Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Analyzing Crucible Characters

Good morning,

Lets wrap up The Crucible with a bit of character analysis. I'll explain more in class.

Character Analysis Assignment  Due on paper on Friday. (Possible extension to Monday based on the effort I see you giving this in class on Thursday.)

Friday, October 26, 2012

Finishing Act IV

Good morning,

Today you will finish reading Act IV with your group.

Read -- Talk -- Notes

Then find four quotes from Act IV that seem particularly important. (Put them in your EJ)
For each quote explain what it means and why it is important. 


Thursday, October 25, 2012

Beginning Act IV Conversations

Good morning,

Read your book while waiting for your netbook to boot.

Answer in your EJ.  
Near the end of Act III John Proctor says, "I say--God is dead!" (Miller, 119) Explain what he meant and why that is an important line in the play. 

Today you will read Act IV with a group.  While you read please stop to talk about the play.  This is a complicated part of the story. Stop and paraphrase what you think is happening. Ask questions if you are confused. Use your English Journal to make notes about the things you talked about in your group. 
Homework: Read the pages of Act IV that you agreed to read for your group. 

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Five things to do today.

God morning,

Today will be our flex day.  I have a writing assignment for you to complete in your English Journal and then you can work on some other things from the list below based on your needs.

1. In your English Journal, write a short (3-5 paragraph) essay comparing the way the story of The Crucible is told in the play and in the film. Explain the differences you see and explain why you think the director, Nicholas Hytner, made those choices. How do the differences affect your experience with the story? 

2. Update any other missing assignments in your EJ. This includes AOW reflections 1-7, answering questions you wrote about Act III, fixing formatting and dates etc. 

3. Update your status on Goodreads to reflect the book you are currently reading.  Search for the book and add it to your "currently reading" shelf. Write a review for any book you have recently finished. 

4. Make sure you have a recommended book picked out for this grading period. 

5. Read


Monday, October 22, 2012

Act III: Serious Choices

Good morning,

On Friday you wrote an narrative assessment for me.  If you were absent Friday you will need to come after school to make that up. 

Today we will begin with reading and then a quick write in your English Journal. Read until your computer is ready to go and then answer this question in your EJ.

What did Elizabeth Proctor not know when she was called in to explain why she fired Abigail? Why do you think Arthur Miller "set her up" that way? 

After you have answered that we will watch some of Act III to see how it happened in the film. Keep adding to your notes about how the story is told differently in the film.

Homework (ON PAPER) Explain the choice Elizabeth Proctor has to make in Act III. What are her options and what are the consequences? Due Wednesday 10/24.

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Act III

This week we have been reading Act III in small groups.  On Monday I asked your group to agree on three quality questions based on your reading. On Tuesday I asked your group to read to the end of Act III and agree on three more quality questions, including one that addressed theme. You should of course also be answering those six questions you have about Act III.

On Wednesday our class did not meet because you were taking the PSAT.

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Watching The Crucible

Hint: Click the picture to see it larger.
Good morning,

Yesterday we watched the first part of The Crucible film. You were taking notes about the differences between the play and the film.  Today we will continue watching the film up to the end of Act II.
Before we do that though, I would like you to take a quick multiple choice quiz to see what you remember about Act II.

Act II Quiz. Due now.

You also need to give me the titles of the books you read this grading period and the links to your book reviews.

I'm Ready To Turn In My Book Reviews!


Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Reading the end of Act II

Good morning,

Hint: Click on the picture to see it larger.
Yesterday you began reading Act II with your group and answered the questions in the post below. Today you will finish reading Act II and answer the questions in the picture on the right.

Be sure to have all seven questions answered before class on Wednesday.

Monday, October 8, 2012

Beginning of Act II

Good morning,

Hint: Click on the picture to see it larger.
Today you will be reading Act II with a small group.  Your goal is the bottom of page 62 when Reverend Hale arrives.

Answer the questions on the right in your English Journal before class on Tuesday.

Friday, October 5, 2012

Finishing Act 1

Good morning,

Today we will finish reading Act 1 of The Crucible.   Make sure you  continue adding notes to your chart about the characters in your English Journal.

At the end of the period we will take a quick quiz on Act 1: Act 1 Quiz

Some of you have still not completed the 21 questions from our Pre-Crucible research presentations.  Scroll down to the post from Friday 9/28 and take the quiz for your period asap. You've had a week. It's about to become a zero for those of you who haven't done it. 

Remember to finish reading (AND REVIEWING on Goodreads) your two books for this grading period by next Friday 10/12. There is no grace period.  On Friday 10/12 you will be giving me the links to your book reviews. You must be done with them by then or it will hurt your grade. 

HOMEWORK: Answer the questions on the sheet I gave you in class about Act I. Make sure your answers are complete sentences. Remember the expectations for short answer questions.

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

The Crucible: Act 1, Update

Today we started by looking at the kinds of questions I have been asking you as we read the play.  next week you will need to be able to ask these kinds of questions with your group.

If you were absent, make sure you have read the play up until the point where Reverend Hale arrives. (bottom of page 32 in my book)

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

The Crucible: Act 1

Good morning,

Yesterday we began reading Act 1 of The Crucible. To begin today please respond to the following in your English Journal.

How did Arthur Miller's decision to tell you that Abigail is a liar affect the way you see her character in the play. What other choices has Miller made that tell us about other characters?