copyright 1999, Sirpa Grierson
copyright 1999, Sirpa Grierson
Novel Information and Resources:
The Crucible Site
The Crucible Site. Ed. Susan Latour. Nov 29, 1999. West Springfield High School. October 14, 2000. http://www.fcps.edu/westspringfieldhs/academic/english/1project/crucible//crucible.htm
The ultimate site on The Crucible. An excellent search engine for just about everything related to Miller's play from the Salem witch trials to Arthur Miller to McCarthyism. Includes a teachers' guide to the play, downloadable images of Miller, witch trials, the movie, McCarthy, etc., and student study guides. A 1999 Master Search Winner.Schore: The Crucible-Teacher's Guide
Schore: The Crucible-Teacher's Guide. Oct 14, 2000. http://www.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/score/cruc/cructg.html.
This site designed for teachers contains specific activities and detailed lesson plans. This site also includes primary and secondary source links to background information. It features an internet scavenger hunt, the Salem Tour, for information related to the Salem witch trials.Angliacampus' Crucible Unit
Angliacampus' Crucible Unit . British Telecommunication and Anglia Multimedia. Oct 14, 2000. http://www.angliacampus.com/public/sec/english/crucible/index.htm
This teacher friendly site provides excellent background information on the play compete with illustrations. The site features interactive activities, quizzes, and images of the witch trials.The Crucible Index
The Crucible Index [English Online]. Sep. 25, 2000. New Zealand Ministry of Education. Oct. 14, 2000. http://english.unitecnology.ac.nz/resources/units/crucible/index.html.
This site provides a unit of study on The Crucible including detailed activies, background information, character discussions, and teaching suggestions. It also contains a concise list of web resource links.The Crucible:Linking the Salem Witch Trials and McCarthyism
The Crucible:Linking the Salem Witch Trials and McCarthyism. Karen Sherrill. 2000. Trackstar. Oct 14, 2000. http://trackstar.hprtec.org/main/display.php3?option=text&track_id=778
This site consists of an outline of study on sites related to the play. Provides links to other useful sites and includes study questions.Witchcraft in Salem Village
Witchcraft in Salem Village. Ed. Ben Ray. 2000. University of Virginia. Oct 14, 2000. http://etext.virginia.edu/salem/witchcraft/
The authoritative site on the salem witch trials. Compiled by the Danvers (formerly Salem Village) Archival Center in conjunction with scholars at the University of Virginia. This site is a good source for accurate and primary information on the Salem trials. The site contains the complete 1692 Salem Witchcraft papers, rare tracts written about the trails, maps of Salem Village 1692, additional links and general informaiton. The feature, "Ask the Archivist-- answers to common questions about the witch trials" is of particular interest.Famous American Trials: Salem Witchcraft trials
Famous American Trials: Salem Witchcraft trials. Doug Linder. Oct 14, 2000. http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/salem/SALEM.htm
This is a great site. It included a variety of information on the trials and lists a bibliogrpahy of useful links.Salem Witch Trials
Salem Witch Trials. Mayflower Families Site. Oct 14, 2000. http://www.mayflowerfamilies.com/enquirer/witch.htm
This site provides a brief overview of the trials, describes Salem Village of 1692, contains a copy of a document fragment of the examination of Rebecca Nurse, and a chronology of events complete with images from Salem.A Village Possessed- A True Story of Witchcraft
A Village Possessed- A True Story of Witchcraft. 1999. Discovery Communications Inc. Oct 14, 2000. http://www.discovery.com/stories/history/witches/witches.html
This site details the Salem witch trials and provides possible explanantions of why it may have happened. It includes maps of Salem and locations of residences of the accused and the accusers.Arthur Miller's The Crucible Fact and Fiction
Arthur Miller's The Crucible Fact and Fiction. Margo Burns. 2000. Oct 14, 2000.
http://www.ogram.org/17thc/crucible.shtml
An expert on the Salem wicth trials compares Miller's play with the actual events and the people of the Salem trails, and identifies several major differences between the documented truth and Miller's fiction. The site also offers a list of questions for study.Learning Guide to The Crucible
Learning Guide to The Crucible. James A Friedan and Deborah Elliott. 2000. Teach With Movies. Oct 14, 2000. http://www.teachwithmovies.org/guides/crucible.html
This site reviews the 1957 French film and the 1996 film of The Crucible. It provides background information on McCartheyism and the witch trials. A valuable site if you are debating about showing a movie version to your class.Arthur Miller Site
Arthur Miller Site. 1993. Grolier Incorporated. Oct. 14, 2000. http://www.levity.com/corduroy/millera.htm
The official site on Arthur Miller. Contains a biography, chronology, list of major works, interviews, quotes, etc.Biography: Senator Joseph McCarthy
Biography: Senator Joseph McCarthy. Oct. 14, 2000. http://library.thinkquest.org/10826.mccarthy.htm
This site has an excellent brief biography of Senator McCarthy.Salem Witchcraft Hysteria
Salem Witchcraft Hysteria. 1997. National Geographic Society Interactive Features. Oct 14, 2000. http://www.nationalgeographic.com/features/97/salem/
This interactive site about the Salem witch trials places you amid the witch trials hysteria where you are in fact accused of being a witch. Do you plead innocent or guilty?The Story of the Salem Witch Trials: 'We Walked in Clouds and Could Not See Our Way'
Hoffer, Peter Charles. "The Story of the Salem Witch Trials: 'We Walked in Clouds and Could Not See Our Way.'" The Journal of American History 85, 2,(1998):652.
Hoffer points out that The Crucible still remains popular among today's college students and he notes how authors are now focusing accounts of the witchcraft trails on this collegic audience.Beware the Loss of Conscience: the Crucible as Warning for Today
Cerjak, Judith A. "Beware the Loss of Conscience: the Crucible as Warning for Today." English Journal 76 (Sep. 1997): 55-57.
