The 1950s/McCarthysim

Today's Agenda:

• Examine: Who was Joseph McCarthy, and what was McCarthyism?
• View: HUAC/Congressional Hearings
• Arthur Miller and the Crucible
• Contemporary Analysis: article for the guardian on President Obama and "New McCarthyism"

Death of a Salesman Assessment

First, we will wrap-up Death of a Salesman--discuss the symbols of Act II as well as the themes throughout the play. 

Then, your assessment:

• Using quotes from the play, explain the meaning of two different symbols/motifs/images from Death of a Salesman. Be complete in your answers; make sure to set-up quotes properly by providing context within the play, and explain thoroughly, i.e., how these symbols relate to a theme (American family, consumerism, American Dream, growing up, tragedy, etc.). Each response should be a full-paragraph and utilize two quotes from the play.

Here are some symbols gone over in class...

What makes a good response? Read these tips.

The 1950s

Today's Agenda:

Examine: The Korean War "The Forgotten War"
Read: CIA agent John Downey, the longest held American captive of war
Video: The Korean War

Death of a Salesman

Goal today: Finish the play! If we don't finish, finish for homework

Death of a Salesman

Thursday, 4/16...

• Check out the time lapse video of atomic bombs, 1945-1998
• Review/discuss symbol sheet
• Start Act II!

Death of a Salesman/Cold War

Agenda:

• Quiz on Act I
• Finish discussion on start of the Cold War
• Symbols and images in Death of a Salesman: HERE is a list. Keep track of each time Miller uses them in the play. Write down the page number and the line of dialogue/stage directions through which the symbol or image appears. FINISH FOR HOMEWORK

Death of a Salesman

Goal today: Finish Act I of Death of a Salesman!

OPEN NOTE QUIZ ON ACT I TOMORROW!

Symbols in the play...

Arthur Miller uses many symbols and images throughout Death of a Salesman to convey the play's many-layered meanings. HERE is a list of some of these symbols and images. Keep track of each time Miller uses them in the play. Write down the page number and the line of dialogue/stage directions through which the symbol or image appears.

This will eventually be used for our assessment for the unit...

Death of a Salesman

Today's Agenda:

• Continue acting out the play/Act 1 still
• The American Family: the 1950s stereotype portrayed on television
• The American family today

Death of a Salesman

Agenda:

• FINAL DRAFT OF RESEARCH PAPER DUE
• Finish brainstorm discussion: What makes a "dysfunctional" family?
• Sign out books
• Opening stage directions: What can we learn before any dialogue is even spoken?
• Photos of productions
• Act I questions: Work on as we perform in class

Death of a Salesman

Half classes today; while half the class practices Smarter Balanced testing, the other half will continue their small group discussion on the themes in Death of a Salesman. If there is time, we will look at the opening stage directions that sets the scene, as well as photos of what the set looks like.

Post-War America/Death of a Salesman

Amidst the "Post-War Optimism" we talked about yesterday, there was a pervasive feeling of unease that was bubbling under the surface. Our next unit, where we study American life in the late 40s/early 50s, will explore these ideas; as well as thoughts on the "perfect American family," the "American Myth," and American consumerism. This will be done through reading Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman, a play that ushered in a new era of theatre.

Our agenda today:

• Class brainstorm concerning themes, concepts, and vocabulary of the play
• Some Historical Context of the play
• A biography of Arthur Miller

Unit -WWII

Today's agenda:

Review: Chapter Attack on Anthem 24
Review: Summative Assessment tomorrow
View: The Century America's Time: Civilians at War

Stalin, Roosevelt, and Churchill

REMINDER: FINAL DRAFT OF RESEARCH PAPER DUE FRIDAY. Here is a refresher of links and handouts:

How to cite sources using MLA: Owl Purdue Writing Lab

Project Overview

Process Rubric (checkpoints)

In-Text Citations

Full Exemplar of a Research Paper

Final Draft Rubric

Unit-WWII

Today's Agenda:

Review: Chapter 24 Anthem
Discuss: Major Aspects of World War II

Unit-WWII

Today's Agenda:

Finish: Anthem Chapter 24 Attack
Tomorrow: Open Note Quiz