Monday, January 31, 2011

Independent Reading Assignment !

Dear Juniors,4
If you missed class, we completed the following today:

1. We discussed the English course offerings for next year.The counseling department will meet with you on Wednesday to review the courses you need for graduation. Please come to English first, so that I can take roll and then we will walk down together.
2. You were then introduced to a new assignment entitled  "Independent Reading."  In essence this assignment involves choosing a book from the Junior English Book List provided for you, and then viewing the film version of the text. Your final assessment involves writing a comparison and contrast essay where you discuss the book and the film. If you missed class, please visit with me, so that I can give you the handout detailing the assignment and the due dates for completion.
3. Journal #12: "What would I ask Mr. Miller?"
What questions did you identify for your annotations/notations completed for Article #3? If Arthur Miller was available to you right now, what would you ask him? What aspects regarding The Crucible would you want him to discuss with you? Indicate your SIX strongest questions, and then justify why you feel they are relevant to ask the author.


4. We then obtained themes for "Revenge" and selected parts for ACT 4!
Cheers,
Crampton

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

ACT 3 of THE CRUCIBLE.....The film version.....

Dear Juniors,

If you missed class today, we completed the following:
1. We watched Act 3 of The Crucible.
2. Journal #11: Wisdom from Edward Murrow
            Now that you have watched Act 3, and seen the actual footage of Joseph McCarthy's accusations against Edward R. Murrow, please respond to the following quote from Murrow. Consider his words in relationship to the play and to yourselves!  What are you willing to stand for or against? Could you openly go against the majority, especially if you had strong convictions that opposed their focus, even if it meant that you might "lose your place" among your friends? "Talk to me," my young friends.

"We must not confuse dissent with disloyalty. We must remember always that accusations are not proof and that conviction depends upon evidence and due process of law. We will not work in fear, one of another. We will not be driven by fear into an age of unreason. We must consider our history and our doctrine, and remember that we are not descended from fearful men---not from men who feared to write, to speak, to associate and to defend causes that were, for the moment, unpopular."
                                                                                                                        -Edward R. Murrow 

3. We then obtained the vocabulary for Act 3 and then the bell rang!

Cheers,
Crampton

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Joseph McCarthy = Abby Williams

Dear Juniors,


If you missed class, we completed the following:

1. We watched a clip from Good Night and Good Luck regarding Joseph McCarthy's attempt to defame Americans by accusing them of communism. Students completed some questions concerning the clip and then we discussed examples where "witch hunts" are seen today. If you missed class, you will need to rent the film and watch it on your own time. You are welcome to obtain the questions from me.

2. We then proceeded to take/correct the quiz for Act 3.

Homework:
1. Students were given Article #2 entitled "Why I wrote the Crucible" by Arthur Miller. This "Article of the Week" is due on Monday, January 31st. Please annotate using RED and YELLOW!

Friday, January 21, 2011

We completed ACT 3 of THE CRUCIBLE!

Dear Juniors,

Enjoy your weekend. Please note your HOMEWORK assignments below:

HOMEWORK:
1. Complete study guide questions for ACT 3
2. STUDY for your ACT 3 quiz which will take place on Tuesday!

We completed the following during class:
1. Everyone submitted their "Crucible Character Analysis"....If you missed class, then you will need to submit your analysis with your new homework coupon, as you have known about the assignment for two week!
2. We completed reading ACT 3 and obtaining the themes for the rest of Act 3.
3. We then completed Journal #10: entitled "Integrity Test." I gave the following scenarios to each class regarding their integrity. They responded with how they would act in the following situations.

          a. You would like a bowl of cereal. The only milk in the refrigerator belongs to your roommate, and there is just one bowl's worth left. What do you do?
          b. On the day a relative let you use his/her season tickets for a Jazz game, the seats are randomly selected as winners for two round-trip tickets to London. What do you do?
          c. You hear your "circle of friends" gossiping about one of your favorite teachers. What do you do?
          d. At a friend's house, you accidentally break something of value. No one saw this happen. What do you do?
          e. An item you purchased on sale last week goes back to full price. When you return it, the clerk give you a full-price refund.
          f. You're selling your used car that you know has unidentifiable defects.
          g. As you approach the movie theater, the back door to the previous movie is open and you can just walk in to the theater. What do you do?
          h. You see your best-friend cheating on an exam that you have spent so much time preparing to take. What do you do?

4. We continued class, by watching a clip from the film entitled Good Night and Good Luck.  The clip concerns the injustice regarding Joseph McCarthy's questioning of a woman named Annie Moss; McCarthy claimed that she was a communist. This particular trial scene was unjust, and was the focus for Arthur Miller's portrayal of the trial scene in ACT 3. We did not finish watching the clip, so we will continue with this when I see you on Tuesday.



Cheers,
Crampton
Crampton

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

The CLIMAX for THE CRUCIBLE was "played" today!

