Lesson 5: Act IV

Description: In this lesson, students will read "The Crucible, Act IV" and complete a news report to review the overall themes and events of the play.

Last Updated:Dec-14-2009

Subject(s): Arts Arts > Drama/Dramatics...Educational Level(s): Grades 11-12 / Ages 16-18high11th12thsecondaryseniorteenInstructional Component Type(s): Curriculum: Lesson Plan

Materials:

Copies of "The Crucible, Act IV," recent newspaper articles or clips from television news, pens, pencils and paper.

Objectives (based on the North Carolina Standard Course of Study):

•Students will inform an audience by using a variety of media to:

•locate facts and details for purposeful elaboration

•organize information to create a structure for purpose, audience and context

•Students will demonstrate the ability to read a variety of increasingly complex texts by:

•providing textual evidence to support understanding of and reader's response to text

•demonstrating comprehension of main idea and supporting details

•making connections between works, self and related topics

Procedures:

1. Review the previous lesson.

2. Assign students parts for Act IV.

3. Read Act IV as a class.

4. When the class has finished reading Act IV, reflect upon how information about the real Salem Witch Trials would have been spread in 1692 when there was no CNN, email or text messaging. Then, consider how the same information would be spread today. Discuss how recent current events have been reported.

5. Demonstrate news articles or clips from television news about a current event, particularly a court case or another legal issue. Discuss the format of that report. What elements were most important?

6. Divide students into groups and ask them to create a modern news report about the events in "The Crucible." This can be as simple or as complex as time allows. You could ask each group to create a news article, a script for a television news story, a series of emails from a reporter to an editor, text messages between reporters, or any other form of communication you can brainstorm. This will scaffold to the final project for "The Crucible."

7. Ask students to present to class.

Evaluation

Students can be monitored for participation during class reading; the news story can be graded for participation, comprehension and completion.

Lesson 4: Act III

Description: In this lesson, students will read Act III of "The Crucible" and, in groups, re-enact parts of the text in a modern dialect. This lesson should take two 90-minute class periods or four 50-minute class periods.

Last Updated:Dec-14-2009

Subject(s): Arts Arts > Drama/Dramatics...Educational Level(s): Grades 11-12 / Ages 16-18high11th12thsecondaryseniorteenInstructional Component Type(s): Curriculum: Lesson Plan

Materials:

Copies of "The Crucible, Act II," pens, pencils and paper.

Objectives:

•Students will demonstrate the ability to reflect and respond expressively to texts so that the audience will:

•discover multiple perspectives

•investigate connections between life and literature

•recognize how the responses of others may be different

•consider cultural or historical significance

•Students will demonstrate the ability to read and listen to a variety of increasingly complex texts by:

•identifying and analyzing textual components and evaluating their impact on the text

•demonstrating comprehension of main ideas and supporting details

•making connections between works, self and related topics

Procedures:

1. Review the previous lesson.

2. Assign parts of "The Crucible, Act III" to students in your class.  It is helpful to write roles and assignments on the board.  Students can complete study guides during the reading if necessary to maintain focus.

3. Read Act III as a class.

4. When you have finished reading Act III, divide students into groups of four or five.  Ask them to choose a section of the text to re-write in a modern dialect with emphasis on tone and inflection.  They could pick accents from another region of the country or use a dialect common to a cultural group.

5. Ask students to perform their re-written sections to the class and to reflect on how their version changes the meaning of the original.

Evaluation:

Students can be evaluated for participation during reading; the performance can be evaluated for participation and effort.

Lesson 3: Act II

Description:In this lesson, students will read Act II of "The Crucible" and complete character sketches to demonstrate comprehension of the text. This lesson should take two 90-minute class periods or four 50-minute class periods.

Last Updated:Dec-14-2009

Subject(s): ArtsArts > History...Educational Level(s): Grades 11-12 / Ages 16-18high11th12thsecondaryseniorteenInstructional Component Type(s): Curriculum: Lesson Plan

Materials:

Copies of "The Crucible, Act II," drawing paper, old magazines, pens, pencils, crayons, markers, scissors and glue.

Objectives:

•Students will reflect and respond expressively to texts so that the audience will:

•discover multiple perspectives.

•consider cultural or historical significance.

•Students will demonstrate the ability to read and analyze and comprehend increasingly difficult texts by:

•demonstrating comprehension of main idea and supporting details.

•analyzing and evaluating the connection between characters

•making connections between the world, self and other texts

Procedures:

1. Review the previous lesson.

2. Assign parts from "The Crucible, Act II" to students in your classroom. It is helpful to write the roles and the students' names on a board in front of the classroom for reference.

3. Ask students to read Act II aloud, monitoring for participation and comprehension. Students may complete study and character guides while reading, if necessary to maintain focus.

4. When students have finished reading Act II, ask them to choose a character to "sketch." Each student should have a character and there may be overlap. Distribute art supplies and ask students to create an image of their character, including symbols that represent him or her.

5. When students have completed the "sketch," ask them to write a one-page description of their character, responding to the following questions:

•How old is your character?

•Describe your character's family.

•Do you think your character is wealthy? Poor? Has influence in the community?

•If you met your character, what do you think you would discuss?

6. Ask students to present their characters to the class for discussion.

Evaluation:

Students participation can be monitored during class reading; the character "sketch" can be graded for completion and effort.