wb’s classroom twice
TRANSCRIPT
My wife & I on a cruise, docked at Puerto Maya, Mexico – New Year’s Day 2010. Hello everyone! My name is Matt Holborow and it has been a pleasure to be a part of WB’s classroom twice over the past few semesters. It has been an interesting ride to say the least. For the most part, much of my early life can be read in my culture essay below. However, I will provide some further detailed information now. I grew up in Arnold, Missouri and went to Fox High School. I went to college for a semester or two before deciding to join the workforce after getting a job as a Service Representative at a major telecommunications company (need a breakdown of your bill or get set up with high-speed DSL at your house, I was your guy). After doing that for a few years, my girlfriend (now my wife) was asked to move to New Haven, Connecticut (to Yale University) to finish her PhD program. Luckily, I was able to transfer up there to be with her for some time. We spent about three-and-a-half years up in New England, where I decided that my job was too taxing on me. I really started to hate getting up in the morning and doing what I was doing every single day. I did some major soul-searching and decided that teaching was my true calling. As we moved back to St. Louis, my wife started working full time and I started school full time (while we were planning a wedding at the same time). We got married in June of 2007, and bought a house in July 2009. We have also been blessed to find out that we’ve got a little one on the way. He or she will be arriving in late-October and we could
not be happier to start our family! It’s been a long road (it will have taken me five years to graduate), but I’m happy to finally see the light at the end of the tunnel and feel ready to get out there and start educating the eager young minds of today’s youth. “Of the seven key concepts of this course, I relate best with ‘Community.’ Community represents a sense of trust, caring, and interaction. To me, it is at the core of a well-constructed classroom. We are the gatekeepers to our Communities. Let’s show our citizens the way.” “A good teacher is like a candle – it consumes itself to light the way for others.” - Author Unknown
Culture Essay My Cultural Identity Matthew Holborow Final Draft February 15, 2011
“I know I was born and I know that I’ll die, but the in-between is mine.” -Eddie Vedder
As we walked through the door of the party, we immediately started searching for
anyone we knew. A close friend of mine had been working at an agency that helped
bring au pairs from Western Europe (mostly Spain, France and Germany) to the United
States to work and to study American culture. As a “social liaison,” he frequently
organized parties like this not only for the incoming group of foreigners, but also for a
chance to show us Americans how to be less solipsistic. We all walked around, saying
hello to those we knew and introducing ourselves to new faces, when my friend Steve
looked over at the lonely French au pair sitting on the couch. Always considered the
“ladies man” of our little collective, he went through the standard introductions in
English, then immediately switched over to French in order to impress her. She giggled,
blushed, and batted her eyes at him – he knew at that moment he had her and spent much
of the night ignoring the rest of us as he talked with her. As we all started feeling more
comfortable with each other, the conversation inevitably steered towards our own specific
backgrounds. When my turn came I said, “I’m half Italian and half Irish.” My future
wife, a close friend of mine, piped in with, “Oh, so you’re a loudmouth drunk.”
Everyone got a laugh at my expense and we proceeded to talk further about our
backgrounds. We all ended up learning quite a bit more than we expected about each
other that night.
Perhaps some clarification is in order: I’m not exactly half Italian and half Irish.
Technically, I’m part everything – almost the true definition of a human mutt. My
father’s side of the family is very tricky to pin down. All we really know is that his
paternal grandfather and his uncles were born and raised in New York. Other family
members have said that one of my paternal great-great-grandmothers was a Native
American. I’ve also been told that my last name “Holborow” is very common in New
Zealand (almost as common as “Johnson” is in America) and in the United Kingdom.
The problem is that not many people on my father’s side of the family lived beyond 60
years of age, so not a whole lot of generational information is available without some
deep digging. My father could be a dead ringer for Mario from the Super Mario Bros.
video games – which is quite possibly why I identify with my Italian roots more than any
of the others.
My mother’s side of the family is a bit of a different story. My mom is almost
exactly half Irish and half Italian. Most of the people on my mother’s side have a
tendency to live longer, so I’m able to ask more questions about my background.
Additionally, I think my mother’s relatives put a bigger value on the members of their
family than my father’s side. My mother definitely puts a big emphasis on family. When
compiling the guest list for my wedding, my mother’s list was bigger than my list, my
wife’s list, and my future mother-in-law’s list combined because she insisted on inviting
the entire family – including her second cousins from Nashville (which, of course mean
my third cousins) whom we rarely see. Under normal circumstances, this would be fine,
but at $125 per plate we had to draw a line somewhere. Needless to say, she was less
than pleased when the bulk of the “cuts” from the invitations came from her list. The
situation turned quite hairy for a little while leading up to the wedding.
