The Crucible. Remedial Activities

Transcription

1 Remedial Activities The remedial activities are the same as in the book, but the language and content are simplified. The remedial activities are designated with a star before each handout number and were carefully selected to give the student a variety of activities that focus on literary devices in the play.

2 LESSON PLAN DETAILS ACT ONE 1. Character Identification hand out and have students complete in class (30 minutes) 4. Photo Description: Grammar Application hand out and have students complete in class (20 minutes) 7. Anticipation and Reaction Guide hand out and have students complete in class (10 minutes) 22

3 Act One Handout 1 Character Identification Many characters are introduced in Act One. To understand the play you need to know who is who. Directions: Test yourself by matching each character below to the correct description. Each character is used once. A. Parris E. Thomas Putnam I. Rebecca Nurse B. Hale F. Ruth J. Ann Putnam C. Mary Warren G. Betty K. Mercy Lewis D.Giles Corey H. Abigail L. Tituba 1. After losing seven children in childbirth, she sent her daughter to conjure spirits. 2. Orphan and niece of Parris. She had a love affair with Proctor. 3. Negro slave from Barbados. She says the devil told her to kill Parris. 4. Reverend of Salem and former businessman in Barbados. He feels his pay is too low. 5. Sues his neighbors over simple things. Wonders why his wife reads strange books. 6. Witchcraft expert from Beverly. 7. Daughter of Rev. Parris. 8. When she is near, Betty is less upset. 9. Current servant for the Proctors. 10. Parris saw this girl naked in the woods. 11. Daughter of the Putnams. 12. His father always gave away land that belonged to other people, according to Giles. 23

4 Act One Handout 4 Photo Description: Grammar Application A picture tells a thousand words. We understand a lot about a situation from a simple snapshot of the moment. Directions: Fill in the chart below with eight nouns that fit the mood of this scene between Abigail and Proctor. Remember that a noun is a person, place, thing, or idea. The first noun has been completed for you as an example. Nouns Example: anger The picture below shows only Abigail, who seems to be doing nothing. The expression on her face in this photo, however, tells much about her character. Directions: Fill in the chart below with six adjectives to describe Abigail as she looks in this photo. Remember that an adjective is a descriptive word that modifies a noun. The first adjective has been completed for you as an example. Adjectives Example: hopeful Write About It! Select one of the pictures above as the subject for a paragraph. Be certain to use the nouns or adjectives that you listed. Use the back of this sheet for your photo paragraph. Source: 26

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7 Act One Handout 7 Anticipation and Reaction Guide It s interesting to see how our opinions about events change over time. This chart helps you do just that! Keep this handout. You will need it after you finish reading the play. Directions: Answer each of the following statements two times: once before reading the play and then again after reading. After reading the play, come back to this activity and answer the questions at the bottom of the page. Write Y if you agree with the statement Write N if you disagree with the statement. Before Topic: Salem Witch Trials After Reading Reading The play The Crucible is true story of what happened in Salem. Reflection Questions Nobody really died as a result of the trials. Several women were actually practicing witchcraft to try to destroy the Puritan religion. People were believed to be guilty until proven innocent in these trials. The witch hunt was started by a group of young girls. A common way to press the truth from people was to place heavy stones on their chests until they agreed to talk. Witch hunts could not happen in modern-day society. 1. Which of your answers in the chart above changed after reading the play? What changed your opinion? 2. Which change surprised you the most? How might this new knowledge make you see other situations in the future? 3. Did any of your answers stay the same? Does this surprise you? Explain. 29

8 LESSON PLAN DETAILS ACT TWO 1. Act Two: Countless Conflicts hand out and have students complete in class (20 minutes) 2. Journal Topics hand out and have students complete in class (20 minutes) 3. Wheels in Motion hand out and have students complete in class (20 minutes) 32

9 Act Two Handout 1 Act Two: Countless Conflicts A conflict is a struggle between two forces. In literature, authors use many types of conflicts to add to a story s plot. This is true of The Crucible. Directions: Fill in the blanks below with character names to see the different types of conflicts found in this play. Person vs. Person conflicts are the struggles between two people. These can be physical struggles or emotional struggles. Person vs. Person Person vs. Self conflicts are the struggles characters have with themselves. Often the struggle deals with an important decision or shameful secret. Person vs. Self Person vs. Society conflicts are struggles between a person and a larger group. In this play, a character might be in conflict with the whole Puritan society, the church, or a smaller group of people like the accusing girls. vs. vs. vs. vs. Person vs. Society vs. vs. 33