The author emphasizes the need to recognize the broad moral message of Miller's play, a warning to avoid succumbing to the mass hysteria of our own day. She stresses that students should be encouraged to apply The Crucible to the similair situations of the present.History and Other Spectres in Arthur Miller's The Crucible
Budick, E. Miller. "History and Other Spectres in Arthur Miller's The Crucible." Modern Drama 28 (Dec. 1985): 535-52.
A detailed critical analysis of the play including comparisons to historical facts, and responding to criticism that Miller's characters lack profundity.Finding the Devil in the Details of Salem Witchcraft Trials
Norton, Mary Beth. "Finding the Devil in the Details of Salem Witchcraft Trials." The Chronicle of Higher Education 46, 20 (Jan. 21, 2000):B4-B5.
A researcher of the Salem witchcraft trials relates new conclusions drawn from evidence based on a detailed study of documents and information never before considered. The article is an example of the exciting and ongoing research into those baffling events that occured in 1692 Salem Village.
Reading Activities (compiled by Brittany McEwen)
|Pre-Reading | During Reading | Post-Reading |Pre-Reading Resources
Resource #1:
Boyer, P. & Nissenbaum S. (Eds.). (n.d.). The Salem witchcraft papers, Volume 1: Verbatim
transcripts of the legal documents of the Salem witchcraft outbreak of 1692.
Retrieved October 15, 2004 from http://wyllie.lib.virginia.edu:8086/perl/toccer- new?id=BoySal1.sgm&images=images/modeng&data=/texts/english/modeng/oldsalem& tag=public&part=2&division=div1**This resource provides verbatim transcripts of the Witch Trials alongside written defenses of the accused. It would help to read this in conjunction with the during-reading journal project so that students can compare their voice with the voice of an actual person accused in the trials.
Resource #2:
Discovery.com. (2004). Salem witch trials: The world beyond the hysteria [Online Film]. United
States: Discovery Channel. Retrieved October 15, 2004 from http://school.discovery.com/schooladventures/salemwitchtrials/story/story.html.**This is another online video resource done by the Discovery Channel to visually introduce students to the events surrounding the Salem Witch Trials.
Resource #3:
Houghton Mifflin Company. (2004). Research Assignments: The Ministers. Language arts:
Novel guides. Retrieved October 15, 2004 from http://www.classzone.com/novelguides/litcons/crucible/guide.cfm.**This activity suggests students do independent research into the lives of the key ministers involved in the Salem Witch Trials.
Resource #4:
Longfellow, H.W. (1902). Giles Corey of the Salem Farms. In the Electronic Text Center,
Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth: Giles Corey of the Salem Farms. Retrieved October 15, 2004 from http://wyllie.lib.virginia.edu:8086/perl/toccer-new?id=LonCore.sgm&images=images/modeng&data=/texts/english/modeng/parsed&tag=public&part=all.**This is another work about the Salem Witch Trials with which students may compare authors’ perspectives on the same topic.
Resource #5:
National Geographic Society. (2004). Salem witch hysteria [Interactive Electronic Resource]. Retrieved
October 15, 2004 from http://www.nationalgeographic.com/features/97/salem/index.html.**This interactive web resource gives students the chance to participate in choosing the life path of a Puritan individual in Salem at the time of the Witch Hunts. The choices contain historical information that will also contribute to schema.
Resource #6:
Ray, B. (2002). Documents and transcriptions. Salem witch trials documentary archive and
transcription project. Retrieved October 15, 2004 from http://jefferson.village.virginia.edu/salem/books.html.**This compilation of scanned images of literature from the time around the Salem Witch Trials will help students put the events in historical context.
Resource #7:
Salemweb. (2004). Salem witch trials 1692: A chronology of events. Retrieved October 15, 2004
from http://www.salemweb.com/memorial/index.shtml.**This timeline helps students see the amount of time in which the Witch Trials took place. The timeline is also contains quotes from the court records taken during the trials, humanizing the events even more.
Resource #8:
Thirteen/WNT New York. (2002). Secrets of the Dead: Explore Salem [Interactive Virtual
Tour]. United States: Educational Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved October 15, 2004 from http://www.pbs.org/wnet/secrets/case_salem/interview.html.
**This is an online interactive tour of 17th Century Salem that also talks about recent discoveries that have been made into uncovering the mystery of the Witch Trials.
Resource #9:
Werner, J.P. (2003). List of suspected cheaters. Which of you is a witch: The Salem witchcraft
trials and the Crucible. New York: National Teacher Training Institute. Retrieved
October 15, 2004 from http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/ntti/resources/lessons/l_witch/l_witch3.pdf**This worksheet gives students a chance to carry out a “witch hunt” of their own by reading profiles of students and deciding, from those profiles, which student is “most likely” to cheat in class. Students will also have to practice reasoning skills when they explain why they made their decision.
Resource #10:
West Springfield High School. (n.d.). Witchcraft: Superstitions. Retrieved October 15, 2004
from http://www.fcps.k12.va.us/westspringfieldhs/academic/english/1project/crucible/supers.pdf**This website provides summarized information on the superstitions of the 17th Century that would have sparked a reaction like the Salem Witch Trials.
Resource #1:
Activity 2: The Crucible by Arthur Miller. (n.d.). Retrieved October 15, 2004 from
http://www.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/score/cruc/crucsg2.html.**This site provides an activity idea that incorporates curricular writing requirements. Students will write a persuasive letter explaining which side of the witch trial they are on and why.
Resource #2:
Dunn, A. (producer), & Hytner, N. (director). (1996). The Crucible [Motion Picture]. United
States: 20th Century Fox.**Although I would not likely use this entire film in class, certain parts could be shown to make the drama more real and use faces the kids are more familiar with so they can identify more strongly with the story.
