THE CRUCIBLE
Today we will begin the final exam. You will have today, tomorrow, and Friday to finish the questions in class. I expect you to advocate for any needed help to boil out the impurities.
October 28, 2009
October 26, 2009
ELA 11 Mods 8,9 Monday, October 26, 2009
THE CRUCIBLE
HOMEWORK: Please create a list of questions that you have about the novel, by previewing all of the notes posted online. We will spend some time answering those questions in class tomorrow.
Bonus for checking the website: There will be questions on the test about John and Elizabeth and the affair, Reverend Hale’s culpability (look up culpability), and John Proctor’s “name”.
October 14, 2009
ELA 11 Mods 8,9 Wednesday, October 14, 2009
THE CRUCIBLE
HOMEWORK: Please finish ACT III (last two pages), and complete the ACT III Cloze notes for tomorrow. The writing assignment (McCarthyism) for Act III is due on Monday. Don’t forget to watch the video from the last post.
Joe McCarthy
October 13, 2009
ELA 11 Mods 8,9 Tuesday, October 13, 2009
THE CRUCIBLE
HOMEWORK: You should have the Cloze notes for Act II completed for tomorrow. We will finish Act III by tomorrow as well, so look for them to be due on Thursday. These notes can be found in your network folder and in the September 9th post for this class.
In addition, the Act III writing assignment can be downloaded by clicking this link. You should also take a look at the following video (a student produced video on McCarthyism and The Crucible) before next Monday.
October 9, 2009
ELA 11 Mods 8,9 Thursday, October 8, 2009
THE CRUCIBLE
HOMEWORK: For Tuesday, please read from page 89 to page 100 in the play for Tuesday. We will review what happened, but we won’t be re-reading, so please be sure to do so.
A note about homework. Please remember that I expect you to be re-reading parts of the text with which you may have struggled. In addition, you should be keeping up with the Act summaries, due at the end of each act. This is good practice for developing the kind of studying skills you will need in college. As you move from high school to a post secondary environment, you will need to begin assessing your own command of material, rather than relying on your teachers to do it for you. As part of that assessment, you should be seeking me out for help when you need it. You need to advocate for yourself. Advocacy is probably the single most important skill with which you should leave Norman Howard.
Enjoy your long week-end.
October 7, 2009
ELA 11 Mods 8,9 Tuesday, October 6, 2009
THE CRUCIBLE
As we near the end of Act II, we have been discussing the conflict between Elizabeth and John Proctor over his infidelity and its application to American history. Proctor may be seen to represent a point of view that has come to be one part of the American identity. Proctor is an extremely independent man, who feels that he lives from his own efforts. Add to this that he is geographically isolated (like our nation for much of its history) and that he sees the world very simply in black and white, and I think you begin to get a sense for one of the idealistic threads that runs from the beginning of our country’s history to today. Like all points of view, it has helped us and hindered us. Again, we continue to look at Salem as a microcosm of the country it will help to create.
In addition, we have been discussing the pivotal moment when John Proctor (in a case of classic irony) can name all of the commandments except adultery. It is an indication that he is unable to see the fault in himself, and it is the moment when Proctor is force to begin real self-examination.
I’m out of school on Wednesday. You will begin watching the movie with Ms. Lindley. Pay attention, there will be questions.
Please review the notes below.
October 1, 2009
ELA 11 Mods 8,9 Thursday, October 1, 2009
THE CRUCIBLE
HOMEWORK: Please remember that your Act I essays are due on Monday. If you need help, see me before the week-end. I am in the High School writing lab during mod 16.
Today we began Act II. (Be sure to print out and keep up with Act II Cloze summaries.) The scene opens in the Proctor’s kitchen. One thing that we discussed, that I didn’t mention in the notes, was the use of the word “continent” to descibe Proctor’s farm (page 51) from his point of view when planting it. With one word choice, Arthir Miller says volumes. The Puritans are literally on the edge of the continent, but also metaphorically. They have a continent’s worth of work to do. The soon to be United States of America is still on the edge of the continent in other ways. For example, in a political sense (French and Spanish must be dealt with) the colonies are isolated along the Atlantic. In addition, Proctor lets us know he was “planting along the forest edge” a few lines earlier. Miller is a master of providing the big picture in each detail.
Notes are below:
September 30, 2009
ELA 11 Mods 7,8 Wednesday, September 30, 2009
THE CRUCIBLE
HOMEWORK:Cloze summaries for Act I are due tomorrow. We will be moving on to Act II, so please have the Act II summary printed out before class if you are filling it out as we read. Act I writing assignments are due on Monday. Please remember to adhere to the submission requirements.
We talked a lot today about how we react when accused of something and the analysis, which is almost instinctual, of what we did, what our accuser knows, and what the consequences are. Many of us immediately refrain from talking, waiting instead for the accuser to reveal what he or she knows. This idea is important when approaching the interrogation of Tituba. The girls have been doing this very thing for most of the play, and now they watch Tituba and learn from her. As we see at the end of Act I, they paid very close attention.
September 29, 2009
ELA 11 Mods 8,9 Tuesday, September 29, 2009
THE CRUCIBLE
We will most likely finish Act I tomorrow. Please be ready to hand in your Cloze summaries on Thursday and your Act I paper on Monday.
In addition, you should be thinking about getting ready for Act II’s assignments.
September 28, 2009
ELA 11 Mods 8,9 September 28, 2009
THE CRUCIBLE
Homework: Cloze summaries and planning for the Act I writing assignment should be taking place. We will probably finish Act I in the next day or two, so be ready.
Notes from today are below.