Aside from that small hiccup, I share similar values with my mother when it
comes to family. My family is a very big part of who I am and I was lucky enough to
have a family support system in place that gave me the confidence to do anything I
wanted. Being the oldest of four children, my two brothers and my sister relied upon me
to help guide the way for their lives. But, that guidance is reciprocal as well. I’ve
learned more from my youngest brother than I ever thought possible and we are ten years
apart in age.
My family, as diverse as they are, taught me how to think, how to love, how to
behave, and basically how to be the man I am today. My family is reliable. I can tell my
family anything. I don’t embarrass my family and they can never embarrass me.
I think part of the benefit of my upbringing, especially in the case of my
immediate family, was the fact that I grew up in what could be considered a very clean,
suburban, “Leave it to Beaver”-type, neighborhood. I grew up in a St. Louis suburb
called Arnold, which has slowly ballooned into a suburban metropolis now. Children my
age filled the neighborhood, and all the adults were close in age. We held neighborhood
barbecues. When it came time for fireworks on Independence Day, you could find no
more than 3 different fireworks displays in the neighborhood because we all grouped
together. Everyone knew everyone. If any of the children acted out of line, any one of
the parents in the neighborhood was given authority to punish as necessary. A major
downside to a lifestyle like this is that it sheltered us from true dangers that are found in
neighborhoods everywhere in our communities. Sure, we watched movies that showed
the plight of the youth in the inner cities, but we never really experienced any of those
problems. As I grew older, I later met people who had true dangers in their
neighborhood. These were people who were sometimes scared to step out of their houses
for fear of being shot. We never even felt like we had to lock our doors.
Even though I spent my formative years in the suburban economic class that I was
lucky enough to grow up in, I’m sad to say that it also offered little in the way of racial
diversity. Without looking at the statistics, Arnold was a community that was probably
99.9% Caucasian. This provided me with a false sense of security because (at least early
on in my life) I thought that no matter where I went, everyone would be just like me.
Even our high school had very little racial diversity. After spending a semester or two at
college, I ended up getting a full-time job at a large multi-national telecommunications
conglomerate. My first real experiences with people of diverse racial backgrounds came
while working at that job. That’s not to say that I was racially biased in any way from
my experience in an almost “all White” environment – quite the opposite, actually. I
became very curious about others. I worked closely with people of a variety of races and
ethnicities.
Similar to the situation with my family background, that curiosity and interest was
reciprocal. People from differing racial backgrounds also became interested in me and
my racial identity. Sometimes I had the occasion to make someone do a “double-take”
when I said something they didn’t expect. For example, I remember sitting in a cubicle
next to an African American named Wardell. One day he happened to take a peek out the
window and say, “It’s gonna rain.” Being the movie aficionado that I was, I immediately
thought of a line from The Color Purple and said, “It’s gonna rain on yo’ head.” Wardell
looked shocked. The conversation followed as such:
Wardell: Did you just pull out a line from The Color Purple?
Me: Yeah.
Wardell: How does a white boy like you know The Color Purple?
Me: It’s one of my favorite movies… seen it about fifty times.
Wardell: For real? I never met a white dude who liked that movie…
Me: Um, I hate to burst your bubble here, but that movie was directed by a white
guy.
Wardell: No it wasn’t. It was directed by Quincy Jones… you know – produced
Michael Jackson’s records?
Me: I know who Quincy Jones is, but he didn’t direct The Color Purple. Not
only was it directed by a white guy, it was directed by a white Jewish guy –
Steven Spielberg.
Wardell: <laughing> Wow. I think I need to go home and re-evaluate things.
The conversation from above helped me feel comfortable about my racial identity.
Through this conversation, Wardell and I grew a little closer. He learned a little
something about me; I learned a little something about him. That conversation was sort
of a jumping-off point for us to understand that although we had differing racial identities
and backgrounds, we could be interested in the same things.
These are the sort of ideas and principles I want to bring into my classroom. If I
could take anything from my family and convey it to my students, it would be the idea
that they can do anything they want. I want to provide them with the confidence and the
mental attitude that if they put forth the effort and focus, they can become anything.
Although my upbringing gave me with a somewhat sheltered lifestyle in the ways of
racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic diversity, I believe that my life experiences as I grew
older provided me with a cultural awareness that I want to pass on to my students. Not
only was I curious about others, I used to love it when I shocked someone of a different
ethnicity with something I knew or something I did that they would have never believed I
could do. I want to be able to show my students that diversity in all shapes and forms is
something to be celebrated and shared amongst others. If we cannot look beyond our
superficial differences, whatever they may be, we will never know the true light and
inspiration that can be found inside someone who is different from ourselves.