Resource #3:
Fischer, H.G. (2004). Miller, Arthur: 1915*. The English page. Germany: EducETH. Retrieved
October 15, 2004 from http://www.educeth.ch/english/readinglist/millera/crucible.html.**This is a website that contains several excerpts of The Crucible in various audio formats so students can listen to the play being read by a performing group.
Resource #4:
Houghton Mifflin Company. (2004). Crosscurricular Activities: Debate. Language arts: Novel
guides. Retrieved October 15, 2004 from http://www.classzone.com/novelguides/litcons/crucible/guide.cfm.**This idea could be turned into an extended activity in which students have oral debates on whether Abigail is a victim of Puritan society or whether she is the one who started all of the problems by accusing her neighbors of witchcraft in order to save herself.
Resource #5:
Lupin, Ms. (2004). The Crucible character diary project. Retrieved October 15, 2004 from
http://www.geocities.com/savannaeng/crupro.doc.**This is a writing assignment to help students empathize with the characters in the play. It also helps them understand Puritan society from a personal perspective.
Resource #6:
Maupin, L. (2004). Salem Witch Trials. Lesson plan library. Alexandria, VA: Discovery.com.
Retrieved October 15, 2004 from http://school.discovery.com/lessonplans/programs/salemwitchtrials/.**This is a list of discussion questions that could be used in in-class discussion or as essay prompts on a test/assignment.
Resource #7:
National Endowment for the Humanities. (2002). Specific Analysis of Act IV—John Proctor as
Tragic Hero. Dramatizing history in Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible”. Retrieved October 15, 2004 from http://edsitement.neh.gov/view_lesson_plan.asp?id=440.**This resource gives specific insight into literary terms the students might be studying and how characters from The Crucible fit those definitions.
Resource #8:
Sparknotes LLC. (2004). The crucible. Retrieved October 15, 2004 from
http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/crucible/study.html.**This site contains a quiz that can be taken either on paper in class or, as homework, completed online. Answers accompany the quiz online, so students could self-check their assignment if it were given as homework.
Resource #9:
The Crucible vocabulary. (n.d.). Retrieved October 15, 2004 from
http://www.fcps.k12.va.us/westspringfieldhs/academic/english/1project/crucible/vocab.pdf.**This .pdf file contains an extensive list of vocabulary that could be learned in conjunction with reading the play. It is especially helpful because it contains page numbers for a common edition of the play so the words would be easier to find in context.
Resource #10:
Werner, J.P. (2003). Which is a witch. Which of you is a witch: The Salem witchcraft
trials and the Crucible. New York: National Teacher Training Institute. Retrieved
October 15, 2004 from http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/ntti/resources/lessons/l_witch/l_witch1.pdf.**This worksheet is provided for use in conjunction with a website exploring the history of the Salem Witch Trials. It could also be adapted to be used as a character study while reading The Crucible.
Post-Reading
Resource #1:
Appleton Public Library. (2004). Joseph McCarthy: Biography. Appleton, WI: Appleton Public
Library. Retrieved October 15, 2004 from http://www.apl.org/history/mccarthy/biography.html.**To strengthen students’ schema on the subject of McCarthyism, this website provides a biography on Senator McCarthy and his role in a more modern “witch hunt.”
Resource #2:
Dickinson, E. (n.d.) #1583. In National Endowment for the Humanities. (2002). Dramatizing
history in Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible”. Retrieved October 15, 2004 from http://edsitement.neh.gov/view_lesson_plan.asp?id=440.**Containing a poem by Emily Dickinson, this site gives students an assignment to make connections between the Witch Trials and the world in which they live today.
Resource #3:
McCarthyism. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. (2004). Retrieved October 15, 2004 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McCarthyism.**This encyclopedia entry gives a concise definition of the events surrounding McCarthy’s Communist scare and explains briefly the theories McCarthy supported.
Resource #4:
National Endowment for the Humanities. (2002).Miller’s the Crucible and Cold War America.
Dramatizing history in Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible”. Retrieved October 15, 2004 from http://edsitement.neh.gov/view_lesson_plan.asp?id=440.**The excerpt from this website explains direct connections between the text of The Crucible and Cold War America/McCarthyism.
Resource #5:
Novelguide.com. (2004). Novel analysis: The Crucible: Biography. Retrieved October 15, 2004 from
http://www.novelguide.com/thecrucible/biography.html.**This site gives a brief biography of Arthur Miller so students can make connections between Miller’s environment and the writing he does. They can also make connections between different works Miller has written.
Resource #6:
Schrecker, E. (2002). The age of McCarthyism: A brief history with documents. Boston, MA:
Bedford/St. Martin’s.**This book has sample documents that would be important when considering the historical significance of the McCarthy hearings.
Resource #7:
Senator Joe McCarthy: A multimedia celebration. (n.d.). Retrieved October 15, 2004 from
http://webcorp.com/mccarthy/.**This website has several links to audio recordings of McCarthy’s public addresses.
Resource #8:
Tarpinian, G. (producer). (2000). Witness to history: Days that shook the world: 1950-1959
[Motion Picture]. United States: Ambrose Video Publishing.**This movie has a short clip about McCarthyism in a historical context.
Resource #9:
Timeline. (2004). Progressive, 68 (5), 12. Retrieved October 15, 2004 from
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/research/r_apa.html.** This timeline helps students see what other historical events were going on when the McCarthy hearings took place. They can then compare this environment with the political/religious environment in the 1600s when the Salem Witch Trials took place.
Resource #10:
West Springfield High School. (n.d.). The Crucible by Arthur Miller. Retrieved October 15, 2004 from http://www.fcps.k12.va.us/westspringfieldhs/academic/english/1project/crucible/student. pdf.**Using a website created by the teacher, this worksheet requires students to look online for the answers to questions related to The Crucible and The Red Scare.
