each other’s names.
“You do not need to raise your hands in order to speak, rather, the discussion is collaborative in that you try to stay focused on the main speaker and wait your turn to talk.
“You should try to both agree and disagree in a courteous, thoughtful manner. For example, you might say, ‘I disagree with Joanna because…,’ focusing on the ideas involved not the individuals.
Have participants set a Personal Goal.
“Now, please reflect on how you normally participate in a discussion as a group. What goal can you set for yourself that will help the flow and meaning of the seminar? “Please consider the list of personal participation goals – either on the Speaking and Listening Checklist or on the board.”
To speak at least three times
To refer to the text
To ask a question
To speak out of uncertainty
To build on others’ comments
“Is there one that is relevant for you? Please choose one goal from the list or that you feel is best and commit to achieving it during the discussion we are about to have… write down (or circle) your personal goal.”
Agree on a Group Goal.
For this seminar, I will suggest our group goal (select display for all to see).
Seminar Questions:
Opening (Identify main ideas from the text):
Of the six blind men, who do you think is closest to the truth in his description of the elephant? (round-robin response)
Why? (spontaneous discussion)
Core (Analyze textual details):
In the first stanza it says “that each by observation might satisfy his mind.” What do you think that phrase means?
What tone do you hear from the speaker in this poem?
What is the significance of these men being blind?
Based on the text, what skills do the blind men have? What skills are they lacking?
Closing (Personalize and apply the ideas):
What can we learn from this poem? OR
How is the blind men’s debate that is described in the last stanza like our seminar? How is it different? Which is more valuable: debate or dialogue?
Post-Seminar Process:
“Thank you for your focused and thoughtful participation in our seminar”.
Have participants do a written self-assessment of their personal goal.
“As part of the post-seminar process, I would first like to ask you to take a few minutes to reflect on your relative success in meeting the personal process goal you set prior to beginning the discussion. Please review the goal you set for yourself and reflect in writing to what extent you met the goal. In addition, note why you think you performed as you did”. (Pause for reflection.)
Do a group assessment of the social and intellectual goals of the seminar.
“Now I would like us to talk together about how we did in relation to the group goal we set for ourselves (insert your group goal). On a scale of one to five, five being perfect, how would you say we did? Why?” (Pause for discussion.)
“Now, would someone be willing to (volunteer) to share your personal self-assessment and reflection?”
Note reminders for the next seminar.
Post Seminar Content:
Transition to Writing:
Have students make notes about what they heard, said or thought during the seminar about each blind man’s point of view, and whether his point of view was correct.
Writing Task:
After reading and discussing “The Blind Men and the Elephant” about perspective and truth, write a paragraph in which you discuss how the blind men’s perspective or point of view contributes to understanding of the truth about the elephant. Support your response with evidence from the text. Write with an audience of younger students in mind.
Brainstorm:
Have students discuss the writing task in pairs. Allow time for all to revisit their notes about point of view. As a class, discuss the notions of truth and collaboration, and specifically whether the blind men had any access to truth.
Structure the Writing:
Support students as needed with a framework for the paragraph, reminding them to be sure to include relevant terms (e.g. perspective or point of view) as well as
1) A topic sentence
2) Examples from the text
3) Closing
First Draft:
Have students draft their paragraph using notes from the Launch as well as the Transition to Writing, the seminar and the brainstorm discussion.
Collaborative Revision:
Have participants work in pairs to share their paragraphs. The listener should listen for and comment whether:
1) The writer made a point about perspective;
2) Referenced the text;
3) Made a point linking perspective to truth. Roles are then switched. Give time for full revisions resulting in a second draft of the paragraph, keeping a younger school audience in mind.
Edit:
Once the second draft is complete, have participants work in groups of three or four and this time take turns reading each other’s second drafts slowly and silently, marking spelling or grammar errors they find. (Have dictionaries and grammar handbooks available for reference.) Take this opportunity to clarify/reteach any specific grammar strategies you have identified your students may need. Give time for full revisions and editing, resulting in a third and final draft.
Publish:
Publish the final copies and post enlarged copies in the hall along with the sketches made of each blind man’s perspective from the Analytical Read activity. Visit the principal’s office and other classrooms, particularly classes of younger grades, sharing the ideas about point of view and the value of collaboration.
This Paideia Lesson Plan was created by:
Name: Kelly Foster, Wendy Ikoku and Lynn Keith
Organization: National Paideia Center
*Text is attached if open sourced.
It was six men of Indostan, to learning much inclined, who went to see the elephant (though all of them were blind), that each by observation, might satisfy his mind.
The first approached the elephant, and, happening to fall against his broad and sturdy side, at once began to bawl: 'God bless me! but the elephant, is nothing but a wall!'
The second feeling of the tusk, cried: 'Ho! what have we here, so very round and smooth and sharp? To me ‘tis mighty clear, this wonder of an elephant, is very like a spear!'
The third approached the animal, and, happening to take the squirming trunk within his hands, thus boldly up and spake 'I see,' quoth he, ‘the elephant is very like a snake!'
The fourth reached out his eager hand, and felt about the knee: 'What most this wondrous beast is like, is mighty plain,' quoth he; 'Tis clear enough the elephant is very like a tree.'
The fifth, who chanced to touch the ear, Said; 'E'en the blindest man can tell what this resembles most; Deny the fact who can, This marvel of an elephant, is very like a fan!'
The sixth no sooner had begun, about the beast to grope, Than, seizing on the swinging tail, that fell within his scope, 'I see,' quoth he, 'the elephant is very like a rope!'
And so these men of Indostan, disputed loud and long, each in his own opinion, exceeding stiff and strong, Though each was partly in the right, and all were in the wrong!
This lesson plan and its contents are intended for the use of the individual Paideia Seminar Plan Subscriber. Any disclosure, reproduction, distribution or other use of this lesson by an individual or entity other than the intended subscriber is prohibited.
*Text is cited if it needs to be procured. Click or tap here to enter text.