Defending with Reason

This comprehension worksheet is designed for students in Grades 6, 7, and 8 to strengthen close reading, logical analysis, and critical thinking through Plato’s Apology. Learners answer multiple-choice questions focused on Socrates’ defense, examining the charges against him, his responses, and his reasoning about truth, virtue, and piety while developing a deeper understanding of philosophical argumentation and moral inquiry.

Learning Goals

• Reading Comprehension of Classical Texts (Grades 6-8)
  Students demonstrate understanding of key events and arguments from Socrates’ defense.
• Analyzing Arguments & Evidence
  Learners identify claims, supporting reasoning, and philosophical ideas within the text.
• Philosophical Themes & Moral Reasoning
  Activities reinforce concepts such as virtue, truth, piety, and ethical responsibility.
• Critical Thinking Through Close Reading
  Questions require careful attention to language, logic, and author intent.

Instructional Benefits

• Teacher-Created Resource
  Designed by educators to align with middle school ELA, philosophy, and social studies standards.
• Clear Multiple-Choice Format
  Allows efficient assessment of comprehension and reasoning skills.
• Supports Argument Analysis
  Helps students practice evaluating logical structure without extensive writing demands.
• Flexible Classroom Use
  Ideal for classwork, homework, review, assessment prep, or discussion launch.
• Printable & No-Prep
  Easy to implement in classrooms or homeschool settings.

This Defending with Reason worksheet helps students build confidence in analyzing complex arguments and philosophical ideas. By examining Socrates’ logic and moral reasoning, learners strengthen comprehension, critical thinking, and understanding of justice and citizenship in ancient Greece. Whether used in an ELA, social studies, or humanities classroom, this printable resource provides focused practice in close reading and argument analysis.

This worksheet is part of our Apology collection.