Reading Strategies (compiled by Jeanine Rorden)
|Pre-Reading | During Reading | After Reading |
Before Reading Strategies
1. Arthur Miller's Play, “The Crucible”
This site contains audio clips from Arthur Miller's Play, “The Crucible.” It includes portions of when reverend Paris' daughter is stricken by a mysterious illness after being found dancing in the forest, when Reverend Hale questions Abigail and she accuses the Barbados born house servant, when Goody Proctor and John Proctor discuss the trial and their marriage, and when Goody Proctor is arrested for witchcraft.
http://town.hall.org/Archives/radio/IMS/HarperAudio/5356_harp_00_ITH.html2. 17th Century Colonial New England
A site containing links for resource material exploring the culture, customs, and daily life of Puritans in 17th Century Colonial New England. Links include audio/visual programs, Essays about the culture, museums, libraries, memorials, cultural societies, lesson plans clips, time lines, and sites about witchcraft.
http://www.17thc.us/3. A Colonial Family and Community
This is an interactive site that allows you to go back in time and learn about the daily lives of Be a history detective. Go back in time and investigate the daily lives of a real colonial family from Coventry, Connecticut. Collect clues to uncover answers to 7 questions about colonial life in the 1700s. This is a fun game with movies, sound, and music.
http://www.hfmgv.org/education/smartfun/colonial/intro/index.html4. Archiving Early America
This site allows you to explore the world of early America through the media of the time. Links include: The Declaration of Independence, The Bill of Rights, Maps, Portraits, Milestone Events, etc.
http://www.earlyamerica.com/earlyamerica/index.html5. Arthur Miller
An auto-biography that discusses the life and works of Arthur Miller. It explains his education and background, as well as a brief explanation of each of his plays. This page also contains useful links to other information sources and audio/video clips of Arthur Miller.
http://www.levity.com/corduroy/millera.htm
6. Colonial America 1600 – 1775: K – 12 Resources
A wonderful website containing a variety of links for different types of colonial information. The links fall under the categories: Primary Resource Documents, Timeline, History, State Histories, Military History, Maps, Lesson Plans, Bibliography, Colonial Williamsburg, Gardening, Foods, Everyday Life and Customs, Education in the Colonies, Colonial American Art and Architecture, The Trades, Colonial Crafts, Colonial Medicine, Music and Art, etc. Basically, anything you could ever want to know about the Puritan, colonial time period can be found from this site.
http://falcon.jmu.edu/~ramseyil/colonial.htm7. From Revolution to Reconstruction
An outline of American History during Colonial Times. This site includes links to: Documents, Essays, Biographies, and Presidents. Sections for this chapter include: New Peoples, New England, The Middle Colonies, The Southern Colonies, Society Schools and Culture, Emergence of Colonial Government, The French and Indian War, and the Witches of Salem.
http://odur.let.rug.nl/~usa/H/1994/chap2.htm8. Daily Life in the Colonies
This is an interactive Website regarding the rigorous daily routines of colonial life. By clicking on different parts of a farm scene you can find information about each of those aspects of daily life. These areas include: livestock, turkey, rural areas, horses, the farm laborer, the house drink, transportations, men's duties, and women's duties.
http://www.pbs.org/ktca/liberty/perspectives_daily.html9. Puritanism
This article explains in further detail what it meant to be a puritan. It addresses such topics as: origins, branches, persecution and emigration, Influence on American Society, and a bibliography. This site also includes helpful links to other Puritan resource material.
http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/society/A0840557.html10. Puritanism, Puritans
This site is an informational paper on the origins and history of Puritanism. It addresses some of their ways of life and beliefs, as well as makes the distinction between English Puritanism and American Puritanism.
http://mb-soft.com/believe/txc/puritani.htm
During Reading Strategies1. An Account of Events in Salem
An essay describing the events of the 1692 Salem Witch Trials. The essay articulates reasons why the trials occurred, who was involved, how the proceedings went, and how they ended. It also briefly examines the comparison between the Salem Witch Trials and McCarthyism. http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/salem/SAL_ACCT.HTM2. The Crucible
A website devoted to the Crucible compiled by West Springfield High School English Department, Springfield, Virginia. Contents under this sight include: The Play, Arthur Miller, Blacklists, HUAC (House Un-American Activities Committee), Images, Joseph McCarthy, Salem, and Torture, plus an additional Teacher Packet. http://www.fcps.k12.va.us/westspringfieldhs/academic/english/1project/crucible/crucible.htm3. Day of Judgment: The Salem Witch Trials of 1692
This site is a description and link to of a series of lesson plans to help teachers present the Salem Witch Trials of 1692. These materials are from a workshop held at the Peabody Essex Museum in 1992. The lessons are intended for middle-high age students as an introduction to the trials perhaps in preparation for a school-related field trip. Each of the 5 lessons is organized around a particular topic including history, secondary accounts, issues of jurisprudence (spectral evidence), sociology, and conceptions of witchcraft and magic. The grade level, materials needed, objective and procedure for each lesson is carefully delineated. Each lesson also has a reference to the video Days of Judgment: The Salem Witch Trials of 1692. http://cti.itc.virginia.edu/~relg415/salem/links/educational/edu3j.html4. Life and Times of Bridget Bishop
This document offers insight into the life of Bridget Bishop, and explores why she was hung for witch craft at the Salem Witch Trials. It is a moving true story, and serves as an example of a real life situation relating to “The Crucible.”
http://nhnh.essortment.com/bridgetbishop_rlru.htm5. Mary Bradbury's Trial
This is another example of one of the historical victims of the Salem Witch Trials. This document contains the actual proceedings from the trial, and offers an insightful view on how the accused attempted to defend themselves.
http://hometown.aol.com/MaryARoots/trial.index.html6. Salem Witchcraft Hysteria
This site produced by National Geographic, offers an interesting exploration of “The Crucible” as it takes you through scene by scene with pictures and insights along the way. This would be a valuable site to allow students to explore on their own,
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/features/97/salem/7. Sparknotes: The Crucible
This is a helpful site that promotes understanding of the text for the students, or a crash review of the works for teachers. The site includes a detailed summary of the plot section by section, as well as an analysis of that plot. It also includes a context summary, character list, analysis of major characters, a description of themes, motifs, and symbols, important quotations explained, key facts, study questions and essay topics, a quiz, and suggestions for further reading.
