Chelsea's+Thematic+Unit


 * __Step One:__**

Content Focuses:
 * //The Crucible//
 * The U.S Constitution/Bill of Rights
 * Civil Rights Movement

Theme:
 * Action Reaction

The third quarter theme for 8th grade at Explois is "Action Reaction," which deals with civil rights and chemistry. My teacher gave me three content focuses, and I have to find a way to bring them all together. My teacher REALLY wants me to teach The Crucible for my unit, which will take up the majority of my unit. It's a challenging text for 8th graders and she said that in the past, it's all been read in-class. She also wants me to find a way to incorporate the Constitution/Bill of Rights/Civil Rights Movement in with the text as well. I also have to find a way to tie in chemistry and I'm clueless here, so if anyone has any suggestions, please feel free to share! :)

__**Step Two, October 28, 2010:**__

This week, I observed the second half of the school day at Exploris and I think I have a better handle for how things work at this school. When I start student teaching, the 55-minute section I teach in the morning is Language Arts (called “workshop”) and will focus on //The Crucible//. The prime group and theme/community time in the late morning/afternoon is where civil rights and chemistry are supposed to be brought in. I think "action reaction" can be brought into workshop time with //The Crucible,// even though its main focus is supposed to be during prime/theme time. Reputation is such a huge theme in this text (Proctor's "leave me my name" speech - doesn't want to do something now that will affect his reputation in the future) and the many people are worried about associating with the accused because it could taint their own reputation. If you associate with someone accused of witchcraft, then you could also be accused of witchcraft. Action reaction - something one person does can affect what you do, which affects what someone else might do, and so on.

Some of the theme/prime group activities were my CT's original suggestions, as students are very familiar with concept chairs and Socratic seminars.


 * Materials: **
 * //The Crucible// movie
 * Computers and internet (16 available in the classroom)
 * Butcher paper/poster board
 * Writing journals


 * Texts/Resources **
 * //The Crucible// (30ish copies available right now – but we’re hoping to have enough for each student to take home a copy)
 * [] (WebQuest)


 * Possible activities (workshop period) **
 * Create a time-line of the novel as it happens (“action reaction” – one event causes another)
 * Write a persuasive letter to the Salem governor either for or against the accused
 * Use quotes from the play to prompt writing activities (journals)
 * Compare and contrast the movie versus the play
 * Online WebQuest about Salem Witch Trials
 * Act out scenes from the play – could possibly do a group project and have students record their skit in different areas of school and then devote a day to watching the skits
 * Use Vokis to “act out” certain scenes or “modernize” certain parts of the text for students
 * Write a diary entry from a character’s perspective (journals)
 * Create a "character map" which highlight traits, family members, history, etc. surrounding main characters (Glogster)


 * Possible activities (prime group and theme/community time) **
 * Freedom essays
 * Research current events that deal with the Constitution or civil rights
 * Socratic seminars
 * Concept chairs


 * Technology applications **
 * Glogster
 * Vokis
 * PowerPoint
 * Flip Cams (to record skits?)


 * Step 3**


 * Step 4**