Reading Unit - The Crucible
English III (Juniors) Matthew Holborow First Quarter 2011
OVERVIEW The Crucible by Arthur Miller
Rationale: Arthur Miller’s The Crucible is, for lack of better term, a standard among high school Language Arts classes. Miller uses his play as a way to explore themes of hysteria and intolerance as well as the role of a person’s reputation. In today’s high school environment where intolerance can lead to accusation, accusation can lead to bullying, and (in some cases) bullying can lead to violence and even suicide, these themes speak straight to the heart of teenagers across the country. By teaching a unit on The Crucible, we have the ability to create a direct link from something that was written almost 60 years ago to the present world around them. We can show these young students that even today, intolerance can be harmful to a person’s reputation thus can be detrimental to a person’s well-being. Additionally, the play also provides important historical perspectives – allowing us to create cross-curricular content to connect with other classes they are taking. Not only can we give them a look into life into colonial America in Salem, Massachusetts during the late-17th century, we can also show the students how those witch trials act as a parallel to the fear and paranoia that was present in America during McCarthyism and the “Red Scare” of the 1950s. Summary: Throughout their reading of the play, the students will be asked to write journals (one journal per Act of the play, plus additional journals for documentation of in-class discussions) on their reactions to the events of the play. The students will also be engaged in a cross-curricular creative project at the beginning of the unit (see Lesson Plan #2). When the students have finished reading the play, they will be given a writing assignment of approximately 2-3 pages on three topics given by the teacher. This will act as the summative assessment for the unit. *A note on the lesson plans: The Lesson Plans for this unit were creating utilizing the method formats presented by Education: Learning to Teach (8th Edition) by Richard Arends Objectives: Based on DESE CLEs CA-R1F through H: Develop and apply skills and strategies to the reading process: Pre-, During- and Post-reading CA-R1I: Develop and apply skills and strategies to the reading process: Making connections (text to world) CA-R2A: Develop & apply skills and strategies to comprehend, analyze, and evaluate drama: text features
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CA-R2C: Develop & apply skills and strategies to comprehend, analyze, and evaluate drama: analyze character, plot, setting, point of view, development of theme across genres, evaluate the effect of author’s style CA-W1A: Apply a writing process to write effectively in various forms & types of writing CA-W2A: Compose text showing awareness of audience & choosing a form and point of view appropriate to purpose CA-W2B: Compose text with strong controlling idea, relevant specific details, complex ideas, and freshness of thought CA-W2C: Compose text with effective beginning, middle, and end, a logical order, effective paragraphing, cohesive devices, varied sentence structure, and clarity of expression CA-W2E: In written text apply conventions of capitalization and punctuation and standard usage. Length of curriculum: This project will last approximately five school weeks – each week will comprise one Act in the play, followed by an additional week of preparation to complete the writing assignment. The final week will also be used to show the 1996 film The Crucible. Materials and Resources Needed: • Provided by the school: library/hardcover copies of The Crucible for the students;
computers, a Smartboard, and applicable software (Microsoft Office programs) to assist in presentation, a web page that will be updated by the teacher showing progress of the unit and any changes to the schedule.
• Provided by the teacher: art supplies (construction paper, colored pencils, markers, pens, etc.) for Lesson Plan #3, various handouts (guided note handouts, copies of articles).
• Provided by the students: A notebook to keep for class discussions and notes on lectures as well as journal entries that will be collected at the end of the unit, pencils/pens, an eager and open mind to engage in learning and discussion.
Means of Assessment: • Formative assessment
• Check marks/participation points will be given to students who actively engage in classroom discussion.
• Spot checks with points given to students who show their journal entries for each Act of the play.
• Oral feedback (as well as award ribbons) will be given on the artistic interpretation from Lesson Plan #2. Additionally, students will be allowed to weigh in on their votes for who had the best presentation/artistic interpretation.
• Quizzes will be given at the end of each week on each Act of the play. • Summative assessment
• At the end of the unit, the students will be given a 2-3 page writing assignment. The students will select one of three topics for which they will write a comprehensive essay. See the Student Handout for further details.
