"The Individual vs Society" - Arthur Miller's "The Crucible"

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Thu, Oct 15

 

DUE TODAY: If you did not turn in the character paragraph last class, it's due this class with the self-evaluation

HOMEWORK TONIGHT: Complete the "Crucible Final Project"

FOCUS TODAY: Elements of Gothic Lit.

 

Turn in Crucible character paragraph w/ self-evaluation sheet (see last class lesson)

Greek/Latin Roots QUIZ 

Another introduction to the "Crucible Final Project" - DUE NEXT CLASS!!!

 

Tues, Oct 13

 

DUE TODAY: Paragraph evaluating a character (assigned previous lesson)

HOMEWORK TONIGHT: Select a "Crucible Final Project" activity

FOCUS TODAY: Composition, Step-Up

 

In class handout to guide you through the final self-evaluation of the character paragraph

Complete the handout in class with these feedback questions on the reverse side:

• Do you think it was useful for me to "coach" the class through this paragraph?
• At this point, where is your greatest strength in writing? (Topic sentences, organizing, varying sentence structures, finding evidence, summarizing, etc.)
• Is the overall pace of the class this year __too fast  __just right  __too slow
• Is there something I  can do in my teaching to better help you?  What?
• What quality are your new, revised topic sentence and RDFs from today's worksheet?  Explain. 

TURN IN BOTH the original paragraph and the worksheet

 

Gothic Literature Introduction, Continued! - Notes in class

 

Introduction of the "Crucible Final Project" - YOU MUST COMPLETE THIS ASSIGNMENT OUTSIDE CLASS TIME

 

Thu, Oct 8

 

DUE TODAY: The four requirements for the character evaluation

HOMEWORK TONIGHT: Take your chart and use the data to create a paragraph that argues what kind of person your character is. (Explained in today's lesson.)

FOCUS TODAY: Reminder of Step-Up to Writing strategies, Intro to the "Gothic"

 

Notes taken in class on how to use the answers from the character evaluation homework and move toward a cohesive paragraph

 

WRITING ASSIGNMENT: Use the evidence you have gathered on your Character Personality Chart to write a small character evaluation (one or two paragraphs). In this paragraph:

• Propose in your topic sentence whether this character is difficult to define because of his/her complexity, or whether this character is easy to define because he/she remains static throughout the play 
• Use evidence from the text to support the topic sentence
  • What the character says - summarize from the play something the character says, and propose what we can infer from that evidence
  • What the character does or does not do - summarize from the play something the character does (or does not do), and propose what we can infer from that evidence 
  • What others say about the character - summarize from the play what others say about your character, and propose what we can infer from that evidence 

DUE NEXT CLASS

 

PowerPoint intro to "gothic" literature - Notes taken in class

 

Tue, Oct 6

 

Mr. Rice absent - Worksheets given and collected by substitute 

Fri, Oct 2

 

DUE TODAY: Show progress on your character evaluation assignment (work accomplished during class)

HOMEWORK TONIGHT: Complete all four requirements for your chosen character - bring next class

FOCUS TODAY: Characterization and character evaluation

 

Grammar warmup:  Greek roots (notes in class)

 

There will be a pop QUIZ today on the play. It is True/False, and the quiz will follow a few minutes we will spend with a DVD study guide on "The Crucible"

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Here are tips for how to accomplish the character evaluation:

Part One: Select a Character

 

You want to select a major character that has an important role in the story line. How do you choose?

 

1.      Make a list of characters you easily recall.

2.      From that list, narrow your search to two possibilities.

3.      Go to the text. Scan through each act, and make a note about how much your characters appears in each act.

 

Hopefully, your two possible characters appear often. Now ask yourself if the two characters will work for the assignment requirements:

 

1)      Identify and explain at least one conflict. Summarize the part(s) of the play where this character's conflict is most obvious.

ASK YOURSELF: CAN I RECALL ONE MAJOR CONFLICT FOR EACH OF THE CHARACTERS I’VE CHOSEN? (IF NO, THEN CHOOSE ANOTHER)

2)      Explain how the character's own words reveal his/her personality. Summarize what the character said, and what it reveals about him/her.

