Students Will Read Selection From the Crucible
My juniors are getting ready to outset The Crucible this week, and I am so excited! Arthur Miller'southward play is a bang-up fashion to teach allegory, tone, and speaking and listening skills. It's as well a fun way to cease the semester. Hither are some of my best strategies and tools for educational activity The Crucible :
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Earlier Reading The Crucible
Over the years, I've learned that my students do not need an exhaustive agreement of the play'due south historical contexts (aye, that'south plural contexts ). However, at that place is some information students do need to truly understand the text.
–Build context for the Red Scare. For students to truly appreciateThe Crucible, they demand an idea of the historical context in which Miller wrote the play. To assist students build context for the Red Scare, I usually bear witness What is McCarthyism? And How Did information technology Happen? by Ellen Schrecker on Ted-Ed (1 of my favorite Ted-Ed videos!). This brusk video gives students the basics of McCarthyism and sets up some of the play's fundamental conflicts. I've developed this listening guide to help my students follow forth.
–Define allegory. Before discussing the Salem Witch Trials in detail, I introduce the concept of "apologue." This is a term I define explicitly for students. The definition I employ isan writer'south use of one event, paradigm, or figure to provide commentary (usually critical and/or political) on another event, image, or figure.Some examples to consider areThe King of beasts, the Witch, and the Wardrobe as Christian allegory orBeast Farm as political allegory. Depending on the course, students often enquire me to differentiate allegory from parody, satire, and/or symbolism. When they inquire, this is the visual I utilize.
-Building anticipation and previewing themes. An anticipation guide is another great way to become students excited for reading The Crucible. To preview of import conflicts and themes from the play, I use this costless anticipation guide!
Visualizing Characters
As I build context for the Red Scare, it's also important to build context for the Salem Witch Trials and the individuals involved. Hither'due south how I help students empathise the relationships at play inThe Crucible.
First, I get a piece of chart newspaper to post on the board. With my students, I'thousand going to brand a "family tree" of sorts so they can see the relationships between characters in the story. This kind of chart is a must-have anchor chart for secondary ELA. I similar to start with Rev. Parris, so go to Tituba, Betty, and Abigail. In one case I get to Abigail, I begin to connect all the girls involved in the accusations.
Pro Tip: Even though Ruth Putnam does not speak during the play, calculation her to the chart helps students see the relationship between the Putnams and the Salem Witch Trials. As I create the chart on the board, some students will create their own chart, but others will but listen.
And so, I brainstorm to inquire for students interested in playing each part. Before class even begins, I might approach students I know who are particularly shy or timid and fix them for what is coming. Unless a pupil has an infrequent situation, I crave every student to play a role in our classroom "performance." Withal, if I know a student gets anxious about speaking in form, I volition usually give them a preview of the play'southward smaller roles. Then, I will telephone call on them first, and so they get a role they experience comfortable with. Similarly, I volition too talk to my more outgoing students ahead of time and advise some of the compact roles.
Pro Tip: Go a adept Danforth. I ever recall that I need a good Proctor and a strong Parris, merely Danforth slips by me sometimes. Some of his speeches are quite long, so a strong oral reader is a must!
Every bit we cast the play, I add educatee names to the chart nigh the character(south) they are playing. I volition leave this posted for the duration of the play, and so students can continually acquaintance ane student with 1 character. Some students may play more than i character. Some roles that are traditionally female may be not be played by female actors and vice versa, but none of that matters. The goal of casting the play is to help students visualize the text.
Pro Tip: Cast one student as your all-purpose stand-in then when a student is absent, you lot immediately know who will step up.
Edifice Context for the Salem Witch Trials
Once I take my cast, I ask my students to do some background reading. I cull background texts from a number of sources, and each pupil reads a unique commodity. Very few students will read the same articles. I choose which pupil will read which piece of background information based on which role(southward) the student volition take in our play and how well the pupil reads.