Dear Juniors,

I hope you had a wonderful "Human Rights" break.
If you did miss class today, we completed the following:

1. Journal #9 " A Heart for Boobies"
So, let's discuss First Amendment Rights, shall we?  In your opinion, should students have the right to wear the wristbands to school? Why or why not? How far should a school be able to go in restricting clothing and jewelry with students? Do you think teachers have a right to cut the "I love boobies" wrist bands from students' wrists? Explain. Why is this such a prodigious concern for schools?

 2. We continued with The Crucible by obtaining the themes for the section of ACT 3 that we read last week.

3. We then read from page 110-121. We had a great time acting out the climax. Well done to those who were involved with the performances.

HOMEWORK:
1. Don't forget that your "Crucible Character Analysis" is due on Friday. Remember that you have two parts to your assignment . Part 1  pertains to 10 words that you feel qualify your chosen character. Make sure you submit the words in a sentence. In addition, you need to prove your chosen words through quotes from the text.

Part 2 pertains to comparing your chosen Crucible character to an individual in history. Remember to use ACADEMIC voice in your essay.


Please let me know if you need help. I am available during lunch on Thursday, January 20th!
Take Care,

Crampton

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

DESK TOP TEACHING is due on WEDNESDAY!

Dear Juniors,

If you missed class, we completed the following:

1. A new assignment was explained entitled "The Crucible Character Analysis." I have included the explanation for the assignment below. In essence, you are selecting one character from the play and comparing them an individual from history. There are two parts to your analysis, so please fully read your instructions.

The Crucible Character Analysis
Junior English/Due Date________________________________

Introduction:   The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, contains complex and endearing characters. The primary characters possess attributes that audience members possess as well, and characteristics that can easily connect with individuals from history. Your assignment involves completing a character analysis regarding one of the following individuals from ACT III of The Crucible. I will explain the requirements for a character analysis and how you will need to submit your assignment.
  • ·         John Proctor
  • ·         Elizabeth Proctor
  • ·         John Hale
  • ·         Judge Danforth
  • ·         Giles Corey
  • ·         Mary Warren
  • ·         Abigail Williams
Requirements (Part 1):
1. Develop a list of words that helps to illustrate your chosen character. The list needs to include a minimum of 10 words. Extra-credit will be assigned if vocabulary words are included in your list, and if more than 10 words are used for characterization. For each word you need to include a sentence that proves how the character relates or connects to your chosen word.  The chosen word must be identified with bold/underlined type. In addition, a quote from the text that justifies your chosen word needs to be included as part of your analysis. You may select quotes from any of the act (I, II, and/or III) For example, if you select Rev.Parris as the focus for your analysis you could include the following:
1.WORD: Paris represents a materialistic man who believes he should receive rewards for his service to Salem.
QUOTE  that illustrates his materialism:  Mr. Parris you are the first minister ever to demand the deed to his house,” Proctor declares to Parris. (Act II)
2. WORD: Parris appears to have egotistical qualities, as he is more concerned with is reputation rather than the “Illness” of his daughter, Betty.
QUOTE that illustrates his egotistical nature: Parris states to Abigail, “I pray you feel the weight of truth upon you, for now my ministry is at stake, my and ministry and perhaps your cousin’s life.” (Act I)
NOTE: You will obviously have 10 “word sentences” and 10 quotes that prove the sentences you create for the chosen character.


Requirements (Part 2):
1. Select an individual from history that you consider has similar traits to your chosen character.  Prove the connection through a well devised THESIS, and THREE PARAGRAPH ESSAY. I have included an example below. You will create a THESIS STATEMENT for your point of comparison. Your first body paragraph will discuss the character from THE CRUCIBLE, your second body paragraph will discuss your comparison from history, and finally you will have a concluding paragraph.
2. Include an image of your chosen “historical comparison” either within the body of your paragraph or above your paragraph.
3. Include a minimum of four quotes,  that support your points of comparison. Two quotes must come from the play the others need to come from the source you used to obtain information regarding your historical figure. If you incorporate more than the required number of quotes into your paragraph then extra credit will be given.
4. For work cited purposes, you are required to use The Crucible and an additional source. I have included citation examples for you here. Realize that your source regarding the historical character that you select will obviously differ from the example given to you below.
                Works Cited Examples:
                Miller, Arthur. The Crucible. Everbind Anthologies, Publishing. Lodi, New Jersey. 1982.
                Stevenson, William. Roman Emporers. The life of Ceasar Agustus. 15 February, 2001. 21
                                March, 2009.
                                http://www.romanemporers/historychanel/ceasaragustus/.org
5. Please use ACADEMIC VOICE  (MLA Format, no first or second person, no passive voice and no contractions) for your paragraph.
                Example Essay (Jordan Hendrickson, 2000):
 
Jordan Hendrickson                                                                                                                        Hendrickson 1
Mrs. Crampton
English, B4
02/08/2000
Mary Warren vs. Judas Iscariot

