Submitted by: Rebecca Struble, Kim Spensieri
Collaborators: Darien Fisher-Duke, Susan Little, Joanne Spotts
School: Mills E. Godwin High School
Summary
After reading Arthur Miller’s play The Crucible, students collaborated in groups of 3-4 to create a class Wikipage, applying the concept of hysteria to real-world situations. Students explored the concept of fear as an initiator of hysteria that leads to pain and suffering. This pattern of human behavior was then applied to other events in history. Using varied research skills, students assembled data to evaluate chosen events to determine if they exemplified the pattern. Students were then asked to collaboratively draw conclusions based on their findings. Realizing that their understandings in the Wikipages would be shared within the school and globally, students used their creativity to add engaging elements and help others think critically about the same questions.
TIPC Ratings
This is an example of an Approaching lesson for Research and Information Fluency. Students were provided with some resources and databases to use to find information, but were encouraged to find and evaluate the credibility of their own as well. Research skills students used included searching, evaluating credibility, skimming for relevant or important information, and citations. Students utilized the information gathered to reach their own conclusions based on essential and thematic questions.
This is an example of an Approaching lesson for Communication and Collaboration. Students communicated respectfully with each other to solve problems related to technology, research, and content. Using the wikipage, students could continue to work outside of the classroom on a group product. The wikipage also provided students with a discussion board to share information or ideas. The wikipage is on the Internet, allowing anyone to find and utilize the information. Students formed their own collaborative teams. The understandings students and groups reached were completely original, based on what they found and shared with each other.
This is an example of an Approaching lesson for Critical Thinking and Problem Solving. The students’ solutions to the essential questions required that they use research. The essential questions were open-ended. Students used research as evidence to support their conclusions and new understandings. Students had to solve problems related to technology, research, and the teacher-provided essential questions
Students needed to support their conclusions
This is an example of an Approaching lesson for Creativity and Innovation. Group wikipages allowed students to add their own formatting suitable to the audience, as they saw fit: fonts, colors, pictures, maps, etc.
The students worked together to make decisions about what they could add to their wikipages that would be creative and original for the audience – the class, other classes, and anyone else on the Internet. Students used research to find appropriate pictures and content that would make their products interesting
Student Artifact
Download Files
- Witch Hunt Hysteria Lesson Plan
- Witch Hunt Hysteria Project
- Link to Student Work