Once students accept read their manufactures, students will work in small groups to create anchor charts with relevant information and visuals. I develop the groups based on what students read and how their readings relate. The groups and readings are listed below. I detect groups one-3 and 6-vii to be peculiarly important. If you lot are short of students, groups 4-5 could exist eliminated. After students have created their anchor charts, they nowadays them to the class, and we hang them throughout the room. I am ever impressed by how ofttimes we reference these charts.
Group ane: The Parris HouseholdThe student playing Rev. Parris volition read this commodity from History of Massachusetts, Rebecca Brooks' historical weblog. Our Parris will besides read Arthur Miller's commentary nearly the character, which begins "At the time of these events…" The article does contain spoilers, then you may desire to utilize a Google Chrome extension like Print Friendly to clip the article accordingly. Similarly, the educatee playing Betty Parris volition read this article, and our Tituba will read this commodity. Although Abigail Williams is part of the Parris household, too, most articles I have plant most her include likewise many spoilers! If yous have a good introductory commodity about Abigail, permit usa know in the comments.
Grouping 2: Rev. Hale and Puritan ReligionIn this group, the student role player playing Hale will read this article. Additionally, I will assign another educatee to read the Hale commentary beginning with "Mr. Unhurt is nearing forty…" This is a dense piece of commentary and requires a capable reader. Then, I divide the remainder of Miller's opening commentary between two students usually having one read from "No one can really know…" and one read from "The believed…" I ask these ii students to indicate out important aspects of Puritan religion, including fear of the forest. The data near Puritan life and religion is dense, and so assign these readings to strong readers.
Group 3: Proctor and PutnamIn order to gear up Putnam and Proctor as parallel characters, I will have a group of only two. Our Putnam actor will read Miller'due south commentary beginning with "A word about Thomas Putnam…" The Proctor actor will read Miller's commentary commencement with "Proctor was a…" Commonly, these two students create a t-nautical chart contrasting these two characters.
Grouping iv: Respected TownspeopleThis, inevitably, becomes the "Onetime People Group." The student actors playing Francis and Rebecca Nurse will read Miller'south commentary beginning with "And while they are and so…" This is a adept place for students who are capable but not confident readers because they are going to read the aforementioned excerpt and can compare notes equally needed. I also place our Giles role player in this group. Giles is a groovy role for a student who is eager to participate just may not be the greatest oral reader. Additionally, Giles is a great role for the class clown. Anyhow, the Giles role player will read Miller'southward commentary first with "Former Giles must be spoken for…"
Group five: Salem HistoryThis group usually takes 2-three students who are skilful but not neat readers or who maybe lack conviction every bit readers. 2 students can read this article nigh the Salem Witch Trial victims, or another student can read this commodity from Smithsonian. Another student can read facts almost the Salem Witch Trials. If I need to, our student textbook also includes some background information a pupil can read. In all cases, read the articles ahead to take hold of spoilers. Often, this is the group I ask to present first and so they can lay a solid foundation for united states of america.
Group 6: What Options Did the Defendant Accept?On the surface, this may seem like a silly group. However, I have constitute this group to exist essential because is helps my students understand the limitations of being defendant. This group is where I place my lowest readers and my visual readers. For my low readers, this is a adept identify because Rebecca Brooks' commodity is very easy to follow (lots of expert text features). Farther, all the students in this group are going to read the same article, so they tin work together. This is too a good place for my visual learners because the article lends itself to a menstruum chart. I am well-nigh 100% sure this article contains a spoiler for Giles' fate, and so pre-read and edit ahead of time.
Grouping 7: Why I Wrote the Crucible past Arthur MillerThis is a great place for your Danforth! Typically, my Danforth is a strong independent reader. Miller'southward article is an important read simply a challenging 1, so this is a great identify for contained readers. I usually assign two-iii students to this group and let them know alee of time that they were peculiarly selected for a challenge. This is usually the group I have present concluding. Oftentimes, if the students are strong enough, I volition also inquire them to introduce the idea of an allegory.