http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/crucible/8. Salem Witchcraft
This article is an excerpt from Vol. 1 of Our Country published in the late 1800's. It defines what witchcraft meant to the people of the Salem Witch Trials, and emphasizes the universality of the belief in witchcraft and witches. It goes on to cite some of the people who were accused of witchcraft at this time and the story behind their accusations.
http://www.publicbookshelf.org/public_html/Our_Country_Vol_1/salemwitc_ib.html9. Salem Witch Trials: The World Behind the Hysteria
This website, produced by Discovery School, contains many useful resources for teachers to use. The main categories are Life in 1692 Salem, The Story of the Witch Hunt, and The People behind the Trials. Plus, this website contains specific teacher tips and resources that make lesson planning more effective and successful for this topic.
http://school.discovery.com/schooladventures/salemwitchtrials/10. Studying the Background of Arthur Miller's “The Crucible”
This Website, designed by April Moore, contains some excellent ideas for teaching strategies on “The Crucible.” She has a step by step lesson/unit plan for students, equipped with her own resource that are useful and easily accessible. At the end she has even included a rubric for evaluating student work. This is a great way to prepare a good lesson without having to start from scratch.
http://www.teachtheteachers.org/projects/AMoore/Crucible.htm1. American Play write Miller Dies
A recent article from BBC News announcing the death of Arthur Miller, creator of The Crucible and Death of a Salesman. He died at the age of 89, on 10 Feb. 2005. This site not only describes his death but gives tribute to his life, including pictures and a video clip. includes video. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/arts/4258065.stm2. The Coils of Cold War
This document describes the Cold War and how it affected the United States during the 1950's. He talks about the Second Red Scare, the trial of Alger Hiss, the Truman Loyalty program, Macarthyism, McCarthy's supporters, The Cold War, and the Truman Doctrine. This site can be very informative on the events surrounding the Cold War that impacted Miller and his writing. The site also contains some useful links resource material.
http://us.history.wisc.edu/hist102/lectures/lecture23.html3. Joseph McCarthy Time line
This is a time line describing Joseph McCarthy, his life, and his political pursuits. It talks about the beginning of “the communist problem” that eventually led into the development of HUAC (House Un-American Activities Committee.)
http://huac.tripod.com/4. The New Zealand Herald: Hunt for Pedophiles
This Newspaper article offers a striking connection between the Salem Witch Trials, McCarthyism, and our own current events. This is the story of a mob that went out in search of Pedophiles for 7 days, smashing windows, hurling missiles, and overturning cars and burning them. All of those they accused were innocent; the accusations were made based on rumor and hearsay. Some were convicted because they bore the same last name as convicted pedophiles. This story stands as a sobering reality to the influence of hysteria on society, even in our day.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/index.cfm?ObjectID=1475445. "The Politics of Scholarship: Liberals, Anti-Communism, and McCarthyism"
This is an interesting academic paper addressing the subject of Scholarship as it relates to the Anti-Communism movements and McCarthyism.
http://www.writing.upenn.edu/~afilreis/50s/theoharis.html6. McCarthyism
This site offers an expository view on McCarthyism. It explains where it came from, what constitutional frame it was fitted under. It lists people whose names were named, and describes the detriment to self and career that accompanied these trials. The article offers many links within the context to help give more information about a specific topic, and could be a very useful source to help students understand what McCarthyism is about.
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USAmccarthyism.htm7. The Testimony of Walter E. Disney Before the House Committee on Un-American Activities, 24 October, 1947
This website contains the full documentation of Walt Disney as he testified before HUAC upon being accused of producing cartoons supporting communist propaganda. It relates the experience he did have with some communists working for his company who attempted to take over the producing from other artists. This is a very interesting document to read, especially as it pertains to someone so many of us can connect to. It is another opportunity for the students to connect the Salem Witch Trials to something that is not so foreign to them.
http://coursesa.matrix.msu.edu/~hst203/documents/disney.html8. The Anti-Communist Crusade
This is a very valuable website that consists of information, links, and video clips about McCarthyism. It addresses the question: How did McCarthyism limit American political debate and freedom of speech in the 1950's? It offers links to key readings that would bring insight into the discussion on McCarthyism.
http://www.colorado.edu/AmStudies/lewis/2010/mccarthy.htm9. The Age of McCarthyism: A Brief History with Documents
This is a useful page which provides links to important information and documents concerning McCarthyism. Some of these include: “Communism and National Security: The Menace Emerges,” “The Growth of the Anti-Communist Network,” “The State Steps In: Setting the Anti-Communist Agenda,” and “Congressional Committee's and unfriendly witnesses.”
http://www.writing.upenn.edu/~afilreis/50s/schrecker-age.html10. Senator Joe McCarthy – A Multimedia Celebration
This is a fascinating website about Joseph McCarthy. It shows many images with sound clips from important events such as the attack on the Senator by the Counsel for the Army which ended McCarthyism. Many sound clips are of Senator McCarthy himself, which would make for a memorable conclusion to a unit on “The Crucible.”
http://webcorp.com/mccarthy/
Reading Activities compiled by Kari Thacker
| During Reading | After Reading |
Before StrategiesMiller, Arthur. The Crucible. New York: Penguin Classics, 1982.
This is what you will be teaching with. It is a great play about the Salem Witch Trials and is a comments on the politics associated with the McCarthy era.
Strategy #1: Pre-Assessment and Establishing Background Knowledge
“Puritanism.” Penguin Encyclopedia of American History. VII. 2003.