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Lesson Plan #1 – An Introduction to The Crucible English III (Juniors) Matthew Holborow First Quarter 2011
Objectives & Rationale: Using the “Presentation” model lesson plan, the objective is to introduce some of the themes and concepts presented in Arthur Miller’s play The Crucible. The students will not have read the book, or at least not been assigned the book previously, thus this will act as an introductory presentation to spark interest and allow the students to think about some of the key themes and ideas presented in the novel that they will then read. Materials Needed: Each student will receive a copy of The Crucible (which will be provided by the school), the instructor will use Microsoft PowerPoint to present the outline of content to the students, it will benefit the students to take notes of the lecture in order to familiarize themselves with some of the ideas and themes in the play while reading. Phase 1: Introduction: Clarify aims and establish set (10-15 minutes): This Phase will utilize the Brainstorming Literacy Strategy. The students will be given the prompted questions below, they will generate the responses, and answers will be displayed via PowerPoint:
1. The United States legal system works off of one key phrase – “innocent until proven guilty.” How would you feel if that statement was reversed? What if “guilty until proven innocent” was the official stance of our legal system? In what ways would that frighten you? Depending on the particular situation, how would you prove your innocence?
2. In today’s high school and college environment, bullying has become a “hot button” issue, sometimes to the detriment of many young people. How would you defend (or oppose) your reputation among your peers?
Phase 2: Present the advance organizer (include and describe – approx. 5 minutes): Hand out the books to the students. Advise the students that although some of these questions asked previously may seem somewhat “far-fetched” or inapplicable to a high school English class, these are themes and motifs that present themselves in the play they are being handed right now – The Crucible by Arthur Miller. Phase 3: Present learning materials (outline of content – approximately 15 minutes): Proceed with the PowerPoint:
1. Introduce a very basic description of the play and the historical background to the Salem Witch Trials
2. Point out some of the themes in the novel that the students should look for when reading
a. Fear, hysteria, and paranoia b. Guilt and suspicion c. Intolerance d. Deception and lying
Phase 4: Application: (check for understanding and strengthen student thinking – approx. 5-10 minutes):
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(whole Lesson Plan)
Allow students to ask any questions they may have. Open the floor for further discussion. If time allots, allow students for silent reading of the introduction and Miller’s comments on the historical accuracy of the play.
Lesson Plan #2 – A Look at New England Puritan Beliefs English III (Juniors) Matthew Holborow First Quarter 2011
Objectives & Rationale: Using the “Cooperative Learning” model lesson plan (more specifically the “Numbered Heads Together” approach), the objective is to provide the students with a snapshot of colonial life in Salem, Massachusetts during the time of the Salem Witch Trials. More specifically, it is designed to show the somewhat Christian fundamentalist mentality of the people in Salem by using the sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” by theologian Jonathan Edwards. This lesson also provides cross-curricular opportunities, as they will be creating an artistic rendering of the sermon to help the students understand the material better. The students will also be encouraged to use the Comprehension Connections Literacy Strategy in order to better assist them with the text-to-world link in this lesson. The text-to-world link in this instance is the broader connection to the world of Colonial Massachusetts. This lesson will begin on a Tuesday and finish on a Thursday. Materials needed: Paper copies of “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,” divided into 5-6 segments; construction paper, markers, pens, colored pencils, and other art supplies (all provided by the teacher); a bowl containing pieces of paper with group numbers for each student to choose randomly; award ribbons to be given to the best group performance. Phase 1: Introduction (approximately 5 minutes): The lesson will begin with the teacher taking a few moments to discuss the introductory narration in The Crucible. Although this introduction provides a good context for the students to have a clearer understanding of the main characters, it offers little in the way of providing a good social and religious context that the people lived in. Although Edwards’ sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” was written after the events of the Salem Witch Trials, it provides a fair assessment into the Puritan colonial religious belief structure at the time of the Trials. Phase 2: Present information (outline of content – a few short minutes): This lesson will be conducted using a form of the “Numbered Heads Together” method. In order to provide a fair, balanced, and heterogeneous group structure, a bowl will contain pieces of paper with numbers 1-5 to coincide with the segments of the sermon. The teacher will advise the students that each group will read a segment of the sermon. Once finished reading, using the artistic supplies provided by the teacher, the students will then create an artistic rendering of the segment they were given. The artistic renderings will be displayed in the classroom for the remainder of the unit. Phase 3: Organize students into learning teams (approximately 10 minutes): Once the students draw their respective numbers from the bowl, each group will be put together and placed around the classroom in the appropriate order. Once the groups have been organized, each group will receive a segment of the sermon for them to read. Phase 4: Assist team work and study (remainder of the class period): It should go without saying that the teacher will move around the class during group activity time. While doing so, the instructor should listen for specific cues in order to guide further questioning. The teacher should also provide suggestions for how their segment of the sermon can be interpreted artistically. Additionally, the teacher should note who is participating in each group and mark in the grade
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book accordingly to ensure all group members are actively participating. The students will be given an additional class period (the Wednesday class period to complete their art work. Phase 5: Test on the materials (the following Thursday, approximately 35-40 minutes ): For the next class period, each group will present a brief five-minute synopsis of their segment of the sermon to check for understanding. Once they have given the synopsis, each group will then present their artistic interpretation. They will then pin it to the bulletin board for display for the remainder of the unit. Phase 6: Provide team recognition (approximately 10 minutes): Once the group presentations are complete, the instructor will then place award ribbons on the artwork that will be displayed throughout the week for the best group performance (or most accurate artistic depiction).