GO TO PART OF AN ACT WHERE YOUR CHARACTER HAS A LOT OF DIALOG. READ THE SCENE CAREFULLY, AND DECIDE WHAT THE CHARACTER’S WORDS REVEAL ABOUT HIS/HER PERSONALITY.

3)      Explain how the character's own behavior reveals his/her personality. This is DIFFERENT from the words they say - this is what they DO. Summarize what the character does and what it reveals about him/her.

FIND A DIFFERENT SCENE WHERE YOUR CHARACTER APPEARS. YOU WILL GET AN IDEA OF WHAT THE CHARACTER DOES BY READING THE ITALICIZED STAGE DIRECTIONS, BUT DIALOG ALSO GIVES AWAY CHARACTER ACTIONS. ASK YOURSELF: WHAT DO THE CHARACTER’S ACTIONS TELL ME ABOUT HIS/HER PERSONALITY?

4)      Explain how what OTHER CHARACTERS say about him/her reveals personality. Find at least one example of another character talking about him/her, and state what that information reveals.

FIND A PLACE WHERE ANOTHER CHARACTER COMMENTS ON YOUR CHARACTER. YOUR CHARACTER MAY OR MAY NOT BE ON STAGE AT THE SAME TIME, IT DOESN’T MATTER – JUST FOCUS ON HOW WHAT OTHERS SAY MIGHT REVEAL ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR CHARACTER’S PERSONALITY

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Wed, Sept 30

 

DUE TODAY: Show your conflict chart (from last class) for credit

HOMEWORK TONIGHT: Find more evidence to help your Character Personality Evaluation. Now that you've finished the play (by listening to it in class today) you should have lots of information to fill out the chart. This assignment is graded based on the thoroughness of evidence you collect to support a conclusion about the character's personality.

FOCUS TODAY: characterization 

 

Grammar warmup: More on Greek and Latin prefixes - QUIZ NEXT CLASS

 

Listen to Acts III, IV, and V

 

Homework to begin: CHARACTER PERSONALITY EVALUATION

Select one character from the play. For this character:

1. Identify and explain at least one conflict. Summarize the part(s) of the play where this character's conflict is most obvious.
2. Explain how the character's own words reveal his/her personality. Summarize what the character said, and what it reveals about him/her.
3. Explain how the character's own behavior reveals his/her personality. This is DIFFERENT from the words they say - this is what they DO. Summarize what the character does and what it reveals about him/her.
4. Explain how what OTHER CHARACTERS say about him/her reveal personality. Find at least one example of another character talking about him/her, and state what that information reveals.

 

Complete more information on the Character Personality Evaluation

 

Mon, Sept 28

 

DUE TODAY: Letter to Reverend Parris (explained last class)

HOMEWORK TONIGHT: Finish reading Act II

TODAY'S FOCUS: Conflicts

 

Grammar warmup: More on Greek and Latin prefixes

 

Assignments from Act I returned, homework grading scale reviewed

Clarifications on Act I plot and characters

 

OPEN NOTE QUIZ on Act I characters and action

Quiz corrected

 

A focus on types of conflict 

• Person vs. self - An internal conflict wherein a character battles him/herself - usually about what to do
• Person vs. person - An external conflict between two characters, whether physical or intellectual
• Person vs. nature - An external conflict between a character and some element of nature, such as weather
• Person vs. society - An external conflict between a character and what general society expects or demands; could be a character battling against the law, for example

 

In-class assignment: Conflicts in Act One

• Fold a piece of paper in half twice to make four equal sizes sections
• Label each section with one of the conflict types
• In "Person vs. self" - write the name of a character who must make a difficult decision, and specify what the choices are that person has regarding this issue
• In "Person vs. person" - write the name of a character who is engaged in conflict with another person in the village. Summarize the nature of the conflict - what are these people battling over? Is it physical? Intellectual?
• In "Person vs. Society" - write the name of a character who is seen as an outsider to mainstream Salem society. (Tituba is not the only one.) Identify first what makes that person an outsider, then tell exactly what values or laws of society that person seems to "bump up" against.

