Bedsworth Witch Hunt Assignment English 10

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DAY 1:

1.  Update or create your Noodletools account (www.noodletools.com)

2.  Download the Subtext app on your iPad  (there is no web equivelent)

3. Copy and paste the address below into “Find Free Web Articles” field (on the top left of the screen) in Subtext: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/arthur-miller/mccarthyism/484/

OR click on this link and use the article directly from the web  “Arthur Miller: McCarthyism” PBS article

4.  Create a citation for the article (you will need to have the article open on the web to do this)–use the link above to get to the article.

5.  Read the article and highlight the main ideas.

DAY 2:

1.  SummaryParaphraseQuotation 

2. Create the following notecards in Noodletools (use the McCarthyism article):

  • Summary
  • Paraphrase
  • Quotation

DAY 3

Witch Hunt Assignment

Mindset:  Although you are not writing a paper, you need to conduct and document your research as if you were.  All of your work will be graded with a final paper in mind.

Background: Witch hunts follow a similar pattern which begins with fear.  A large number of people begin to fear something.  Then an event happens that becomes the trigger for action.  Finally, a person or group of people become the target of the action, or the scapegoats.

  • FEAR
  • TRIGGER
  • SCAPEGOAT(s)

Task: Select a metaphorical witch hunt and research it.  Some suggestions:

  • The Red Scare (Joseph McCarthy)
  • Post 9/11 Muslim and Middle Eastern people
  • Salem Witch Trials
  • Japanese American Internment WWII
  • AIDS epidemic outbreak 1980s
  • Pedophile priests in the Catholic church
  • WWII Nazi desire to eradicate any non-Aryan people
  • Daycare sex-abuse in the 1980s and ’90s

Do the following:

  1. Write a research question for the topic you have selected.  EXAMPLE:  To what extent was ______ a “witch hunt”?  Enter the question into the “Research Question” field on your project dashboard in Noodletools.  Consider the three elements of a witch hunt listed above when crafting your question.
  2. Find 2 sources that provide information about your topic (evaluate them to make sure they are reliable, academically sound sources)
  3. Carefully read and take notes on each source (consider loading then into Subtext so you can highlight and take notes).  Consider how each source answers your research question.  A useful article will provide you with possible answers to your research question.
  4. Create a citation for each source in Noodletools
  5. Create 2 notecards for each source:  Summary and Paraphrase
  6. Title each notecard “Summary” or “Parphrase”
  7. On each notecard, copy and paste the passage you are summarizing or paraphrasing into the direct quotation field.
  8. On each notecard, reflect on the information it contains and write your ideas in the “My Ideas” section.
  9. Write a thesis statement and enter it in the “Thesis Statement” field on your project dashboard in Noodletools.  Your thesis statement should answer your research question.  If you were to write a paper, your thesis statement would be the purpose of your paper.

GRADING: Bedsworth Witch Hunt Scoring Guide

DAYS 4 and 5

Research time–All pieces of the assignment are due at the end of the period on Day 5