Studying the Background
of Arthur Miller's
The Crucible

Teacher Page

A WebQuest for 11th Grade English/Language Arts Classes

Designed by

April M. Moore
literatureteacher@yahoo.com

Introduction | Learners | Standards | Process | Resources | Evaluation |Conclusion | Credits | Student Page

Introduction

This lesson was developed as part of the Teach the Teacher's Collaborative for the WebQuest class of Summer 2000.

Summary:
Students will be able to identify the issue (a "witch hunt") and its causes, evaluate consequences, and develop a solution. The major question is "What should be done to keep the innocent from being accused and presumed guilty?"

Learners

This lesson is designed for 11th grade English/Language Arts students and involves social studies (US history) to a lesser extent.

Students should be familiar with basic internet/computer navigation skills as well as researching and documentation skills before beginning this lesson.

Curriculum Standards

Language Arts Standards Addressed

As well as the above standards, thinking and communications skills such as critical thinking, creative problem-solving, and group work are encouraged by this lesson.

Process
 Teacher downloads

• Student handout with web address & partner information (Microsoft Word document)
• Rubric for individual grades (Microsoft Excel spreadsheet)
• Rubric for letter to the editor (Microsoft Word document)
• Sample thesis and outline builder (Microsoft Word document)

1. Take a look at the above pictures and their  following poem.  Do a quickwrite about one time you've been falsely accused.  Consider what led up to the accusation and what the results of the accusation were.  Fill one page.
 
2. Go through this Salem Virtual Witch Hunt.  You will be experiencing what it was like to have been accused of witchcraft in Salem during the Salem Witch Trials.  Your job is to experience the emotions and feelings of being falsely accused.  Write one page about your experience, what it felt like, and what you learned.
 
3. Next, you will separate into groups of 3 (or 4) students and will need to choose one of the following roles:
• Expert on the The Salem Witch Trials (context of The Crucible)
• Expert on McCarthyism
• Expert on related persecutions of innocent people
• Expert on PowerPoint (you must know the PowerPoint software and have permission from the teacher in order to choose this role; click to see the responsibilities for this role)
 
4. Do step A or B as your teacher has instructed

   A.  JOURNAL/SUMMARY OPTION:  Once you have picked a role, you must begin researching your topic and summarizing/journaling on  the information you read and learn.  You must summarize/journal on a minimum of 3 articles.  (see rubric)

   B.  ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY OPTION:  Instead of an informal journal/summary, you will complete annotated bibliography entries for 3 articles.  (sample entry for an annotated bibliography) (title page)


The grade for the annotated bibliography is based on the following requirements:
You must have a title page and 3 typed annotations of 1 paragraph each.  The annotations must include
• MLA citation format for the article
• Summary of the main ideas in the article
• 1-2 sentences stating your impression of the article (what did you like/dislike about it?)
  
5. For your role, chart out the following: (click here to get role chart, see rubric)
• the problem behind the situation (what is the issue?)
• the causes of the "witch hunt"
• the consequences of the "witch hunt"
• a possible way for that society to have avoided it
 
6. Compile the information (charts and summaries/journals) your group has collected; 
   • compare causes
   • consequences
   • solutions

   Create Venn Diagrams to show similarities of each point.  You should have at least three Venn Diagrams; one for each point.  (click here to get Venn Diagram, see rubric)

 
7. Now you must begin your letter to the editor.  To start, use the thesis builder and outline builder to generate your thesis and your outline.  Be sure to print your work.  (click here for thesis and outline builder)
 
8. Write the letter to the editor--each member contributing information on which she/he is an expert.  Discuss the issues, causes, consequences, and the main solution.  Write as if to a newspaper. (see rubric)

For this role, you must gather extensive background information related to the Salem Witch Trials, identifying

• their causes (focus on the beliefs of the people of the time),
• their consequences (both for individuals accused and accusing, and for the society),
• possible ways to have avoided them.  Be sure your solutions are applicable to the people at that time period and in that situation.

• Timeline of Salem Witch Trials
• Puritan History
• List of Accused
• Example of Martha Carrier's Trial
• Shows Background of Feelings and Superstitions of Salem

Searchable Sites:
• The Salem Witch Museum
•  Witchcraft in Salem Village
• The Crucible project

Back to Process

For this role, you must gather extensive background information related to McCarthyism, identifying

• their causes (focus on the beliefs of the people of the time),
• their consequences (both for individuals accused and accusing, and for the society),
• possible ways to have avoided them.  Be sure your solutions are applicable to the people at that time period and in that situation.

Excellent Summaries of McCarthyism Era

Short Biography of Joseph McCarthy

CNN Cold War - Episode Script: Reds

Congressional Committees and Unfriendly Witnesses

CNN - Virtual McCarthyism Trial

Back to Process

For this role, you must gather information on at least two related persecutions, and identify the following for each:

• the causes (focus on the beliefs of the society and of the leading characters),
• the consequences (both for individuals accused and accusing, and for the society),
• possible ways to have avoided them.  Be sure your solutions are applicable to the people at that time period and in that situation.