Lesson Plan #3 – A Discussion on Arthur Miller English III (Juniors) Matthew Holborow First Quarter 2011
Objectives & Rationale: The ultimate idea of this Inquiry Based Discussion is to gain some additional historical background on The Crucible, as well as to discuss Arthur Miller’s reasons for writing the play. The students will be looking at two articles, both written by Miller – “Are You Now or Were You Ever?” and “Why I Wrote The Crucible: An Artists Answer to Politics.” Similar to Lesson Plan #2, this will also act as a cross-curricular lesson, linking it to their History/Civics classes and discussing how the “Red Scare” of McCarthyism created an era of paranoia and fear in the 1950s. The students will be given copies of the two articles in a previous class period to have read for homework. As part of the homework the students will use the 10 Most Important Words Literacy Strategy to help them determine the key words or phrases in both the articles. The students will compare their “10 Most Important Words” during the discussion. Materials needed: Copies of the two articles to be given to students, handouts with the “10 Most Important Words” graphic organizer to use during their reading, Smartboard technology will be used to display the questions and to write or type the appropriate answers to questions or to write up important talking points, a “koosh” ball will be used to indicate the current primary speaker in the discussion, handouts will be given to the students with the questions presented for them to take guided notes. Phase 1: This will be an Inquiry Based Discussion to discuss the themes of fear and hysteria that prompted Arthur Miller to write The Crucible. The students will have read the articles in and should be familiar with the themes and ideas presented in both. The teacher will begin the lesson by asking the initial question (listed below) and allowing the students to answer. Phase 2: The ground rules are laid out as such (the teacher should take a few moments to discuss the ground rules with the class):
1. The students will be arranged in circle seating arrangement (pre-arranged before class begins).
2. The “koosh” ball will act as a totem of sorts. The person with the ball will be primary speaker. He or she will be the person who will be giving their input and/or answering the question decides who to give the ball to next. While the other students will be allowed to react or agree/disagree with the person who has the ball, the one with the ball must be allowed to finish what he/she has to say before lightly tossing the ball to someone else.
3. The teacher reserves the right to decide when to move on to the next topic of discussion and to focus the discussion as he/she sees fit.
4. The students are also encouraged to use the handout given to them in order to take guided notes and ensure they get the most out of the discussion.
The initial question: What kind of comparisons can be made between the Salem Witch Trials and the search for Communist sympathizers in the 1950s, as laid out by Arthur Miller? Phase 3: Questions for discussion (approximately 30 minutes of discussion):
1. Although Miller points out many similarities between McCarthyism and the Salem Witch trials, can you find any contrasts that he makes between them?
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2. In “Are You Now or Were You Ever?” he describes the idea that an ideological war is like a guerilla war. Do you think this is a fair assessment? Why or why not?
3. Miller refused to “name names” when subpoenaed by Congress – should he have? 4. Based on these two articles, do you feel that Congress was “bullying” people into naming
Communist conspirators? 5. Compare and contrast students’ “10 Most Important Words” handouts.
Throughout the discussion it will be the teacher’s responsibility to ensure that the ground rules are being followed and the students are actively participating. Although the teacher presents the questions, the students will give the initial answers. However, additional answers or ideas may be presented by the teacher for further development or simply as a way for the teacher to give his/her opinions. The teacher will keep records to note who was actively participating in the discussion. Phase 4: The teacher will end the discussion by asking the class if anyone has any final thoughts or any additional comments they would like to add. Summarize for the students what has been discussed. Advise the students that they will view the movie version of The Crucible near the end of the unit. A second discussion session may be added to incorporate ideas expressed in the discussion of the reading of the play vs. the viewing of the films. This phase should last approximately 5-10 minutes. Phase 5: To debrief the discussion, the teacher will ask the students how they felt about the overall process of the discussion – did it help or hurt their understanding? The students will be given one more additional opportunity to share what they have learned. The students will then be asked to write a small, one-page reflection (to be included as part of their journal notes) of the discussion to further check for understanding and to determine how active each student was involved in the discussion. This phase should also last approximately 5-10 minutes.
