Theory Description and Application:
This three-lesson unit on Arthur Miller's The Crucible and connected historical events is based on cooperative learning with a real world problem to which students will apply the knowledge gained and examined in the first two lessons. It will allow students to work cooperatively to explore a variety of texts to increase understanding and to investigate solutions for a modern-day problem with many aspects which parallel the play’s content.
Cooperative learning allows students to:
Cooperative learning allows students to:
- Form collaborative relationships
- Improve teamwork skills
- Dialog for questioning and understanding
- Maintain an independent learning stance within a focused group
- Teach one another
- Develop a variety of skills such as brainstorming, reaching consensus, leading a discussion, planning and implementation of tasks
- Communicate for task completion
- Accept accountability for product and both personal and group assessment
- Evaluate individual/group performance
- Practice different roles within the group
Content Description:
This module invites students to examine the Salem Witch Trials through Arthur Miller's play The Crucible. Through group projects and products eleventh graders approach from a historical as well as a literary perspective. The three lessons move progressively from information gathering to experiencing a variety of perspectives to examination of McCarthy-era politics.
Subject area goals require students to:
Subject area goals require students to:
- Read and analyze texts of varying length and difficulty
- Read primary and secondary documents with awareness of differences
- Use a variety of print and non-print informational materials to supply data for research
- Compare and contrast a variety of textual situations, issues, and solutions