• THE HOLOCAUST AN HISTORICAL SUMMARY Holocaust
• SWC : 36 Questions About the Holocaust Questions and Answers about the Holocaust
• Japanese Internment Camps
• Arab Americans following the tragedies of 9/11/01
• Other persecutions of large groups of people 
  (be sure to view the bibliography section to use the original sources)

Searchable sites

• United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
• Simon Wiesenthal Center

Back to Process

For this role, you must compile the information gathered by your partners and present that information to the class using PowerPoint.  The presentation must include

• Cover page stating group members' names, a title, the class/period, the teacher's name, and the date
• Problem(s) behind each situation (what are the issues?)--have at least one slide introducing each issue researched.  Each of these slides must have at least one graphic relating to that topic (total of 4 graphics)
• Causes of each "witch hunt"
• Consequences of each "witch hunt
• Possible way(s) for each society to have avoided it
• Venn Diagram of the topics
• Thesis and main points from your group's letter to the editor
• Complete text of your group's letter to the editor
• To view a sample PowerPoint presentation, click here

Create a visually-pleasing presentation that is organized and thoughtful.  Be as creative as you wish.  You must have at least four graphics (one for each type of "witch hunt"), but you may have many more.  You may also include audio and/or video clips if appropriate.  The presentation grade will take the place of the 3 article summaries and role chart.
Back to Process

Organization and Timing

Ø      30 minutes to introduce the project to the students (I had overheads to show--the tv screen was too small for them to read the words)

Ø      However long it takes you to group students & choose roles 

• Be sure that at least 1 student in each group has internet access at home

• Copy the role sheets and hand out to each student

Ø      1-2 hours researching & printing articles from the internet (it depends on if the kids know what they're doing--if they go to the sites listed, it should be rather simple; during this time I have the PowerPoint students setting up the presentation and/or gathering graphics for it)

Ø      Time for reading the research and filling in charts (can be done as homework, or approx. 1 hour or more in class)

Ø      15-30 minutes for students to fill in the Venn Diagrams in their groups

• Copy the Venn Diagram sheets and hand out to each group

Ø      15-30 minutes for students to use the thesis/outline builder (once they have a thesis idea, it doesn’t take too long)

Ø      Writing/typing the article—30 minutes to an hour (I found that usually students brainstormed in groups, and then one student ended up writing/typing the final product.

Ø      PowerPoint presentations (depends on how many there are—5 minutes is a good length for each presentation, no more than 10 minutes)

Ø      I then had my students read & score the various letters.  This process took 1-2 hours depending on the number of articles and the method used (with one class I read the articles, they scored, and then we discussed them; with the other class, they scored the letters in their groups)

Ø      After the letters were scored and discussed in class, the groups took them home to revise them for homework.

For this lesson to run smoothly, the teacher must clearly understand each of the steps of the process (the students may get confused or "lost" even with the step-by-step method).  The teacher must also be familiar with researching on the internet, downloading documents, etc. 

Resources Needed

• Teacher
• Groups of 3-4 students each
• Internet access

Evaluation

The grades for summaries/journals and role charts are graded on an individual basis.  These show me how thoroughly you have done your work.  The grade for the Venn Diagrams, Thesis, and Outline and for the editorial are group grades--a culmination of all of your members' findings.

	Beginning 1	Below Average 2	Average 3	Above Average 4	Excellent 5
Summaries or Journal Entries Worth 20%	Less than three summaries/journals  do not include the main points, show no comprehension of the articles, and are not edited.	A minimum of three summaries/journals  include the main points, show no comprehension of the articles, and are not edited.	A minimum of three summaries/journals  include the main points, show some comprehension of the articles, and are minimally edited.	A minimum of three summaries/journals are detailed with clear points, show comprehension of the articles, and are cleanly edited.	A minimum of three summaries or journals are detailed with clear points, show excellent comprehension of the articles, and are cleanly edited.
Role Chart Worth 10%	Role chart not filled out.	Role chart partially filled out.	Role chart filled out.	Role chart filled out thoroughly.	Role chart filled out thoroughly and with much thought.
Letter to  the Editor Worth 60%	Letter summarizes less than three past "witch hunts," does not attempt to portray their causes, proposes an unclear solution to prevent such occurrences in the future, is not persuasive, and is not edited.	Letter summarizes at least three past "witch hunts," attempts to portray their causes, proposes an unclear solution to prevent such occurrences in the future, is not persuasive, and is not edited.	Letter summarizes at least three past "witch hunts," portrays their causes, proposes a solution to prevent such occurrences in the future, is persuasive, and is minimally edited.	Letter summarizes at least three past "witch hunts" clearly, portrays their causes, proposes a clear,  thoughtful solution to prevent such occurrences in the future, is persuasive, and is cleanly edited.	Letter summarizes at least three past "witch hunts" clearly and concisely, portrays their causes, proposes a clear, well thought solution to prevent such occurrences in the future, is strongly persuasive, and is cleanly edited.
Venn Diagrams, Thesis, and Outline Worth 10%	None filled out.	All partially filled out.	All filled out.	All filled out thoroughly.	All filled out thoroughly and with much thought.

Conclusion

So, now that you have decided what should be done to keep the innocent from being accused and presumed guilty, do you think it will work?  You have had to analyze society and how it works.  Do you think your solutions will change society significantly?  Do you think society will change and avoid "witch hunts"?  Why does society tend to repeat mistakes instead of learning from them?

Credits & References

Thank you to the following for images, information, and assistance:

Picture for Japanese Internment Camp
http://www.uwec.edu/Academic/Geography/Ivogeler/w188/j6.gif

Assistance from Keith Nuthall--WebQuest instructor