While Reading The Crucible
While nosotros read the play, we articulate a infinite in the room to use as a "stage." Since the play begins with Betty comatose, we use a table as the "bed." Once we start arranging article of furniture in the room, students are usually hooked. I've written nearly the importance of acting out plays before, simply I volition reiterate here that acting out plays helps students visualize the text and the complex relationships between characters.
In particular, while we are reading, students must be actively listening. Over the years, I've handled this different ways. Sometimes I use entrance and exits slips to assess how closely students were paying attending. Well-nigh of time time, I use student annotations. As a class, students make up one's mind what high-quality annotations look like. More often than non, my students determine a number of quality annotations per page of text. Since our summative assessment for this play is a exam, I also give formative quizzes later on each human activity.
Every bit we read the play, it'southward important to stop and appraise understanding (I use these quizzes). After you've taught the play a few times, you become an thought of where you need to stop. For instance, the Deed II scenes with John and Elizabeth are not that exciting, so I frequently ask my students to brand inferences based on stage directions. How is their marriage going? How tin can y'all tell?
Similarly, Danforth'south speeches in court are quite long, so nosotros may do a close paraphrase of his speeches. Since I even so practice a bell ringer each day while we're reading the play, it takes united states of america two or 3 grade periods to read an act. Before nosotros cease for each 24-hour interval, I ask students to make a prediction for tomorrow. And so, at the outset of the next class period, we begin with those predictions.
Finally, as we read, we return to the students' ballast charts. In detail, the Putnam and Proctor parallel characters chart becomes more and more important as we begin to consider themes. Similarly, the poster focused on Arthur Miller's reasons for writingThe Crucible becomes increasingly relevant.
Essential Questions for The Crucible
Essential questions are a great way to guide student reading and interpretation of the text. Over the years, I've honed in on these 7 essential questions:
- Firstly, what are the characteristics of a successful lodge?
- Secondly, should religion exist part of government?
- How does fear affect the truth and justice?
- When does religion become dangerous?
- What is the source of morality?
- What is the pride of integrity?
- Is gossip harmless?
After Reading The Crucible
While I savour teachingThe Crucible and its themes exercise pose yet-relevant points for word, the text is not without problems. In particular, Miller's treatment of Tituba and female characters can be troubling. For this reason, reading or discussing the text through critical lenses can be especially of import. This disquisitional sampler from Prestwick Firm is a bully place to become started.
- In particular, Tituba is treated poorly inThe Crucible. As the but Black character, she is subject to Othering and exoticizing also equally marginalization. For these reasons, a feminist or gender studies lens can shed additional light of Tituba. However, if y'all really want to undo Miller's reduction of Tituba, try using the deconstructionist lens.
- For fun! Netflix's recentThe Chilling Adventures of Sabrina frequently alludes toThe Crucible.Similar The Crucible,Sabrinadoes not treat all of its Black characters well. For case, cheque out this article fromTeen Voguewell-nigh howSabrina"Failed Prudence Nighttime."
- Similar Tituba (and Taylor Swift), Abigail'due south portrayal can have some problems. In item, reading Abigail'south story alongside Hester Prynne's story can be revealing. Is Abigail, like Hester, the victim of slut shaming? Check out these resources to continue a give-and-take of Abigail'southward agency, femininity, and power. Here is a particularly expert piece of feminist criticism to consider.
- This commodity fromRealClearPoliticscomparesThe Crucible and gimmicky campus assaults. The article, itself, has some problems just also poses some interesting questions for give-and-take.
- As a tragic hero, John Proctor might as well be studied through a disquisitional lens. Is he a tragic hero? A fool? Read more well-nigh him here.
Needless to say, I am very excited that my students volition begin readingThe Cruciblenext week. The play's continued relevance amazes me. All my assessment resources for The Crucible are hither. What are your favorite strategies for teaching this class play? Let usa know in the comments.
Photo by Rikki Austin on Unsplash
Source: https://moore-english.com/teaching-the-crucible/
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