The Crucible
MATERIALS USED
Teachers will provide non-fiction articles on various Witch Hunts throughout history, citations, and literary essays regarding different types of blacklisting, discrimination, and rumor spreading in the U.S. Students will read The Crucible as well as news articles, editorials, and related readings. In addition to numerous texts, students will search electronic media sources for information.
PURPOSE
Students will analyze, discuss, and research material to comprehend Witch Hunts throughout history In addition, this in depth exploration will introduce the myriad elements and scope of religious, ethnic, and gender related blacklisting. They will become conversant in computer use, publishing, and presenting.
Teachers will introduce the terms racial, ethnic, and religious bias. Whole class discussion will examine the depth to which these events still occur. The teachers will question students to insure that they comprehend the important terms and concepts.
Students will receive group assignments, complete research, and collaborate with their group members BUT will individually write their own research essays.
PROJECT BASED LEARNING
The Crucible is not only Arthur Miller’s commentary on the McCarthyism of the 1950s (the play was written in 1953), but also his biting commentary on the evil that resides in some people, and the ease with which they persuade others into believing that which is not true.
We experience these themes of persecution throughout our society, from bias toward the Islamic religion after 9/11 to the 1985 Bakersfield, California witch hunt in which false accusations of child molestation sent dozens of parents to prison, one for even 20 years. This is also the subject of the documentary Witch Hunt, which the teacher can show in class (91 minutes). There are also numerous news and journalistic pieces that detail the event.
Recall times when you heard rumors or helped spread them. What happened? Who was hurt? How did you feel afterwards? This project is designed to navigate students through the murky waters of peer pressure, mob rule, discrimination, and hatred.
Students, in groups, will research an example of a modern day witch hunt, its causes, its effects, and what people can do to try and prevent these kinds of witch hunts.
As a group, you will also prepare a visual presentation (formal presentation with PowerPoint, a short movie, or a dramatic piece that shows what they learned. Those presentations that the class considers best will visit 7-9th grade classes to share the presentation.
Individually, each group member must write a research paper based on the group research. Teacher and students will discuss rubrics.
SKILLS ACQUIRED
project management, note taking, researching effectively, organizing, planning working in groups effectively, presenting, citing, using argument/persuasion, reading, writing, speaking, listening, developing empathy, analyzing, evaluating, influencing others
DESCRIPTION
Because The Crucible deals primarily with peer pressure and mob action, we are going to conduct a Project Based Learning (PBL) activity that will answer the following Inquiry: What are some causes of bullying or peer pressure? What causes some to bully and others to succumb to peer pressure? What are some effects of bullying or peer pressure, and want can you do to prevent or eradicate it? You will answer the question by researching, discussing, writing a 3-5 page essay (not including the works cited page), and working with a group to produce a visual/oral presentation:
CHOOSE ONE TYPE OF PRESENTATION:
A PowerPoint, a video/short film, a formal presentation with visuals, a drama piece that follows a story board, or a combination of the preceding. All of these must reflect your research and learning.
Each group will present a 3-10 minute project in front of the class, and the two winning (best) presentations according to the rubric will visit 7-9 grade classes for a field trip presentation in which they will repeat their performance in front of a larger audience, possibly get in the newspaper, and have a professional experience to add to a resume and college application.
ASSIGNMENTS :
Note taking as taught in class: use research grid(s) DUE:
Writing plan or graphic organizer for essay DUE:
Five page informative/problem-solution essay...Draft DUE: Final DUE:
Project presentation DUE:
Winning Presentations:
ASSESSMENT : You will have three rubrics by which you will be graded.
A Writing Rubric for the essay
A Group Rubric for group work
A Performance Rubric for presentation
· You will also earn a grade for note taking on your Research Grid and for your writing plan
· You must use at least five sources for your research and essay.
· You must have at least three in-text citations in the paper.
Follow this link to see a student example
Teachers will provide non-fiction articles on various Witch Hunts throughout history, citations, and literary essays regarding different types of blacklisting, discrimination, and rumor spreading in the U.S. Students will read The Crucible as well as news articles, editorials, and related readings. In addition to numerous texts, students will search electronic media sources for information.
PURPOSE
Students will analyze, discuss, and research material to comprehend Witch Hunts throughout history In addition, this in depth exploration will introduce the myriad elements and scope of religious, ethnic, and gender related blacklisting. They will become conversant in computer use, publishing, and presenting.
