Planning Organised Hysteria

The Crucible – Act Three

Grade:  12
Week 4
4 – 8 September 2017

 

Aim:

The Crucible
Act Three

 

Objectives:

McCarthynism relating to Mass Hysteria

 

Duration:
Three Days

 

Learning Outcomes:

Scholarship As A Conversation
Mass Hysteria has been grasped almost every era - from people throwing stones at Jesus, to pointing fingers at so-called witches in Salem in the 1600s to todays need for ethnic cleansing.  This outcome shows that there is no one answer to the problem, that it is ongoing and will require new interpretations  before it is ever settled - if ever.
Being familiar with the text (The Crucible) and the context in which it arose (McCarthynism) the learners should be comfortable enough to enter the realm  of conversation and share their ideas and their interpretations.

1Contribute to the conversation on an appropriate level - by way of discussion and debate.
2   Consider the contributions of others to help formulate an opinion.
3   Understand how perspectives on the topic can change over time - does not remain stagnant
4 Realise there is no one scholar who dominates the conversation, that those who are interested can also give their own interpretation on the topic.

Assessment Content (Activities):

Background:

Drawing on research on the witch trials he had conducted while an undergraduate, Miller composed The Crucible in the early 1950s.

Miller wrote the play during the term of Senator Joseph McCarthy whose anti-Communism leanings propelled the United States into a dramatic anti-Communist fervor during the first tense years of the Cold War with the Soviet Union. Led by McCarthy, special congressional committees conducted highly controversial investigations intended to root out Communist sympathisers in the United States. As with the alleged witches of Salem, suspected Communists were encouraged to confess and to identify other Red sympathizers as means of escaping punishment. The policy resulted in a whirlwind of accusations. As people began to realise that they might be condemned as Communists regardless of their innocence.  Thousands of actors were affected like Charlie Chaplin who was not allowed to enter America because he was regards as a Communist sympathiser and had to reside in Switzerland. 

 

Today, similar tactics are used.  Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens) was barred from entering the USA in 2004 for two years thereafter because he was seen as sympathetic towards ‘terrorists’.

 

 

 

Learners should have completed their first reading on Act Three and be ready for discussion.

In class, the learners should use their phones, or other mobile devices, to read about McCarthynism and what it is all about. 

1  They will then be placed in groups of 4 - 6 .  

    They have to relay their findings.  In addition the learners must touch on how people today      are victimised because of fear and intolerance.  Learners must come up with ways in which this can be combatted in our neighbourhoods.  They can create posters in their groups and it will form part of their presentation where they will summarise their findings and highlight how ordinary people can make positive changes in their community.

 

2  As a class, we will then highlight the contrasts and comparisons between the play and the actual events in the 1950’s that led to the vengeful seeking of guilt, realising the discrepancies, depending who voice was contributing to the conversation.

3  Finally a worksheet will be handed to the learners to complete in class.  The worksheet will require them to summarise what they have learnt and show how the argument has changed over time.  When they have completed the task, the learners will mark each other’s answers while the memo is on the board.

 

4 To touch on the lighter side of this task, learners will be allowed to create a skit of 2 minutes based on their interpretation of the play, The Crucible, or an imagined work, relating it to modern day politics based on McCarthynism, exemplifying what mass hysteria entails.

 (Each activity is linked by number to its learning outcome)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

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Deep Conversations

Hi all

Shehaamah was dead with flu but because she wanted the conversation to carry on, I will humbly obliged.

So scholarship conversation is your contribution to a field or discipline.  To do this means that you cannot only read what is easy or what is you already know; it is about delving into different conversations and using it all to make/use your own 'voice'.  This can be difficult at times when there are voices of the established speakers that can overpower those who are entering the conversation, the debate.  Novices should not however be perturbed or allayed as their voice will bring a new dimension to the conversation.

To be a constant in a conversation, learners who want to develop their information literate abilities should look to their peers and cite their work to strengthen their own argument.  They must contribute conversations, identify barriers and critically evaluate their own as well as their peer's work so that a new avenue can be negotiated in that field.  They must remain active in developing their abilities, always questioning concepts and ideas to reach an enhanced professional understanding.

In any given workplace there are conversations going on.  It is important that people listen to each other so that new ideas can be had. 

