Lesson Plan: Allegory in The Crucible
Overview:
Subject: American Literature
Grade: 11
Summary and Rationale: This is an ongoing study that prompts students to use critical thinking to analyze an author’s message and purpose for writing a literary piece. Critical thinking skills are imperative for students to master in a world where they will be inundated with information that does not clearly state the distributors’ message.
Pre-Teaching:
Standards:
· W11-S3C5
· R11-S2C1
Objectives:
1. The students will read a short biographical piece on Arthur Miller
2. The students will determine important information by highlighting any information they find imperative while reading Miller’s biographical piece.
3. The students will read a court transcript of the McCarthy hearings.
4. The students will compare the transcripts to Miller’s play and highlight any similarities they find between the transcripts and the play.
5. The students will evaluate the allegorical elements within The Crucible by completing a graphic organizer.
Evaluation:
· The allegorical element present in Miller’s play will be included on the evaluation given at the conclusion of the unit on The Crucible.
Pre-requisite Knowledge: Students will have already read Act III and Act IV of The Crucible. As a class, we will have already discussed the hysteria that ran rampant through Salem and the trial proceedings. Students will have also read another short piece that outlines the occurrences of McCarthyism and the McCarthy Trials and about Miller.
Terms:
Review:
1. McCarthyism
2. Red Scare
3. Communism
New Terms:
1. Allegory
Materials:
Teacher:
1. Board Markers
2. Copy of The Crucible
3. Handout: Graphic Organizer
4. Article on McCarthyism
5. Trial Transcripts
6. Highlighters-for students who do not have one
Students:
1. Pen/pencil
2. Highlighter
Teaching Procedures:
Opening (Set):
· Write the definition of Allegory on the board.
o Students will copy the definition down on the top of their graphic organizer before we begin.
· Draw on prior knowledge:
o Historically, what was occurring in American when Miller wrote The Crucible?
o Who was Senator McCarthy?
o What was McCarthyism?
o What is communism?
o What types of American citizens where indicted?
Lesson:
· Read the biographical piece and the trial transcripts
o Highlight important information
· Allegory
o Look at each meaning of the word and apply the definition of allegory to The Crucible.
o Record findings in a graphic organizer.
Checks for Understanding:
1. What does literal meaning mean?
2. What is abstract meaning?
3. How does an author achieve creating an allegory?
4. What is the purpose of writing an allegorical piece?
Guided Questions:
1. How are the cultural climates of both societies similar?
2. What are the cultural expectations of both cultural?
a. Were the citizens of these societies capable of meeting up the communities’ expectations? Why?
b. What were the weaknesses of the societies’ expectations?
3. What were the cultural fears of each community?
4. How are the trial proceedings similar?
5. Explain the similarity in the treatment of those on trial.
Guided Practice:
· Students will get into groups of 3-4 and record their findings on the above questions. They will record their findings on a graphic organizer. Groups will share out their findings and record additional information that they did not previously have on their graphic organizer.
Assessment:
· The allegorical element present in Miller’s play will be included on the evaluation given at the conclusion of the unit on The Crucible.
Closure:
· Why did Miller choose to write an allegory using the Salem Witch Trials?
· Why didn’t Miller just write his play about McCarthyism?
Differentiated Instruction:
Currently, I have no students on IEP’s, but I will still walk the room during guided practice to monitor student understanding and will answer any clarifying questions.