Act 1 - completion

What is your impression of the Crucible at the end of Act 1?

What do we know about the characters?

What can you predict will unfold next?



Reminder -

Task 3 given out in class will be due on Monday, 11/3

Questions about Act 1 of the Crucible.

http://www.aresearchguide.com/crucible.html#crucible - this link has several websites that will offer you some insight into the play. None of them however, will replace the text itself.

I know some of the language is difficult... I encourage you post your comments on questions you have so far to this post.

I will do my best to answer them or find you places where you can find answers.

Exploring the Crucible

http://www.bellmore-merrick.k12.ny.us/crucible.html - a short study guide to themes about the Play

So far we have seen some of Act 1 - we have started to discuss the way we will feel about characters that Miller introduces us to.
Remember, this play was written about McCarthism... what are the connections?

Also, what is the effect of Miller interjecting his omniscient voice throughout the play to give us background information on certain characters? Why does he do it and how does it viewer of the play receive the information?

Crucible Multi-Genre Project due November 21st

Multi-genre Report and Oral Presentation assignment
The Crucible by Arthur Miller

Overview: You will be required to write a multi-genre research paper on a personality from the Salem Witch Trials era. You may choose to be an accused witch or an accusing Puritan. This research will be fun and creative. You will use several different genres to write this paper.

*One more challenge and connection in this paper is that you must somehow connect it to another time in history. Think in terms of theme. This must appear in the reflection you will be doing at the end of the paper.

Guidelines: You will choose at least five (5) different genres for your paper. Listed below are suggested genres that you may choose from. A minimum of three facts will be presented in each selected genre. Make sure the genres work best for the information you want to present. Your research paper must flow from one page to the next, making it an integrated paper based on the topic you have chosen.

Once the paper is written, you will be doing a 5-7 minute oral presentation in front of the class. You must use at least 5 note cards, visual aids and creativity to transform yourself into the personality you have researched. Props are encouraged… have fun! Educate us about the life of the person you are researching.

Genre Possibilities:
Skit
Newspaper feature story
New Story
Editorial
Newspaper obituary
Interview of a main character
Narrative story
Informational poem
Formal letter
Descriptive paragraph
Trivia game (Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune)
One page essay
Timeline
Diary entry
Song
Birth certificate/ death certificate
Sales receipt
Map of discovery
Any other teacher- approved genre that is not on the list


Putting your paper together:


1) Create a table of contents. List the title of each genre,
2) List the references you used in a works cited.
3) Create a cover for your paper with the title and illustrate it by hand or use a PAINT program on the computer. Only student-generated art will be accepted. Artwork is another type of genre (a picture is often worth a 1,000 words!)
4) You must do a statement of process at the end that walks the reader through HOW you did this project (the steps you took specifically)
5) You must also write a reflection that discusses what have learned, what you would do differently next time, what was successful and what were your challenges… in this reflection you will be required to make connections to research you will have done about another time period in history that relates to the one we are studying now… hint: think about when Arthur Miller wrote this play… how are these themes still relevant??? What about in today’s world?
6) Make sure to attach the rubric given out to you with this assignment when you turn it in. Thanks


You MUST revise and edit your paper. Your grade depends on how well you follow the criteria listed in the rubric.

This week's work - 10/27 - 10/31

We will begin our study of The Crucible today. This week we will be focusing on Act 1 as a class. We will be reading together and learning how to identify different things in the text as a whole group.



For homework tonight, you will be receiving a related Task 2 - your essay is due tomorrow



Your revised Task 1 on "the Evolution of Witchcraft" will be due on Friday, 10/31 (with first draft attached)



Moving forward we will be working in small groups and then larger groups... (more on this will be discussed as we go on)

Independent Reading Assignment #2

Remember if I don't get a correct assignment from at least 3/4 of the class, we will be beginning weekly reading logs which will consist of at least 5 logs a week or 10 written pages.

Your next independent reading assignment is due Friday, Nov. 21. I gave out the assignment sheet again, so make sure it is done correctly this time...

all sections must be labeled with which passage you are selecting and your analysis must be specific to the passage selected. Use the author's words (particularly in the passages about effective language).

make sure to put passages in quotation marks and to label page numbers. Spread your passages out... not too many from any one section.

Use different passages for every one of the 10 parts and make sure to do analysis on every passage individually.

Predictions for the Crucible

After interviewing the play today and working on some associated texts all week, what predictions can you make about this play?

Post your ideas in comments.

Those of you assigned to read for Monday, please make sure to practice your parts prior to class on Monday.

These aren't permanent roles, so don't get too attached.

If you are still interested in purchasing a book, please bring in your $10 ASAP or go out and get a copy on your own.

Witchcraft Task 1 essay due Friday, 10/24

In class today, you heard a listening passage about Witchcraft and had time to take notes on what you heard.

