Welcome to the first module of the Great Minds of Philosophy series!

You are about to discover a whole new world through the eyes of those who changed history, gave birth to science and logic, and set the soaring standards for deep thinking that are the precursors to the field of philosophy. In this module you will learn the history and ideas of the "Big Three" lineage, namely Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, as well as those who set the stage for them in the generations preceding (known as the "Presocratics").

In this first part of  "The Ancients," we will explore the ethics, metaphysics, and epistemology of these thinkers and in what ways they influence later history for us all. You will learn about the materialism and essentialism of the Presocratics, the virtue ethics of Socrates and his follows, and the metaphysical dimensions of the philosophical rock stars, Plato and his student Aristotle. 

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MODULE OVERVIEW
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Module A - The Ancients (Part 1): The Birth of Ancient Philosophy

  Lesson 1: The Presocratics on Natural Reasoning 
  Lesson 2: Socrates and the Birth of Philosophy    
  Lesson 3: Plato and the Metaphysics of Idealism
  Lesson 4: Aristotle and Virtue Ethics  

Classes in this series are structured as follows:

 + Do Now - 5 minutes
 + Share Outs - 10 minutes
 + Direct Instruction - 30 minutes
 + Short Break - 5 minutes
 + Socratic Circle - 20 minutes
 + Mastery Check - 10 minutes
 + Next Steps - 2 minutes

Do Now (5): 

Students are given a couple of minutes to read over an excerpt and some of the questions that will be addressed in class (often the same as those in the handout) while other are arriving to class.

Share Outs (10):

Following a quick self-introduction of the instructor for the first of each new module, students are invited to share their preliminary thoughts on the subject at hand and the excerpt read during the Do Now. 

Direct Instruction (30):

The instructor provides background of the philosopher(s) and their time period as well as details of their philosophical ideas and innovations. 

Socratic Circle (20):

Students and the instructor participate in a dialogue-based conversation to address the questions prompted at the beginning of class as well as additional questions posed by students to the group or each other.

Mastery Check (10):

Students are prompted with multiple choice- and short answer-type questions that are meant to serve as a CFU (check for understanding) in addition to solidifying key terms and content from class.

Next Steps (2):

Students are given an outline of what the topic of the following class will be and next steps to take in the meantime.