Teachers will introduce the terms racial, ethnic, and religious bias. Whole class discussion will examine the depth to which these events still occur. The teachers will question students to insure that they comprehend the important terms and concepts.
Students will receive group assignments, complete research, and collaborate with their group members BUT will individually write their own research essays.
PROJECT BASED LEARNING
The Crucible is not only Arthur Miller’s commentary on the McCarthyism of the 1950s (the play was written in 1953), but also his biting commentary on the evil that resides in some people, and the ease with which they persuade others into believing that which is not true.
We experience these themes of persecution throughout our society, from bias toward the Islamic religion after 9/11 to the 1985 Bakersfield, California witch hunt in which false accusations of child molestation sent dozens of parents to prison, one for even 20 years. This is also the subject of the documentary Witch Hunt, which the teacher can show in class (91 minutes). There are also numerous news and journalistic pieces that detail the event.
Recall times when you heard rumors or helped spread them. What happened? Who was hurt? How did you feel afterwards? This project is designed to navigate students through the murky waters of peer pressure, mob rule, discrimination, and hatred.
Students, in groups, will research an example of a modern day witch hunt, its causes, its effects, and what people can do to try and prevent these kinds of witch hunts.
As a group, you will also prepare a visual presentation (formal presentation with PowerPoint, a short movie, or a dramatic piece that shows what they learned. Those presentations that the class considers best will visit 7-9th grade classes to share the presentation.
Individually, each group member must write a research paper based on the group research. Teacher and students will discuss rubrics.
SKILLS ACQUIRED
project management, note taking, researching effectively, organizing, planning working in groups effectively, presenting, citing, using argument/persuasion, reading, writing, speaking, listening, developing empathy, analyzing, evaluating, influencing others
DESCRIPTION
Because The Crucible deals primarily with peer pressure and mob action, we are going to conduct a Project Based Learning (PBL) activity that will answer the following Inquiry: What are some causes of bullying or peer pressure? What causes some to bully and others to succumb to peer pressure? What are some effects of bullying or peer pressure, and want can you do to prevent or eradicate it? You will answer the question by researching, discussing, writing a 3-5 page essay (not including the works cited page), and working with a group to produce a visual/oral presentation:
CHOOSE ONE TYPE OF PRESENTATION:
A PowerPoint, a video/short film, a formal presentation with visuals, a drama piece that follows a story board, or a combination of the preceding. All of these must reflect your research and learning.
Each group will present a 3-10 minute project in front of the class, and the two winning (best) presentations according to the rubric will visit 7-9 grade classes for a field trip presentation in which they will repeat their performance in front of a larger audience, possibly get in the newspaper, and have a professional experience to add to a resume and college application.
ASSIGNMENTS :
Note taking as taught in class: use research grid(s) DUE:
Writing plan or graphic organizer for essay DUE:
Five page informative/problem-solution essay...Draft DUE: Final DUE:
Project presentation DUE:
Winning Presentations:
ASSESSMENT : You will have three rubrics by which you will be graded.
A Writing Rubric for the essay
A Group Rubric for group work
A Performance Rubric for presentation
· You will also earn a grade for note taking on your Research Grid and for your writing plan
· You must use at least five sources for your research and essay.
· You must have at least three in-text citations in the paper.
Follow this link to see a student example
The Crucible and Common Core Standards
Reading The Crucible will help you cover the following ELA common core standards for reading and writing. These standards are for your administrator, not your students. Kids need student-friendly worded objectives.
1. RL.11-12.1 Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain.
2. RL.11-12.2 Determine two or more themes or central ideas of a text and analyze their development over the course of the text, including how they interact and build on one another to produce a complex account; provide an objective summary of the text.
3. RL.11-12.3 Analyze the impact of the author's choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story or drama (e.g., where a story is set, how the action is ordered, how the characters are introduced and developed).
4. RL.11-12.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including words with multiple meanings or language that is particularly fresh, engaging, or beautiful (Include Shakespeare as well as other authors).
5. RL.11-12.5 Analyze a case in which grasping point of view requires distinguishing what is directly stated in a text from what is really meant (e.g., satire, sarcasm, irony, or understatement).