This is just a reference source to use in order to discover more information on the Salem Witch Trials. I think that this would come in handy to give a less bias view of the witch hunts and provide factual information that students can refer to when reading the play.
Latour, S. “The Crucible Vocabulary,” The Crucible. 1 July 2004. 17 September 2005.
<http://www.fcps.k12.va.us/westspringfieldhs/academic/english/1project/crucible/vocab.pdf>I discovered this high school website and found there to be a list of all the possible words a student might not be familiar with. Even the page numbers are available so that students can look them up in context. I thought it would be a good idea to use this list of vocabulary words to assess the students’ background knowledge with regards to this play. The activity that I included would have students walk around the room and mark their level of knowledge of words written and posted on the walls.
Strategy # 2: About the Artist
“Arthur Miller,” The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. 17 September 2005. 15 October 2005.
<http://www.kennedy-center.org/calendar/index.cfm?fuseaction=showIndividual&entity_id=3762&source_type=A>The site offers a variety of information on the performing arts. This particular site offers biographical information on Arthur Miller, his works, and his life. I really liked this site because the information is accurate and helpful. I would use this site to establish Arthur Miller as a person and a play write before having students jump into reading the play. This is a great way to provide background knowledge.
Strategy # 3: Internet Research
Lee, I. “Understanding The Crucible: A Play by Arthur Miller,” A Research Guide for Students. 17 September 2005. 17 September 2005. <http://www.aresearchguide.com/crucible.html>
I thought that this site would be a great site for students to do research on. This site covers five elements that are important to Miller’s play: American Colonial Period, Puritanism, The Crucible, McCarthyism, Puritanism, and the Salem Witch Trials. This site has links connecting the students to historical information, timelines, activities, lesson plans (for the teachers), etc. If you want to find information on how these elements connect to the play, research this site. It is a great learning resource.
Strategy # 4: Tour of 1692 Salem Witchcraft Hysteria Sites
“Salem Witch Museum,” Innovative Small Systems. 17 September 2005. 15 October 2005. <http://www.salemwitchmuseum.com/tour/index.shtml>
The Salem Witch Museum online provides information about the actual museum located in Salem, MA. This website has current pictures of historical sites significant to the Salem Witch Hysteria in 1692. It also contains links to other websites that provides story information (fact or fiction?), timelines, etc. This particular site has links to the different cities that were involved in 1692, each containing links that tell us what happened in that area at that time. I would use this site as a way to create the setting for the play. By having the students become more familiar with the locale of the events mentioned in the play (and in historical accounts) they can further connect themselves to the story and to better create images while reading. This site has a lot of great pictures.
Strategy # 5: Food and Puritanism
“Diner’s Digest,” DineCore, Inc. 1 January 1996. 17 September 2005. <http://www.cuisinenet.com/glossary/newengl.html>
This website is a great resource for a food activity. On this website you will find information about the different foods that were cooked by the Puritans in New England. While reading this information, I found that a connection can be made between the food and their religion. Using this information, bring in some New England food and have students try to make connections with the food and the religion. It will be a memorable activity that does not taste that bad!Rice, Earle Jr. The Salem Witch Trials. San Diego: Lucent Books, 1997.
This book is great for giving an overview of the trials. It also offers great insights into the Puritan religion and the influences on the state, culture, and women. I highly recommend using this book.
Strategy # 6: A Chronology of Events
“The Salem Witch Trials 1692,” Witch Trials Memorial. 17 September 2005. 1 October 2005. <http://www.salemweb.com/memorial/index.shtml>
This website is a timeline of all the significant events that occurred during the year 1692 in Salem, MA. In addition, this is a great way for students to place the play in its particular timeframe. I also thought this could lead to some great activities to further enhance learning. The idea that I include is having students make their own timeline by researching the internet and then referring to this timeline while reading the play to compare fact and fiction.
Strategy # 7: Witchcraft and Torture
Latour, S. “The Crucible,” Teacher Guide. 1 July 2004. 17 September 2005.
<http://www.fcps.edu/westspringfieldhs/academic/english/1project/crucible/supers.pdf>This is for the more daring teacher who wants to cover the aspects of witchcraft that the puritans would have believed and been superstitious about. Have the students discuss how these believes would have influenced their very pious way of life. In addition, discuss those procedures some took in order to obtain a confession from those accused witches (a.k.a. torture).
Strategy #8: Fears and Mass Hysteria (inspired by www.classzone.com)
Thacker, K. Exploring Our Fears and Mass Hysteria. Provo, UT: BYU. 17 September 2005.
On a worksheet divided into two columns with the label “justified” over one column and “irrational” on the other side, have the students categorize fears they have in their own lives or have seen in other peoples’ lives into either section. For example, a justified fear would be of death (the unknown), while an example of an irrational fear is being scared of someone because of the color of their skin and what the stereotype implies. For homework, have students research on current events that are leading or can lead to mass hysteria (as seen in the Salem Witch Trials).
Strategy # 9: Newsletter Writing Activity
Thacker, K. Newsletter Writing Activity. Provo, UT: BYU. 17 September 2005.
I designed this activity so students can write about their own personal fears and the fears they see around them. Students will design their own newsletter and explain the difference between irrational and justifiable fears and how they are seen in the world today. This is a great way for students to focus on the concept of fear and how fear can govern the decisions that are made.Strategy # 10: Superstition Obstacle Course
“Superstition Obstacle Course,” Superstition Bash. 17 September 2005. 1 October 2005.
<http://www.csicop.org/superstition/obstacles>I love this activity!! This website offers fun ideas to do in any circumstance to help people understand the many types of superstitions that exist. On this website, the author provides a list of superstitions that can be used in an obstacle course. I think this is a great way to help students see the effects superstitions have on our behavior. Students, with this activity, will relate their own behavior to those displayed by the prosecutors during the Salem Witch Trials.
Strategy # 1: Theme Portfolio
The Crucible Study Guide. 5 October 2005. 24 September 2005.