Lesson Plan #4 – A Discussion on Act IV of The Crucible English III (Juniors) Matthew Holborow First Quarter 2011
Objectives & Rationale: Similar to Lesson #3, this is an Inquiry Based Discussion is designed to discuss the themes and ideas presented in Act IV of The Crucible. Since Act IV is the final act of the play, this will also act as a way to look at some of the themes previously discussed in Acts I-III and how they connect to the overall arc of the play in its entirety. After the discussion, the students will be given the handout for their writing assignment that will act as the summative assessment of the unit. As part of their journal entries (not only for this Act but for all four Acts) the students will use a KWL Literacy Strategy in order to help them with their pre-, during-, and post-reading activities – allowing them to reflect on what they “Know,” what they “Want to Know,” and what they have “Learned” from their readings. The KWL sheet will be turned in with their journal entries. Materials needed: The students will be asked to have their copies of The Crucible with them in order to refer back to any passages or quotes from the play, Smartboard technology will be used to display the questions and to write or type the appropriate answers to questions or to write up important talking points, a “koosh” ball will be used to indicate the current primary speaker in the discussion, handouts will be given to the students with the questions presented for them to take guided notes, aforementioned KWL worksheets will also be handed out earlier in the week to help with their reading. Phase 1: This will be an Inquiry Based Discussion to discuss the themes found in Act IV of The Crucible. By this point, the students will now have completed their reading of the entire play, thus should be familiar with its subject matter and the ideas and topics we have already discussed from the previous three Acts. The teacher will begin the lesson by asking the initial question (listed below) and allowing the students to answer. Phase 2: The ground rules are laid out as such (the teacher should take a few moments to discuss the ground rules with the class):
5. The students will be arranged in circle seating arrangement (pre-arranged before class begins).
6. The “koosh” ball will act as a totem of sorts. The person with the ball will be primary speaker. He or she will be the person who will be giving their input and/or answering the question decides who to give the ball to next. While the other students will be allowed to react or agree/disagree with the person who has the ball, the one with the ball must be allowed to finish what he/she has to say before lightly tossing the ball to someone else.
7. The teacher reserves the right to decide when to move on to the next topic of discussion and to focus the discussion as he/she sees fit.
8. The students are also encouraged to use the handout given to them in order to take guided notes and to ensure they get the most out of the discussion.
The initial question: Does John Proctor make the right decision in the end? Would you consider him a martyr? Phase 3: Questions for discussion (approximately 30 minutes of discussion):
6. Throughout the play, why are the authorities (specifically Danforth and Hathorne) so resistant to the claim that the teenage girls are lying?
7. Does Reverend Hale change his attitude throughout the play? Why or why not?
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8. Who is most responsible for what happened in Salem? 9. Although the play was written almost 60 years ago, do you think it has something to say
to us today? Do you think the “witch hunts” died with the end of McCarthyism? Throughout the discussion it will be the teacher’s responsibility to ensure that the ground rules are being followed and the students are actively participating. Although the teacher presents the questions, the students will give the initial answers. However, additional answers or ideas may be presented by the teacher for further development or simply as a way for the teacher to give his/her opinions. The teacher will keep records to note who was actively participating in the discussion. Phase 4: The teacher will end the discussion by asking the class if anyone has any final thoughts or any additional comments they would like to add. Summarize for the students what has been discussed. After the final discussion points have been completed, the teacher should take a few moments to give the students the handout for the writing assignment. Open the floor for any additional questions the students may have on the writing assignment. This phase should last approximately 5-10 minutes. Phase 5: To debrief the discussion, the teacher will ask the students how they felt about the overall process of the discussion – did it help or hurt their understanding? The students will be given one more additional opportunity to share what they have learned. The students will then be asked to write a small, one-page reflection (to be included as part of their journal notes) of the discussion to further check for understanding and to determine how active each student was involved in the discussion. This phase should also last approximately 5-10 minutes.
“The B ig Ass ignment a t The End o f The Cruc ib le ” English III
Mr. Holborow
Name: ___________________________________ Throughout this unit, we have looked at a variety of topics – from the link between the Salem Witch Trials and McCarthyism to a peek into colonial Christian ethics. Now, it’s time for you to show me what you learned. For this assignment, you will write a 2-3 page essay covering one of the topics listed below. As usual, here are the rules for your essay:
• MLA Format – one-inch margins, proper headings, page numbers, etc. • Go to The Owl @ Purdue Writing Lab if you need additional specifics.
Follow this link: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/ • Proper grammar and punctuation must be followed. • This essay must be a MINIMUM of two pages in length – this does not mean
1¾ pages. Outside resources (aside from the play itself) are not required, however if you use any additional outside material, I would expect your essay to be longer than two pages.
• If outside resources are used, you will be expected to use proper formatting of any quotes (NO PLAGIARISM!!) and a Works Cited page will be required.