 

Read to the end of Act II

 

 

Thu, Sept 24

 

DUE TODAY: Completed character chart for Act I, Act I questions

HOMEWORK TONIGHT: Revise and clean up the letter to Reverend Parris, DUE NEXT CLASS

TODAY'S FOCUS: Types of conflict, theme

 

Grammar warmup: Prefixes and their meanings

(If you're interested, you can check out the Greek and Latin Prefixes chart - quite fascinating)

 

PREFIX/ROOT	MEANING
anti-	against
bene-	kindly, good
deca-	ten
dis-	not
inter-	between, among
mal- micro-	evil, bad small
neo-	new
omni-	all
para-	beside, beyond
poly-	many
quadr-	four
semi-	half
trans-	across
tri-	three
under-	insufficient
uni-	one

 

Review of the types of conflict, and examples from the play

 

Be on the lookout! as you read "The Crucible" try to notice any action that relates to:

• The individual vs. authority (society)
• Fear
• Integrity
• Mass hysteria
• The corruption of justice

 

Writing Activity (for submission):

Imagine you are a member of the Salem community. You are not one of the main characters, but a member of the community who has been observing the events as they have unfolded. You decide that "enough is enough" because you are sick of all the arguing in town, and you see where it might lead. WRITE A LETTER to Reverend Parris in which you (as nicely and gently as you can)

• EXPLAIN to him what is REALLY going on in his town - why people are acting irrationally.
• SUGGEST what he can do to remedy the situation, without losing his position as reverend.

 

Tues, Sept 22

 

DUE TODAY: Nothing specific - just that you've started completing your character chart for Act I

HOMEWORK TONIGHT: Complete the character chart for Act I, complete or revise Act I questions

TODAY'S FOCUS: Establishing character

 

Grammar QUIZ: Action, state of being, helping verbs

 

The character chart for Act I is an ongoing activity.

 

RESPONSE QUESTIONS for Act I: 

1. Everyone seems to have an issue that bothers them in this act. Why are the following people disturbed?
   1. Reverend Parris (something troubles him about pay and the support of the parish - details?)
   2. Mrs. Putnam (something troubles her about family - details?)
   3. John Proctor (something troubles him about the reverend's messages, and he argues with Putnam - details?)
   4. Giles Corey (something troubles him about his wife - details?)
2. Reverend Hale brings a heavy stack of books with him when he arrives. How do the others regard the books? Do YOU think he is using them for "show" or does he truly believe in them?
3. In what ways does Abigail show herself to be a clever liar in this Act? Focus especially on her behavior in the last four-five pages of Act I.

Character focus: Tituba

1. What is the accusation against her?
2. Why do you suppose the accusation is believable to the citizens?
3. Do you think her reaction to the accusation is wise?
4. At the conclusion of the act, do you get the impression that Tituba is just a stupid slave woman, or something more?

 

Discussion of characters and plot

Work on the character chart

 

Fri, Sept 18

 

DUE TODAY: Nothing

HOMEWORK TONIGHT: Start working on the character chart (include ALL characters who have dialog in act one)

TODAY'S FOCUS: Establishing character

 

Grammar QUIZ  is postponed until next class

 

More on early explorers and the Puritans

From "Women and Children First: The Mayflower Pilgrims" pgs 98-97 (These continue your work last class - these responses will be TURNED IN);

1. Based on information in this selection, give some reasons Dorothy Bradford may have committed suicide. (requires inference)
2. Do you think John Alden acted acceptably when, having been sent to Priscilla Mullins to propose to her on behalf of Myles Standish, he proposed to her on his own behalf? Why or why not? Explain yourself.
3. Who were the "outcasts" in the group, and what made them outcasts? (requires inference)

 

Getting to know the Puritans: Readings and Class Notes Questions

"Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" Pgs 161-165 

1. List at least TWO IMAGES from this sermon, and for each, mention which of our SENSES the image appeals to, or if it appeals to something else inside us
2. Describe how Edwards sees humanity - provide evidence from the text to back your answer
3. Describe how Edwards sees God - provide evidence from the text to back your answer

 

Reading of "The Crucible"  begins

 

Use the list to create a table that will have five columns overall:

• Column 1 is for the names of characters (you just created it)
• Column 2 is narrow - it is for two or three adjectives you would use to describe that character
• Column 3 is the widest - in this column you write a few notes about what the character does or says that supports the adjectives you chose in column 2
• Column 4 is narrow - list names of people who seem to be friends with or aligned with the character
• Column 5 is narrow - list names of people with whom the character lives

 

 

DUE  TODAY:  

• "Infectious" song assignment: lyrics to the song and explanation of what makes it "infectious"
• Reading questions for the textbook readings (by end of class) 

HOMEWORK  TONIGHT:  None

TODAY'S FOCUS: Life of Puritan Salem

 

Grammar warmup: More helping verbs, with exercises

 

Discussion of your "infectious" songs

 

Video introduction to "The Crucible"

• Puritan life and culture
• Early Salem, Massachusetts
• Similar "witch hunts" caused by mass hysteria
• VIEWING  QUESTIONS:  To be turned in as an assignment
  • What did the Puritans value?
  • What was daily life like for the Puritans?
  • Why do you think the girls made all of the accusations?

Viewing questions discussed, then collected

 

Lesson for the day ends here

 

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WE WILL NOT BE READING THE TWO SELECTIONS MENTIONED BELOW FOR FALL 2009. IF YOU WISH, YOU CAN READ "THEY'RE MADE OF MEAT" AND TURN IN THE READING QUESTIONS LISTED FOR DISCUSSION BELOW FOR EXTRA CREDIT.

Other explorers:

"They're Made Out of Meat" Pgs 127-128 or click link

• Read aloud by two students, as though having a conversation
• Discussion questions:
  • What is implied by the second speaker's slowness to understand that "They're made out of meat"?
  • What is implied in this story about the aliens and their civilization?
  • How do the aliens think and speak?
  • How does this story "explain" persisting accounts of encounters between extraterrestrials and human beings in real life?
  • What idea does the last paragraph suggest?

"My Sojourn in the Lands of My Ancestors" Pgs 118-124

Questions to submit in writing as an assignment:

1. What makes Dunkwa seem like home to Angelou?
2. ** Do you think Angelou should have revealed that she was an American? Give your opinion, then explain your point of view and use the text to support your opinion. (Give your best effort on this question, showing you know how to use evidence/details in a text to support your point of view.)
3. Angelou uses flashbacks in this selection. What connection does there seem to be between the events of the journey and  the events described in the flashbacks? What do the flashbacks seem to emphasize or explain?

 

Dedicated work time to read and answer questions

Questions from last class will be collected, as will the questions from Angelou (today's reading)

 

Mon, Sept 14

 

DUE TODAY: Nothing

HOMEWORK TONIGHT:

• Find a song that seems to easily get stuck in your head. Copy the lyrics onto a sheet of paper and identify what characteristics of the song make it "catchy." DUE NEXT CLASS

FOCUS TODAY: inference, lives of the Puritan pilgrims

 

Grammar: Helping verbs, with exercises

 

Go to library to check out "The Crucible" by Arthur Miller

• While checkout happens, folks who need notes b/c of missing time last class with pictures will borrow and copy from someone who was here

 

Looking at what makes songs "infectious" once again

Description/overview of tonight's homework assignment

 

"I Am" poem project sharing

• Split into small groups
• Group members share poems and images, talk about what appears
• Everyone will introduce one person to the whole class, and everyone will have someone else introduce them

 

INFERENCE is to make logical conclusions based on clues and information you are given. Some of the questions for today's reading required you to make INFERENCES.

Questions to be turned in (do as much as you can today; time will be given next class):

From "First Encounters" pgs 76-77

1. List the motivations people had to travel from Europe westward across the Atlantic
2. Why were African slaves brought to the "New World" from Africa? Why not just use the people who lived here already? (requires inference)
3. Philosophically speaking, why was it acceptable to participate in the slave trade at that time?

