| Studying the Background of Arthur Miller's "The Crucible" |
| This webquest has been adapted from April Moore's webquest for use by Ms. Bailey's English III. All students are cheaters-- Never trust them with anything!!! Have you ever been falsely accused? It doesn't feel very good, does it? Read a poem about Japanese Internment Camps, and then look through the photos of one of the camps. |
The Task:
Arthur Miller's "The Crucible", is set in the context of the historical Salem Witch Trials, and shows many innocent people being accused of
crimes/sins they did not commit. Throughout history, society has been blinded to similar occurrences, or "witch hunts." Miller wrote "The
Crucible" in response to one of those "witch hunts" that took place in his time period, McCarthyism. What should be done to keep the
innocent from being accused and presumed guilty?
Your job is to research the background of the Salem Witch Trials, McCarthyism, and another "witch hunt" in history to find their causes,
evaluate their consequences, and develop a solution that might help avoid and/or prevent such "witch hunts" in the future. You will be
writing quickwrites, experiencing a virtual witch hunt, writing annotated bibliographies, investigating a witch hunt, creating and
presenting a PowerPoint explaining what society should do to prevent innocent people from being accused and presumed guilty in the
future.
Arthur Miller's "The Crucible", is set in the context of the historical Salem Witch Trials, and shows many innocent people being accused of
crimes/sins they did not commit. Throughout history, society has been blinded to similar occurrences, or "witch hunts." Miller wrote "The
Crucible" in response to one of those "witch hunts" that took place in his time period, McCarthyism. What should be done to keep the
innocent from being accused and presumed guilty?
Your job is to research the background of the Salem Witch Trials, McCarthyism, and another "witch hunt" in history to find their causes,
evaluate their consequences, and develop a solution that might help avoid and/or prevent such "witch hunts" in the future. You will be
writing quickwrites, experiencing a virtual witch hunt, writing annotated bibliographies, investigating a witch hunt, creating and
presenting a PowerPoint explaining what society should do to prevent innocent people from being accused and presumed guilty in the
future.
The Process:
#1) Take a look at the above pictures and their following poem. Do a 1 page 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 in your Journal.
#2) Go through this Salem Virtual Witch Hunt. You will be experiencing what it might have been 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 1 full page in your Journal about your experience, what it felt like, and what you learned.
#3) Get into your group and 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 / Group Organizer
(you must know the PowerPoint software and have permission to choose this role)
#4) Once you have chosen a role, you will utilize the SIRS subscription to access a plethora of articles. Choose THREE articles on your
subject and write an Annotated Bibliography on each article. As well, you will all write an annotated bibliography on the following article,
concerning cheating students. Click here for the article.
Power Point Experts: choose one article from each subject being investigated within your group and write an Annotated Bib. on each, as
well as the article from the above link.
You will turn in your Annotated Bib.s, complete with 1 Cover Sheet, to your Group Leader so that he/she may begin working on your
presentation with your information. You will receive an individual grade for your Bib.s.
The Annotated Bib.s MUST include:
-- MLA citation format for the article
-- 3 to 4 sentences on the main ideas in the article
-- 1 to 2 sentences stating your impression of the article (what did you like/dislike about it?)
Click Here for an example.
#5) Once you have completed your Annotated Bibliographies, with the exception of the Power Point Expert, you will begin to research
your witch hunt and to guide you through it you will complete a Role Chart. Power Point Experts will complete a Venn Diagram from the Role
Charts of the other group members, to guide themselves through the process of the Power Point. Everyone MUST keep MLA citation
information for every photo or piece of information you will use in your Power Point for the Works Cited page. Click here for MLA Citation
information and examples.
Witch Hunt Experts, For your role, chart out the following:
The problem behind the situation (what is the issue?)
The causes of the "witch hunt"
The consequences of the "witch hunt"
The possible ways that society could have avoided it.
Power Point Expert, with your group you will compile the information in charts, summaries, Annotated Bibliographies, and journals
entries that your group has collected. You will:
Compare and Contrast causes
Compare and Contrast consequences
Compare and Contrast solutions
Then create an in-depth full-page Venn Diagram to show your work on each point.
#6) Finally, complete your Power Point AS A GROUP and prepare to present your role to the class.
You MAY NOT simply place all of your script on the PowerPoint and read the screen to the class.
Role of Expert on The Salem Witch Trials
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.
Research links for Expert on Salem Witch Trials:
Timeline of Salem Witch Trials
Puritan History
List of Accused
Example of Martha Carrier's Trial
The Salem Witch Museum
Witchcraft in Salem Village
The Crucible project
Role of Expert on McCarthyism
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.
Research links for Expert on McCarthyism:
Summaries of McCarthyism Era
Short Biography of Joseph McCarthy
CNN Cold War - Episode Script: Reds
Congressional Committees and Unfriendly Witnesses
CNN - Virtual McCarthyism Trial
Role of Expert on Related Persecutions
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.
Research links for Expert on Related Persecutions:
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
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
Simon Wiesenthal Center
http://www.peterbergen.com/bergen/articles/details.aspx?id=273
http://www.9-11commission.gov/
http://www.globalpolicy.org/wtc/analysis/index.htm
http://www.teaching9-11.org/categories.cfm?20
http://www.srpska-mreza.com/History/ww2/Bosnia.html
http://chgs.umn.edu/museum/memorials/sarajevobosnianwar/
http://www.edukits.ca/diversity/balkans/student/background_bosnian_conflict.html
http://www.fas.org/irp/imint/bosnia.htm
http://www.haverford.edu/relg/sells/WitnessDoubtLatent.html
http://www.earlham.edu/~pols/globalprobs/bosnia/homepage.html
http://www.hmlc.org/
Role of Expert on PowerPoint
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
1) Cover page stating group members' names, a title, the class/period, the teacher's name, and the date
2) Problem(s) behind each situation (what are the issues?)--have at least one slide introducing each issue researched and several
containing the remainder of the information on that witch hunt. Each of these slides must have at least one graphic relating to that topic.