• NO LATE ESSAYS WILL BE ACCEPTED!! If you don’t have your essay turned in on the day it is due, don’t bother turning one in – it will be marked as a ZERO!
TOPIC IDEAS 1. Who holds the most power in The Crucible? Choose the three most powerful characters
and explain why you feel they hold the most power in Salem. 2. Watch the film On the Waterfront by Elia Kazan. Explain how this film takes the
opposite stance as The Crucible does with regards to McCarthyism. 3. Discuss the idea of mob mentality in relation to the play. 4. If you have a different idea for an essay that you would like to write, please speak to me
so I can approve your topic before continuing. DUE DATE: Monday 10/17/2011
← Negotiation (Topic Idea Chioces)
Rubric for Writing Assignment on The Crucible English III
Mr. Holborow First Quarter 2011
Good 1-7 Points
“Thy Goodman’s/Goody’s work is never done. Thou’s honesty is
broke.”
Better 8-16 Points “Thy work is
deemed acceptable,
though is needin’ improvement.”
Outstanding 17-20 Points
“I know not ways in which you may
improve. Thou hast shown works of art.
Thou should be proud,
Goodman/Goody!”
Points
Format Little effort displayed in working with MLA format, 4 or more errors in formatting were found, length is too short (just over one page).
Evidence that MLA format has been followed but with a few errors (1-3 errors), still too short (just short of 2 pages, just over 2 pages if outside sources used).
Excellent! All MLA formatting has been correctly followed, essay is of proper length (minimum two pages with no outside sources, three full pages with outside sources).
/ 20 Writing
(Grammar, Punctuation)
Many grammatical errors, sentence structure is poor, many misspellings exist.
Few grammatical errors, sentence structure is solid but contains a few mistakes, minor misspelled words.
Perfect! No grammatical errors, sentence structure works great, no misspelled words.
/ 20 Content Little evidence of
critical thinking is found, simply listing plot points or dialogue instead of writer’s own ideas and thoughts, if outside sources are used they are of little or no relevance to the topic.
Some evidence of critical thinking is found, some plot points are used but in some support of writer’s own ideas, outside sources (if used) show some relevance to the topic but could use better support.
Wow! Now we’re talkin’! Evidence of critical thinking is fluent in the material, few basic plot points are found but are used to support an argument and expand upon the writer’s own ideas, outside sources were used and show clear indication that support ideas presented by the writer. Well done! / 20
TOTAL POINTS: / 60 Additional comments: **In addition to the comments/constructive criticism offered, the use of language from The Crucible will be included as part of the additional comments on a case-by-case basis.
Teacher Calendar English III (Juniors) Matthew Holborow First Quarter 2011
The Crucible by Arthur Miller
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
Week 1 9/12-9/16
Lesson Plan #1 Presentation: Introduction to The Crucible
Lesson Plan #2 Cooperative Learning: “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”
Continued: Student work day for presentations on “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”
Student Presentations for “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”
Quiz and Group Discussion –Act I
Week 2 9/19-9/23
Presentation: A Look at Miller’s Use of “Authentic Language”
Small Group Discussion: “Philosophies Related to Themes”
Presentation: Why We Read This Now
Student reading day.
Quiz and Group Discussion – Act II
Week 3 9/26-9/30
Discussion: Infidelity and the Conflict Between John & Elizabeth Proctor
Discussion: Why Leave out “Act II, Scene 2?”
Discussion: The Mob Mentality
Student reading day.
Quiz and Group Discussion – Act III
Week 4 10/3-10/7
Lesson Plan #3 Large Group Discussion: “Are You Now or Were You Ever” and “Why I Wrote The Crucible”
Historical Context: Discussion on exerpt from Timebends: A Life
Presentation: Analysis of Motifs found in The Crucible
Student reading day.
Lesson Plan #4
Quiz and Group Discussion – Act IV
Week 5 10/10-10/14
Film: The Crucible (1996)
Film: The Crucible (1996)
Film: The Crucible (1996), short discussion afterwards
Student work day for essays.
Student work day for essays.
English III Mr. Holborow
The Crucible – Schedule and Calendar of Events
Name: _________________________________
Schedule & Calendar of Events for First Quarter Unit – The Crucible by Arthur Miller
While this calendar is intended for you to stay abreast of where we are in class (should you miss a day or two somewhere along the line), this is not intended to be firm. There will most likely be some flexibility involved and lessons may change dates. I will do my best to notify you of any changes when needed. Since these lessons are flexible, some may need to be changed around, thus we may need to eliminate in-class reading days. DO NOT use those as your only time to read – I expect you to read this as homework on your own time. There will be a quiz and class discussion over each Act of the play every Friday.