From "The Log of Christopher Columbus" pgs 77-78

1. What did Columbus feel necessary to record about the natives?
2. Do you think Columbus sounds more like an explorer or an exploiter? Pick a side and support your opinion with evidence from the text. (requires inference)

 

Thu, Sept 10

 

DUE TODAY: "I Am" poetry project, Grammar QUIZ (in class)

HOMEWORK TONIGHT: None

FOCUS TODAY: Memorization tools in song, personification

 

Grammar: QUIZ on active and state of being verbs

 

• Creation stories - any further comments about the similarity or difference between "The World on the Turtle's Back" and other creation stories you may know?

 

Traditional and tribal songs:

• CLASS NOTES: Opening questions:
  • What makes a song stick with you? 
  • How is it that we can memorize certain songs easily, while others are more difficult?
  • If we look at a list of annoying songs, are there similarities among the tunes/lyrics?
• Importance of tribal songs
• READ "Song of the Sky Loom" and "Hunting Song" on pgs 32-33
• What characteristics do these songs have that we identified earlier?

 

The Folk Tale

• READ "Reading Connection" and "Cultural Connection" on pg 37
• Vocabulary: Copy the definition for "folk tale" from pg 37 under "Reading Connection"
• Vocabulary: personification
• READ: "The Coyote and the Buffalo" pgs 38-40
  • In a two-column chart, with "Character" in the left column and "Human Traits" in the right column, make note of the human traits shown by the buffalo and coyote

After reading, a discussion (if time allows)

 

 

Tue, Sept 8

 

DUE TODAY: Nothing

HOMEWORK TONIGHT: 

• Work on the "I Am" poetry project - due NEXT CLASS 
• First GRAMMAR QUIZ next class - action and state of being verbs

FOCUS TODAY: Creation stories/myths

 

Grammar: State of being verbs, with exercises

Grammar will begin most class days, and frequent quizzes will be given. Grammar examples, exercises, and quizzes should all be kept in a separate section of your 3-ring English binder.

 

Brief introduction to Native American myths and folk tales - READ pgs 18-20

• Importance of oral storytelling
• How do you remember song lyrics? What makes some songs "stick?"

Creation stories

• What creation stories do you know of? (Brief discussion)
• FOR CLASS NOTES: Create a 2-column chart like that on pg 22 with "Things that Exist in the World" in the left column and "Iroquois Explanation" in the right column
• READ "The World on the Turtle's Back" pgs 23-28
• CLASS NOTES: Complete the 2-column chart as you read

Discussions:

• Looking at the 2-column chart you completed, which explanation do you find most interesting?
• Do you notice any comparison to other creation stories you may know?
• CLASS NOTES: Based on the reading, what would you say you learned about the values and ways of life of the Iroquois?
• CLASS NOTES: Read "Literary Concepts" on page 30. Answer the question at the bottom of the box.

 

In the "Vocabulary" section of your notebook, add the word "myth" and write a definition/description of this word based on the information from page 30 under "Literary Concepts."

 

 

Thu, Sept 3

 

DUE TODAY: Nothing

HOMEWORK TONIGHT: 

• Work on your "I Am" poem project, due TWO class periods from now
• Browse around the web site to become familiar with it

TODAY'S FOCUS: Introduction to the class, including content, rules and regs

 

Grammar Warmup: Action verbs, with exercises

Grammar will begin most class days, and frequent quizzes will be given. Grammar examples, exercises, and quizzes should all be kept in a separate section of your 3-ring English binder.

Mr. Rice introduction

Course introduction, a peek at the textbook

Introduction of the "I Am" poetry assignment

In-class writing assignment  (due by the end of class):

• Think of someone close to you - perhaps a family member or a close friend. If they were asked to give two words to describe your character - what kind of person you really are, not just what an acquaintance would think, but a person who really knows you - what words do you think they would choose? 
• On a blank sheet of lined paper, begin writing with "If there are two words that certainly describe who I really am, I think those words would have to be _______________ and ________________."
• Follow this sentence by using evidence to back up each word. HINT: If you think "trustworthy" describes you, then describe a time or ways in which you are trustworthy. (I mean hey, are we just supposed to take this for granted?) EVIDENCE must be factual - not fictional.
• Conclude by explaining how the evidence you bring to the table shows or reveals or illustrates your character. HOW does the story you told really back up the word used to describe you? Bridge it for us.