                Characters in literature and throughout history have earned poor reputations due to treacherous acts. They have chosen to betray others because they do not possess, nor value integrity and loyalty towards others. Two such characters include Mary Warren and Judas Iscariot.  Mary Warren, from The Crucible, and Judas Iscariot, a disciple to Jesus Christ, possess a strong trait for comparison in that they both betrayed individuals that they should have respected and loved.
                 Mary Warren betrays John Proctor out of fear.(ts) She knows that the accusations against those currently in prison have no merit, but she struggles between her conscience and the loyalty she has to her friends.(cd) According to John Proctor, Mary Warren has been “battling with her soul,” because she knows that the afflicted girls’ behavior “is all pretense,” and that innocent people will die unless she tells “the court what she knows.” (comm). In addition, she has accompanied John Proctor to the court because his wife has been falsely accused of witchcraft, and Mary has the power to prove her innocence. (comm.)  Mary needs to possess strength, but she also knows that her desire for truth could cause Abigail and the other girls to turn against her. When Proctor tells Mary that “she must tell the court what she knows,” she replys  with ,“I cannot. She will ruin me. I cannot, I cannot.”(comm.). Her desire for truth and integrity becomes difficult to share due to the prodigious amount of fear she experiences.  (comm.) John Proctor believes that Mary will follow her heart and tell the judges what she knows. She even states to Judge Danforth, “I cannot lie no more. I am with God now. I am with God.”  Unfortunately for John Proctor, Elizabeth Proctor, and those falsely accused, Mary’s fear is too great, especially since Abigail and the other girls pretend that Mary’s spirit has come to hurt them. (comm.) Proctor reminds Mary that “God damns all liars,” while at the same time the girls mock her. In the end, Mary’s fear overcomes her. She betrays John Proctor by accusing him of witchcraft.(comm.)  She states,” He wake me every night, his eyes were like coals and his fingers claw my neck. I love God; I go your way no more. I love God, I bless God.  Oh, Abby, Abby, I’ll never hurt her more.” (comm.) Due to Mary Warren’s betrayal of Proctor, his desire to free his wife and friends fails, and he becomes suspected of witchcraft (comm.).
                 Just as Mary Warren betrays John Proctor, Judas Iscariot betrays his Master, Jesus Christ.  The words “treachery” and “betrayal” have become synonymous with Judas Isacariot. Judas acted as one of the twelve apostles to Christ.  Christ even asked him to manage money, and yet he stole from the funds given to him.   For example, Judas states,  “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? If was worth a year’s wages.” He did not make this statement because he cared about the poor, but because he wanted to help himself to the money earned from the sale of the perfume; he acted as a thief. Jesus Christ selected his twelve disciplines knowing that Judas possessed untrustworthy qualities and that Judas would betray him. In John 6: 71-72, Christ states, “Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve; and one of you is a devil. Now he meant Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon; for this same was about to betray him whereas he was one of the twelve.”  In John 6:65, it states, “For Jesus knew from the beginning, who they were that did not believe, and who he was, that would betray him.” While Christ sits with his disciplines at the Last Supper, he tells them that,” He was troubled in spirit; and he testified, and said Amen, amen I say to you, one of you shall betray me.”  Judas chose to betray Christ for thirty pieces of silver.  He even states to the chief priests, “What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?”  His desire for riches caused him to make a horrible error , and one that made him to take his own life.
                Mary Warren and Judas Isacariot’s acts of betrayal damaged individuals that they should have respected and loved. Mary’s fear of Abigail and the other girls dictated her betrayal against John Proctor; consequently, causing the court to accuse him of witchcraft.  Judas Iscariot’s desire for wealth caused him to value thirty pieces of silver over his Master. Both characters failed to recognize the importance of integrity and loyalty.

2. Don't forget that your DESK TOP TEACHING assignment is due on WED. Please remember that you need manipulatives to teach your assignment.
3. In addition, we completed up to page 103 in the play, answered one question from the study guide, and completed the themes for what we had previously read.

Cheers,
Crampton


Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Desk Top Teaching Explained!

Dear Juniors,

If you missed class on Thursday, January 6th, we completed the following:

1. A new assignment entitled "Desk Top Teaching" was explained and demonstrated. This is a vocabulary teaching strategy. Each student found a vocabulary word from Act 3 taped to their desk. If you missed class, please visit with me, so I can give you a word and SHOW YOU how this assignment works.

2. We completed Journal Entry #7 Crucible: Should Age Determine Punishment?
In your opinion, should a criminal's age or circumstance exonerate them from punishment? If one commits a crime, shouldn't they be held accountable for their actions? Do you think the offenders in "Article A#7" receive just sentences for their involvement in the "Cottage Attempted Murder" story? Explain your response. Why, according to your article, did these troubled teens commit such a callous (sorry I couldn't resist) act? How can you connect  events within "Article A#7" to The Crucible?

Welcome Back, Juniors

Dear Juniors,

Welcome back! I hope you had a wonderful break. If you missed class, we completed the following:

1. We worked on completing the "stereotype" activity that we started prior to Christmas break. This was submitted during class.

2. We then obtained the definitions for ACT 3 vocabulary.

3. We selected knew parts for Act 3

Homework:
1.Article of the Week #7 was distributed on Monday. It is due on Wed. Please annotate/notate 7-10 on each page, using all the colors.
2. All missing work needs to be completed by Monday, January 10th
3. Homework Coupons are due on Monday, January 10th