Week 1 Monday, 9/12/11 – Presentation: An Introduction to The Crucible Please have an unused notebook (one that you have not used for another class) and a pen/pencil to use. You will be asked to keep a journal while reading to use for talking points during class discussion. You may also use this notebook to take class notes. Your journal will be spot-checked each week and will be turned in for a grade at the end of the unit. It should go without saying that you should bring your notebooks to EVERY class period. I should never hear, “Mr. H, should I bring my notebook to class.” The answer will always be, “Yes.” The same goes for your book. Tuesday, 9/13/11 – Cooperative Learing: “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” Bring your notebooks to take notes as well as a copy of your book. If you have any art supplies (colored pencils, pens, markers, construction paper, scissors, etc.) please bring some to class for your group to use. Some supplies will be provided, but it’s up to you if you want to use more than what I can give you. Additional details will be provided that day. Wednesday, 9/14/11 – Continue working on your artistic interpretation of “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” Thursday, 9/15/11 – Group presentations for “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” – be prepared to vote for who you think did the best. Friday, 9/16/11 – Quiz over Act I, followed by a large group discussion over Act I. Bring your notebooks for spot-checks and to take notes during discussion.
Week 2 Monday, 9/19/11 – Presentation: A Look at Miller’s Use of Authentic Language Bring your notebooks. Quizzes from Act I will be returned on this day. Tuesday, 9/20/11 – Small Group Discussion: “Philosophies Related to Themes”
← Construction
← Negotiation Community
Bring your notebooks. Wednesday, 9/21/11 – Presentation: Why We Read This Now Bring your notebooks. Thursday, 9/22/11 – In-class reading day. Bring your books to read. If you’ve already read Act II completely, read it again or bring your notebooks and work on your journal. If you think you’ve already finished your journal for Act II, add more to it. Friday, 9/23/11 – Quiz over Act II, followed by a large group discussion over Act II. Bring your notebooks for spot-checks and to take notes during discussion.
Week 3 Monday, 9/26/11 – Discussion: Infidelity and the Conflict Between John & Elizabeth Proctor Bring your notebooks. Tuesday, 9/27/11 – Discussion: Why Leave Out Act II, Scene 2? Bring your notebooks. Wednesday, 9/28/11 – Discussion: The Mob Mentality Bring your notebooks. (Ahem… you may want to take good notes during this class… I’m just sayin’.) Thursday, 9/29/11 – In class reading day. Bring your books to read. Are you already finished reading Act III? No you’re not. Go back and read it again. Friday, 9/30/11 – Quiz over Act III, followed by a large group discussion over Act III. Bring your notebooks for spot-checks and take notes during discussion. Noticing a pattern here?
Week 4 Monday, 10/3/11 – Discussion: “Are You Now or Were You Ever” and “Why I Wrote The Crucible” by Arthur Miller Bring your notebooks as well as your books. Important historical context here… try not to be sick this day. Tuesday, 10/4/11 – Discussion: Excerpt from Timebends: A Life by Arthur Miller Bring your notebooks as well as your books again. More important historical context here… it would behoove you to not be sick this day as well. Wednesday, 10/5/11 – Presentation: Analysis of the Motifs Found in The Crucible Bring your notebooks to class. Your book is just as important during this class. Thursday, 10/6/11 – In-class reading day. Bring your books to read.
← Conversation
Friday, 10/7/11 – Quiz over Act IV, followed by a large group discussion over Act IV. Bring your notebooks for spot-checks and take notes during discussion. Handouts will be given out for the “Big Assignment at The End.
Week 5 (Fun Week) Monday, 10/10/11 thru Wednesday, 10/12/11 – Film: The Crucible (1996) During these days, we will watch a film version of The Crucible starring two-time Academy Award Winner and all-around awesome actor Daniel Day Lewis. Winona Ryder is in it, too. Arthur Miller wrote the screenplay for this particular film, so there is little deviation from the original play. A discussion of the film and it’s relationship to the play will take place on Wednesday when we finish. Thursday, 10/13/11 and Friday, 10/14/11 – Student work-days for your essays. By this point, you should already have a pretty sizeable portion of your essay at least ready for review. If you want me to take a look at a first draft, I will be available to take a look during this class. You may give me a copy earlier if you wish and I will have it back to you by 10/13/11 for you to work on it. Your essays are due on MONDAY, 10/17/11 – NO EXCEPTIONS.
English III Mr. Holborow
The Crucible – Graphic Organizer for Essay Name: _________________________________
The Power Pyramid Which character holds the most power in The Crucible? Choose your top three characters and fill out the information in the Power Pyramid below.
#1
Reasons why:
#2
Reasons why:
#3
Reasons why:
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