Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Week of October 29th

Monday, Oct. 29th (T-Day)
· Due: Complete rough draft of Crucible paper (in hand when class starts).
· Class: Review of MLA format for citations. Peer revision.

Tuesday, Oct. 30th (W-Day)
· Due: Final draft of Crucible paper (in hand when class starts).
· Class: Revisiting the “opinionnaire.” Vocabulary review for quiz on Friday.

Wednesday, Oct. 31st (H-Day)
· Class drops.

Thursday, Nov. 1st
· No classes for students. Don’t you all get off lucky this week!

Friday, Nov. 2nd (F-Day)
· Due: Study for vocabulary quiz on Unit #3.
· Class: Vocabulary quiz. Reflection on the end of first term.

Monday, Nov. 5th (S-Day)
· Due: Clean out your notebooks and get organized for the start of a new marking period!

Thursday, October 25, 2007

Crucible Paper Topic

As you wrap up your study of Arthur Miller’s classic play, consider the following question:

“Is The Crucible relevant today?”

Assignment requirements:

· Write at least one page, but no more than two, typed, double-spaced, in a 12-point font with reasonable margins.
· Adhere to MLA citation guidelines, including a works cited page.
· Include an original and interesting title.
· Use specific evidence (including brief quotations) from the play, the article “Why I Wrote The Crucible,” and the information you learned from the webquest to support your point of view.

Your paper will be assessed on the following:

· Ideas: Effectively and insightfully develops a point of view on the issue, articulated in a clear thesis statement. Demonstrates outstanding critical thinking.
· Topic Development: Uses clearly appropriate examples, reasons, and evidence, including brief quotations from the text and relevant contemporary sources.
· Organization: Well organized and clearly focused, demonstrating clear coherence and smooth progression of ideas (transitions).
· Voice & Style: Exhibits skillful use of language, using a varied, accurate, and apt vocabulary. Demonstrates meaningful variety in sentence structure.
· Conventions & Citations: Free of most errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics. Uses MLA format to cite textual evidence correctly, including a works cited page as appropriate.

Monday, October 22, 2007

Contemporary Crucibles: Webquest

Click here to begin the webquest, or navigate to:

http://kitsis-webquest.blogspot.com/2006/11/contemporary-crucibles_01.html

Week of October 22nd

Monday, October 22nd (H-Day)
· Class drops.

Tuesday, October 23rd (F-Day)
· Due: Make sure you’ve finished reading The Crucible. So, how was the PSAT?
· Class: Establishing a moral hierarchy in The Crucible. Writing theme statements.

Wednesday, October 24th (S-Day)
· Due: Miller and Kazan reading and worksheet.
· Class: Is it ever okay to “name names”? Introducing tomorrow’s WebQuest.

Thursday, October 25th (U-Day)
· Due: Detailed, original vocabulary sentences for Unit #3. Underline the words.
· Class: Webquest: Exploring contemporary “crucibles.”

Friday, October 26th (M-Day)
· Due: Complete work on webquest at home if necessary.
· Class: Lesson on citations. Sharing webquest findings.

Monday, October 29th (T-Day)
· Due: Complete draft of paper on The Crucible (in your hands when you come to class, please!). Final paper due on Tuesday, October 30th.
· Class: Peer revision.

Monday, October 15, 2007

Week of October 15th

Monday, Oct. 15th (S)
· Due: Reaction paper for choices in Act III.
· Class: Introduction to McCarthyism.

Tuesday, Oct. 16th (U)
· Due: Finish Act III “Cause & Effect” worksheet if you haven’t already. Read the McCarthyism article, then answer the following in one or two well-developed paragraphs:

“Compare and contrast McCarthyism, as portrayed in the documentary and tonight’s reading, with the Salem Witch Trials, as portrayed in Arthur Miller’s The Crucible. What similarities and differences can you see so far?”

· Class: Literacy narratives returned; sentence workshop. Discussion of Act III.

Wednesday, Oct. 17th (M)
· Due: Start reading Act IV.
· Class: Workshop on PSAT.

Thursday, Oct. 18th (T)
· Due: Finish reading Act IV and take notes.
· Class: Reading quiz and brief discussion; Herb Block; Picture Day.

Friday, Oct. 19th (W)
· Due: Vocabulary exercises for Unit #3.
· Class: Discussion of Act IV.

Monday, Oct. 22nd (H)
· Class drops.

Tuesday, Oct. 23rd (F)
· Miller and Kazan homework postponed for next week. Good luck on the PSAT!

Friday, October 12, 2007

Homework for October 12th

Review Act III of The Crucible and select one choice made by a character that you believe is either the most important or the most interesting in that act. Write a one-page reaction paper in which you investigate that moment of decision. Describe the choice and the consequences for that character and for others. What were the motives driving that character’s decision? Were there alternatives? What might the consequences have been otherwise? Does Arthur Miller support this decision? Do you?

If it is possible, please type your work. A reaction paper is just that: your reactions. While it is less formal than a literary analysis paper, conventions around grammar and spelling still apply.

Due in class on Monday, October 15th.

If you were absent from class, come back ready for the vocabulary quiz.

Tuesday, October 2, 2007

Week of October 1st

Monday, Oct. 1st (H)
· Class drops.

Tuesday, Oct. 2nd (F)
· Due: Final draft of literacy narrative (in hard copy when class starts).
· Class: “Opinionnaire” for The Crucible; what we know about Salem and Miller.

Wednesday, Oct. 3rd (S)
· Due: Read and complete homework on “Overture” excerpt.
· Class: Discuss “Overture” excerpt; begin work on Act I in small groups.

Thursday, Oct. 4th (U)
· Due: Finish reading Act I; take notes.
· Class: “Who’s who” in Salem; discussion of Act I; film clip.

Friday, Oct. 5th (M)
· Due: Vocabulary sentences for Unit #2; begin reading Act II.
· Class: Introduction to McCarthyism.

Monday, Oct. 8th
· Due: Finish reading Act II; take notes.
· Class: “The Real World: Salem.” Discussion of Act II.

Note: We will have regular reading quizzes during this unit, so be prepared!