Your situation:
Your English class is learning about the Puritans, who were very fearful of witchcraft. Your teacher has asked you to write a report defining witchcraft and describing both teh ancient and modern believes concerning witchcraft.

Your task:
Write a report for your English class in which you use relevant information from the speech to define witchcraft and describe both ancient and modern beliefs concerning witchcraft.

Guidelines:

• Tell your audience what they need to know about witchcraft and describe both ancient and modern beliefs concerning witchcraft.
• Use specific, accurate, and relevant information from the speech to support your discussion.
• Use a tone and level of language appropriate for a report for your English class.
• Organize your idas in a logical and coherent manner
• Be sure to indicate any words taken directly from the speech by using quotation marks or referring to the speaker.
• Follow the conventions of standard written English.

*Reminder to bring in $10 for the book.

"Half-Hanged Mary" by Margaret Atwood

In class today, we read Margaret Atwood's poem "Half-Hanged Mary" about a woman accused of witchcraft who was later hanged for her crime. She survived the hanging. The poem describes her experience.

Which time period in the poem most appeals to you? Why? What images or lines really work for you in this time period?

Post a comment to this blog.

Anticipation Guides - Arthur Miller's the Crucible

Today in class we worked on the anticipation guide for The Crucible by Arthur Miller

For homework tonight, please post part 2 of that guide: (comment on this post - read each other's posts)
Write a reflection for Statement 1 "Confessing to a crime you didn't commit in order to avoid punishment is wise."
AND
write another reflection for a statement of your choosing from the sheet. Each response should be 200-250 words as to why you have the belief that you do.

due for tomorrow

Also remember to bring in your $10 for your copy of the play. I will continue collecting money until Wed.

oops!

the last blog that i posted (homework from 9/19) is actually the homework from 9/23 (what we do when we approach difficult texts) sorry

homework from 9/19

when i approach a piece of writing that i dont understand, i follow certain steps to try to achieve a better understanding of the text. first i re-read the text. then if im still losti slowly read each sentence trying to fully understand it. after thet, if im still lost i raed each word individually. if i am still completely lost after doing these steps, i try to get a second oppinion.

homework from 9/17

1) our ancients are strong english any more. we developed our own style of tlking.
2)people from other nations came to the idea to come to this country because of the types of rights we guarantee and how we easily except imagrants.
3)i am not sure how we got the name the "united states of america" and im not sure who came up with it.

homework from 9/15

I want to know more about american literature and authors. I want to do some research on literature and authors that we are going to be covering this year. I would like to have some outside knowledge of our american literature class curiculum.

Task 4 - 2nd drafts are due

Today... as well as all other previous drafts.

We will be moving on shortly and if you are missing work, I strong recommend you start catching up.

Independent Reading Assignment

These are due on Friday this week. You should have all 10 components accounted for - see the earlier blog post with directions.

The Crucible by Arthur Miller

Books are being picked up this week. They cost $10. Please bring in cash for your book. They will be yours to keep and mark up.



Please make sure to get your money to me for the book no later than Wed. 10/22.



Looking forward to starting our first full length work.

Class Reminders and goals for the week

Today in class you worked on self-assessments. Consider where you are and where you need to be.

Your personal narratives started in class on Friday were due today.

Your task 4 draft 2 with the earlier draft attached is due on thursday, Oct. 16

Your independent reading assignment one is due on Friday, Oct. 17.

The Crucible by Arthur Miller

We will be reading the Crucible starting on Oct. 20th. I will be bringing in copies of the play for you to purchase from me. I will know how much it will cost soon. I would like everyone to have their own copies of the book so that they can annotate as we go along.

Mary Rowlandson Analysis

Today in class you had an assignment to find 5 examples of whatever domain lens you were supposed to analyze the text through.

You were supposed to do a double entry journal where you selected text and then analyzed the text through the lens of your group.

Select one of the five that you worked on in class and comment on this post. Share the quote as well as the analysis.

For example:

Text: "Now is the dreadful hour come, that I have often heard of (in time of war, as it was...) eyes see it." (p. 245)

Analysis through a narrative lens: Uses very strong negtative words to describe the moment she was taken into captivity. She uses dreadful to indicate the severity of what happened. However, she also discusses what she has heard and how it affects her understanding of what should happen. She uses a parenthetical aside to show war time is different, but there are expectations that should be there. She also talks about what she sees which seems to support now what she has heard. There is a definite use of hyperbole that the reader becomes aware of as they read on and often questions just how serious the situation is.

Mary Rowlandson - "The Narrative of the Captivity and the Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson"

This narrative will be given out in class on Thursday. Please have it read by Monday, 10/6. Bring it back to class and make sure you annotate it while reading.

Think about these questions while you read:

1. How did the explorers and later the colonists who came to the New World for “Gold, Glory and/or God” justify their treatment of Native Americans, African slaves, and indentured servants?
2. Were there discrepancies between agreed upon political ideals and the treatment of these minority groups?