10 Act Two Handout 2 Journal Topics Each of the following journal topics relates in some way to Act Two. The topics also deal with real-world problems. Your opinions about how characters act in literature show how you think about the same events in the real world. These journal questions are as much about you and your thoughts as they are about the play. This is your chance to share your ideas on the topics. Directions: Answer the questions below. John committed the sin of adultery with Abigail. This means he was not faithful to his wife. Does he seem truly sorry for his mistake? Does Elizabeth truly forgive him? In your opinion, can a husband or wife ever truly trust the one who cheats? Explain. Reread for clues on how this mistake changes their marriage. Would you give a cheater a second chance? Explain. The Puritans believe that bad luck comes to an entire community if just one member of their group sins. This explains their personal worries over their neighbors behavior. Is it true that one bad apple can spoil the barrel? Do the actions of your neighbors or classmates affect your decisions? If they misbehave, will you also suffer in the future because of them? Explain. Arthur Miller married film star Marilyn Monroe in

11 Act Two Handout 3 Wheels in Motion In Act One, Ann Putnam says, There are wheels within wheels in this village and fires within fires. She seems to be saying that things are not as simple as they first look. The use of a wheel, however, takes on special meaning as the play continues. Each event seems to set in motion other, worse events. Directions: Think of things that happen in the play that fit this pattern. Fill in the events below to show how they are connected. Be sure to add details! Event One Event Two Event Three 35

12 LESSON PLAN DETAILS ACT THREE 3. Character Flaws hand out and have students complete in class (30 minutes) 6. Plot: Act Three hand out and have students complete in class (30 minutes) 42

13 Act Three Handout 3 Character Flaws Many of the characters in this play blame their problems on outside forces. However, the true source of their troubles is inside themselves. It s human nature to have personal strengths and weaknesses. Sometimes those weaknesses have too much power. That seems to be the case with many of the townspeople in Salem. Directions: For each character, select a flaw from the following list. Give an example from the text that shows this character flaw. Some flaws fit for more than one character. You won t use every flaw listed. envy dishonesty guilt suspicion quick-tempered behavior lust immaturity greed grief self-doubt Character Flaw Example John Proctor Abigail Williams Reverend Parris Ann Putnam

14 Act Three Handout 6 Plot: Act Three Plot is the series of events that make up the story. A lot happens in Act Three, and it is easy to get the order of things confused. This activity helps you keep the story in its correct order. Directions: Number the events from 1 to 10 with 1 being the first thing that happens and 10 being the last thing that happens. If you get stuck, try beginning at the ending and working your way back. We ve numbered the first and last events for you. a. John Proctor learns that his wife, Elizabeth, is pregnant. b. 1 Francis and Giles burst into the courtroom. c. Abigail claims that Mary s form is coming to her in the shape of an evil bird. d. Abigail claims that a cold wind has surrounded her. e. The girls repeat Mary s words in a strange chant. f. John Proctor admits to the crime of lechery. g. 10 Reverend Hale leaves the court. h. Elizabeth Proctor says she doesn t know anything about John s adultery. i. John tells Elizabeth that he confessed to adultery. j. Mary Warren tries to tell the truth. The above events do not cover all the details in Act Three. In the chart below, give another detail that take place in this act. Tell where the detail would fit in the above sequence of events. Additional Detail Where it fits in the sequence of events 48

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16 LESSON PLAN DETAILS ACT FOUR 3. Quotation Examination hand out and have students complete in class (1 class period) 5. The Tragic Hero hand out and have students complete in class (45 minutes) 52

17 Act Four Handout 3 Quotation Examination Act Four is full of important, thoughtful statements. Emotions and events that take years to understand can often be stated in a single quote. The conversations between characters in this act touch upon ideas and feelings deeper than those we see with our eyes. Directions: Use the chart below to list three quotations that you find important or interesting. Quotation Page What about this quotation interests Numbers you or is important? 55

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19 Act Four Handout 5 The Tragic Hero A tragedy is a drama that has an unhappy ending. In tragedies a main character usually has a major downfall. This character is known as the tragic hero. Tragic heroes have several characteristics. These include the following: qualities that people admire sympathy from audience/readers for anything bad that happens to them one major flaw or terrible mistake in their past total ruin usually caused by the flaw or mistake Directions: Answer the following questions using complete sentences and examples from the text. 1. In your opinion, who is the tragic hero in this play? Is there more than one? 2. What is this hero s flaw or mistake? (Answer this question for every tragic hero you named in question #1). 3. Even though the hero or heroes you named has either a flaw or has made a mistake, what do you still admire about the character or characters? 57