3) Causes of each "witch hunt".
4) Consequences of each "witch hunt.
5) Possible way(s) for each society to have avoided it.
6) Venn Diagram of the topics.
7) Create a visually-pleasing presentation that is organized and thoughtful.
Be as creative as you wish.
You may also include audio and/or video clips, if appropriate.
#1) Take a look at the above pictures and their following poem. Do a 1 page 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 in your Journal.
#2) Go through this Salem Virtual Witch Hunt. You will be experiencing what it might have been 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 1 full page in your Journal about your experience, what it felt like, and what you learned.
#3) Get into your group and 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 / Group Organizer
(you must know the PowerPoint software and have permission to choose this role)
#4) Once you have chosen a role, you will utilize the SIRS subscription to access a plethora of articles. Choose THREE articles on your
subject and write an Annotated Bibliography on each article. As well, you will all write an annotated bibliography on the following article,
concerning cheating students. Click here for the article.
Power Point Experts: choose one article from each subject being investigated within your group and write an Annotated Bib. on each, as
well as the article from the above link.
You will turn in your Annotated Bib.s, complete with 1 Cover Sheet, to your Group Leader so that he/she may begin working on your
presentation with your information. You will receive an individual grade for your Bib.s.
The Annotated Bib.s MUST include:
-- MLA citation format for the article
-- 3 to 4 sentences on the main ideas in the article
-- 1 to 2 sentences stating your impression of the article (what did you like/dislike about it?)
Click Here for an example.
#5) Once you have completed your Annotated Bibliographies, with the exception of the Power Point Expert, you will begin to research
your witch hunt and to guide you through it you will complete a Role Chart. Power Point Experts will complete a Venn Diagram from the Role
Charts of the other group members, to guide themselves through the process of the Power Point. Everyone MUST keep MLA citation
information for every photo or piece of information you will use in your Power Point for the Works Cited page. Click here for MLA Citation
information and examples.
Witch Hunt Experts, For your role, chart out the following:
The problem behind the situation (what is the issue?)
The causes of the "witch hunt"
The consequences of the "witch hunt"
The possible ways that society could have avoided it.
Power Point Expert, with your group you will compile the information in charts, summaries, Annotated Bibliographies, and journals
entries that your group has collected. You will:
Compare and Contrast causes
Compare and Contrast consequences
Compare and Contrast solutions
Then create an in-depth full-page Venn Diagram to show your work on each point.
#6) Finally, complete your Power Point AS A GROUP and prepare to present your role to the class.
You MAY NOT simply place all of your script on the PowerPoint and read the screen to the class.
Role of Expert on The Salem Witch Trials
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.
Research links for Expert on Salem Witch Trials:
Timeline of Salem Witch Trials
Puritan History
List of Accused
Example of Martha Carrier's Trial
The Salem Witch Museum
Witchcraft in Salem Village
The Crucible project
Role of Expert on McCarthyism
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.
Research links for Expert on McCarthyism:
Summaries of McCarthyism Era
Short Biography of Joseph McCarthy
CNN Cold War - Episode Script: Reds
Congressional Committees and Unfriendly Witnesses
CNN - Virtual McCarthyism Trial
Role of Expert on Related Persecutions
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.
Research links for Expert on Related Persecutions:
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
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
Simon Wiesenthal Center
http://www.peterbergen.com/bergen/articles/details.aspx?id=273
http://www.9-11commission.gov/
http://www.globalpolicy.org/wtc/analysis/index.htm
http://www.teaching9-11.org/categories.cfm?20
http://www.srpska-mreza.com/History/ww2/Bosnia.html
http://chgs.umn.edu/museum/memorials/sarajevobosnianwar/
http://www.edukits.ca/diversity/balkans/student/background_bosnian_conflict.html
http://www.fas.org/irp/imint/bosnia.htm
http://www.haverford.edu/relg/sells/WitnessDoubtLatent.html
http://www.earlham.edu/~pols/globalprobs/bosnia/homepage.html
http://www.hmlc.org/
Role of Expert on PowerPoint
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
1) Cover page stating group members' names, a title, the class/period, the teacher's name, and the date
2) Problem(s) behind each situation (what are the issues?)--have at least one slide introducing each issue researched and several
containing the remainder of the information on that witch hunt. Each of these slides must have at least one graphic relating to that topic.
3) Causes of each "witch hunt".
4) Consequences of each "witch hunt.
5) Possible way(s) for each society to have avoided it.
6) Venn Diagram of the topics.
7) Create a visually-pleasing presentation that is organized and thoughtful.
Be as creative as you wish.
You may also include audio and/or video clips, if appropriate.
The Conclusion QuickWrite:
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?
Write 1 full page in your Journal concerning your thoughts on these questions.
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?
Write 1 full page in your Journal concerning your thoughts on these questions.
Annotated Bibliographies - 10 points each
In-Depth Role Chart(s)/Venn Diagram(s) - 20points each
Power Point Presentation - 100 points each
NOW: HAVE A BIT OF FUN, & PLAY THE SALEM WITCH TRIALS JEOPARDY GAME!
http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/salem/scopesjeopardy[1].htm
In-Depth Role Chart(s)/Venn Diagram(s) - 20points each
Power Point Presentation - 100 points each
NOW: HAVE A BIT OF FUN, & PLAY THE SALEM WITCH TRIALS JEOPARDY GAME!
http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/salem/scopesjeopardy[1].htm