By Carolee Vakil-Jessop December 14, 2011

I wanted to use Web 2.0 technology to present three assignments for the literary unit on The Crucible. I also wanted to allow the students to present their assignments using Web 2.0 resources and with creativity. I created a wiki to present the assignments and as a place for students to post their completed assignments or links to their completed assignments. I would present the wiki assignment to the students in class and explain the assignment in detail. Finally, I wanted the assignments to be a way for students to share information and learn from one another.

The project consists of three assignments which all require the use of Web 2.0 technology to complete. The first assignment is to create a vocabulary game classmates to play that will facilitate learning the vocabulary words and their meaning. The second assignment is a character analysis. Rather than have them write a character analysis I’ve asked my students to create an online portfolio or resume about one of the characters. This will require the student take notes about the character while reading and research some historical information about the time period. The student has the freedom to present this assignment in any Web 2.0 format they choose.

The third assignment is to create a blog to write journal entries as one of the characters in the text. This assignment will require the student to connect and relate to one of the characters to be able to project the thoughts the character might have as the events of the text unfold. This assignment will require students write about the novel but in a different way. They will have to take on the perspective of one of the characters and see the action from that characters point of view. The student becomes an insider to the action rather than a passive viewer of the action.

Literacy Character analysis - Determine characters’ traits by what the characters say about themselves in narration, dialogue, dramatic monologue, and soliloquy. Vocabulary development – Identify and use the literal and figurative meanings of words and understand word derivations. Technology Incorporate emerging technologies in the academic teaching/learning environment Integrate a student learning outcome of “technology literacy” into all ECC course activities and online student services

How will students be introduced to the project? In-class presentation introducing the wiki project. How will student work on the project be structured? Students will work individually and share their work with their classmates so they can learn from each other. What will be the product of the project? A deeper understanding of one the characters in The Crucible through shared creative character analysis assignments. Vocabulary games to help the students learn the vocabulary words introduced in the book. How will student progress in meeting the identified Standard be evaluated? I will grade each part of the project based on completeness, effort, accuracy and creativity.

I have placed a sample assignment for each of the three assignments on the class wiki. Here is a video resume created by a character (Barney Stinson) on How I Met Your Mother. If you’ve watched the series you know this is a good depiction of Barney.