Learners need to contribute to class conversations, read books that will challenge them and debate about topics that are unfamiliar but will lead to their intellectual growth.

All in all, no one should fear contributing to conversations.  All voices lead to conquering new dimensions and old barriers.

Later...

A Leap of Faith

Hi all

I was dead with flu, so skipped this lesson on the threshold concepts.

From the powerpoint I think I have the gist of it.  So her goes.

I think it is going from the unknown to the known, about stepping boldly into a space that will lead to new experiences and a new understanding of things.

In addition, this concept can relay to people who seek a mastery in particular field - acquiring a professional identity.  This means one goes from knowing the easy to the difficult and attaining a sense of accomplishment.  This accomplishment is key as this means that it is a skill that can be related to other disciplines, probably not as is, but maybe the thinking or knowing how to overcome the problem, can be used to aid in other professional identities.  For example, reading is  a literary skill but the skill of reading can lead to being a good cook as the skill of reading would mean that recipes can be followed.  The good thing is that once something is learned at that level, it is difficult to unlearn - it is irreversible.  Particular skills are particular to certain disciplines though, it's like jargon, no-one will really understand what it meant unless you are part of a field that uses that lingo.  I mean, do you know what bolo, wilco and 20 means?  Of course, be a police-man and found out.
However, with anything there are roadblocks, troublesome spots that need to be overcome.  for example, it is of no use to recognise words and not understand the meaning of words.  If you think this is ludicrous, try teaching teenagers who are visually-rich, but are actually for all intents and purposes, are mentally-poor.

But if one can transform, make that mental shift, there is a new way of thinking, of seeing the world.  Sure the familiar is comfortable and normal but it is so so so boring.  Rather look for that liminal space where you jump from the known (read: your boring life) to the unknown where great adventures await you.

Go on, be fabulous!

E

Rolling with Librarians

Morning all

Bibliographic Instruction (BI)  is also know as library instruction or user education.   This consists of setting up programs to teach the library user to locate information quickly and effectively.  It entails educating the use how information is structured in that particular field or discipline, and what resources are available.  It is a good tool to acquire as it is a discovery of information access and will hopefully to critical thinking.

Information literacy on the other hand is the ability of the information seeker to locate, evaluate and use information when needed.  However, information literacy cannot be had if bibliographic instruction is not taught and incorporated as a tool.

The role of the librarian has changed over time and rightly so.  Evolving means that things change and preferably for the better.  However, there are always those who are a stickler for comfort zones.  The debate about the role of the librarian continues today where some still believe that there should be set boundaries between academic faculties and librarians.

In the 1920s and 1930s librarians began promoting library instruction  based on the need to navigate large print collections.  As collections grew it squeezed out students who needed a space to read.

In the 1970s and 1980s the teaching library became a part of a growing number on academic institutions.  The idea was to inculcate lifelong learning , where the library will support students with practical skills that can be used beyond the confines on the institution.

In the 1990's the teacher librarian's role change dramatically because libraries began developing assessments of student learning and evaluations for their instructional programnes.  Spaces began changing to service the needs of the student.  Common spaces were created for information or learning.  Libraries began to form partnerships with faculties and liaising with other centres (like a writing centre) to keep itself relevant but also to be the learning hub where students can find information that they needed.  There was a strong focus on creating tools to help in the creating of knowledge and to provide a physical space for collaborative learning and teaching.

In the 21st century digital material became available bringing in the need for IT support for library patrons.  Spaces became more defined , study rooms were created, some even housed cafes and teaching rooms.  More and more the role of the librarian was to fulfil the information needs of seekers by supporting them and taking an active role in what they need and how quickly they can acquire it.

Information is Power!

I'm baaaaaack!!!

This is a new blog, quite exciting.
This module revises information literacy. 

 

Finding, locating and the relocating of information has gone through a surge of transformation.  The emphasis is helping those who are researching and who require information for a purpose.  It goes without saying, that library users require support to find information that can be turned into knowledge that has to be managed and used in an appropriate manner.

The core reason for this is to produce an information literate graduate who can realise what information is needed; access information effectively and efficiently; critically evaluate information and incorporate the information in everyday life.

In a nutshell, information literacy is there to empower the user, because knowledge contributes to implementation and action, and with action comes change and voila!  A new and improved you!

See you sooooooon!!!