<http://www.bellmore-merrick.k12.ny.us/crucible.html>Just another resource to find information on the characters, themes, etc. in The Crucible. My reasons for using this article include its interesting key issues that I think play a great role in the development of characters (more specifically, John Proctor as a hero figure) and the inevitable outcome of the story. Using this information, have the students pick one theme and develop a portfolio of internet sites, book references, pictures, etc. that can add help improve students understanding of that theme. At the end of the novel have each give a presentation on what they learned.
Strategy # 2: Act Out a Scene
Nelson, L. “Dramatizing History in Arthur Miller’s The Crucible,” EDSITEment Lesson. 15 November 2002. 15 October 2005. <http://edsitement.neh.gov/view_lesson_plan.asp?id=440>
This website offers explanations and ideas on how Arthur Miller implemented fact into his fiction when writing The Crucible. However, this site does not leave you with just the facts, but rather provides great ideas on how to teach The Crucible in a high school classroom. I chose this website because it offers great ideas for scenes students should act out if they want to more fully understand the dynamics of the play and the reality of the hysteria in relation to historical context.
Strategy # 3: The Crucible Quotation Worksheet
Pinto, J. & Dalton, B. “Quotation Worksheet,” The Crucible. 1 January 2000. 17 September 2005. <http://www.curriculumunits.com/crucible/assign/quotatio.htm>
The Crucible Quotation Worksheet offers a great way to assess students understanding and interpretation of what they are reading. In addition, this website has great activity ideas, worksheets, and quizzes that can definitely help students during their reading of The Crucible.
Strategy # 4: Character Study
“Planning a Character Study,” Granada Learning Group. 24 September 2005. 15 October 2005. <http://www.angliacampus.com/public/sec/english/crucible/page32.htm>
View this website for an effective character study sample that I think will help students critically analyze the characters in The Crucible. It offers a format that I think covers all of the bases necessary for a character analysis. Then, have students follow the same format to answer questions about themselves (or have a friend or family fill it out).
Strategy # 5: Character Study Paper
Thacker, K. Character Study Paper. Provo, UT: BYU. 24 September 2005.
The students have successfully completed a character study of themselves and a character of their choice. Now have each student write a paper (3-5 pages) comparing themselves to that character. This is a great way for students to review a character in detail and relate the text to them personally.
Strategy # 6: Agree or Disagree
Thacker, K. Agree or Disagree. Provo, UT: BYU. 24 September 2005.
Have all students stand against a wall. On each wall, place a sign that says agree, strongly agree, disagree, and strongly disagree. Have a list of themes, key issues, ideas, etc. (anything that can cause a discussion over the play). Read each prompt out loud and have students stand in their appropriate area. Encourage open communication and debate. Make sure that students cite supportable evidence from the text as well as from their own lives.
Then, treating this play as if it were merely fiction, ask the students if it could have been written in any other way—if the ending could have been different? Based on the students’ responses to the activity, have each student sit down and write a short response on their reaction to the outcome of the play based on what they agreed with and did not agree with.
(Puritanism, Pride, Revenge, Fear, Conflict of authority, Self interest, Honesty)Strategy # 7: Debate
“Language Arts: Novel Guides,” Classzone.com. 24 September 2005.
<http://www.classzone.com/novelguides/litcons/crucible/guide.cfm>“Abigail is usually seen as the originator of most of the accusations of witchcraft in Salem. Yet some readers have seen her character as a victim of the Puritan society against which she rebels” (www.classzone.com). Take a poll of the students to determine which philosophy each student accepts and then divide them into two groups. Each group will then gather evidence in support of their side and then present on their topic.
Strategy # 8: Letter of Persuasion/Tribute to the Accused
Castruita, M. “Letter of Persuasion/Tribute to the Accused,” SCORE. 21 April
2005. 17 September 2005. <http://www.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/score/cruc/crucsg2.html>I might not necessarily follow this lesson activity exactly, but I think that the idea is a great one for students to place themselves in that of the victim’s or to write a letter expressing supported reasons why the witch trials should stop. In addition, this activity places students’ mind frame in the time of the Salem Witch trials and helps them to relate more intrinsically to the people of that time period.
Strategy # 9: Critical Literacy: Point of View
Henry, L. “Critical Literacy: Point of View,” ReadWriteThink. 24 September 2005. 15 October 2005. <http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=23>
This is a website designed for English teachers looking for ideas on how to develop their students’ critical thinking skills. Have students read a portion of The Crucible from a different character’s perspective. How does this change the scene with Abigail and John Proctor at Parris’s house if Betty was coherent enough to hear it?
Strategy # 10: PowerPoint Presentation
Pinto, J. & Dalton, B. “The Crucible Presentation,” Curriculum Units. 1 January 2000. 17 September 2005. <http://www.curriculumunits.com/crucible/present2.htm>
Following this example, create a PowerPoint Presentation on the plotline of the story, the main characters, and the themes. This is a great example of how internet resources can be implemented to design and encourage a life skill that will be beneficial to the work force.
After Strategy # 1: Character Studies Peer Evaluation Workshops
Kemper, Dave, Patrick Sebranek, and Verne Meyer. “Basic Sentence Patterns,” All Write.
Massachusetts: Houghton Mifflin P. 49.Organizing the classroom into three workshop areas, divide students into three groups, each sitting at one of the three workshops. These three workshops should be designed for students to review their Character studies they wrote during the reading of the play. Make sure that students bring three copies of their paper to this peer review session. One workshop will have each student read their papers out loud, marking confusing or misleading passages with a red marker. The second workshop will have each student circle one paragraph they feel needs improvement. They will exchange this paper with someone else in the group. Using the Basic Sentence Pattern handout found at the table, have students break the paragraphs into these patters, labeling Subject=S, Verb=V, and so on. This will help students take a closer look at the structure of their paper and, hopefully, notice more grammatical errors. Finally, the third workshop will have the students cut their paper into parts to check for organization and flow. Each student should cut their paper into sections, according to their paragraphs. They will then rearrange their paper to see if ideas or topics could work better in different locations of their work. Have students remain in their groups and rotate through the workshops. You, as the teacher, should rotate among the groups to assess understanding and answer any questions.