6. RL.11-12.6 Analyze multiple interpretations of a story, drama, or poem (e.g., recorded or live production of a play or recorded novel or poetry), evaluating how each version interprets the source text. (Include at least one play by Shakespeare and one play by an American dramatist.)
RL.11-12.9 Demonstrate knowledge of eighteenth-, nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century foundational works of American literature, including how two or more texts from the same period treat similar themes or topics.
RI.11-12.1 Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain.
RI.11-12.2 Determine two or more central ideas of a text and analyze their development over the course of the text, including how they interact and build on one another to provide a complex analysis; provide an objective summary of the text.
RI.11-12.3 Analyze a complex set of ideas or sequence of events and explain how specific individuals, ideas, or events interact and develop over the course of the text.
RI.11-12.5 Analyze and evaluate the effectiveness of the structure an author uses in his or her exposition or argument, including whether the structure makes points clear, convincing, and engaging.
a. Analyze the use of text features (e.g., graphics, headers, captions) in public documents. CA
RI.11-12.6 Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text in which the rhetoric is particularly effective, analyzing how style and content contribute to the power, persuasiveness, or beauty of the text.
RI.11-12.7 Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in different media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well
W.11-12.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.
a. Introduce a topic or thesis statement; organize complex ideas, concepts, and information so that each new element builds on that which precedes it to create a unified whole; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., figures, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension. CA
b. Develop the topic thoroughly by selecting the most significant and relevant facts, extended definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples appropriate to the audience’s knowledge of the topic.
c. Use appropriate and varied transitions and syntax to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships among complex ideas and concepts.
d. Use precise language, domain-specific vocabulary, and techniques such as metaphor, simile, and analogy to manage the complexity of the topic.
e. Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing.
f. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information or explanation presented (e.g., articulating implications or the significance of the topic).
W.11-12.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 1–3 above.)
W.11-12.5 Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of Language standards 1–3 up to and including grades 11–12.)
W.11-12.6 Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products in response to ongoing feedback, including new arguments or information.
W.11-12.7 Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.
W.11-12.8 Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, using advanced searches effectively; assess the strengths and limitations of each source in terms of the task, purpose, and audience; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and overreliance on any one source and following a standard format for citation including footnotes and endnotes. CA
W.11-12.9 Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
a. Apply grades 11–12 Reading standards to literature (e.g., “Demonstrate knowledge of eighteenth-, nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century foundational works of American literature, including how two or more texts from the same period treat similar themes or topics”).
b. Apply grades 11–12 Reading standards to literary nonfiction (e.g., “Delineate and evaluate the reasoning in seminal U.S. texts, including the application of constitutional principles and use of legal reasoning [e.g., in U.S. Supreme Court Case majority opinions and dissents] and the premises, purposes, and arguments in works of public advocacy (e.g., The Federalist, presidential addresses]”).
W.11-12.10 Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single
SL.11-12.1 Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on- one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 11–12 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
a. Come to discussions prepared, having read and researched material under study; explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence from texts and other research on the topic or issue to stimulate a thoughtful, well-reasoned exchange of ideas.
b. Work with peers to promote civil, democratic discussions and decision-making, set clear goals and deadlines, and establish individual roles as needed.
c. Propel conversations by posing and responding to questions that probe reasoning and evidence; ensure a hearing for a full range of positions on a topic or issue; clarify, verify, or challenge ideas and conclusions; and promote divergent and creative perspectives.
d. Respond thoughtfully to diverse perspectives; synthesize comments, claims, and evidence made on all sides of an issue; resolve contradictions when possible; and determine what additional information or research is required to deepen the investigation or complete the task.
SL.11-12.2 Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) in order to make informed decisions and solve problems, evaluating the credibility and accuracy of each source and noting any discrepancies among the data.
SL.11-12.4 Present information, findings, and supporting evidence (e.g., reflective, historical investigation, response to literature presentations), conveying a clear and distinct perspective and a logical argument, such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning, alternative or opposing perspectives are addressed, and the organization, development, substance, and style are appropriate to purpose, audience, and a range of formal and informal tasks. Use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation.
SL.11-12.5 Make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and interactive elements) in presentations to enhance understanding of findings, reasoning, and evidence and to add interest.
L.11-12.2 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
a. Observe hyphenation conventions.
b. Spell correctly.