After Strategy # 2: The Crucible Movie
Hytner, Nicolas. The Crucible. 27 November 1996.
<http://movieweb.com/movies/film.php?2095>This 1996 motion picture based on Arthur Miller’s The Crucible written during the fifties is a great way for students to visualize the play, seeing how it compares to their interpretation. This reinforces what they have read and helps them more fully understand the significance of these events.
After Strategy # 3: The Crucible Movie Review
Rose, Lloyd. “The Crucible: Guilt Tripping,” Washingtonpost.com. 20 December 1996.
17 September 2005. <http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/review96/cruciblerose.htm>This website offers students a great place to find more popular movie reviews that have credibility. Have students read one or two movie reviews of the movie they just watched and then have the students write a one-page review of their own. They should compare the movie to the novel in terms of character development, plotline, heroism, fear, etc. Did the movie effectively represent the themes of the play? What parts of the play make it difficult to reproduce in a movie?
After Strategy # 4: Monologue
Kajder, M. “Your Task,” Dissonance Unit. 27 January 2001. 1 October 2005.
<http://cte.jhu.edu/techacademy/web/2000/kajder/dunit/front.html>This website is awesome! It provides students with the opportunity to research on certain characters found in the play and then assigns them to write a monologue. This website offers links for students to find factual information on the characters of the play that Miller portrayed as fictitious. With a monologue, students demonstrate their knowledge of these historical figures, the culture they come from, and the beliefs they supported.
After Strategy # 5: Witch Hunt Activity
Thacker, Kari. Witch Hunt Activity. Provo, UT: BYU. 17 September 2005.
I designed this activity to help students gain further hands-on experience with prejudice and fear. From a hat, have each student pull a white folded-up piece of paper with generic titles that would have been found during 17th century Salem, MA (Reverend, Proctor, Goody, townspeople, accusers, etc). These will be the role that student will Tell students that there are three individuals in this room who have cards that say “witch” on them and that the card directs them to act as if they were townspeople. Have students prepare for the next day in class where they will get together and accuse each other of being witches. Make sure to pick cards back up immediately so students do not show others their card.
On day two, students will come in prepared to make accusations, point the figure, and start debating why they think this person is a witch. (As there is potential for students to get out of hand and start bringing up current drama and issues, tell students they must act as if they were in 17th century New England and that all accusations must coincide with that period). One rule is that they are not allowed to say what card they had or did not have.
On day three, having ascertained the three guilty parties, hold a mock trial where you, the teacher, represent the judge. Have the three accused stand in front of the class, while having each accuser provide their case. Decide, based on the arguments, who is the witch and who is not and who will be hanged.
On day four, come to class prepared to lead a discussion in how students felt seeing this first hand. What happened? Why were they accused? Was it fair? After discussing, tell students that you purposefully did not place one card in the hat that said “witch”—it was to prove a point: accusations based on hate, dislike, or nonsense can lead to hysteria if the right people are listening. What does this mean for us today—especially with the McCarthy era behind us?After Strategy # 6: The Crucible Playbill
Thacker, Kari. The Crucible Playbill. Provo,UT: BYU. 17 September 2005.
Using the work the students have done, put together a playbill based on The Crucible. The playbill should include a description of characters, a plot summary, pictures, a historical overview, movie reviews, and any additional pieces of writing they want to add such as a paper on hysteria and fear, McCarthyism, religion versus state, clothing, food, map, storyboard, etc. They must put these together in a certain order with a table of contents and arranged into a book. This book could be bound and displayed. I think this is a great way for students to bring all elements they have been doing together and finish the unit with a great bang.
After Strategy # 7: Test Review
Burton, L. “Literature Review,” An Educator’s Reference Desk Lesson Plan. 1 May
1994. 29 September 2005. <http://www.eduref.org/cgi-bin/printlessons.cgi/Virtual/Lessons/Language_Arts/Literature/LIT0011.html>Though this website is designed for “To Kill a Mockingbird,” the same form of questions can be used for The Crucible. Linda Burton, the author of this test review, divides the type of test questions that should be reviewed into three categories: knowledge questions, interpretation questions, and judgment questions. Knowledge questions recalls factual information, while an interpretation question asks for more developed answers with insights and explanation and judgment question is based on opinion supported with evidence. This is a great way to incorporate Bloom’s Taxonomy.
After Strategy # 8: Test
“The Crucible Themes,” English Online. 20 May 2005. 3 October
2005. <http://english.unitecnology.ac.nz/resources/units/crucible/themes.html>
This website, I think, offers ideas for questions that follow Burton’s (Strategy # 7) categories. I think they would be great to assess students’ ability to utilize complex thinking strategies to answer questions with their opinions and with evidence from the text.After Strategy # 9: Compare to The Scarlet Letter
Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Scarlet Letter. Evanston, IL : NexText, 2000.
I thought it would be a great idea for the teacher to lead into the novel The Scarlet Letter as a way to reinforce the history they have learned.
After Strategy # 10: Introduction to Literary Theory: Feminism and New Historicism
Felluga, Dino. “Feminism,” Introductory Guide to Critical Theory. 28 November 2003.
17 September 2005. <http://www.cla.purdue.edu/academic/engl/theory/>
This website is a nice resource for introducing students to literary theory. It offers definitions, application examples, and lesson plans for each of the predominating theories, while including articles, additional links, and main developers of each theory. I thought it would be a great introduction to literary theory by applying Feminism and New Historicism to The Crucible. It can help students see literature in a broader spectrum that goes beyond reading and writing to include analyzing.
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